Our #MemorySongs are back for 2019
This year we have another EP of songs & poems by 3 exciting emerging artists Anna Bruce, Mia Standen and Piers Harrison-Reid
For the two previous Memory Afternoon projects (Coast to Coast and Colchester Memory Afternoons) we were blessed by having the great songwriting team of writer Jules Fox-Allen and singer Marina Florance writing the Memory Songs over 2 projects.
Together they wrote beautifully poignant, uplifting and heart achingly lovely songs and with them we recently won Innovation Of The Year by Fatea Magazine for our #MemoryAfternoons & #MemorySongs
And so, when it was time for Marina and Jules to move onto new horizons I wanted to try something different, I wanted to see how younger music artists might interpret our groups memories and stories of their younger days
We commissioned 2 songwriters and a poet to come and attend our #MemoryAfternoons and write a song or poem inspired by the memories shared by our lovely over 60's group.
There were two 18-year-old artists (Anna Bruce and Mia Standen) at the very early stages of their music making careers, both had initially performed at Memory Afternoons on earlier projects because we thought they both possessed promise and something special and we do try to showcase up and coming singers to give them performance opportunities in a unique setting, alongside offering support and encouragement in the music making game.
Both Anna and Mia were so professional, dedicated and a pleasure to work with. It was a joyous thing to hear what they created out of the shared memories and stories they heard. They didn't let us down, each producing a poignant and beautiful song, quite different from each other but able to sit alongside each other (phew - my judgement was still intact then).
I listen to their songs most days and appreciate their beauty, and marvel at how these young artists have produced something special from events that happened over 50 years before they were born.
The poet - Piers Harrison-Reid, though young (25), is a fully formed artist, a performance poet with a special talent. I'd shared a bill with him at a show quite a few years ago and I thought then that he was special. This distant show left its mark and his talent stayed with me, I never forgot him. I had loved his delivery, his timing and rhythm, his poignant words that made me think and soothed me at the same time. I followed his career and when he hooked up with his friend, the artist Marimo Beats - who added sweet beats and deft soundscapes to Piers dancing and weaving words - I was further smitten as it made for an enticing colloboration.
Piers was commissioned to write 1 poem, he got into it that much he returned with 4!
All soundtracked by Marimo Beats.
Each piece he wrote evokes the shared memories so well and brings you along on the journey, Piers poems continues to move me and beckon me to go back and listen again.
It is so lovely having been at the Memory Afternoons myself and having heard the stories told by guests themselves and then to hear them come to life in a song or a poem.
And to our ears all 6 pieces from all the artists blend together really well and produce new memories for us, our guests and you out there.
The most important thing was that the songs meant something to our guests and they themselves couldn't have been nicer, show more kindness to the artists or be more thankful about these songs and poems when they heard them. We will be talking to them more about it but I hope it is a wonderful experience to hear new art inspired by their own memories. It is a pleasure to be in the company of our guests, they are all wonderful people and they (and their memories) should be cherished.
I feel very proud of the work these special artists have created and hope you enjoy them as much as we do here.
#MemorySongs 2019 were part of our #MemoryAfternoons project which was funded by The National Lottery Community Fund for the #PeoplesProjects and you voted for us to win the award for the East of England, we hope we did you proud – thanks Johnno x
Memory Songs 2019
By Anna Bruce, Mia Standen, Piers Harrison-Reid
These 3 songs were inspired by shared memories from retired participants taking part in our Colchester Memory Afternoons project.
Jules and Marina attended Memory Afternoons in Colchester, got to know our participants, became part of the Warm & Toasty Club family and went away to write these specially commissioned songs.
We think they have captured something very lovely with these songs and we feel they really honour our participants and the rich lives they have lived.
All proceeds will go to paying for the manufacturing of the CD's and then to support the continuing work of The Warm and Toasty Club
Jules and Marina attended Memory Afternoons in Colchester, got to know our participants, became part of the Warm & Toasty Club family and went away to write these specially commissioned songs.
We think they have captured something very lovely with these songs and we feel they really honour our participants and the rich lives they have lived.
All proceeds will go to paying for the manufacturing of the CD's and then to support the continuing work of The Warm and Toasty Club
These 3 songs were commissioned by The Warm and Toasty Club for the Coast to Coast Project and written after Jules Fox-Allen and Marina Florance.
Jules & Marina attended our Memory Afternoons on the coast of Essex and wrote these songs, which Marina then performed live for the participants.
The Memory Afternoon sessions have been a great place for our wonderful retired participants to share positive & poignant stories of their younger days, charting some of their journeys in life, often through World Wars &/or times of great social change in Great Britain - it has been a pleasure to hear people centred stories of how people used to live & what they got up to in the 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond for the Coast to Coast project.
They all are special Essex based people and we would like to thank them for the shared memories, laughter and friendship.
Marina & Jules said - we cannot thank Johnno Casson enough for being asked to be part of this superb project. We’ve enjoyed every memory afternoon (sometimes too much), every performance & every moment spent with The Warm and Toasty Team.
Most importantly we loved being given the opportunity to share in the
memories of so many inspirational people.
The tea & biscuits were good too.
You can listen to the songs below, with all sales helping to pay the manufacturing costs and going towards our continued work as a non-for-profit community arts organisation
Jules & Marina attended our Memory Afternoons on the coast of Essex and wrote these songs, which Marina then performed live for the participants.
The Memory Afternoon sessions have been a great place for our wonderful retired participants to share positive & poignant stories of their younger days, charting some of their journeys in life, often through World Wars &/or times of great social change in Great Britain - it has been a pleasure to hear people centred stories of how people used to live & what they got up to in the 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond for the Coast to Coast project.
They all are special Essex based people and we would like to thank them for the shared memories, laughter and friendship.
Marina & Jules said - we cannot thank Johnno Casson enough for being asked to be part of this superb project. We’ve enjoyed every memory afternoon (sometimes too much), every performance & every moment spent with The Warm and Toasty Team.
Most importantly we loved being given the opportunity to share in the
memories of so many inspirational people.
The tea & biscuits were good too.
You can listen to the songs below, with all sales helping to pay the manufacturing costs and going towards our continued work as a non-for-profit community arts organisation