Earlier today, I found out that one of my cartoons has been shared on facebook over 1000 times, and I’m amused at the thought of that many people seeing it and laughing/groaning simultaneously (I am easily amused), so I’ve decided to make some more.
Today I give you… an animated french music cartoon gif:
Sterry Cartoons has a facebook page now too (as well as nice new shop on zazzle), so if you’d like to see what I create next, feel free to hit the like button and stalk the creativity! 😛
If you’re here for the musical goings-on, you might want to head over to the facebook page, which I’ll be updating with new compositions, photos and all of my musical activity!
There are lots of things to look forward to in the next few months, so here’s a quick list of everything that’s happening!
August 17-25th
Activity week at PGL Barton Hall. I’ll be abseiling, kayaking, fencing, raft building etc. and hope to return with a giant sports photography portfolio.
August 27th
The Sterrys play jazz at The Cottage Hotel, Hope Cove from 6:45pm. Another night for delicious cocktails, light music and amazing sunsets over the sea.
September 6th
Playing jazz on a boat (as part of The Sterrys jazz trio)! Sadly it’s a private party, but if any of you feel like hiring some musicians for your boat, you know who to call.
It’s scary posting music in a public space, but this afternoon I decided to record a world-jazz-funk-fusion version of Summertime by George Gershwin and thought it’d be nice to share.
The aim of this really was just to create something that I was happy with, within a deadline of a few hours and to build confidence.
I’ve been quite self conscious about singing solo since secondary school – I know so many talented singers and if I try to compare myself to them then I lose half of my confidence. I tend to deal with the doubt by acknowledging that everybody’s voice is completely unique and that I might as well do my best, but sometimes the confidence still goes.
It’s even more bizarre when you consider that I’d be quite happy to stand in front of thousands or millions of people playing the flute.
The clarinet’s still a work in progress in terms of learning, but I stuck it in there just for fun!
LIVE JAZZ tonight at the Mill Club, Kingsbridge from ‘The John Sterry Trio’ (aka. The Sterrys).
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Tonight I’m playing with The Sterrys Jazz Trio to raise money for The Poppy Appeal! I’ve played there once before and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I’m hoping that this time will be the same.
After a happy, hectic week of friends and weddings, I decided to use this Sunday afternoon to practice a bit of harp and attempted to video a little bit. Sorry about the blur – I’m shy! 🙂
This is one of my favourite jazz standards, written by Manning Sherwin, and I hope you like it!
Hannah Sterry performing on celtic harp at The Duke of Cornwall Hotel, Plymouth.
Feel free to print this and use it for cards, wall pictures and general personal use! If you really like it and want to show your appreciation you can make me incredibly happy by sending a little donation via PayPal or sharing this post on facebook and twitter. Either of these things makes me happier than anyone could think possible and will make me smile crazily (you can demand photos if you don’t believe me)!
This is an illustration I did for fun a few years ago. At the time I was at a certain well-known university studying Mathematics and battling with depression and it was just nice to create something again. Usually I’d use music to combat depression, but I discovered that playing music in halls of residence gets you hated pretty quickly by the hall wardens and there were only 8 practice rooms on campus between over 20,000 students so there were never any free (no wonder the waiting list for counselling there was about 3 months long). One of the guys in my halls resorted to practicing his saxophone in a field, because he was threatened by the hall warden for playing in his room. I’m glad that I left.
NOTE: There might be a depression post coming up soon, because I’ve recovered enough to feel strong enough to speak about it and because I think it’s good to tell people about these things for solidarity and to reduce stigma (because stigma against an illness that affects over 25% of the population at one point or another is ridiculous).
I am now “Plymouth’s top jazz flautist” according to twitter. I know this because I am probably the only jazz flautist in the whole of South Devon (with the exception of my dad, who often prefers to play saxophone).
This post is a bit of everything – music I’ve recorded, pictures from the past year’s worth of gigs and news of gigs to come and some lovely testimonials from people I’ve played for – I hope you’ll enjoy it and feel free to ask me anything you like in the comments!
Logo by Hannah Sterry.
Over the past year I’ve been lucky enough to play lots of gigs with a great little gypsy swing band called Hamer & Isaacs. I met them, by chance, at a blues night at a pub where a mutual friend had invited us both along. I thought they were pretty cool and took a particular liking to one of them (that’s a different story) and since then I’ve stood in whenever one of the others can’t make it!
After playing with the band a fair bit, a few of them spotted my Sterry Cartoons creations on facebook and asked whether I’d like to design them an ‘art deco’ logo. I thought it’d be good fun to have a go (having not attempted logo design before) and this is what I came up with (see right).
All of this led to some really wonderful testimonials from people I’ve met through the band:
“As a professional musician for nearly four decades, I have been very impressed by Hannah Sterry’s contribution to our gypsy swing band as a deputy flautist over the last few months. She has deputised at short notice for both our lead guitarist and swing violinist, not easy roles to fill, and I have been awed by her levels of competence and creativity. Her improvisational techniques display an intuitive flair and inspiration well beyond her years, and she exhibits the stage presence expected in a seasoned veteran. I would heartily endorse her as a flautist to any potential employers, whether in the fields of jazz, rock or classical music.” ~ Julian Isaacs of Hamer & Isaacs Gypsy Swing Band
“[Hannah] is a brilliant musician and I love working with her in the gypsy swing band. Her flute solos inspire me to up my game!” ~ Melanie Scullion B.A Hons.P.G Cert. P.G Dip.Perf. Professional violinist, violist and peripatetic music teacher.
I’ve haven’t been playing jazz and designing logos the entire time though. Whenever I’ve had a few hours free, I’ve been working on a few of my own musical side projects! Most recently I’ve been doing a bit of recording with my little sister (she’s ridiculously cool, but you can’t take her anywhere). 😛
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you might have heard it before, but here’s a little bit of chilled out flute music I recorded as an earlier side project (it’s not jazz, but it’s cool and floaty)!
P.S. If you like any of my music, you can download it for FREE on bandcamp. Just click the link above. If you really like it and want me to make more music, you can donate however much or little as you like with the “name-your-price” button and you’ll get a gigantic smile and thanks from me!
Anyway, I’ve just been told that dinner’s on the table, so I’d better go, but I hope you’re enjoying the story so far and I’ll leave you with a few pictures from the last year and adates of my upcoming gigs! Hope to meet some of you at some point and as always, if you want to ask me anything, or have any great music recommendations, I’d love to hear from you in the comments! 😀
Flautist Hannah Sterry performing jazz flute for The Cottage Hotel’s Summer Music Nights in Hope Cove, Devon.
The Sterrys
Ansa Back playing at Morleigh Village Hall
Hamer & Isaacs live at the Millbrook Inn, South Pool. Photo Credit: timhirstphotography.com
BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY (27th May) Ansa Back will be playing at Bigbury Golf Club from 4pm.
JUNE-SEPTEMBER The Sterrys will be playing every Tuesday evening at The Cottage Hotel, Hope Cove for their Summer Music Nights. Feel free to come and join us, enjoy a cocktail on the terrace and take in one of the most Mediterranean views that the South Hams can offer!
Hannah Sterry 