Music Events

Hope for Howard: An afternoon of music on Kingsbridge Bandstand!

| Hannah Sterry

Come down to Kingsbridge bandstand tomorrow afternoon (Saturday 4th May) for A Day for Howard! From 4:30pm there’ll be a whole host of great musicians playing. I’ll be wandering about with my flute (as per usual) and will be playing with Tez Locke and Mathieu Cook from 7:30pm!

Here’s the running order for the day:

4.30pm – Jack Handsley
5.15pm – Flossie & Danny Withers
6pm       – The Storm
6.45pm – Ben Carr & Guests
7.30pm – The Travelling Tezburies
8.30pm – Bullet Proof Future
9.30pm – The Filthy Gorgeous

Hope to see you there and have a good weekend!

More information here: http://hopeforhoward.co.uk

A Day for Howard - Hope for Howard Community Live Music Event

Crazy Rhythm with Hamer & Isaacs Gypsy Swing Band

Hamer and Isaacs gypsy swing band - Live and Lovely album art
Video | | Hannah Sterry


Here’s a little video of Hamer & Isaacs gypsy swing band playing at the White Horse Inn in December! I was lucky enough to guest with them and Steve Jenner (guitarist) that evening and had a great evening of jazz, meeting new people and friendly banter! 🙂

At the time the landlord was running a 12 days of Christmas event which led to this brilliantly surreal image of inn, innkeeper and camel.

White Horse Inn Camel and Innkeeper Nativity Play
I wasn’t joking about the camel…

It’s not every day that you see a camel drinking a pint of lager.

Anyway, Hamer & Isaacs have recently released their new live album “Live & Lovely” and you can listen to it all on bandcamp! Just click below to listen and download!

x

Music News: Ansa Back, Hamer & Isaacs, Life, The Universe and Everything.

Ansa Back Live at Morleigh - 8 piece cover band based in South Devon.
| Hannah Sterry

Life, The Universe and Everything…

Open University coursework, music exams and life just carrying on as normal and have meant I’ve been desperately trying to meet deadlines (and not blogging much recently). This means that the cartoons have taken a bit of a hit, but the music keeps going!


Last Friday’s Gig with Hamer & Isaacs

We were playing at the Hermitage in Kingsbridge and at one point I found myself improvising hard-edged jazz flute to one of the fastest, liveliest (and most fun) renditions of “Summertime” I have ever played. Becky Brine was singing that night and her performances are always really good humoured, so we all had a brilliant night that only ended after not one… not two… but THREE encores.

Hamer & Isaacs have just released a live album too!


Ansa Back Gigging and Recording

Last Saturday we played a lovely birthday party for Greg’s (our lead guitarist’s) dad. Speaking to everyone after the gig it seemed like it went down really well and rumours of this crazy 8-piece spread as far and wide as East Allington pub, or so I’m told! 😛

There was a really touching moment when one of the guests discovered that the tenor sax player is my dad. He made us both realise how special it is to just be able to play music together as a family – it can be so easy to take it for granted, because I’ve grown up playing music with my dad and grandpa, but I really love that we can all just get together and play and I love that they gave me the opportunity to learn and never worried about my mistakes. I don’t know who I’d be without all of that.

This Saturday  we’re gigging on a farm, so we’re packing tarpaulins, plenty of extension leads and wellies and looking forward to a friendly, relaxed evening (including crazy, lively music).

Sunday is recording day! Apparently we’ve got a band backdrop (photos to follow) and we’re being helped out by an amazing team of people who all deserve a huge THANK YOU and a good pub meal. There’s also a band website in the works, so I’ll post links to that when it’s ready.

Anyway, here we all are, looking very smiley (and slightly orange). More coming soon!

Ansa Back Live at Morleigh - 8 piece cover band based in South Devon.
Ansa Back performing at Morleigh

The Boyfriend Song: Lyrics Only

Aimez-vous l'accent? - French music cartoon gif by Hannah Sterry
| Hannah Sterry

The Boyfriend Song

Do you mind conversations about zombie ninja pirates?
How about debates about the newest things in science?
Do you like Monty Python? Are you musical at all?
Can you manage to be lewd without losing your class at all?

Because…
I’d like a boyfriend please!
I’d like a boyfriend please!
It’s mostly for great company and not those birds and bees,
So I’d like a boyfriend please!
(Y’know, if it’s not too much trouble)

Are you fussy about food?
Are you considerate or rude?
Do you like cats (no, not for dinner)?
Are you taller? Fatter? Thinner?

(Could you possibly put up with my ridiculous ideas?)

Do you think this drawing’s great?
What kinds of people do you hate?
Are you kind and are you stable?
Are your hands above the table?

Because…
I’d like a boyfriend please!
I’d like a boyfriend please!
I’m obviously too fussy, but I’d like one that’s a tease.
Yep, I’d like a boyfriend please!
(Or maybe I’m closing my mind too much)

I shouldn’t be so picky about gender.
But instincts have a stranglehold on me.
It shouldn’t be my fate, to pro-cre-ate;
There are already too many fish in the sea.

Anyway…
If we’re going to be so ridiculously politically correct about it…
Might as well include everybody…

I’d like a girlfriend please!
I’d like a girlfriend please!
And if you’re unsure, it doesn’t matter anymore.
Leave judgements and criticisms at the door.

You could be hetero- or homo-
It’s no problem; I’m no phobe- Oh.
I just have one more thing to say:

Though, theoretically, I’ve no preference,
Logic didn’t get the reference.

So… I’d still probably like a boyfriend please.
(Apply now with your CVs.)

Lyrics © Hannah Sterry 2012
Music to follow…

———————————————————

I feel I should point out that I have a lovely boyfriend (and a ridiculous sense of humour), so please don’t take this seriously – it’s just a bit of fun! This is a poem/song I’d forgotten about and unearthed as I was trying to clear up the mess of files on my computer with names like “idea”, “another thing” and “messing about”.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this post anyway! Let me know what you think in the comments!

Should I work for free…

Art by freeimageslive / creator is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
| Hannah Sterry
Art by freeimageslive / creator is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Art image by freeimageslive / creator is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

This might get me a whole lot of hate, but it’s a handy chart that I feel I should share with every musician, artist, photographer, writer or other creative who has ever been asked and even sometimes expected, by complete strangers, to work for free.

http://www.shouldiworkforfree.com/

I am not saying that you shouldn’t work for free, but stressing that it should be your choice, that you shouldn’t be pressured in to it and do not need to feel guilty if you refuse. Would you ever expect a builder or lawyer to work for you for free?

Example: I have been asked before (by people I do not know) to play 15 minute slots on the harp (not an easy instrument to transport) for absolutely nothing, for profiting festivals and offered only a 5% discount on the cost of a ticket in return. Obviously, my answer was no.

Music is a skilled job and those choosing the profession should be paid accordingly and not exploited.

http://www.shouldiworkforfree.com/

 

Feel free to share your stories and let us know how you responded!

 

Make a request! What would you like to see me play?

The many faces of Hannah Sterry: Jazz Flautist & Harpist
| Hannah Sterry
The many faces of Hannah Sterry: Jazz Flautist & Harpist
The many faces of Hannah Sterry: Jazz Flautist & Harpist

Hello! Hannah here!

I’m currently taking requests for harp covers and will be recording and uploading the results to youtube! I’m happy to attempt absolutely anything… well, anything possible (things like “Flight of the Bumble Bee” might be a bit of a bother). Requests for folk, heavy metal, jazz and pop are all welcome – I’ll try them all!

Feel free to request flute pieces too – If you want to hear a cool jazz version of “God Save the Queen”, or a Jethro-Tull-style rendition of Adiemus, I’ll do it – Make these suggestions as crazy and wacky as you like!

Can’t wait to hear what you come up with! Just leave a comment or send me a tweet: @Hannah Sterry

New Years Resolution: Start Singing Again

Ansa Back: Telling Jokes Behind Amy's Back - Photography © Mark L Jones
| Hannah Sterry
Ansa Back: Telling Jokes Behind Amy's Back - Photography © Mark L Jones
Ansa Back: Telling Jokes Behind Amy’s Back – Photography © Mark L Jones

Resolutions aren’t something I usually bother with, but this year I want to start singing again. I used to have so much confidence – regularly singing Les Miserables tunes in the playground (mainly Castle on a Cloud) and, more embarrassingly, odd bits from S Club 7 (my friend knew all of the dance routines but didn’t like singing), and I was perfectly happy having various solo singing parts on stage at about age 7 – I’m not sure where that confidence went, but some of it’s started coming back already and it’s time to catch the rest before it decides to go on holiday for another decade!

This summer (maybe as early as easter) I’ll be singing and playing harp in the middle of Salcombe, for fun and confidence, and will make a real effort to play more solo gigs.

This year, most of my singing has been performing backing vocals for lively 8-piece band Ansa Back (when I’m not playing flute). I know it looks like there’s some sort of secret joke going on behind Amy’s back, but it actually Greg (lead guitarist) waiting for a cue from our drummer. Thanks to Mark Jones for the photo!

Life is Changing: Crafts, Cartoons & Live Music

AnsaBack Poster
Aside | | Hannah Sterry

Hello again!

Life has been changing fast, which has meant that I’ve not drawn and uploaded the cartoons that I aimed to have completed by now. Here’s what’s been going on:

Christmas Cartoon Sales!

The Musical Compliments cartoon still seems to be doing really well. After thousands of sporadic shares on facebook, people seem to be going  mad with t-shirt buying! If you’ve got a musical friend, who loves puns, it could make a really nice complimentary gift!

Musical Compliments - Music Cartoon by Hannah Sterry. Comic shows some music notes complimenting each other. Text reads: "Liking the natural look!" "Thanks! You're looking pretty sharp yourself!"

‘Musical Compliments’ is available on cards, mugs, t-shirts and bags over here: http://www.cafepress.co.uk/hannahsterrycartoons

Music

My sister has been involved in my most recent recording and I’m absolutely desperate to share it, but it’s not finished yet! Would love to hear any band name suggestions for dark, electronic, synth rock with flutes and a female singer… leave me a comment if you have any ideas!

On Wednesday I went to a few of the cafe’s and galleries in town, to ask whether they’d be interested in some live harp music and had a really nice chat with the people in The Art Cafe and The Harbour House. By complete chance, I bumped in to a few people I knew and had played for before and they gave me some really nice, on-the-spot references – it’s a small town! 🙂

The Weekly Gigs:

Tomorrow – I’ll be playing music with Hamer & Isaacs at East Portlemouth Village Hall, 8pm.

Tuesday (11th) – Ansa Back will be playing at The Hideaway Speakeasy, Kingsbridge, 8pm.

Here’s a poster I made earlier!

Ansa Back Poster

[Click for bigger picture]

Thursday (13th) – Ben Carr will be playing at The Kings Arms, Kingsbridge (I’ll be guesting on flute).

More live music dates on the Gigs & Events page.

Education

In addition to all of this, I’ve got an Open University deadline on Tuesday and I’m desperately trying to learn some new Grade VIII standard flute pieces. The driving theory hasn’t even been looked at!

Really glad to be busy, meeting so many people and doing so many things!

Hope nobody minds the lack of cartoons too much (they take a surprisingly long time to draw/perfect). I’ll release more as soon as I’m happy with them!

Hannah x

Hang out on Sterry Cartoons facebook group!

Musical Compliments - Cartoon by Hannah Sterry
| Hannah Sterry


    There is now a Sterry Cartoons Group over on facebook.

    So feel free to hang out over there and share in the friendly banter!

    I’ll post the occasional cartoon and we can all have a bit of a laugh.

Live Music

There are a few gigs coming up in December, where I’ll be performing as guest jazz flautist with Hamer & Isaacs gypsy swing band. They’re a brilliant group of musicians playing lively Django-style jazz and really good fun to watch, so if you get a chance to see them – Don’t miss it!

The dates I’ll be joining Hamer & Isaacs are:

8th December    – East Portlemouth Village Hall, 8pm

18th December – White Horse Inn, Launceston, 8pm

They’re playing a lot of dates in Devon and Cornwall in December, so it’s well worth having a look on their shows page to see if they’re playing anywhere near you.

Also remade the header photo for the website (below). What do you think?

Musical Compliments - Cartoon by Hannah Sterry

 

 

Just a quick post today – Hope you’re all well!

Hannah x