Featured

New products in the Sterry Cartoons Shop

| Hannah Sterry

Last weekend I was lucky enough to catch up with some amazing friends in Bristol. We played board games, drank mead and ventured in to the City Centre for a quick bit of Christmas shopping!

This week has been a bit quieter, so I’ve been working to improve the selection of products available in the Sterry Cartoons Shop (note: prices may vary).

redbubble-top-selling-products
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The new products available include:

  • Cushions
  • Mugs
  • Clocks
  • iPhone Cases
  • Tote Bags
  • T-Shirts
  • Scarves
  • Dresses
  • Leggings
  • Miniskirts
  • Duvets
  • Notebooks
  • Pencil Cases
  • Acrylic Art Blocks
  • Canvas Prints
  • Greeting Cards

 

 

Dubclass have a new album!

| Hannah Sterry

I’ve not been on here for a while, but while I’ve been away, some of my favourite bands have been very busy! I’ll be telling you about a few of these bands over the next few weeks, but the first band I’d like to give a big shoutout to is Dubclass!

 

WHY I LOVE DUBCLASS

Dubclass are an energetic Space Reggae band from the deep dark South West!

Transporting you to a world of relaxed sci-fi reggae madness, the band were united by their mutual love of Dub and have a stomping 6-piece line up that includes guitars, flutes, keys, drums, bass, and vocals.

I’ve seen them at festivals, parties and local pub gigs an each time the Dubclass have created an amazing, immersive atmosphere that’s just as suitable for wild dancing as it is for chilling with friends in a field on a beautiful sunny day.

 

NEXT GIG: FREEDOM FIELDS FESTIVAL, PLYMOUTH

Freedom Fields Main Stage

Dubclass will be headlining Freedom Fields Festival, Plymouth on Sunday 29th May.

The festival is FREE, so I highly recommend you get down there and get a taste of one of the hottest bands in Plymouth!

For a full list of gigs go to http://www.dubclass.co.uk/

WHERE CAN I GET THEIR ALBUM?

Reap What You Sow is available for download on Amazon and iTunes.

CDs are available at their gigs and (I believe) at The Nowhere Inn, Plymouth.

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Below Stairs: Steampunk Charity Event happening in Plymouth!

Below Stairs - Steampunk Charity Event in Plymouth
| Hannah Sterry

Good evening ladies and gentlemen,

I am very excited to announce Below Stairs victorian extravaganza happening this October 29th in Plymouth, Devon.

Tickets are available from http://belowstairs.brownpapertickets.com/  and I’m aware that the VIP tickets are selling very fast, so get in there quick if you want one!

Here’s the description from the Event Page:

Below Stairs – Victorian Fundraiser!

With headlines like ‘Children Living in Victorian Conditions’ and cuts to services leaving charities to pick up the slack, there’s never been a better time for giving. So join us in the mists of history for good old-fashioned music, magic, drink and dancing, all to raise money for local charities supporting vulnerable people in the present!

Whether you’re a humble servant, the Lady of the House in disguise, or an explorer stepping out of your Zeppelin from an alternate timeline, it’s guaranteed to be a party Below Stairs!

Costume is strongly encouraged, and please, no jeans or trainers. (Unless they’re an essential part of your spectacular Steampunk ensemble!)

Two floors of fun, music and revelry in a themed venue in Plymouth: Annabel’s Cabaret and Discotheque.

– 8 AMAZING ACTS
– TEA DUELLING
– CRAFT AND MERCH FOR SALE
– VICTORIAN-STYLE PHOTO BOOTH
– RAFFLE

Tickets are available from http://belowstairs.brownpapertickets.com/

Below Stairs - Steampunk Charity Event in Plymouth
Below Stairs Poster

Malborough Music Monster Mash

| Hannah Sterry

Monster Mash 2014

Malborough Music Monster Mash 2014

Malborough Music Monster Mash Line Up 2014

 

This Saturday 26th April, I’m delighted to be performing with Ansa Back at Malborough Music Monster Mash to raise money for the Dave Sharp Young Musicians Fund. The fund does some brilliant work locally to ensure that teens from all backgrounds have a chance to enjoy learning and playing music and now that the project is a few years old it’s great to see some of the bands that have emerged and developed from it.

For more information about the event visit the Malborough Music Monster Mash website.

Exploring Cornwall

St Michaels Mount, Cornwall - Image copyright of Hannah Sterry.
| Hannah Sterry

Hello! It’s been a long time since the last post and a lot has happened in the past three months (it’ll take quite a few blog posts for me to catch up)!

The whole family have enjoyed a brief trip to Cornwall and, to our amazement, it was sunny for the whole week. I also got to practice my archery skills with my big-little sister (but thankfully there are no photos of that)! 😛

St Michaels Mount, Cornwall - Image copyright of Hannah Sterry.
St Michaels Mount, Cornwall – Image copyright of Hannah Sterry.
Hayle Sunset by Hannah Sterry.
Hayle Sunset by Hannah Sterry.
Lanhydrock House. Image copyright of Hannah Sterry.
Lanhydrock House. Image copyright of Hannah Sterry.
Levant Tin Mine, Cornwall. Image copyright of Hannah Sterry.
Levant Tin Mine, Cornwall. Image copyright of Hannah Sterry.
The Minack Theatre, Cornwall. Image copyright of Hannah Sterry.
The Minack Theatre, Cornwall. Image copyright of Hannah Sterry.
Hannah Sterry, looking slightly ridiculous at St Michael's Mount, Cornwall.
Hannah Sterry, looking slightly ridiculous at St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall.

The best bits of the week:

  • Visiting St Michael’s Mount and exploring the gardens – St Michael’s Mount is beautiful and the gardens are full of interesting and exotic plants. There are plenty of places to hide away and just enjoy being there too.
  • Watching a kid’s version of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ at The Minack Theatre. It is my ambition to perform at the Minack Theatre one day.
  • Picnics in the gardens of Lanhydrock House and Godolphin. We didn’t go in to the houses at either of these National Trust properties, but the gardens were really good fun to explore.

The slower bits of the week:

  • The Mines – I feel bad admitting it and understand that mining is a huge part of Cornwall’s heritage, but I can only have so much interest in mines that aren’t working anymore. The way the machines work is interesting, that some of the beam engines used hippopotamus leather on the hinged moving parts is a fun fact and the way that copper seeps out of the rock in to any wooden beams left behind and eventually turns them in to turquoise-green copper is fascinating, but it doesn’t take very long to  see all of that.

 

All in all it was a great holiday and don’t let the negative comments about the mines put you off – they are great places to visit and are full of history, but I just wasn’t quite as interested in them as some of the other family members!

 

Hannah x

Hannah Sterry: Jazz Flautist

| Hannah Sterry

Performing

I’m an experienced jazz and classically trained flautist regularly performing with a variety of local and visiting musicians (see Live Music & Events). Most recently I’ve played with Hamer & Isaacs gypsy swing band and The Sterrys as well as being involved with a number of local events, including Malborough Amateur Dramatics Pantomime and Hope for Howard. I am also available to perform solo on the harp.

Recording

I have recorded a short selection of relaxed pieces, all available for free download.

Testimonials

“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 peripatectic music teacher.

Contact Me

Feel free to ask any questions or have a friendly chat online using the contact form, tweet @HannahSterry or comment on this blog!

If you like, you can also follow my musical adventure on facebook on the Hannah Sterry Music page.

Hope to hear from you soon! 🙂

Gallery

Here are a selection of images from performances around South Devon. The pencil sketch is thanks to Jazz Greenhill.

Hope for Howard Event on Kingsbridge Bandstand. Hannah Sterry on flute. Image copyright 2013 Mark L Jones.
The Sterrys live in Hope Cove.
The Sterrys live at The Cottage Hotel
Ansa Back: Telling Jokes Behind Amy’s Back – Photography © Mark L Jones
This amazing picture is by Jazz Greenhill. She’s awesome and has a really cool blog over here: http://jazzgillustration.blogspot.co.uk/
Flautist Hannah Sterry performing jazz flute for The Cottage Hotel’s Summer Music Nights in Hope Cove, Devon.
Hamer & Isaacs live at the Millbrook Inn, South Pool. Photo Credit: timhirstphotography.com

Hot Club of Stonehouse live at The B-Bar in Plymouth

Hot Club of Stonehouse live at The B-Bar in Plymouth. Featuring Becky Brine (vocals), Mel Brindle (violin), Julian Isaacs (guitar), Howard Kahn (upright bass and bass ukelele) and Hannah Sterry (jazz flute). Gypsy jazz rendition of Sweet Georgia Brown.
| Hannah Sterry

 

A gypsy jazz rendition of Sweet Georgia Brown by The Hot Club of Stonehouse.

Hot Club of Stonehouse are:
Becky Brine – Vocals
Julian Isaacs – Guitar
Mel Brindle – Violin

Guest musicians:
Howard Kahn – Bass / Bass Ukelele
Hannah Sterry – Flute

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This B-Bar gig was so much fun!

We had the fiddle/flute version of duelling banjos, rude jokes about chickens, bass ukelele envy and a kazoo-off! The audience seemed to really enjoy it (Becky even managed to be colour co-ordinated with some of the audience too) and we all had a lot of fun on stage!

I’ll be playing at B-Bar again in March, but this time with Hamer & Co, so that’s definitely something to look forward to!

Ansa Back make an appearance in The Dartmouth Chronicle!

Ansa Back at Malborough Monster Mash. Image by Leap Images.
| Hannah Sterry
Live music at Dartmouth Football Club from Ansa Back!
Live music at Dartmouth Football Club from Ansa Back!

The Dartmouth Chronicle printed news about our performance at Dartmouth Football Club at 8:45pm tonight (Saturday 19th October)!

The article reads:

Rock on South Hams Newspapers.

The eight strong combo Ansa Back which boasts one South Hams newspaper reporter, a photographer and a production wizard, will be in concert at Dartmouth football club tomorrow.

The band, which has a repertoire spanning more than 20 years of rock classics, included reporter Amy McSweeny on vocals, photographer Greg Taylor on lead guitar and production expert Bryan Roberts on rhythm guitar.

With them will be the rest of the line up – father and daughter team Joe Sterry on sax and Hannah Sterry on flute and backing vocals and Paul Adams, also on sax, Clare Hannaford on drums and Wayne Neil on bass guitar.

The music kicks off at 8.45pm.

Lead singer, Amy McSweeny said: ‘It is our first gig in Dartmouth and we’re really excited to be performing there. Our music covers pretty much everything and hopefully we shall get people up and dancing and having a good time.’

Beauty is in the eye of the bee-holder

| Hannah Sterry

 

This has always seemed like a silly phrase. I should probably add that I don’t advise holding bees (unless you’re a trained beekeeper).

 

If you want to make me really happy, follow Sterry Cartoons on Facebook or Twitter and share the cartoons with anyone who might get a giggle from them! 😀