This week, some French singing to cheer you up.
Music
Mambo no.7
A new video with One Voice, One Cello and A mad Belgian. Enjoy!
Poker Game
This week on “A mad Belgian”: an A Capella song
Outer Space
Ten weeks already! Well this week we thought we’d share with you a lovely song Rupert wrote a while ago, which seems particularly relevant these days…
A simple dance
A touch of sweetness in this increasingly sour world. Keep spreading the positive!
ESP
A new tune with One Voice, One Cello and A mad Belgian… Can you guess what it’s about?
Teenage Dogs
This week on “A mad Belgian”: did you know that dogs went through a teenage crisis? Here’s a little song about it…
Whiskey Joe and his 8 pound note
A new video with One voice, One Cello and A mad Belgian, dedicated to my friend Whiskey Mick who was courteous enough to appear in one of my dreams a few years ago.
The Mathematician
Brand new song with “One Voice, One Cello and A mad Belgian”, dedicated to all geeky mathematicians in the world.
Mary Magdalene
New installment of your weekly dose of One Voice, One Cello and A mad Belgian. This week, a quieter song, sung by both of us. Enjoy!
Another Murder on Baker Street
Did you know that when the Sherlock Holmes books were first published, people thought Sherlock was a real person and many wrote to him to ask for his help?
So much so, in fact, that someone had to get hired by the post office just to deal with the mail that kept coming for 221B Baker Street (which wasn’t even a real address at the time)!
What am I getting at? Well this week’s quarantine song with One Voice, One Cello and A mad Belgian tells the story of Another murder on Baker Street. Enjoy!
Montrésor
Rupert is still stuck in London and I’m still stuck in France… HOWEVER… through the miracle of technology, we present the fourth video of the “Quarantine Sessions”: Montrésor, a tune composed in the beautiful Loire Valley, near Montrésor village.
Shiva & Close encounter
Today in “A mad Belgian”, learn a bit more about Shiva and discover a great song about aliens! Who could ask for anything more?
Close Encounter of the Second Kind
How many of you know what “A close encounter of the second kind” is (apart from an awesome song by Rupert Gillett)?
The 11th person to pm me the right answer wins a CD! (No googling, we trust you…)
(Musical) notes from a while ago…
Years ago, I was living in Brussels with this Italian guy. He came with a lot of olive oil and many different kinds of pasta (true story). He could cook, he could sing… And mostly, he could play the double bass beautifully!
Now we’re miles apart but have recorded this for you. Such a great standard by Eden Ahbez.
A mad Belgian 2 — Nature Boy & Ramesses II
A second episode of A mad Belgian, in which you’ll find a duo version of “Nature Boy” with double bass player Alessio Campanozzi, and some information about the colossal head of Ramesses II that stands in the British Museum. Enjoy!
Big Blue Ball
Second video of the Quarantine Sessions, a cross channel collaboration with One Voice, One Cello and A mad Belgian!
Tune in every Wednesday at 10am (11 on the continent) for more!
Montreal-Montrésor : A transatlantic improvisation
Eight years ago, I was in Montreal and crossed paths with pianist David Ryshpan. We became friends and thanks to modern technology, managed to keep in touch despite not having seen each other since.
In this awkward time, as humans throughout the world are being told to stay at home and avoid unnecessary social contact, we decided not to wait anymore, and so here is our first improvisation together, recorded in our different parts of the world, before we can meet up and play live. Hope you enjoy it…
It features on my last edition of “A mad Belgian”, but for those of you who don’t have a particular interest in the Rosetta stone, here’s the standalone version.
Across the channel…Don’t Look Now
First video of the Quarantine Sessions, a cross channel collaboration with One Voice, One Cello and A mad Belgian!
Tune in every Wednesday at 10am (11 on the continent) for more!
Cranky
Sometimes I get cranky I can't help it, really I do things on my own, Like an odd and lonely soul I'm told I'm too quirky But that's the only way for me I often don't realise That's not the regular path I'd love to be normal to do nothing special I'd love to be banal To go about my life in an orderly fashion And to stop asking questions But I'm trapped in myself I am done with pretence I've never been good at being someone else I am stuck with this brain With these thoughts, with those games The melancholy and the insecurities
And here you are, and I'm all sorted You're there and everything seems simple again And here you are and I'm just fine For as long as you'll give me your time
Sometimes I get cranky I let things get to me I'm oversensitive I've got nothing good to give It's all too much for me And I do get angry The wars, the extreme right Don't wanna live in a state of fright I'd love to be useful to do something meaningful I want to be crucial To go about my life in a decisive manner And to get much better at banter But I'm trapped in myself I am done with pretence I've never been good at being someone else I am stuck with this brain With these thoughts, with those games The melancholy and the insecurities
And here you are, and I'm all sorted You're there and everything seems simple again And here you are and I'm just fine For as long as you'll give me your time but...
Sometimes you get cranky And you leave suddenly Leaving me alone to fight The challenges of life I struggle and frankly It is far from easy To know you are around And won't lend me your hand I know you're struggling too you've got other things to do Than constantly save me You've got your own issues I wish I could help you Be truly happy But I'm trapped in myself I am done with pretense I've never been good at being someone else I am stuck with this brain With these thoughts, with those games The melancholy and the insecurities
Still here I am with all these flaws I'm here for you and everything seems simple again And here I am and you're just fine For as long as I'll give you my time
Sound Song
Sound. Safe and sound. I only feel safe when there's sound around. Sound. Safe and sound. It makes me feel less lonely. Which is why, I always leave the radio on, and listen on and on and on...
To the news, the news, and some terrible commercial, to more news, more news, and a few pop/rock mega hits to more news, more news, then a comedy show then back to news, news, news...
And it is so scary, it makes me feel lonely, it makes me feel weary of others.
And it is so scary, the world's too much for me and I will never leave the house
I crave some silence... but I need sound. Safe and sound. I only feel safe when there's sound around.
Uživati — Play/Stop
A video from last week’s concerts at the Samaritaine in Brussels. A new tune by Alessio Campanozzi: Play/Stop. Thanks to Lucas Hoyois for filming this whilst taking care of the gig’s sound and lights!
An English trailer for “Sur les traces…”
An English version of our last show’s trailer: Sur les traces…, a musical show inspired by the real-life story of Ben & Adam, two Australian friends who discovered that they each had a great uncle who died in the Somme Valley during World War One… but on opposite sides.
A story of war and friendship, of loss and hopes, with beautiful music by Hadi El Gammal.
Naragonia, 10 years: the video!
About two years ago, I was lucky enough to replace Philippe Laloy on stage for Naragonia‘s 10th anniversary. A great concert with fantastic musicians such as Andy Cutting and Grégory Jolivet.
I just discovered that there was a video of this fantastic gig, so here it is:
Gig with Dyna B (2013)
Fun gig with Dyna B at L’Espace Delvaux a little while ago. Can’t quite see me? I’m the dark shape with the golden “clarinet”, to Dyna’s right.
By the way, do you know the difference between soul and jazz musicians? Soul musicians play three chords to a thousand people… and jazz musicians play a thousand chords to 3 people.
Enjoy!