Record Producing
by Juliette | 12.19.11 | Latest News, Record Producing, Singing
I knew the training in composition James and I received from Cambridge University would one day stand us in good stead. That day just dawned, when ITV approached us to set Jedward’s tweets to music for Alfie Boe to sing. My Director of Studies at Cambridge would have turned in his grave. It was the BEST fun though and Alfie is a brilliant straight man; those of you who have been to see him on tour will know he has a great sense of humour.
James has just got back from the icy north on tour with Alfie. He flew down to conduct me, the Brighton Festival Chorus and Youth Choir yesterday at the Brighton Dome – a lovely family Christmas concert. Meanwhile, I’m providing arrangements etc to the O2 for Joe McElderry’s appearances after Christmas with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, whilst redecorating the Christmas Tree every night with all the baubles my 2 year olds have removed during the day. Which reminds me, great review for Joe’s Christmas album in The Times last weekend: More »
Tags: Alfie Boe on tour, Cambridge University composition, Jedward, Joe McElderry at the O2
by Juliette | 12.06.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing, Singing
Many thanks for your support over Joe McElderry’s Classic Christmas CD. Much appreciated.
A request came in last week. Could we write a Bond medley using 4 theme tunes for Alfie to sing on Strictly Come Dancing? Of course we could, we are both massive fans of so many of the Bond themes. But then comes the tricky part of our job, to arrange something to please the television company, the record company and of course, most importantly, Alfie has to be 100% happy with what he is being asked to sing in front of millions of people. Oh, and did I mention it needed to last exactly 3 minutes and 1 second.
We were all crowded around the telly on Sunday night and Alfie was fantastic. He added in a top B flat at the end which was thrilling and exhilarating. A talented guy.
Alfie’s tour begins tonight in Bristol so James is down there conducting. You can see him in a More »
by Juliette | 11.29.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing
Release day for Joe McElderry’s new album, Classic Christmas was yesterday. He has been hard at work on a nationwide tour which ends today. We went to see him at the Royal Festival Hall with Anna and couldn’t get over what a great show it was. High energy, wonderful singing and a real range of songs. You forget he’s only been doing this for a couple of years and is still so young.
We are all keeping everything crossed that the album is a huge hit, everyone at his launch party yesterday certainly seemed very excited about the buzz surrounding it. Go on, buy it to accompany your Christmas turkey. It will appeal to old and young so you can have it loud enough to avoid the need to make conversation with Aunty Pat over the brussel sprouts…you all know the relative I’m talking about! More »
by Juliette | 11.05.11 | Latest News, Record Producing
Alfie’s new record is out this week, imaginatively titled, Alfie. It’s strange to see it in the shops as we finished it months ago. We have our fingers firmly crossed that it does well as we are really pleased with this record. I think it shows just how versatile a singer Alfie is and some of the song choices are real classics. He is up against some stiff competition in the charts at this time of year, all the big guns are piling in, but he is the real deal and I hope Joe public can see that.
James did a concert with the BBC Singers last week featuring the pianola. The what? It’s basically a piano that plays itself but needs a pianola player to pump the pedals which makes the whole thing operate. The player can control the dynamics and the speed but there is still no getting away from the fact that the pianola player does seem more like a pianola operator. More »
by Juliette | 10.21.11 | Latest News, Record Producing
We’ve had a wonderful week recording Christmas songs with Joe McElderry. Rumour has it, Mariah Carey insisted on fake snow and decorations when she made her Christmas album. I could only find a manky old bit of tinsel to put in the studio, but luckily Joe doesn’t have a high maintenance bone in his body. Give him a diet coke and he’s happy.
Mixing the record this week so rather sleep deprived and mastering on Monday which means we deliver by the Tuesday of half term week which will keep my daughter happy. It also gives us time to get excited about Alfie Boe’s new release on October 31st. More »
Tags: Alfie Boe new album, Christmas albums, Classic Roack, Mariah Carey
by Juliette | 09.23.11 | Latest News, Record Producing
In full flight
I’m sitting in a café near Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, the sun is shining and I’m about to record the world famous tenor Rolando Villazón. WOW! The day is only marred by the bag-inducingly early start I had this morning and the soggy fried potatoes which were swimming in oil next to my overcooked pork schnitzel for lunch. Tried to explain to the waitress why I had left most of it but had to give up in the end as my German is too poor and it was getting slightly ridiculous when the two of us resorted to our equally dismal French in an attempt to communicate with each other. More »
by Juliette | 09.04.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing
We got back from Italy yesterday and I’m already going through my annual review of how much better our lives would be if we relocated to a ramshackle old farmhouse in the middle of the Italian countryside and grew olive trees. The kids would be running around barefoot and bronzed, everyday would be sunny and magically there would be no need for earning money as we would simply sell our homemade olive oil and swap a goat with a local farmer whenever we craved a steak. I’ve had the same fantasy about Paris, Majorca, New Zealand and pretty well every holiday destination we’ve been lucky enough to enjoy (with the possible exception of Edinburgh – it rained constantly).
More »
Tags: Joe McElderry at no.5
by Juliette | 08.22.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing
Joe showing Arthur Sesame Street on his laptop
Off on holiday tomorrow. It’s been a mad couple of weeks of work including partying at Joe McElderry’s album launch, being phoned whilst queuing in Legoland for a rollercoaster by Dustin Hoffman, madly recording some fantastic elderly musicians who could all teach me a thing or too (google trumpeter Ronnie Hughes, violinist John Georgiadis and baritone John Rawnsley) and fitting in pre-holiday appointments at Great Ormond Street for the boys. James has been in Jersey this weekend conducting Alfie Boe so I’ve had to do all the packing with the twins climbing in and out of the suitcases. Crazy times but I’m never bored. More »
Stay up-to-date; Live Dates & Latest News:
