music
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MICK HUGHES – VIDEO PODCAST
My point of view is that every gig I play, I play it like it’s my last one. You just give one hundred and ten percent, every time. Mick Hughes Mick Hughes is a musician based on the Sunshine Coast, who hails from London and Ireland. He has a massively musical life performing in and… Continue reading
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Roaring Lion rehearsal for Thirsty Chiefs, BBQ Bazaar and Banana Bender Pub!
Roaring Lion rehearsals are in studios and warehouses from Brisbane to the Gold Coast. We are always looking for places where we can be loud, with enough space for nine musos plus all their gear, at a time when we can all make it! This weekend we were at lead vocalist Glen’s church, where he… Continue reading
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Happiness — playing melodica with Bojan
Roaring Lion had a three-hour practice in Yatala, at lead vocalist Glen’s church. (He’s the pastor! No wonder he has such stage presence, hey?) After we finished, I was packing up and could hear a melodica — what? Was I imagining it? I’m the only one that plays melodica in these parts! My good friend… Continue reading
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Doodle #1
I had taken a big nap on Sunday arvo and consequently was wide awake at 2am, reading a memoir. I was also imagining a simple tune in my head, and imagining my fingers playing it on the piano. What would it look like if I started it on F, or on C? Then I just… Continue reading
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A face-to-face lesson, for a change!
Usually, I see Micah once or twice a week like this (pets turn up after the lesson of course): He’s almost 100 kms from me, but over the years I’ve become a bit like an aunty and his mum and I have become very good friends. This weekend we made a day of it! I… Continue reading
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Go The Mighty Little Beale!
I got a text message this morning from Hanna, mother of my students Eloise, Wyatt and Jakob. The piano tuner was in and said the piano is well looked after, in tune and is fantastic quality to keep its condition so well! He said he doesn’t get to say that too often and that it’s… Continue reading
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Duo Retro – Tony’s back in town
Good to see my former boss Tony Decaria gigging again. His band is DUO RETRO. Here he is with duo partner Jeanette. Tony is the founder of music retail shop Music Express, which used to be on the Logan Road in Mount Gravatt. I taught at the Music Express School of Music when I first… Continue reading
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Adriatic: Brisbane’s Balkan Djent/Hardcore/Metal Band
Loud and brutal at Vinnies Dive Originally published in The Riff We turned the corner into Nerang Street in Southport on the Gold Coast when Adriatic lead guitarist Bojan Sambolec messaged me: I hope you brought earplugs. It’s insanely loud. We hadn’t. But no matter, Vinnies Dive had free ones at the door. The band… Continue reading
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Meet Roaring Lion — My Reggae Family
“Jo, have a listen to Ambush In The Night and Top Rankin’. They’re the next on our list of new songs. Plenty of horns in the intros.” That’s Maui, our lead guitarist, giving me a heads-up on what to prepare for our next rehearsal. In Roaring Lion, you got to practise BEFORE you come to practice There are nine of us and… Continue reading
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How I Became an Online Piano Teacher
I originally posted this article on Medium, but have now removed it from there. If you have considered taking your services online, you might be interested in the essay below. I Became an Online Piano Teacher Because of COVID Now I am living the dream Teaching piano is a lovely way to make a living,… Continue reading
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Roaring Lion at Burleigh Heads BBQ Bazaar Sept 3 2021
I’m in the car with Mike and we’re on our way to the 5.00pm Roaring Lion sound check at BBQ Bazaar in Burleigh Heads. Google Maps says Kooralbyn to Burleigh Heads is an hour and forty. So say two hours with local road works and the school run later… iPad. IPad stand. Keyboard. Keyboard stand.… Continue reading
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Watercolour by Shinji Ogata. Thanks Shinji!
I found this when clearing out some files! I was playing my friend Sophie’s piano, around 2015. Shinji Ogata is an artist in Brisbane. Here’s something about him. Continue reading
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Piano lid up fully for the first time! Bachianinha No. 1, by Paulinho Nogueira
The grand piano has been in my home for 35 days but I hadn’t put up the lid fully until a few days ago, and I wanted to record playing it! This is a beautiful piece for classical guitar called Bachianinha No.1 written by Brazilian composer Paulinho Nogueira. This piano version came about when a… Continue reading
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The Grande Dame arrives
Last week I wrote about my Beale going to a new home. Well that sure did happen and I was texting photos like this to Hanna saying, “They’re taking it now!” Later, she sent back… I’ve said before that buying the Beale felt like putting down roots in Australia – I wouldn’t buy an acoustic… Continue reading
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My Beale is going to a new home ❤️
Buying my little Bijou Beale piano in 2017 symbolised a commitment to making roots in Australia. She was made in 1951, had a lot of TLC and I loved playing her. She’s going to a new home in Logan Village with some lovely people I know. Next time I see her will be via Zoom… Continue reading
About Joanna
Joanna is British Australian. Her early career was in financial news in London. That ended in 2008. Joanna moved to Sabah, her parents’ birthplace, where she wrote a blog about musicians, which became a book. Joanna came to Australia in 2012 and started this blog — her second. These days, she writes mostly about music, her garden, and trips to Sabah. Oh, and Wookie the Havanese.
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