Godfrey’s Blog

Somerset poet Fred Weatherly was born in Portishead. His sister sent him a tune from Ireland we know as Londonderry Air. Fred had written words to another tune but found this tune fitted his verse perfectly and thus the unofficial national anthem of Ireland, Danny Boy, was born and written by a Somerset man. Although leading a busy professional life in the legal world as a barrister, he was a prolific poet and this produced two more notable and heart wrenching  famous songs, Roses of Picardy and The Holy City.

There are many versions recorded of Danny Boy from Joesf Locke to Elvis Presley, The Pogues and even The Muppets! But there is something about Deanna Durbin that captures the essence of the song that is really about a mother’s heartfelt wishes spoken to her son.

Deanna Durbin retired from film and showbiz in her mid-twenties. But she is still alive and living in Paris and a few years ago had to ask her fans to stop writing to the web site dedicated to her memory as she could not possibly answer letters any longer due to their volume and her age.

Etam 2012 – L’intégrale

To introduce AJSW Honorary Patron Kotono Sato a show she played in (violinist on the left of the screen) as entertaining as any on our TV screens Christmas 2012. A show both for the ladies and gentlemen and those that appreciate the sirens of the 1980’s disco era. Gloria Gaynor sang ‘I’ll Survive’ back then and here is the proof….and how! French fashion firm ‘Etam’ engaged them for their fashion show earlier this year and Kotono yet one more wonderful memory to add to her remarkable list of musical achievments and hilights. Welcome back Kotono! More information on Kotono on our Links Page or her web page:- www.kotonosato.com

The wonderful composer and arranger Alexander Rosenblatt’s ‘Japanese Fatasia’ for ‘8 hands on two pianos’ played by Akiko Murakami, Hiroko Yamamto, Yukiko Shinohara and Kumi Matsuo for the AJSW 15th Anniversary Showcase Concert at St George’s, Bristol.