The John Doe Trio, an exciting Kent based three piece blues-rock band, is the first band to release an album under the School of Music and Fine Art’s Foundry Studio recording contract. The album Stranger is now available on iTunes, Amazon, HMV, and Spotify.

Based in the Chatham Historic Dockyard, The Foundry provides flagship music industry-standard facilities for the degree programmes, containing a 5.1 Control Room with a collection of outboard gear, a Live Room and Vocal Booth, with the studio designed by DACS Audio, who have over 25 years of field experience in Studio Design, Audio Installation, and Acoustic Treatment.

Phil Marsh, the School’s Technical Manager and Enterprise Liaison said,  “The foundry recording contract is a unique collaborative opportunity for artists to access the high end recording facilities and staff expertise that the school offers.”  Frank Walker, the studio engineer added, “Being able to use the foundry gave us the flexibility to capture the authentic John Doe Trio sound. Recording a band of this calibre made full use of the studio and I was really pleased with the results.”

The band, comprising Phil Woollett on vocals and guitar, Craig Ferguson on bass and Paul Townsend on drums, have been receiving glowing reports from the blues radio and online fraternity for their debut album, with Kevin Beale of Ridge Radio describing it as “a masterpiece”.  As well as traditional blues and blues-rock, the album combines influences of funk, bluegrass and even jazz in the creation of a truly exciting sound, with Phil also swapping his traditional guitars for lap steel and even a homemade cigar box instruments for stunning results.

After an extremely successful launch night at one of Kent’s premier regular live music venues, the band intend to follow up the release of Stranger with a number of high profile live shows over the next twelve months.

For further information go to www.johndoeblues.co.uk , www.facebook.com/johndoeblues or twitter @johndoeblues.

School of Music and Fine Art Assistant Lecturer in Music Performance and freelance classical singer, Sarah Dacey, is performing live with Juice Vocal Ensemble on Radio 3’s ‘Open Ear’ concert at St. John-at-Hackney, London E5,  on Friday 4th November from 7.30pm.

The programme includes a new song of Sarah’s called ‘Poetree’.

Tickets are free but you have to apply in advance.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/r3_open_ear_4nov16

More info about Sarah here: https://www.kent.ac.uk/smfa/staff/staff-profiles/musicandaudio/Dacey.html

The School of Music and Fine Art is delighted by the opportunities the continuing supportive partnership with the City of Rochester Symphony Orchestra (CRSO) offers.

The orchestra has given 5 World Premiere performances of music by student composers from the School of Music and Fine Art, and the CRSO outreach programme includes a Young Composers’ evening which allows young composers from the local area to hear their works played by the orchestra.

University of Kent at Medway music students play in the City of Rochester Symphony Orchestra, which performs two student compositions every year in their concerts.

Lis Sadler, Orchestral Manager, City of Rochester Symphony Orchestra says, “Thanks to our link with the University of Kent, our orchestra is developing an ever more vibrant and forward-looking ethos.  Plenty of new ideas in the pipeline, and some great young people to work with – exciting!”

Ruth Herbert, Lecturer in Music Performance in the School of Music and Fine Art added, “The partnership with CRSO just seems to go from strength to strength! Our students really love being part of the CRSO – both playing in it and composing for it. It’s fantastic for their musical development to be involved with such a vibrant organisation”

 The CRSO was formed in 1969 to nurture excellence through music in the community. Under Music Director Peter Bassano, and President, Sir Roger Norrington, the CRSO has approximately 60 playing members, both amateur and professional musicians, who perform concerts at The Central Theatre, Chatham, and other venues in Kent. Recent concerts include a joint performance with Rochester Choral Society in Rochester Cathedral.

The next concert from the CRSO will be Music from the Movies on Saturday 19th November at The Central Theatre Chatham at 7.30pm.

For more details go to http://crso.org.uk/concerts/

The School of Music and Fine Art is thrilled to offer a workshop/performance/masterclass from the fantastic Joe Stilgoe, a jazz musician, singer, actor and comedian, whose second album, We Look to the Stars, went to number one in Amazon’s jazz chart. His new album, Of New Songs for Old Souls, is described as modern nostalgia, looking back to all the great music that has influenced and inspired him – from the 40s, 50s, and 60s – but then fitting that influence to make a modern sound.

For more information, and for Joe’s UK tour dates, go to: http://www.joestilgoe.com/

NOTE: There are 2 sessions: 9am-10.30am and 12 noon – 1.30pm.

FREE to attend but booking required – call 01634888980 or email mfareception@kent.ac.uk

Venue: The Galvanising Shop, University of Kent’s School of Music and Fine Art, The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Chatham, ME4 4TE

More info: https://www.kent.ac.uk/smfa/events.html?eid=20190&view_by=month&date=20161018&category=&tag=

The new SMFA Lunchtime Concert series begins next week, with talented students studying band and ensemble performing a range of musical styles to launch the season at 12 noon on Tuesday 25 October. Taking place in the Galvanising Shop Performance space at the Historic Dockyard Chatham, all the lunchtime concerts are free to attend and usually last for an hour.

You can find out more about all these events online here https://issuu.com/musicfineartkent/docs/smfawhatsonautumn16

There are more lunchtime concerts on 30 November, and 7 and 13 December.

And don’t miss the Music Masterclass with Joe Stilgoe on October 26^th!  https://www.kent.ac.uk/smfa/events.html?eid=20190&view_by=month&date=20161017&category=&tag=