Francesco Citera on accordian

Antonio Fiorillo on double bass

Your cheatin' heart

I'm so lonesome I could cry

Lost highway

First of four songs from this year's Christmas Album - "Lost Christmas: Covers of Hank Williams, the King of Country. Four of most famous hits reinterpreted by Jack Stafford."

In the studio

Through my friend Paolo here in Agropoli I found a nice little studio with an old-school analogue setup in Ascea. Tonni, the producer, was a very laidback charcter. I recorded 17 songs yesterday. Piero Lombardi, a local Cilento star, was in the studio as well and very kindly did some backing vocals and percussion on one of the songs. I'm back next week to work on adding some more instruments.

Amsterdam gig

I'm playing in de Nieuwe Anita in Amsterdam on Tuesday 16th October, 9pm. It's a nice acoustic set with a few other artists playing the same night, behind the bar.

Vallo music festival

Acrobatics

Cilento food festival

Entertaining at the corner shop

New album recording

I've 17 new songs not yet recorded, but plan to do that in the next month. The common theme of the songs is Italy of course. There's a studio here in the Cilento that is quite economical. I think I'll do it mostly acoustic and then add on some piano and accordion (the typical local instrument) afterwards. Watch this space. 

Amsterdam show

I'm playing in Amsterdam on Saturday night (25th August) at
Delicatessen, the basement of Pakhuis Wilhelmina, Veemkade 574 - from
9pm. Lots of other good acts on. Be there!

Rome to Sicily

Three Danish cyclists - Sune, Andreas and Tuo - are cycling from Rome to Sicily. Sounds familiar! They're also a band, although not touring with music now. Great guys and it was a pleasure to have them. We hosted through warmshowers.org and it was nice to be able pay back some hospitality after all the people that hosted us.

Another day another saint

I think it was saint giovanni today. A brass band paraded around the village followed by a big procession of people. Then there was a flight of the angel - a little boy pulled along a cable above the crowd while he sang and recited scripture. He looked to be enjoying it.

Flying angel

Beachboy

The pasta hasn't affected my beautiful figure.

Food

Italians love their food. Meal times take a long time, not because they're so relaxed about it, but because there is so much food to get through!

Taking the saint for a walk

Every day is devoted to a different saint in Italy. And as most people are named after a saint it's like a second birthday. Different villages celebrate different saints days across the year, so the public holidays and celebrations seem quite random. You can go to a town for something only to find everything closed and everyone following behind the model of their saint while the brassband plays.

Village fountain

Most people still take their drinking water from the fountain. It might not look appetising from this picture but it tastes fresh.

Perdifumo

An update on life in Perdifumo. We're living in the village now. It was cold and empty in winter but now there's life to the place. The holiday houses are filling up with their Milanese owners. Germans can be heard occasionally. The village has two small cafes, a few shops and two restaurants. Everyone knows everybody else and their business. There are few secrets it seems. Maria's father has leukemia, which has been pretty rough. He's coping well with the chemotherapy now.

Hanne Boel

The lovely Danish songstress Hanne Boel has a beautiful house here in the Cilento and we went round for some Danish beer last night. She gave me some advice on songwriting for other people and being a topliner - a term I'd never heard before, refering to the top two lines on sheet music, and means writing the melody and lyric on top of someone else's track. I'll try and get on some songwriting retreats or collaborate with other people. There aren't many in the Cilento so will have to try the good old internet.

My gig in The Central on Saturday night

A nice gig in front of a small but well-formed audience. Only my second show this year! Last year I did over 200.

The F holes

The F holes - Rocking ragtime band. From Winnipeg. Definitely worth checking out.!

Lauren Mann and the fairly odd folk

Lauren Mann - Look as good as they sound. Fairy tale folk pop

Toronto buskers

That's my kind of drumkit

D'arcy

Went to a ping pong bar owned by Susan Sarandon, with D'arcy who I know from Australia. He's travelling across Canada to raise money to end Polio. Great to meet someone so selfless. An inspiration.

Too much stuff

Rooftop gig

Gangstagrass

Gangstagrass - Hiphop bluegrass from Brooklyn. Wicked!

Mary

My wonderful host! A fellow Englander who relocated to Toronto many years ago. She looks after children with autism, so having me around is no problem.

NXNE - 1st night

I had a good first night in nxne, wandering around and seeing bands. This guy steve hill was on fire. Guitar and bass drum. Wicked blues riffs.

There's lots to see here. I need a bicycle though. The venues are only in one corner of the downtown, but that corner is 5by5km at least.

That's service

Zombies vs robots exhibit

Zombie killer

Something for my nephew Oscar

A room with a view

Two years since I was here last. They've built a few more skyscrapers since then.

Rock Talk

My interview in Toronto is online at http://www.newstalk1010.com/Episodes.aspx?PID=1776 (June 16th edition)

Arrived in Toronto

Great to be back. 2 years since I was here last, also for nxne. It's information overload... After 6 months in Italy. Here I can understand and overhear what everyone's saying, can see all the shows, so much to read, to do, signs, shouting, tv, music, cinema, phew. It's an assault on the senses.

+ I recorded a radio interview yesterday for rock talk here in toronto. Check it out at

Newstalk1010.com at 8 pm EDT Saturday and 10 pm Sunday, and afterwards via iTunes podcast.

Man in the middle of something

NXNE showcase

From 13th until 17th June I'll be in Toronto for NXNE. I'll be
performing live at my showcase on 16th (Sat.) at 9pm at The Central,
603 Markham Street. It looks like being a great NXNE, with lots of new
bands and the Flaming Lips headlining.

On Wednesday June 13th at 2:15 pm local time I'll be on a radio show
called Rock Talk in Toronto. Past guests have included Ray Davies, Al
Kooper, Nick Lowe, Judy Collins, Nile Rodgers, Dave Stewart, Andy Kim,
Barenaked Ladies and many, many more.