Now at home in Coogee, looking forward to 12 weeks without looking at a suitcase. I’m exhausted by the travel, but I can’t complain, its been a wonderful whirlwind of suitcases, backpacks, noise-cancelling headphones, champagne, gummies, tagines, rosé, songs and more songs, Thailand, Morocco, Bali, Fiji, NZ, missed gigs, playing in the band, singing in the choir, and by the way, getting married.
Less a wedding than a concert), our celebration was overwhelmingly musical, I played both the part of groom and of guitarist in a band of highly skilled chums. The band played a set of the bride’s favourites, the Cafe of the Gate of Salvation generously gave us three songs, and everyone in the room joined in on ‘God Only Knows’ (a cunningly organised surprise for my beloved). Add a spiffing tango demonstration and a Samoan/Kiwi DJ with great taste in funk, and its no surprise the bride never left the dance floor. Big thanks to everyone who made it happen. And a huge thank you and love to my partner/chum/manager/big love and now wife, the everlasting Jann Hing.
Now… next year? More of the same: Morocco, Fiji, another NZ tour, and more celebrations: the Cafe of the Gate of Salvation turns 40 in September 2026, a boggling concept for all of us in the choir. How did that happen? As I left the choir for 15 years, I can’t claim sole responsibility for its longevity – I put it down to the sense of community, the singing that renders our differences irrelevant, and the enduring power of the African American repertoire we love and respect.. And similarly, the Honeybees – the Sydney gospel choir that grew out of my weekly classes back in the ’90s – will celebrate their 30th anniversary in 2026; and so too will Auckland gospel choir HeavenBent, who started up in 1996 after what must have been a particularly uplifting workshop in Mt Eden. So you can expect some big gigs, guest artists, champagne and shenanigans at those events.
In between times, I find myself listening to more music from Morocco, and aiming to complete a few songs and recordings that have languished for too long…is there a market for an electronic piece called Great Foreheads of the Past?
And my past is coming back to haunt me: the Crocodiles had their brief moment of glory in the early ’80s, and a retrospective CD set is due to be released by Grant Gillanders in 2026. What next? There is talk of a Mammal retrospective; most of the past members are still standing, but I’m saddened by the recent passing of the wonderful Robert Taylor who was a key figure in Mammal before he joined Dragon. Do yourself a favour: have a listen to O Zambezi !)
