Dave Bainbridge & Sally Minnear: Live in the StudioBand News
1st April 2019
FROM THIS TO HOME.....
It’s a stark contrast , that’s for sure. Sunny conditions made our job easier and life a little less harsh for those living in Moria, but there were many tragic stories being lived out in our midst. I saw a family and group of friends carry the dead body of a woman out of the camp on one of the days, and that week, volunteers tried to console a family who had lost a child , one of twins, while making the treacherous boat crossing from Turkey. Hundreds still make the terrifying journey every week. People back home often ask me why they leave their country to end up somewhere as awful as most of the camps. When you hear their stories, it’s not hard to understand why. Even though conditions are desperate in the camp, many folk that I met were so grateful to have survived, and cling to the hope that they might have a chance to start a new life somewhere. But while they are in limbo , EuroRelief will continue to do the best they can to support and care for them , and we will continue to support their passionate efforts.
25th March 2019
SUNSHINE AND SMILES....
No matter how many times I come here, it’s always quite a surreal experience. The resilience of people to cope in such a difficult environment never ceases to amaze me. It looks better in the sunshine, but the reality is still very grim. There are nasty biting insects in the overcrowded tents and isoboxes, large rats are frequent visitors, and chickenpox and scabies is rife. People stand in line several times a day for food, water, info, assistance .... and the camp is on a steep hill so getting around requires great effort, especially for mothers with small children and heavy bottles of water to carry, and for the elderly too. We’ve found a way to turn very large t shirts into carrying bags that folk can make for themselves requiring only a pair of scissors. This has proved very popular with the women who have so many things to carry , including their laundry. So far, we’ve had three days of vitamin distribution and noting other medical needs that we can return to with specific treatments. Finding particular tents in the sprawling mass can be very challenging , even with the tent number and a map!
And then, a few miles down the road, we mingle with the locals and tourists and enjoy the view and feel very thankful for so much.
2nd March 2019
MAP PROJECT PART 2......
Currently working on 6 new songs for Miracles and Parables part 2. Photos are from a recent session tracking drums and bass with my fav dynamic duo, Terl Bryant and Phil Barker. Miracles of healing, deliverance and raising the dead , and Parables about the Kingdom of God , the sower and the seed and the good shepherd. Instrumentation will be in keeping with part 1, so it’ll be drums, bass, cello, piano, guitar and my favourite brass instrument, the flugelhorn.
I’ll keep you posted. 😁 jo.
25th February 2019
Hi Everyone,
Just to let you know that some of the Iona back catalogue plus my solo albums, are now available from Burning Shed - see
https://burningshed.com/store/iona
9th February 2019
ITS BACK TO THE MAP!
So , earlier this week, I went to London to record my favourite dynamic duo, Terl Bryant and Phil Barker ( both known to you Iona friends😁). I’ve been working on some new songs for the MAP Project Part 2. We recorded on three new songs, all parable songs! Good Shepherd, Listen( the story of Jesus talking to a crowd about the sower and the seed), and The Kings Party( one of the parables about the kingdom of heaven).
As always, the dynamic duo did not disappoint 😁.
Will keep you posted on progress.
14th January 2019
Hi folks, Jo here.
Since my last trip to Moria camp in November, 1000 more refugees with this story, making this journey, arrived in Lesvos in December, needing kindness.
All the proceeds from the Road From Ruin CD go to support the R.A.I.N fund (Refugee Aid International Network) Click Here: https://johoggmusic.bandcamp.com/album/road-from-ruin
2nd January 2019
Jo here,
To finish off the year, I thought I’d share the Horse and Rider video with you, in memory of Esmerado, my special white horse, featured in the artwork of Iona’s Another Realm, and this year in the artwork of The MAP Project.
The song, from Uncountable Stars, was remixed earlier this year to get a more panoramic sound for the videos use in an exhibition in Japan, so here it is..... the updated version of Horse and Rider, featuring Esmerado.
And finally, I’d like to wish you a very happy and blessed 2019.
30th December 2018
Hi, Jo here. Thought you might enjoy this.... a wee clip from an evening of trad music with family and local friends at Christmas. I think it’ll be a Festive tradition for years to come 😁🎶
26th December 2018
A gift for this season - FREE DOWLOAD
Christmas songs (in Dutch!) featuring Iona's Frank van Essen, Dave Bainbridge and Troy Donockley
Yesterday, Marlou & I sang on the marketsquare of our hometown, Hardenberg. Beautiful (Dutch) songs from our Christmas CD Immanuël. It was cold & wet, but we were so moved by the depth of the lyrics, the melodies & the arrangements I did 16 years ago now.
They are still powerful testimonies of Gods love for His people, and some of the arrangements are still favourites of mine, too.
Marlou & I decided to make them available for free this Christmas for you to enjoy. With a little extra: I found all the original mixes in my archives, and remastered them up to today's standards. Everything now sounds so much more open, warm & beautiful. Very happy!
So please feel free to listen and download the music.
And we wish you every blessing for the coming days & the new year. May the love & shalom of King Yeshua be with you always.
Feel free to share and spread the word!
http://frankvanessen.bandcamp.com/album/immanu-l-remastered
24th December 2018
A Special message from Frank van Essen.
4th December 2018
Healing Stories From Lesvos
19th November 2018
18+ years after the Iona recording of this wonderful tune, I decided to record a new, improvised version with Dave Bainbridge. Listen to the full version at www.frankvanessen.com and enjoy SANCTUM
The melody of A Million Stars has been with me since my teens. It's one of those tunes that just "happened" one day while improvising on my own, and has never left me. One day I played it for Dave & Troy and they loved it, so that's how it ended up on the Iona album Open Sky. It's great to hear how the years have shaped the melody and both Dave's and my playing. The version on SANCTUM is as we improvised it in the studio, with a few minor edits, but it's very spontaneous and inspired. Hope you enjoy it. - Frank
13th November 2018
Frank van Essen's SANCTUM is out now! Very excited to share it with you. With Dave Bainbridge, Troy Donockley and bass legend Jimmy Johnson, this is an album you don´t want to miss! Check it out on www.frankvanessen.com - and please share!
26th October 2018
A small preview of Frank van Essen's S A N C T U M. The downloadable version will be available on the 25th via www.frankvanessen.com
26th October 2018
10/25/2018
19th October 2018
BACK IN THE STUDIO......
Well, the 3 Peaks in 1 day was completed and I’m not sure of the exact total of funds raised, but it was amazing. Thanks so much to all of you who supported us. I hope to be returning to the camp on Lesbos next month so I’ll keep you posted on that. In the meantime, I’m trying to finish the songs for Road From Ruin. They wouldn’t be complete without the lovely Gwyneth playing cello 😁.
22nd September 2018
Two peaks done. One more plus getting down from number two! Weather has been great 👍
1st October 2018
Hi folks. The three peaks challenge is looming! Two days away. Yesterday I was back in Copper House studio with mate Stu Reid , working on three new songs for my interlude EP( between MAP Project Parts 1&2). It will have 4 new tracks and I’m going to add 3 from Uncountable Stars , on a similar theme. The new songs have been inspired by some personal accounts of refugee experiences. This will be exclusively a fundraising non profit project.
If you’d like to support the 3 Peaks challenge for charity R.A.I.N ( Refugee Aid International Network) that I continue my involvement with, then you can use the link below.
http://bit.ly/RAINdonation
Thankyou again.
I’ll keep you posted on everything! ⛰🎶
Ps. The picture was taken yesterday as Storm Ali hit our north coast!
14th September 2018
30th August 2018
12th June 2018
A few images from my recent trip to Lesvos island , Greece. There are close to 8000 refugees stuck here. Some have lived through two winters in this place. The sense of despair is so real and some surveys have revealed that one in three people , including children, have witnessed someone commit suicide in these environments. The conditions are difficult to convey and their experiences impossible to imagine. On this trip , we discovered several Christian voluntary groups doing incredible work to try and alleviate the suffering, but resources are scarce and the numbers continue to increase. A thousand more refugees, mostly Syrian arrived on the island in April, the same in May..... and so it goes on. A team of us will return in two weeks though this time , I’m unable to go. I’m planning another hiking adventure in a couple of months to fundraise but I will give details nearer the time. Please continue to prayerfully remember these folk , refugees and volunteers.
12th June 2018
30th December 2018
Thought you would enjoy watching this video of me recording drums for Labyrinth, a new track for my solo album. There is a section in there calles "Maze" which has alternating bars of 11/8 and 13/8 - going well into Iona territory there! Dave and Troy are currently recording their parts for it, and the great Jimmy Johnson is playing bass for this which is exciting! Enjoy and there will be more music soon!
27th April 2018
Hi folks, here is a quick update on SANCTUM. Happy to say I am making good progress and some exciting things happening... Some new music at the end of this, hope you enjoy that! Love - Frank
PS For more info on SANCTUM - go here: https://igg.me/at/frankvanessen
25th April 2018
Hi Everyone,
We're gradually moving the Open Sky Records/Iona mailing list over to my Wix mailing list as BT keeps blocking our mailouts! Very frustrating. So if you'd like to stay in touch with us for gigs/news/album release updates for me / Celestial Fire / Dave & Sally / Iona (possible re-release/downloads news etc), please subscribe on my website. (If you've already subscribed on here, no need to do it again, unless you've changed email address). Thanks! We won't bombard you with emails - probably 3 or 4 a month on average. (Dave Bainbridge) http://opensky121.wix.com/davebainbridge
19th April 2018
THE MAP PROJECT GOES GLOBAL😁
Finally I’ve got through the packing and the postage of The Map Project Part 1 pre orders! Hopefully none get lost but please allow time for delivery and let me know if yours doesn’t arrive. I’ve included a few screenshots of some of the orders. Maybe you’ll spot yours. ! Official digital release will be next month. ( The second image was photographed on Tuesday at Downhill, North Coast , Ireland)
21st April 2018
Hi Everyone, Dave Bainbridge here. Here are my latest tour dates! Lots happening over the next few months with the Dave Bainbridge & Sally Minnear duo, Lifesigns, a solo gig, Celestial Fire in September and in the autumn, Strawbs. Hope to see you at a gig somewhere!
9th April 2018
Together with Yasunori Mitsuda( composer) and Michael McGlynn( Anuna) after the four performances of the Xenogears soundtrack. Then a quick tour of some parts of Tokyo from the crowded market streets to tranquil park...... very easy to get lost here, and so many are. Very happy to have sold nearly all the MAP Project cds I brought with me. Heading home tomorrow. Thankyou so much for all your good wishes and prayers for this trip.
26th April 2018
Cancelled flights on Wednesday and MAP cds land same day. Arrive Tokyo one day late , with cds and jet lag and go straight to rehearsal/ sound check with orchestra and band. The production also featured amazing vocal ensemble Anuna. More to follow later.......
5th April 2018
Well, the last 24hrs have been a bit of an adventure!
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