And a very warm welcome to the next in our series of M&E Collection launch presentations, this time taking a close focus on some of the hugely talented females we were lucky to have on M&E. I'll be starting in about 10 minutes, put the kettle on, see ya right here. Oh, biscuit would be nice... ;)

Music & Elsewhere Tick... tick... tick... ;)
Music & Elsewhere GREETINGS!
Music & Elsewhere Ah, good evening, I've been looking forward to this one, always been a sucker for a good female vocal, hence why my own band was inevitably fronted by one, and if you'll pardon the self-indulgence, that's where I want to start this particular presentation...

Music & Elsewhere The track? Ah, "The Night Fantasia", so put your feet up for 10 minutes, enjoy that tea and biscuit, and marvel at this vocal...
Music & Elsewhere And the female we celebrate? Leonie Jackson, seen here at Marc Bell's Brain Dead Studio during the original recording sessions for "Creavolution".

Music & Elsewhere Of course, we used to call her Lulu The Space Bimbo, which I thought was kinda cute. She hated it! :)
Music & Elsewhere Personally, I think this an inspired performance, the sheer range she achieved is unbelievable, especially on the chorale - listen for that top note when she's singing "Yshar, Yshar" - dizzy heights or what?
Music & Elsewhere This is actually one of few MMATT tracks I can effectively listen to detached, just as a fan, and get completely lost in it. Normally, I'd be remembering where the clicks were and hearing fluffs that nobody else ever picks up on.
Music & Elsewhere Oh, talking of Marc Bell, should plug his analogue remaster of the album (from which this track in particular benefits in spades) is now available on his TMR Records label, CD or DL... https://t.co/MDAt29K390?amp=1

Music & Elsewhere Anybody gonna talk to me tonight, or do I suffer similar fate to poor old Mick Tron last night? Think Skit only had one artiste pop in too. I live in hope.
Music & Elsewhere "I'm not a stranger to you, we've loved for a million years", it ends...
Music & Elsewhere Tough one to follow, but we were lucky enough to have a glut of talent on M&E that could manage just that, all I have to do is make me mind up which comes first. Yes, I know I should have prepped the playlist first! Let's pick another fave of mine...

Music & Elsewhere The track I've picked wouldn't necessarily be the obvious one, because it features her voice, but used more as an instrument than for singing. Enjoy it yourself and see what I mean, this is "Floating"..

Music & Elsewhere From singing with The Rabbit's Hat and Body Full Of Stars as part of the Stone Premonitions Collective (salute, Tim!), she has a wonderfully easy style over prog/psyche numbers, even stretching to the odd classic, such as "Georgia", which she did an absolute velvet version of. Amazingly creative to boot, you should listen to her M&E cassette release, "Abstract"...

Music & Elsewhere Dreamy or what? Another lady on the M&E roster with some great creative versatility was Clare Durrant, better known as...

Music & Elsewhere The track I've chosen from her this evening is "Seven", enjoy muchly, I will...
Music & Elsewhere Like all the tracks on the new collection, this one is from the album "Messages". This is Clare, I think circa '94/95...

Music & Elsewhere Sam and I had the pleasure of meeting her when she lived in Salford, all those years ago, that's where the picture was taken. Actually, here's one of Clare and myself on that visit too. Amazing flat she had, all the musical equipment, art everywhere... and self-created graffiti over the walls! :)

Music & Elsewhere Coincidentally, one line of my birth family share the name Durrant, came over to the UK with the Huguenots who were fleeing religious persecution in Europe. Whenever that was. Long time ago. Small world, wonder if we're distantly related?
Music & Elsewhere Oh, the t-shirt... maybe you can't see it too clearly, but it's a Sigis Bruder t-shirt, courtesy of Andreas Höllering at Trost Records! So I think that cleverly segues into who to play next, no?