Wow, is all I can say, it was so amazing to work on this record. It changed my life. I was lucky enough to work for Bob and Pat at Six Degrees records on this awesome release in the UK. It was also a headline show at The London Jazz Festival in 2000.
I am not going to talk about the technical PR side of working on this record, that in no way touches what it means to me. I could never know how important it would become and actually was even while I was working on it. I gave a copy of the album to a very close friend who was having chemo for breast cancer.
This person was and always will be very important to me. As she was going through such tough treatment she told me that the record comforted and helped her through. The narrative and story was great to escape to. She also loved jazz, Debbie Harry and Elvis Costello so the record was completely perfect in every detail. As a perk of my job I was able to get her tickets to the show at The Royal Festival Hall. I didn't realize then that it was our last evening out. I also didn't have any idea that I myself would face a battle with breast cancer almost a decade later. We'd met when we were both pregnant and I was very fortunate not to face leaving my child at the age of 4, she faced that prospect with incredible grace. Her bravery and strength still touches me.
My friend Alison is with me always and I remember her through this music, and the courage and humour that she showed in the face of something so sad and uncontrollable. Music is so much more than something commercial it really does weave itself into your memories in a totally unique way.
Other memories that I cherish of the Festival Hall show and campaign generally follow. I loved seeing the exceptional amped up New York jazz chops of the fierce and vibrant musicians back stage. Taking a hilarious walk down a never ending BBC tunnel with Debbie Harry and Roy Nathanson, between BBC Radio 3 & BBC GLR. As we rambled along Debbie began counting the numerous black and white stiff labeled portraits of stuffy and exclusively male BBC Controllers whispering 'oh my gawd, not another man' in a broad New York accent. By the time we got to the end of the tunnel we were laughing so much, we had tears streaming down our cheeks. She seemed to me to be an adorable a proper, woman's woman. I was so in awe of Debbie Harry that I had to dye my hair red to cope with being in the same room as her.
You can listen to the album below.
http://shop.sixdegreesrecords.com/apppage=Product&service=external&sp=SC0A8024B0EWUAWSFF027J
Labels: Debbie Harry, Elvis Costello, Jazz Passengers, Record Plugging
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