Dearest friends,

Thanks for dropping by. Last year was very much a saxophone year for me, with great shows alongside Soweto Kinch, Jean Toussaint, Tim Warfield, Nick Morgan, Paul Booth, Alex Garnett and Julian Siegel. 2010 is looking like my guitar year. The appearance of Andreas Varady at the start of the year will remain one of the highlights of my performing life and we enjoyed a double guitar session with the guitar legend Louis Stewart at the Sligo Jazz Festival in July. In September, European guitar force Andreas Oberg will tour with myself and bassist Euan Burton, with road guests Michael Buckley and Andreas Varady. Outside of the guitar arena, I enjoyed a recent tour with Michael Janisch's 'Triad' featuring Will Vinson. Tough music but some serious balls on stage. The beautiful vocalist Cleveland Watkiss dropped by in June, followed by Jean Toussaint, and of course trumpeter Terell Stafford toured with my group for the second time in March. I also enjoyed Way Out of Town Trio, Tommy Smith and many others. It's been a busy year, with some folk gigs and sessions added too.

Upcoming, on the live front, is Andreas Oberg's Irish debut from September 1st (Derry, Belfast, Dublin, Sligo, Westport) followed by the UK tour of 'Dark Tales' in October, with Tim Warfield (USA), Robert Mitchell (GB) and Michael Janisch (USA). I'll be headlining London's Pizza Express and the Belfast Festival at Queens during this twelve-date hit.

I've been in the studio quite a bit and any minute now I'll be announcing the release dates for a few albums! My family folk album is nearly finished. 'Questions', a co-led album with Andreas Varady, also featuring Michael Janisch, is due for an early-September release. My EP is closer to its much-overdue release, but the good news is that New York's Illspokinn has been added to rappers Soweto Kinch, Testament and Rob Broderick.

See you soon,

D.