Just two more shows to go and this UK tour has been enjoyable from start to finish.

Due to a shoulder injury, I have not been playing the cello at all but instead played a little more piano and mandolin, in addition to the guitar and harmonicas.

I was happy to find some great new venues and there were a few things to make individual shows a bit different and special.

At The Temperance in Leamington Spa I had a double bill with Benji Kirkpatrick and we managed a couple of songs together; he played bouzouki on my version of Macpherson’s Rant and I played mandolin with him on his waltz version of the Hendrix classic Hey Joe. That sounds weird I know but it worked.

In York I was joined by the band White Sail and Jane Stockdale sang the duet Going Underground with me; then the whole band accompanied me for My Compass Points To North, on guitar, harp and trumpet. Pretty whacky arrangements eh?

At the Netley Chapel sessions I had permission to use the church organ and played Grey Goose Wing, rattling the roof beams with all the stops out, followed by the quieter When We Reach The Sun.

At the Prince Albert in Stroud, Sean Randle, who was the Oysterband drummer, played the whole show with me, the first set on guitar and the second set on cahon and shaker. Brilliantly.

However, the next show has none other than John Jones and Al Scott joining me. As many of you know, after Oysterband’s retirement, John and Al wanted to carry on and invited me to join them in a trio. We have some major tours and festivals booked for next year including a Danish tour an 20 UK dates in the spring. As I write I am about to head up to John’s house on the Welsh border for some rehearsals. On Saturday (22 Nov), I have a gig in Presteigne Assembly Rooms (with their beautiful grand piano) and although it is billed as my gig, John and Al will come up and join me in the second set to give a taste of what the trio will sound like. More here https://www.johnjonestrio.org/

And what about the cello? I am glad to say that the shoulder is getting better thanks to physio, sports massage, sympathy, drugs and not playing the cello. It will be OK, it just takes time.

The last show on Sunday 23^rd Nov will be at the cosy Cafe9 in Sheffield, after that I will be concentrating on the trio for most of the following year. I don’t mind giving the solo tours a rest for a while. Since I left Oysterband in 2012 I have completed 47 solo tours and released 5 solo albums and I am in need of some time at home to imagine some new music.

Photos Kerstin Maier, Anna Lawrence, Donja Davidson, Robert Mitchel