Two weeks until the start of the tour and we have three songs left in Alfie Boe’s Best Ever Live Song Countdown! Yes, you heard correctly – this is the number two slot but there was a tie for the vote so two songs are at number 2!
The first is a song that we haven’t heard from Alfie since the Bring Him Home tour and it is the song he used to end the show with. Jacob’sLadder is spiritual, gospel tinged song that has been recorded by a variety of artists including Bruce Springsteen (again, I am continuing my musical education thanks to Alfie and only just getting into Springsteen – I know! – and thinking that he must be an amazing artist to see live):
For a completely different sound, here is Paul Robeson from 1958:
Here is Alfie’s version:
The second song in at number 2 is the much loved Barcelona duet with Laura Wright. This song also made the top five duets poll earlier in the year and is one that is most often cited as a favourite amongst fans. Alfie and Laura performed this at the Mercury Phoenix Trust Freddie for a Day fundraising celebrations in 2013 and later featured on Alfie’s exploration of Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury.
Breathtaking every time.
Don’t forget, from Monday, you can also download Alfie’s recorded version on Katherine Jenkins’ new album, Home Sweet Home:
Serenata is also released on Monday and can be ordered below:
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Hot on the heels of the poll for Alfie Boe’s Best Ever Live Song, comes the newly opened vote for Alfie Boe as Rear of the Year 2015! Many of Alfie’s fans voted in this poll last year but sadly to no avail. However, we are a determined lot and failure once has not deterred us from trying again!
In case you need some encouragement, here is a great video from the Storyteller tour last year showing us just what we’re voting for! (4:10 in case you’re wondering!)
Now I must admit that I am usually against voting in these sorts of competitions, but as this poll demonstrates perfect equality due to the fact that men and women are both featured, I’ll let it go…and vote multiple times! Anyone else who will admit to throwing their principles out the window when it comes to Alfie? By the way, if you’re stuck for a female celebrity to vote for, why not go for Laura Wright?
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Thank you for sending in your nominations for Alfie Boe’s Best Ever Live Song – really enjoyed searching through youtube for the videos. Now, in some cases, the correct video for the correct venue and date for a particular song either wasn’t available or not good quality so I’ve used a different one. If you can find the correct video for your nomination, please feel free to send it to me via the comments below or the contact form on the “About” page.
I have created a youtube playlist for you to enjoy – 59 minutes of pure joy!
and here is the poll:
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Those of you who have read Laura Wright’s interview, will be thrilled to learn that it has now been published on the Huffington Post UK blog page too – click here!
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Soprano Laura Wright is a firm favourite with readers of this blog – in fact, her rendition of Barcelona was voted into the top five of the Alfie Boe’s Favourite Duet poll. Come What May made the top ten as well.
Laura recently took part in the recording of Global Radio’s Make Some Noise charity single, Steadfast and took time out to answer a few questions about this and her new album, Sound of Strength, for thoughtsofjustafan – thanks Laura!
Q: What can you tell me about your involvement with Make Some Noise? A: I am recording a charity single with Classic FM, written by Howard Goodall to raise awareness of this amazing project to encourage young people to get involved in creating music but also helping to educate them on the music industry. Q. Have you been involved with any other ensemble charity recordings like this?
A: I have yes, I recorded the 2007 World Cup song World in Union with many other artists, when I was part of All Angels. I also recorded a version of The Prayer for a Christmas charity single as well with All Angels, however this will be my first solo involvement in a ensemble charity recording. Q: You are also an ambassador for Nordoff Robbins, have you had the chance to see their music therapy at work?
A: I have attended several therapy sessions and seen the work Nordoff Robbins do. My most recent visit was to a dementia care home. I began singing with some of the residents and suddenly they came to life, it was like seeing a glimpse of the person they used to be. Q: Are there any more marathons in the pipeline?
A: Not as of yet however we are planning an even bigger challenge, so you’ll have to wait and see. Q: Your Sound of Strength album has a really innovative sound – how did you come up with the idea?
A: It’s a reflection of myself really…fusing my two passions in life, sport and music. I wanted to do something that was inspiring, something new and innovative. I wanted the album to have excitement, beauty and to empower the listener. Q: And how did you pick Dr. Karageorghis to help you?
A: I had heard about some of his work with Dai Greene [World 400m hurdles champion, where he created a playlist to enhance the athlete’s performance. I wanted to back up my creative thoughts with something scientific and Dr. Karageorghis seemed the right choice to help sequence the album and show that music can enhance someone’s emotions. Q: Nessun Dorma was my favourite track, the first time I’ve heard a soprano sing this. What was the inspiration behind the choice?
A: A lot of the music on the album has been inspired by sporting moments. For me, one of the most powerful moments in sporting history when referring to music was when Nessun Dorma was sung by the three tenors for the football world cup. A perfect example of sport and music combining to create something extremely powerful. I wanted to recreate that moment but with a female voice and driving beats. My three elder brothers also feature on the track as backing vocalists. Q: Apart from Sound of Strength, what can audiences expect on your 2015 tour?
A: Of course I’ll be reflecting on my first two albums and performing some of the music recorded with the RPO and Anna Barry, along with some of my favourites from Glorious. As well as music from my latest album Sound of Strength… I want to create something very dramatic through sporting references. I aim to help bring the audience back to a point when these sporting moments took place, via the power of music. Q: As this is your first headline tour, what do you think will be the hardest / easiest things?
A: The hardest…to find a gym near every venue..haha! It’s always a challenge being away from home, but I look forward to my date in Ipswich when my family and friends will be coming. Q: Fans voted your Barcelona duet with Alfie Boe, in their top 5 Alfie Boe duets (Come What May made the top 10) – tell me how was it to sing that iconic song?
A: Wow! Thank you!! I was incredibly nervous about singing it, but so excited too! And to sing such a historically important song at a Freddie Mercury function with Alfie, was for me a very special moment! I remembering coming off stage on such a high…I think I had heat rash! Q: Any plans to sing with / record with Alfie again – Alfie Boe fans have a lot of love for you!
A: We recently performed World in Union together at Jonny Wilkinson’s Testimonial dinner which was so much fun. Alfie and I always have such fun on stage so whenever there is an opportunity to sing with him, I feel very lucky!
Well, Alfie’s fans also feel very lucky to be able to enjoy Alfie and Laura singing, here they are in 2012 singing Come What May:
Thanks Laura – hope to see you sing with Alfie again very soon!
Laura’s album, Sound of Strength, can be ordered now from Amazon:
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Alfie Boe today joined a range of other stars to record a new charity single for Global Radio’s Make Some Noise campaign. Flying in from America, Alfie tweeted to composer Howard Goodall, “I flew in from America for one line”!. Later, in a short interview with John Suchet, he said that it was a beautiful, melodic tune:
Other stars featured on the single include tenor Wynne Evans, pictured below with Alfie, soprano Laura Wright and a host of Classic FM presenters such as Alexander Armstrong, John Suchet, Myleene Klass, Aled Jones, Tim Lihoreau and Catherine Bott.
The single will be available to download from Midnight tonight – click here for the Classic FM site.
All proceeds will go to the Make Some Noise charity launched this year by Global Radio; the charity helps disadvantaged young people around the UK. So far today, Classic FM listeners have donated a staggering £800,000! If you would like to donate just click here.
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Today saw the news that Alfie will be part of the Make Some Noise charity single which will be recorded at the AIR studios on 9th October and released the following day. Alfie sing a solo alongside Katherine Jenkins, Aled Jones, Alexander Armstrong who will be complemented by Sol3Mio, Myleene Klass on piano, classical guitarist Milos Karadaglic and Classic FM presenters Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen (percussion) and John Suchet (trombone). Alfie’s fellow Decca artist, Laura Wright will also appear. Howard Goodall, pictured below with Katherine Jenkins and John Suchet, will write the single.
Make Some Noise is a brand new charity designed to help disadvantaged young people in the UK. Grants awarded include funds to charities helping children and young people with illness, bereavement, disablility and lack of opportunities. The charity was set up in 2014 by Global, whose media business includes Classic FM, Heart, and Capital radio stations, Heart TV and a highly successful music publishing wing.
Stay tuned for more news about the recording and purchasing of the Make Some Noise single!
Looks like Alfie Boe is starting to be busy over the next few weeks – in addition to appearing at Elton John’s annual fundraising bash on 4th September, he is scheduled to appear on BBC Radio Ulster for a brief chat tomorrow evening (Sunday 31st).
Apparently Alfie will be on about 8.45pm (UK time). Alfie’s upcoming appearance at Belfast’s Proms in the Park is bound to be the subject of the interview.
As Alfie will be in the UK this week, wonder if he’ll appear, for the third year in a row, at the Mercury Phoenix Trust’s Freddie for a Day fundraiser?
For a Saturday treat, let’s look back at Alfie and Laura Wright singing Barcelona at the 2013 event:
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On the face of it, it’s a wonder that Alfie Boe and Katherine Jenkins haven’t collaborated more. Both are from distinctly non traditional classical backgrounds, he from Fleetwood, Lancashire and she from Neath, South Wales. They even both won scholarships to distinguished music colleges (Royal College of Music and Royal Academy of Music, respectively) although their route to these life changing opportunities were markedly different. However, it is their choices taken after graduating that may indicate the reason as to why their forthcoming duet on Katherine’s new album is only their second collaboration (they previously performed together at a John Barry tribute in 2011).
After graduating, Alfie began performing in opera houses around the world, taking the more traditional route of trained opera singers, whilst Katherine signed the biggest recording deal in classical music (at the time) at the age of 23. Hit album after hit album for her label, Decca, followed and although she was often asked about venturing onto the stage in an operatic role, that has never really been part of the plan.
Katherine Jenkins was born in 1980 and began singing as a child, appearing in the Choirgirl of the Year competition and the BBC radio 2 Welsh Choirgirl of the Year (winning twice). She was also a member of the Royal School of Church Music Cathedral Singers and the National Youth Choir of Wakes. A performance at a mass honouring the Pope’s silver jubilee at Westminster Cathedral followed her graduation from the Royal Academy of Music and she also supported Aled Jones on tour, before performing at the Sydney Opera House as a special guest of Max Boyce. Since then, in between releasing her albums, and appearing on Dancing with the Stars on US TV (she came second) she has also been the Forces Sweetheart, only last month appearing at the D Day 70th anniversary commemorations at the Royal Albert Hall. As I write this, I’m struck by the thought that maybe this early career trajectory is also in the minds of those masterminding soprano Laura Wright’s career. Laura is also signed to Decca, has a couple of hit albums to her name and also appeared at those D Day commemorations, albeit in France in the morning and not at the Royal Albert Hall in the evening.
Katherine is now back with the label that started it all, Decca, after an ill-fated detour with Warner Bros. I’m guessing the title of her new album, 10 years after her first signing, Home Sweet Home, is about more than just returning to a more traditional classical repertoire.
Perhaps we will see more of Katherine and Alfie together in the future, given that they have duetted on Barcelona. Certainly, their PR machines seem to be working in accordance; tracks from both albums were played by John Suchet on his ClassicFM radio show recently, both have CD and calendar bundles available from Decca and both albums are due for release on the same day, 17th November. Click here to pre-order Alfie Boe’s Serenata and Katherine Jenkins’ Home Sweet Home.
Let’s take another look at Barcelona, from the Edinburgh Castle concert last weekend:
for more info about Katherine, click here for her website:
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Earlier in the year, Alfie Boe fans were thrilled to discover that he was recording a song for a Decca label mate’s next album. Speculation was rife as to the artist in question and the song they would sing together…now I’m happy to say that I was right and Alfie will be appearing on Katherine Jenkins’ new album, Home Sweet Home. The song is Barcelona, so memorably performed with Laura Wright at the Freddie for a Day evening last year. This version made the top 5 f the recent Alfie Boe’s Best Ever Duet poll so no pressure for this version then!
Click on the album cover below to order through the thoughtsofjustafan Amazon store:
Alfie fans were spoilt when the album was released as it was released on the same day Serenata. Serenata is also available for to buy, so if you haven’t yet done so, click on the album cover below:
Great to see Alfie duetting with Katherine on her new album, they have sung together before, although this will be with first time on an album. The previous occasion was at the Classic Brits in 2011 when they teamed up for a John Barry tribute and again at Edinburgh Castle in advance of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (just don’t ask Alfie what Commonwealth sports he likes!):
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