Podcast Radio Hour – presented by Laura Grimshaw and Salena Godden

Poetry and Flugel Horns

A few months ago I sent a recording of myself reading one of my All The Men I Never Married poems to one of my best friends in the world, trumpet player and professional musician Dave Boraston.  We’ve been talking for a while about working together to create some music to go with the poems but we finally got round to it!

Dave wrote the most beautiful music, scored for flugel horns and muted trumpet. He then then played each part, recorded it all underneath my voice and sent it back to me. I won’t pretend that I didn’t cry when I heard it. Although there is humour in the poem, it is really a litany of the many times my heart was broken – and somehow Dave wrote that into the music. Or maybe it’ss just me that always hears heartbreak in a muted trumpet.  I’ve been sitting on this track for a while, trying to decide what to do with it. I wanted to find it a good home, and for Dave’s music and performance to reach the audience it deserves.

Alternative Stories and Fake Realities

I’m so glad I waited now,  because it’s going to be part of the Alternative Stories and Fake Realities National Poetry Day podcast. Even more excitingly, the wonderful Chris Gregory from Alternative Stories suggested it for the Podcast Radio Hour, presented by Laura Grimshaw and Salena Godden,

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Podcast Radio Hour – BBC sounds

You can listen to the whole podcast by clicking on the link above – my poem and Dave’s music is about 7 minutes 30 seconds in.