BARBARA THOMPSON - The Journey Continues...
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In a career that has spanned six decades, the indefatigable Barbara Thompson has been a constant and vital force on the UK music scene. Despite many highs and some pretty awful lows her indominatible spirit and love of music has prevailed. She has run her own highly successful bands, Jubiaba and Paraphernalia, as well as lending her unique saxophone sound to musicals by Andrew Lloyd-Webber, and all this in conjunction with writing music for television.
The lows include her diagnosis in 1997 with Parkinson's Disease which she has bravely battled through, continuing to perform until it finally became impossible to do so in 2015, and the devastating loss of her husband and musical partner, Jon Hiseman in 2018. Further complications with her own health last year resulted in a trip to St Georges' A&E, where a film crew was filming for the popular TV series 24 Hours in A&E, and Barbara was again catapulted into the public eye when the episode ran on Channel Four on 7th October. For many this additional blow of being diagnosed with a heart complication, known as arrythmia, would slow most people down, but this has still not quelled Barbara's zest for life and 2020 has been a busy year with the release of her autobiography, Journey To A Destination Unknown, and the imminent release of a 14 CD box set, Live At The BBC. As if this were not enough there are also a couple of other projects on the go too, as I discovered when I had the opportunity to talk to Barbara.
So, what prompted her to write her autobiography, and why now? "When my husband Jon Hiseman passed away it seemed a good way of ending the story", explains Barbara. "Also Jon’s book, Playing The Band, is only one side of the story. I hope both books will sit united on the bookshelves of our fans." One of the aspects that makes the book so absorbing is the candid way in which she tells her story. From receiving her first clarinet, taking up the saxophone, and the reception that she received as a woman playing jazz in what was then a male dominated scene. Writing the book must have brought many memories and emotions. "Well, writing the book was a question of getting one’s life in order. There was so much ground to cover that I didn’t get so emotionally involved while I was doing it because it was fact not fiction. There was always so much going on in both mine and Jon's lives I needed to keep a cool head to make it all makes sense. Chronologically is was a nightmare to keep it all accurate but at the same time keep the sense of adventure. As Jon says in his final message to me: 'What a ride!'"
The lows include her diagnosis in 1997 with Parkinson's Disease which she has bravely battled through, continuing to perform until it finally became impossible to do so in 2015, and the devastating loss of her husband and musical partner, Jon Hiseman in 2018. Further complications with her own health last year resulted in a trip to St Georges' A&E, where a film crew was filming for the popular TV series 24 Hours in A&E, and Barbara was again catapulted into the public eye when the episode ran on Channel Four on 7th October. For many this additional blow of being diagnosed with a heart complication, known as arrythmia, would slow most people down, but this has still not quelled Barbara's zest for life and 2020 has been a busy year with the release of her autobiography, Journey To A Destination Unknown, and the imminent release of a 14 CD box set, Live At The BBC. As if this were not enough there are also a couple of other projects on the go too, as I discovered when I had the opportunity to talk to Barbara.
So, what prompted her to write her autobiography, and why now? "When my husband Jon Hiseman passed away it seemed a good way of ending the story", explains Barbara. "Also Jon’s book, Playing The Band, is only one side of the story. I hope both books will sit united on the bookshelves of our fans." One of the aspects that makes the book so absorbing is the candid way in which she tells her story. From receiving her first clarinet, taking up the saxophone, and the reception that she received as a woman playing jazz in what was then a male dominated scene. Writing the book must have brought many memories and emotions. "Well, writing the book was a question of getting one’s life in order. There was so much ground to cover that I didn’t get so emotionally involved while I was doing it because it was fact not fiction. There was always so much going on in both mine and Jon's lives I needed to keep a cool head to make it all makes sense. Chronologically is was a nightmare to keep it all accurate but at the same time keep the sense of adventure. As Jon says in his final message to me: 'What a ride!'"
As well as in words, Barbara's story is told very visually with a stunning array of photographs, newspaper cuttings, and letters from Jon. So, was it always the intention to tell her story in pictures too, or something that evolved as a natural extension of the writing process? "I always wanted a coffee table style book but that style is perhaps best for those with less to write about!", laughs Barbara. "This is a compromise - a story illustrated by pictures rather than the other way round."
Key moments throughout her life are highlighted in such positive ways, and the way in which the Hisemans dealt with the demands of juggling family life and busy careers is quite inspirational. So I ask Barbara if looking back does she ever wonder how she managed to deal with so many different aspects in her life happening simultaneously? "Often! When I look back I am amazed how I got anything done at all. I think it was partially down to the fact that I loved producing music that communicated with people and that touched them."
This passion and drive is clearly audible in the recordings that were issued at regular intervals charting the saxophonist and composers progress, and especially in live performance where nothing less that 100 per cent was good enough. The devastating news and subsequent effect that Parkinson's has had on Barbara's life and career is also told very candidly. Since being diagnosed and the steady progression of the disease the impact on her ability to perform must have been very difficult to write about and begin to express in words? "It wasn’t easy", admits Barbara. "But we always took a practical view and deep down I never assumed I would give up playing. I held onto hope, despite announcing to the general public that I would be giving up due to my condition. It was 20 years after my diagnosis that I gave my final performance and at the time I didn’t acknowledge that was the case."
Key moments throughout her life are highlighted in such positive ways, and the way in which the Hisemans dealt with the demands of juggling family life and busy careers is quite inspirational. So I ask Barbara if looking back does she ever wonder how she managed to deal with so many different aspects in her life happening simultaneously? "Often! When I look back I am amazed how I got anything done at all. I think it was partially down to the fact that I loved producing music that communicated with people and that touched them."
This passion and drive is clearly audible in the recordings that were issued at regular intervals charting the saxophonist and composers progress, and especially in live performance where nothing less that 100 per cent was good enough. The devastating news and subsequent effect that Parkinson's has had on Barbara's life and career is also told very candidly. Since being diagnosed and the steady progression of the disease the impact on her ability to perform must have been very difficult to write about and begin to express in words? "It wasn’t easy", admits Barbara. "But we always took a practical view and deep down I never assumed I would give up playing. I held onto hope, despite announcing to the general public that I would be giving up due to my condition. It was 20 years after my diagnosis that I gave my final performance and at the time I didn’t acknowledge that was the case."
And the music is what it is all about. As well as Journey To A Destination Unknown, Barbara is also poised to continue her biography in music too with the eagerly anticipated Live At The BBC recordings on Repertoire Records. A veritable feast of music documented from 1969 performances with the New Jazz Orchestra conducted by Neil Ardley right through to performances by Jubiaba and Paraphernalia up until 1990. "Again this is quite amazing to me. That I wrote music of the calibre you hear on the recordings!, exclaims Barbara. "When you consider that I was in my mid-twenties and had no tuition as such, all the experience I got from writing and playing was from practical experience ‘at the coal face’ as Jon would have put it. Many people took me under their wing, such as Neil Ardley and Geoffrey Burgon both of whom had a huge influence on my future career. It's very difficult to highlight the music that stands out most during the 21 year span because it covers such a wide area of musical styles and idioms which are all relevant to the development of my career. The first real hits I had with fans were with 'Funky Flunky', 'Stairways', 'Country Dance' and later, 'Night Watch'."
Continuing, Barbara adds, "This is all thanks to my daughter Ana Gracey who was pivotal in the book, project managing the Journey To A Destination Unknown from inception to completion.
"The Live At The BBC album owes thanks to Thomas Neelson at Repertoire Records for giving the project the green light, and Eroc for his meticulous restorative work on much of the material from the Temple Music archive that was collected over many years by my husband Jon. So many people have been helpful in bringing these projects to fruition, and especially Dave Gelly for his wonderful liner notes and for being there through it all!"
Now that the book is published and out there and the album to follow, you would think that maybe Barbara would think about slowing down a little and taking a much needed breather, but it appears there is much more to do. With the Live At The BBC set due for release towards the end of this month, there is also a new album scheduled for release in early 2021 featuring musicians that have played with Paraphernalia along with young musicians from the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO). Says Barbara of the project, "The 10-track album of my compositions will feature up-and-coming musicians such as Tom Ridout, finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016 Jazz Award, on sax and his sister, flugelhorn player Alexandra Ridout, who won the jazz award for BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2016. They perform among other fantastic young players. My daughter Ana will be singing 'In Memory', my piece adapted from Love Songs in Age for Paraphernalia, alongside Colosseum’s 'Safe as Houses', which Jon and I co-wrote. I’m delighted that Peter’s son, the exceptionally talented Ru Lemer, was able to be involved as producer and sound engineer, making this truly a family affair.”
Pausing to grab a quick breath she adds, "Also we are creating demos for a new Paraphernalia album to be called The Sky’s The Limit adapting some of my classical and choral works for Paraphernalia. It will feature Billy Thompson on Violin, Pete Lemer on keys, Phil Mulford on bass and Gary Husband on drums. Rising star Jess Gillam will be guesting on sax alongside other guest saxophonists to be confirmed. My daughter Ana will be singing on about half of the tracks which is something we have been discussing since she first starred on Everlasting Flame when she was a teenager. It’s very important to me to have these projects on the go to keep myself motivated. With the help of Tim Redpath the score of my piece 'The Crossing', mentioned in the book, has now been completed and I very much hope to hear it performed sometime soon."
"The Live At The BBC album owes thanks to Thomas Neelson at Repertoire Records for giving the project the green light, and Eroc for his meticulous restorative work on much of the material from the Temple Music archive that was collected over many years by my husband Jon. So many people have been helpful in bringing these projects to fruition, and especially Dave Gelly for his wonderful liner notes and for being there through it all!"
Now that the book is published and out there and the album to follow, you would think that maybe Barbara would think about slowing down a little and taking a much needed breather, but it appears there is much more to do. With the Live At The BBC set due for release towards the end of this month, there is also a new album scheduled for release in early 2021 featuring musicians that have played with Paraphernalia along with young musicians from the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO). Says Barbara of the project, "The 10-track album of my compositions will feature up-and-coming musicians such as Tom Ridout, finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016 Jazz Award, on sax and his sister, flugelhorn player Alexandra Ridout, who won the jazz award for BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2016. They perform among other fantastic young players. My daughter Ana will be singing 'In Memory', my piece adapted from Love Songs in Age for Paraphernalia, alongside Colosseum’s 'Safe as Houses', which Jon and I co-wrote. I’m delighted that Peter’s son, the exceptionally talented Ru Lemer, was able to be involved as producer and sound engineer, making this truly a family affair.”
Pausing to grab a quick breath she adds, "Also we are creating demos for a new Paraphernalia album to be called The Sky’s The Limit adapting some of my classical and choral works for Paraphernalia. It will feature Billy Thompson on Violin, Pete Lemer on keys, Phil Mulford on bass and Gary Husband on drums. Rising star Jess Gillam will be guesting on sax alongside other guest saxophonists to be confirmed. My daughter Ana will be singing on about half of the tracks which is something we have been discussing since she first starred on Everlasting Flame when she was a teenager. It’s very important to me to have these projects on the go to keep myself motivated. With the help of Tim Redpath the score of my piece 'The Crossing', mentioned in the book, has now been completed and I very much hope to hear it performed sometime soon."
To buy Journey To A Destination Unknown and Live At The BBC
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