Issue #12 - April 2025

Benoit's World News

Hello Folks

I hope you all enjoy the fabulous weather. Since I spent the last 5 months locked in, I've been basking in the sunshine as soon as the sun came out. But that made me miss the April's fool day to publish my newsletter. Damn!

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It's getting better...

"I have to admit
It's getting better
It's getting better all the time..."

These are the lyrics from the Beatles song "It's getting better" from the 1967 "Sergeant pepper" album. I'm singing them every day because I caught a pneumonia this winter that bedded me for a few months and put me out of work, but “it’s getting better” and I have almost recovered. Therefore, I am very happy and looking forward to the future. I know that the world is scared with all the events happening right now, but somehow, I feel upbeat, and I can't wait to start playing music again. For this matter, I have some new projects...

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A special concert - May 31st

The first one of my projects is to throw a big concert to celebrate the spring and my renewed vitality, if we can call it that, at the fabulous Henry Ward Hall in Hastings on the 31st of May. That will be my first show with a full band since last summer and will be only one in Hastings this year.

Designed and built in 1894, Henry Ward Hall (Hastings East Sussex), with its high ceilings and wooden fixtures, has natural acoustics that make it one of the premium concert venues in England (500 seats).

Buy tickets now (£20 until April 20th, £25 thereafter)

I will bring the Hot Club for the occasion, a mix of virtuoso young musicians and international jazz legends. The repertoire will include many new numbers that they have crafted exclusively for the series of concerts performed in Asia in 2024.

Hot Club Line up:

Benoit Viellefon (France) - Lead vocals - Jazz guitar
Jarrod Elks (Herbie Flowers Band) - Vocals - Jazz guitar
Jack Garside (Mark Kavuma Orchestra) - Double bass
Magic Mike Henry (Chris Barber Orchestra / Passadena Roof Orchestra) - Cornet / trumpet
Bjorn Dhalberg (Mick Jagger / Arthur Brown / ABBA world tour band) - Clarinet & tenor saxophone.

Don't miss it, it's going to be a glorious bank holiday weekend, and you can enjoy a pleasant little stay in Hastings / St Leonards if you plan early enough. There are lots of cool quirky places to stay and eat, the weather is always fabulous, and the sea is always blue. The trains are 1-hour 30mn from London Bridge and cost £20.

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New EP: "Chansons de Paris"

We've recorded those classic French songs for a ​major Netflix production​ in 2022. The producers wanted to get a woman that could sing like Edith Piaf with an authentic French band that could recreate the sound of the era. I knew the right person for the job; she could record flawlessly and look the part in the film with the whole orchestra on camera. So, I called my good friend Gabrielle Ducomble, who performed with the Orchestra for many years before relocating to Biaritz France. It was recorded in one afternoon at Porcupine studios in London in October 2021. The score was arranged by the Orchestra's pianist Alexander Bryson (Who is on a couple of my albums and on Fantasticrecords.co.uk with his own music.)

I hope you will like those tracks, you will be able to have a listen here. Please buy a track and leave reviews to support us. My subscribers will have the songs automatically added to their library.

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Another EP: "NEW YORK 1926"

I have released this film soundtrack last January (I'm putting out a new recording in every newsletter, lucky you!). ​Here is a link for those who have missed it,​ please have a listen and leave a review.

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With a little help from my friends

Another Beatles classic!

But we all need it from time to time, and a little help goes a long way. One of the other projects I have mentioned earlier, apart from "fixing a hole where the rain gets in" (another Beatles gem), is to start performing in theatres and small towns in the country rather than performing almost exclusively in greater London and abroad.

Basically, I'm on my own to finance everything, organise everything and produce everything. Times are hard, and the music industry is not interested in the music we are doing. It's near impossible for bands to survive as the economics and logistics of touring and non-existent record sales make the prospect of being a musician a very poor life choice.

But I know that, with a little help from my friends, it's possible!

We are based in the Hastings / Eastbourne area, East Sussex, and I am traying to find some cool venues, theatres, concert halls, art centres, village halls, clubs in the country to perform at. The two things we need most are to get local knowledge about which places are worth playing, and where to stay for cheap.

1 - We need to find venues with a 100 seats minimum capacity, that would have a good following and an audience that buys concert tickets.

2 - Traveling expenses are very high, so we usually can't afford hotels if we play small clubs, so accommodation tips would be great...

If you know any such place near you that you would like to recommend, please email me and I will contact them. I'll be forever grateful...

...and maybe, with a little help from my friends, I'll be able to come to play near you?

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Upcoming concerts:

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From the author

That’s it folks, It's was a bit long but I hope it was good, or at least "somewhat good". For complaints and accolades please email me, I will respond.

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A bientot. (French: meaning "See you soon")

Benoit Viellefon

Benoit Viellefon - St Matthews Gardens, St Leonards-on-sea, East Sussex TN38 0TT
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