Category: Original Music

Expecting Again

Spring has sprung again here in Oz and as does frequently happen, new births are occurring! In the garden, in nature, and in the studio!

Autumn and winter were busy with the release of my 14th album AND with four new novels written and published. I stopped to breathe at the end of August only to have a fifth novel clamoring to be heard, then a commission to write a brand new track for a conservation group, and last week a second commission to embark on another major project (similar, but with varying differences, to the Wetlands project of 2023).

Looks like it’s going to be head down, tail up for the foreseeable future.

And some reminders:

Want to check out my novels? Here’s a link to my book blog https://mozauthor.blogspot.com/ …there’s plenty of details there and please subscribe for updates (it’s free and it’s non-fattening!) …. and if you aren’t getting my music updates, you may not be a subscriber to my website, blogs, social media or my mailing list. If not, why not? I may not be doing commercial gigs now but I’m popping up in lots of intimate places where you can get a ‘live fix’ – either solo or with some cracking musicians. I’d love to see you – but you can’t go if you don’t know. Email me here to get connected.

a little spring sparkle
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Officially Released

UPDATE: At Feb ’25 the review of this album is in ~ read it on the “Reviews” page

For some 15+ years I’ve been promising to write a Christmas album….it’s finally here! Today is the official release date for Embrace The Season. Australia is a diverse society and there are so many differing views, beliefs, opinions about the season. Consequently there are so many different ways that Christmas is celebrated here. I’ve endeavoured to reflect that diversity in the content of the album.

It consists mostly of originals in a variety of different flavours – ballad, folk, blues, comedy – plus a couple of (not-so) traditional pieces that are favourites of mine. You can listen to the tracks on my Bandcamp page as follows: https://maureenobrien.bandcamp.com/album/embrace-the-season … If you like it, I invite you to purchase the album [or individual tracks if you prefer]….and please tell your friends! The Album is also available – via direct email – on Flash Drive or CD (NOTE: these are in limited supply so order quick)

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LAUNCHED …

….AND DULY CHRISTENED! ##note: see September review on Review page

Now available to listen – and purchase – on the Bandcamp site; https://maureenobrien.bandcamp.com

About the Album; I’ve been a songwriter for some 30 years and for the last 15 years have been promising fans that I would deliver:- 1. a Woman’s Jazz collection and 2. a Christmas album. This was to be the year I stopped procrastinating! With the help of a talented, very young sound/recording engineer (Zac Limon, Lampstand Studio, Ashtonfield), we managed to get the first over the line in just a few months.

Woman loves Jazz is a 5-track album of all-original material, a mixture of Latin Jazz, Jazz-Blues, Folk-Jazz, and a straight Jazz ballad. 1. Empty Brown Bottle, written in 2022, has had very warm response when part of my live concert sets. 2. Imagination – has some rather lovely jazzy guitar included (courtesy of Zac) 3. My Oh My has the assistance of Stevi Cannon, Maureen Reeves, and Gayle Dedman on some lovely harmonies 4. Old Dog Blues was originally written for a music buddy of some 20 years (Russ Redford) who unfortunately was unavailable for the recording sessions. And 5. Miracles and Magic – one of those songs that just wanted to be written…and as any songwriter knows, when all your creative bones are working, a song in waiting just has to be written.

Thanks to the lovely people who came along yesterday to cheer this album – No. 12 – on loudly.

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Live! at the Wetlands

It will be a rare public performance for me this coming Saturday, 6th April at the Hunter Wetlands, Shortland. We’ll be welcoming back the “Sounds Sights Textures …etc…” exhibition to where its seed first germinated. The exhibition will run for the month of April and the official opening on Saturday will be from 3-5pm. It will be a lovely way to spend an afternoon if you’re in the Newcastle region; a chance to see a unique Fibre-Art exhibit and talk to the artists; spend the afternoon on the deck, overlooking the fabulous Wetlands and listening to some nice music from the album “Song of the Wetlands” – the inspiration for the artists’ work; as well as grooving along to an Open Jam where local musicians and singers will be joining in to share a ‘free’ music session [anything and everything goes] . No cost to come along to the exhibition and all are welcome.

This is Scottish Piper Ian Innes playing on the lower deck recently – serenading “Pi” the resident orphaned Magpie Goose who was raised at the centre by volunteers. One of the tracks on the album is titled “In Love With a Magpie Goose” – it wasn’t Pi but it could have been! he thinks he’s human. You can listen to the track here: https://maureenobrien.bandcamp.com/

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