Collaborating with Ben
In June of 2019, I met with Ben Castle at his studio in Dublin.
At the time, I was looking for a producer and was introduced to him by the very lovely Hannah Peel, a composer and broadcaster best known for her work in electronica, sound design and scoring for the screen.
Ben (son of Roy ''Record Breakers'' Castle) is a musician, producer and an arranger. He’s brilliant craic and has worked with so many artists I love.
The supremely buoyant 'It Won't Always Be This Way' from the new EP. Darren Beckett, known for his work with George Colligan and Brandon Flowers, is on drums. And with reedist Ben Castle are long time playing pals Arnie Somogyi on bass and Mark Edwards on piano. Check out Somogyi on Claire Martin Perfect Alibi (2000) Phoebe Snow song 'Inspired Insanity' that also featured Belfast vibes legend Anthony Kerr of Georgie Fame and the New Blue Flames renown.
We chatted about a new project and the following year, recorded a five track EP at Echo Zoo Studios in Eastbourne.
Studio home to a piano once played by Duke Ellington
Echo Zoo is class. A Steinway grand piano sat in one of the rooms next to us. It was played by Duke Ellington on The Eastbourne Performance in Dec 1973: I had to touch it.
Life Came into Colour was released on May 6th 2022. The record illustrates a love story and a message for anyone dealing with anxiety - that it is in fact possible to see the colour in life again.
Daughter of a musician and record collector
Raised on Kinnegar Road, Holywood, I grew up next to the shore on Belfast Lough.
Music was always on from noon to night in the house and my dad is still an avid collector of vinyl records to this day.
Alongside my two older siblings, we were spoon fed everything from The Kinks, The Rolling Stones to jazz and heavy blues music.
A musician himself, my dad spent late nights playing gigs and his bandmates would often come round to rehearse.
Sure I loved being immersed in the music, but more so the banter, the jokes and gags between the musicians and I could always be relied on assisting with coffees or something stronger.
He was a self-taught pianist and as a teenager, I learned to play chords which led to writing songs.
Inspired by Amy Winehouse
Working things out by ear on the piano is still one of my favourite things to do. Around the same time, I got a hold of Amy Winehouse's first album Frank (2003) and was hooked from the first track.
I loved her voice but I loved that her lyrics packed a punch too. She remains one of my key influences. My grandmother was a classical violinist and from an early age I learned also.
Learned to play a little jazz violin
She taught me to read music and I believe it's where my love of melody was born. She introduced me to Elgar, Yehudi Menuhin and Stéphane Grappelli and I learned to play a little jazz violin too.
I adore melodies. They could swim round my head for hours. Some of the songs on Life Came into Colour were with me for over a decade before their release.
''The greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love, and be loved in return.'' The words of Eden Ahbez from 'Nature Boy' (issued in 1948) sung by Nat King Cole are meaningful to Katharine.
Berts break
In 2010, my sister was a regular singer at Berts Jazz Bar in Belfast. I’d finished university and was working as a teacher and she’d sometimes dep her gigs out to me.
It was inevitable we would both end up singing jazz standards having grown to love them so much in childhood.
Within a few years, I would learn that knowing your song keys is vital and to always be prepared to try out something new.
I gained so much from The Albany jazz jam days (a pub on Belfast's Lisburn Road) too.
Learning to establish the feel of a jazz standard, remember its form and whereabouts the other musicians would take their solos was both nerve-wrecking and exhilarating at the same time - everything was improvised.
I knew immediately I wanted to do little else from then on because that’s where the magic is.
Katharine performs with the Ulster Orchestra at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast on 24 September in a concert that marks 100 years of the BBC in Northern Ireland. She also plays the FLive festival in Enniskillen on 6 October. 'All This Time' is out on 24 October.
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