"Mirrors", my new album - March 22, 2006
I've just finished a new album I call "Mirrors". Its just me singing my songs, some with piano, some guitar. For track samples go to "music" page.
Tony Chapman: News
This is a rave response from a singer/songwriter to my C.D. "No More U-turns". It really had an effect!! - January 26, 2006
Hello there tony!!
thanks for your amazing CD, "No More U-turns". When i came to hear the song 'Just Passing Through' i was
very glad, (apart from the other songs and i never heard the beat-hipster
sixties club sound reproduced so well, i guess it's only possible to be done
by someone who has it all running in his veins) but when i heard 'marathon
of life', with marielle singing 'living, living!' oh man, you should have
seen me, dancing, screaming in the room. Really, i'm not joking, it made the
start of my day so powerful and pretty. And you know, to me it all fits,
because i went out, on my bike for 15 minutes or so, and i saw only details
you know, someone's shoes when i was standing by a traffic light, of course
only having the chorus of your song in my head (living, living!), a girl
singing on her bike and i looked very well but she really had no earphones
or whatever, just singing and slowly moving her head and i remembered your
saying: 'i like to tell people when they're beautiful', and it all fitted in my
new wave feeling, i am absolutely sure there is a new wave coming, the
second hippie wave. And everybody contributes, everyone is a drop in the
wave. You are a drop, (and you must be sensitive, already feeling it coming
in 1999 when you recorded your songs, and probably earlier already) and me,
i am a drop, by being me, and quoting your fifth element theory in one of my
rush poems.
thanks for your amazing CD, "No More U-turns". When i came to hear the song 'Just Passing Through' i was
very glad, (apart from the other songs and i never heard the beat-hipster
sixties club sound reproduced so well, i guess it's only possible to be done
by someone who has it all running in his veins) but when i heard 'marathon
of life', with marielle singing 'living, living!' oh man, you should have
seen me, dancing, screaming in the room. Really, i'm not joking, it made the
start of my day so powerful and pretty. And you know, to me it all fits,
because i went out, on my bike for 15 minutes or so, and i saw only details
you know, someone's shoes when i was standing by a traffic light, of course
only having the chorus of your song in my head (living, living!), a girl
singing on her bike and i looked very well but she really had no earphones
or whatever, just singing and slowly moving her head and i remembered your
saying: 'i like to tell people when they're beautiful', and it all fitted in my
new wave feeling, i am absolutely sure there is a new wave coming, the
second hippie wave. And everybody contributes, everyone is a drop in the
wave. You are a drop, (and you must be sensitive, already feeling it coming
in 1999 when you recorded your songs, and probably earlier already) and me,
i am a drop, by being me, and quoting your fifth element theory in one of my
rush poems.
News letter Dec. Jan. 2005/2006 - January 6, 2006
Dec. Jan. 2005/2006, Newsletter from Tony Chapman:
(See photo gallery for pictures of our perfomance).
In this month's "newsletter", you will hear about:- my performance on Television, on New Year's day!
- my performances: at the "SoundGarden", at "The Farm" and at "Cafe Sappho".
You will also get a poem of mine, a copy of one of my paintings, and some of my song lyrics.
…so, here goes:
“SOUNDGARDEN MUSIC CAFE", MARNIX STRAAT, AMSTERDAM:
On Thursday evening (1st Dec.) me, with my acoustic guitar and my set of harmonicas, Leo Adamov, with his violin, and Marielle Braam, singing harmonies, faced a crowd of happy Soundgarden revellers, who were leaning against the bar, an arm's length away from the us ... intimate!.... The room was a haze of smoke, and had a relaxed feeling to it: at one point, one of the audience, was so relaxed, he began crawling across the floor, (the effect of my music?) ... snooker cues clicked in the backroom...and a white cat curled herself up, snuggly, on a bar stool, and slept through it all .... Martyn, the owner, tapped out a rhythm in time to our music, and adjusted and readjusted, the volume on the amplifier, as I rocked towards and away from the microphone, in my passionate singing!
People liked our music. The girl behind the bar was singing along with the songs, as if she knew them ... very encouraging.
Martyn said, later,
"I normally only like heavy rock, but your music really got through to me ..."
He paid us and asked us to play in his cafe again!
As I was putting my guitar away in its incredibly heavy guitar-case, (more about that another time), a laid-back drinker and smoker, told me, from under his wide-brimmed, black hat ,
"well your music stopped the guys from fist-fighting tonight!"
.... the magic of my songs!
"THE FARM"
On Saturday night, (17th Dec)
Me and Marielle ended up on a rainy, pitch-black, windy and windy, misty, country road looking for "The Farm", where I had been asked to perform. We eventually found a farmhouse that looked cosy and "gezellig", I imagined the family inside, tucked up in bed, could this really be the gig?. We walked "downhill", a rarity in North Holland – (downhill because it was down the side of a dyke, the only "hills" around here), and knocked on the farmhouse door. It creaked open to reveal: a coloured-light-filled barn full of people eating their dinners and playing music - dogs - sculptures, chandeliers with candles burning, Christmas trees....
I sang with confidence and was satisfied with my performance, although I was nervous to begin with. Marielle added some harmonies which enriched the sound.
The organizer wanted us back . He later Emailed me his response: one of things he said was:
"..... you seem to have, not only qualities as a musician, but also as an entertainer. That is my impression, it seems you make people cheerful by your presentation...."
I find that an interesting thought, especially as so many of my songs are sad.
THE “CAFÉ SAPPHO” GIG.
This was my own gig - ME!! the whole evening!!
I did a 3/4 hour set and a ½ hour set. The excellent songwriter: Mark de jonge, ( www.m-jo.blogspot.com )was videoing me the whole time - which was an interesting experience. To begin with I sang o.k. but couldn't find real inspiration. Marielle sang harmonies, and half-way through the second set she sang my song: "Look After Me Tonight" beautifully, it sort of opened the energy somehow, and I feel I sang the rest of the set, magically. The response of everyone was really positive!! To finish off the evening: “Amsterdam Song Writer's Guild” members sang their own wonderful songs. A great evening!
Later, Mark sent the video to the Dutch television channel "A1" and Me and Marielle were broadcast 3 times during NewYears day - SIX OF MY SONGS - UNBELIEVABLE!! THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH MARK.
I would like to thank the wonderful and talented “Amsterdam Song Writer's Guild” members, for their support that evening, especially: Ro Halfhide, for doing the sound system!!
http://amsterdamsongwritersguild.blogspot.com/
Well, that's my Newsletter. Happy New Year everyone! Tony.
P.S. I’m still working on my next C.D. I have two more songs to record and then it’ll be ready!
Here’s some of my song lyrics:
Love has Caught Me, Words and Music : by Tony Chapman © 1997
I tumble and spin, want to get in
but I'm stuck out here in no-man's land
I knock on you're door, I want you more
but you're slipping right through my hand
LOVE HAS CAUGHT ME
I'm falling so fast, nothing will last
I'm tipping right off the ledge
I'm walking on air, then I despair
I'm slipping right off the edge
LOVE HAS CAUGHT ME
then you turn around, I hear the sound
of your footsteps, as they walk to me
then I touch your hand, and no-man's land
is no-longer surrounding me
LOVE HAS CAUGHT ME
then I meet your eyes, and all the skies Me and Leo at the Treehouse:
they no longer cave-in on me
and I touch your skin, you let me in
and I'm living in ecstasy
LOVE HAS CAUGHT ME
Now, simple things glow, magic and, oh, its
all I hoped it would be
and, if I could change, not be the same
what else would I rather be? LOVE HAS CAUGHT ME.
and a little poem I wrote, a few years ago, when I was still addicted to chocolate - I don't have that problem anymore ... of course ... natuurlijk … mmm??
The Chocolate Devil.
Last night
the
Chocolate Devil entered me
so easily
the chocolates sat there
in their open box
waiting
all I did
was reach out an innocent hand:
a harmless,
silent move
and a bird sings
and a valley of sunshine and daffodils
surrounds me
and nothing is wrong
ever again
because I can now eat chocolate
always.
The Chocolate Devil
got into me last night
no big temptation
no fuss
just
one o’clock in the morning,
silence,
everyone asleep
and me and an open box of chocolates
like friends
sharing the same table.
_______________________________________________________________
…and a painting by me:
(Tony Chapman. Singersongwriter - available for performances.
Check out my music and art at: http://www.tonychapmanmusic.com/ http://www.tonychapman-artmusic.com/ tonychapman@quicknet.nl
(See photo gallery for pictures of our perfomance).
In this month's "newsletter", you will hear about:- my performance on Television, on New Year's day!
- my performances: at the "SoundGarden", at "The Farm" and at "Cafe Sappho".
You will also get a poem of mine, a copy of one of my paintings, and some of my song lyrics.
…so, here goes:
“SOUNDGARDEN MUSIC CAFE", MARNIX STRAAT, AMSTERDAM:
On Thursday evening (1st Dec.) me, with my acoustic guitar and my set of harmonicas, Leo Adamov, with his violin, and Marielle Braam, singing harmonies, faced a crowd of happy Soundgarden revellers, who were leaning against the bar, an arm's length away from the us ... intimate!.... The room was a haze of smoke, and had a relaxed feeling to it: at one point, one of the audience, was so relaxed, he began crawling across the floor, (the effect of my music?) ... snooker cues clicked in the backroom...and a white cat curled herself up, snuggly, on a bar stool, and slept through it all .... Martyn, the owner, tapped out a rhythm in time to our music, and adjusted and readjusted, the volume on the amplifier, as I rocked towards and away from the microphone, in my passionate singing!
People liked our music. The girl behind the bar was singing along with the songs, as if she knew them ... very encouraging.
Martyn said, later,
"I normally only like heavy rock, but your music really got through to me ..."
He paid us and asked us to play in his cafe again!
As I was putting my guitar away in its incredibly heavy guitar-case, (more about that another time), a laid-back drinker and smoker, told me, from under his wide-brimmed, black hat ,
"well your music stopped the guys from fist-fighting tonight!"
.... the magic of my songs!
"THE FARM"
On Saturday night, (17th Dec)
Me and Marielle ended up on a rainy, pitch-black, windy and windy, misty, country road looking for "The Farm", where I had been asked to perform. We eventually found a farmhouse that looked cosy and "gezellig", I imagined the family inside, tucked up in bed, could this really be the gig?. We walked "downhill", a rarity in North Holland – (downhill because it was down the side of a dyke, the only "hills" around here), and knocked on the farmhouse door. It creaked open to reveal: a coloured-light-filled barn full of people eating their dinners and playing music - dogs - sculptures, chandeliers with candles burning, Christmas trees....
I sang with confidence and was satisfied with my performance, although I was nervous to begin with. Marielle added some harmonies which enriched the sound.
The organizer wanted us back . He later Emailed me his response: one of things he said was:
"..... you seem to have, not only qualities as a musician, but also as an entertainer. That is my impression, it seems you make people cheerful by your presentation...."
I find that an interesting thought, especially as so many of my songs are sad.
THE “CAFÉ SAPPHO” GIG.
This was my own gig - ME!! the whole evening!!
I did a 3/4 hour set and a ½ hour set. The excellent songwriter: Mark de jonge, ( www.m-jo.blogspot.com )was videoing me the whole time - which was an interesting experience. To begin with I sang o.k. but couldn't find real inspiration. Marielle sang harmonies, and half-way through the second set she sang my song: "Look After Me Tonight" beautifully, it sort of opened the energy somehow, and I feel I sang the rest of the set, magically. The response of everyone was really positive!! To finish off the evening: “Amsterdam Song Writer's Guild” members sang their own wonderful songs. A great evening!
Later, Mark sent the video to the Dutch television channel "A1" and Me and Marielle were broadcast 3 times during NewYears day - SIX OF MY SONGS - UNBELIEVABLE!! THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH MARK.
I would like to thank the wonderful and talented “Amsterdam Song Writer's Guild” members, for their support that evening, especially: Ro Halfhide, for doing the sound system!!
http://amsterdamsongwritersguild.blogspot.com/
Well, that's my Newsletter. Happy New Year everyone! Tony.
P.S. I’m still working on my next C.D. I have two more songs to record and then it’ll be ready!
Here’s some of my song lyrics:
Love has Caught Me, Words and Music : by Tony Chapman © 1997
I tumble and spin, want to get in
but I'm stuck out here in no-man's land
I knock on you're door, I want you more
but you're slipping right through my hand
LOVE HAS CAUGHT ME
I'm falling so fast, nothing will last
I'm tipping right off the ledge
I'm walking on air, then I despair
I'm slipping right off the edge
LOVE HAS CAUGHT ME
then you turn around, I hear the sound
of your footsteps, as they walk to me
then I touch your hand, and no-man's land
is no-longer surrounding me
LOVE HAS CAUGHT ME
then I meet your eyes, and all the skies Me and Leo at the Treehouse:
they no longer cave-in on me
and I touch your skin, you let me in
and I'm living in ecstasy
LOVE HAS CAUGHT ME
Now, simple things glow, magic and, oh, its
all I hoped it would be
and, if I could change, not be the same
what else would I rather be? LOVE HAS CAUGHT ME.
and a little poem I wrote, a few years ago, when I was still addicted to chocolate - I don't have that problem anymore ... of course ... natuurlijk … mmm??
The Chocolate Devil.
Last night
the
Chocolate Devil entered me
so easily
the chocolates sat there
in their open box
waiting
all I did
was reach out an innocent hand:
a harmless,
silent move
and a bird sings
and a valley of sunshine and daffodils
surrounds me
and nothing is wrong
ever again
because I can now eat chocolate
always.
The Chocolate Devil
got into me last night
no big temptation
no fuss
just
one o’clock in the morning,
silence,
everyone asleep
and me and an open box of chocolates
like friends
sharing the same table.
_______________________________________________________________
…and a painting by me:
(Tony Chapman. Singersongwriter - available for performances.
Check out my music and art at: http://www.tonychapmanmusic.com/ http://www.tonychapman-artmusic.com/ tonychapman@quicknet.nl
Tony on Television: New Years Eve! - December 31, 2005
the great singer-songwriter Mark de Jonge, (from Amsterdam Guild of songwriters), very kindly videoed me
performing at cafe Sappho, last Thursday, 29th Dec.2005, and has arranged for the
video to be on T.V., amazing eh?!!
This is a copy of his Email to me, (with television times.)
hey tony!
you'll be on the telly, this very night (new years eve!)
at 00:30 on local channel salto A1.
Two other broadcasts on this channel will be this coming sunday at 20.30 as
well as 0:00!! if you don't have a television i'll arrange a special
videotape or any means of transmitting stuff you posess so you can see it..
cheers, thanks again for your wonderful gig, i loved it so much.,,,,
see you soon and all the best, see you next year i hope
Mark
performing at cafe Sappho, last Thursday, 29th Dec.2005, and has arranged for the
video to be on T.V., amazing eh?!!
This is a copy of his Email to me, (with television times.)
hey tony!
you'll be on the telly, this very night (new years eve!)
at 00:30 on local channel salto A1.
Two other broadcasts on this channel will be this coming sunday at 20.30 as
well as 0:00!! if you don't have a television i'll arrange a special
videotape or any means of transmitting stuff you posess so you can see it..
cheers, thanks again for your wonderful gig, i loved it so much.,,,,
see you soon and all the best, see you next year i hope
Mark