Nell x

We started in the south of England – Bournemouth, Oxford, and Brighton – then headed North to gorgeous Harrogate, Manchester (my favourite show so far) and Sheffield (where there was a white rose waiting in my dressing room – thank you Lee!).  Today we’re driving to Edinburgh, and Chris’ crew and I will probably meet there in the pub later.  A big shout out to my tour manager Rick Webster, who’s not only been calm and organised, but is an incredibly talented musician in his own right (check out Unkle Bob – he had a song on Grey’s Anatomy that was massive).  We are having a great time.  Well, I should say I’M having a great time, but you’ll have to ask him if he’s sick of dealing with the diva from New York yet!

Time to check out of the hotel and move on to the next town….

Fresh from a lovely beach vacation in Panama, I’m all tanned, rested and ready to rock.  Next week I start a three week tour through the UK supporting Chris Rea.  Tickets just went on sale for my headline show at the Borderline in London, June 12.  I’ll be at Rockwood Music Hall in New York on Friday April 13th.  What else?  Oh yeah, Warner Music/ADA is putting out my new album!  More on that next week. Onward and upward, folks.  I’m excited.

More info on my upcoming shows can be found here.

On a car ride home from the studio one evening, Patrick played Grammy-winning producer Mark Taylor some of their work and plans for cutting an album immediately ensued. In early 2011 a band of carefully selected musicians went into West London’s State of the Ark studio. Owned by legendary songwriter Terry Britten and renowned for its large collection of vintage gear, including an old EMI console complete with “Mick and Keith” scratched into it courtesy of some former users, the studio provided the perfect environment to bring the album to life.

“Shake the Tree” is a metaphor for the way Nell has approached her career in the music industry.  Never one to wait for others to come to her, she’s applied her New Yorker can-do attitude to everything from touring to releasing records.  When she started touring Europe, rather than courting uninterested booking agents, she set up 250 shows a year herself, staying on the road for four years.  She has been self-releasing her own EPs and albums for the last ten years, doing licensing deals with record labels in various territories.  Realizing  that the days of being “discovered” by a record label are over, witnessing the seismic shifts throughout the music business, Nell has stayed true to her music and her vision, always finding a way to connect with her fans and continually “Shake the Tree.”

“Shake the Tree” is expected to be released in June 2012.

ABOUT “STRIKING A CHORD”

The impetus for making Striking a Chord is our growing awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and its devastating effects. As director Susan Cohn Rockefeller researched the project, she realized how little civilians actually know about the demands made on soldiers stationed in combat zones.
Striking a Chord brings the audience right into the army bases in Iraq. The film shows the boredom and isolation, the effect of repeated deployments, and the need to create experiences that bring the troops some consolation. Long lines of soldiers waiting to speak with Nell Bryden and the band after every concert attest to the effect of the music on the troops. Their fervent applause and heartfelt comments show how deeply they respond to the concerts.
Inter-cut with uplifting and moving scenes of Nell’s performances and talks with the soldiers are interviews with a psychiatrist who discusses how music addresses PTSD, promoting relaxation, expression of feelings and healing invisible battle scars.
Most importantly, Striking a Chord reminds us that when our soldiers return home, they need special care and attention. PTSD is a disorder which many veterans are ashamed to speak about, yet it’s all too common. As the film shows, music can provide a way to begin the healing process.

Please visit http://strikingachordthemovie.com