The making and writing of ‘Maiden of the river’.

It had been a long time since I had written and made a record, virtually seven years. It was very unusual for me, as I had released ten albums between 2000 and 2013...

These included seven solo and three collaboration albums. I guess for everybody life really gets busy, and one spends so much time taking care of the business to enable the things we love the most, like performing to become a reality.

In March of 2020 as word of the pandemic was starting to make its initial waves, I was on my way back to Europe for a small tour of France and the UK. On arrival and while catching my Uber back to my Lisbon Coast apartment, I got the call from the French promoter to say that the tour was cancelled until further notice. Within the coming weeks the whole world would be locked down.

As global devastation reared its ugly head and stripped many of their livelihoods and dignity, one had to look inward and reflect on what made one happy and what drives that person. When I look back on my past, and going back to my teenage years, the biggest thing which gave me joy was writing songs and telling my personal stories through them. I still have my notebooks filled with lyrics and remember in my matric year of 1983; I had written over 30 songs. That gave me purpose and with the busyness of life, I maybe lost that joy.

With no set commitments after my arrival back in Lisbon, I took this opportunity to escape on my bike after dark, with my guitar to my little sanctuary on top of a hill overlooking the Atlantic where it meets the majestic Tagus River. The sanctuary is a beautiful chapel built in 1734 called, ‘Capela Alta de boa Viagem’ (the high chapel of farewell). With no cars on the road and everyone nervously locked in doors, I really experienced creation singing yet again. The bird calls, the roaring ocean down below, the sound of a twig falling off a tree and many more synchronisations of nature, became the most gorgeous backdrop that rekindled that prolific joy of my youth.

In a 9-month period I had penned 17 new songs and my new notebook was filled with streams of thought and melodies. The Lisbon Coast also has that ancient charm, which is a colourful catalyst for stories which speak directly to the heart, from the old maritime forts, manicured gardens, abandoned convents and Roman ruins. One was really in touch with mother nature, and this manifested in a reawakened love for our blessed mother, Mary who is such a powerful force of love and restoration in Portugal.

After almost a year I returned back to Kwa-Zulu Natal, and hung out at my dear friend, Guy Buttery’s studio in the country. With his guidance l laid down the bare ideas which would become, ‘Maiden of the river’. Guy and I then carefully chose the 10 songs which best captured the essence of my time writing on the steps of that old chapel. After two more sessions my vocals, guitar and cuatro parts were in the bag, and with the age of technology all the other guest artists tracked their parts from their dispersed locations. My old school friend, Mark Kilian tracked a beautiful esraj (a bowed Indian instrument) from his studio in Los Angeles. Guy Buttery recorded sitar and swarmandal from his studio in the Natal midlands with a lush indigenous forest as his backdrop. Julian Redpath gorgeously crafted some incredible guitar and vocal atmospherics which suspend and colour each song into the twilight. Two new friends I still haven’t met, Shane Cooper on Upright bass and Clare Vandeleur on cello also played their hearts out on some of the tracks. Collectively, I feel so blessed to have these incredible musicians bring their love and beauty to my latest offering.

The album was released on all digital platforms on 4 May 2022, but there is a CD addition which contains a special eight-minute Lisbon song, not available anywhere else which can be purchased from the link below.

I am returning to South Africa at the end of July with a tour of the Western and Eastern Cape. Tour dates to follow soon, and I look forward to seeing you on the road.

Blessings, love and light!

Nibs