The Joy of Collaboration in Music

I've done quite a bit of collaborating in my time, and I suppose one of the most successful experiences was really a lovely story.

Meeting Jeff Beck

I met this very talented guitarist in a chateau in Provence when I was about 19, and later discovered it was Jeff Beck. Jeff invited me to sing on one of his records, a Muddy Waters track called "Rolling and Tumbling."

I had never heard it before. He kind of sung it to me in the studio and played it on the guitar. I was like, "Okay." I just sang whatever I could, trying to bring out my bluesy self. It was really, really fun.

A Great Experience

He's an amazingly lovely guy, been there for many years, lived through it, and done all the crazy stuff. He's just a super awesome, lovely man. So, it was a pleasure.

From that collaboration, I ended up performing at Ronnie Scott's with him. It's these random things that you kind of say yes to that eventually add up and merge into a really successful story.

Discovering New Audiences

For example, there were some Jeff Beck fans who discovered me singing "Rolling and Tumbling." He also loved a song that I played at his 60th birthday, called "Blanket." I played it on the piano at his birthday, and then he ended up playing it with me at Ronnie Scott's.

This was a song I was featured on in an Urban Species record back when I was 17 or 18. There was kind of a double featuring thing going on there.

Growth Through Collaboration

It's always fun. I believe collaboration brings the best out of me. It draws out something from within that I wouldn't have discovered by being alone in the studio and experimenting on my own.

Collaboration allows another person's personality to draw a character out of you that you might not know is there.

Other Collaborations

I've done that with several bands such as:

• Way Out West
• LHB
• Collaborations with Deadmau5

It really is a great experience.

Embracing New Challenges

Sometimes you might feel hesitant, thinking, "Oh, I don't know if I could do that." Perhaps you feel, "That's not something I do. I don't sing blues, or I don't do dance music," or whatever it might be.

Often, you find it's great fun! It's a perfect excuse to discover a new facet of your abilities.