The Sisterhood

The Sisterhood

 

Hello there! My name is Sarah Jane Morris and I’m a singer-songwriter based in St Leonards on the English south coast. Some of you will remember me and my number one single with the Communards: Don’t Leave Me This Way which I duetted with Jimmy Somerville in 1986. Others will have followed me through the decades since as I have made many albums dedicated to the human story. Nowadays I have more friends and supporters in Italy than anywhere, and I am grateful and honoured by the loyalty and encouragement I have received from so many. You’re all aware that the arts have suffered badly through the pandemic, and I believe that there is a crisis in the music industry in particular. Many of us have lost most of our earnings. Concerts are being continually cancelled or re-scheduled.

This is why I have decided to crowd-fund to raise money for my latest project. The idea came to me during lockdown and working on it has provided me and my band with creative focus during these hard times. The project is called The Sisterhood. With my right-hand-man guitar player Tony Rémy I have written ten songs about the lives of ten female singers and singer-songwriters who have inspired me over the years and who have made their marks on musical history.

 

Bessie, Billie, Miriam, Nina, Aretha, Janis, Joni, Ricky-Lee, Annie, Kate –

who needs a second name in company like this?

 

Pioneers of Music We have respectfully researched the lives of these women who were/are all great artists and great cultural transformers. My lyrics tell their stories, as does the music we have created for each song, using the characteristic genre and stylistic markers appropriate to each artist. We fell in love with each one of these extraordinary women as we gained insights into their lives, their minds and the challenges they faced … and I am sure that you will too. I had to think outside the box to realise this project. Four days of recording in the studio in Eastbourne were made possible because of a weekend masterclass in St Leonards for fourteen singers. They travelled from all over the country to come and learn the three-part harmonies for four of my songs that they will perform with me at Ronnie Scott’s in London on the third and fourth of January 2022. Our heartfelt thanks go to those generous participants.

 

We are convinced that The Sisterhood will be a project like no other – and will develop into a musical and cultural landmark befitting the achievements of the women we are celebrating. I now need money for paying the various keyboard players, string arrangers and players, brass arrangers and players, percussionists, musical saw player, and the Soweto Gospel Choir. In this last case, how else could Miriam Makeba be fittingly celebrated? Miriam who has been such a huge influence on my singing and on the way I conduct myself in the world…

 

 

The project has received nothing but positive reactions from those involved and will be a wonderful celebration of these marvellous women. Please help me to realise this project to its full potential. Your support is needed to ensure this project comes to fruition and has a chance to fulfil its promise.

 

Welcome to the Sisterhood

 

SJM Dec 30 21

 

What we are offering:

 

The finished Cd of 'The Sisterhood' whenever it is ready to send £20 or £25 if to be sent to Europe or beyond

 

A limited edition print of an original pen and ink drawing of Aretha Franklin or Annie Lennox by Mark Pulsford for £90 posted in a cardboard tube at £10 postage for the UK or £15 for Europe and beyond

 

Original Artwork

Choose a singer from the list of 10 that you would like an original portrait of.

Mark Pulsford will do an original pen and ink drawing which will be framed by a professional framer.

The list:

Bessie Smith

Billie Holiday

Nina Simone

Miriam Makeba

Janis Joplin

Aretha Franklyn

Joni Mitchell

Rickie Lee Jones

Kate Bush

Annie Lennox

 

£300 unframed

£350 framed

Postage for unframed is £10 or to Europe and beyond £20

Postage for framed £20 or to Europe and beyond £30

Remember to lets us know which artist you want a portrait of.

 

Hand written and illustrated lyric to the song of your choosing from the album. The list of artists is above. Remember to say which artist. £100 inc P+P

Would you like your name or someone dear to you to have a name dedication on the album? Please let us know the full name. £100

 

A day in the mixing room as Tony and I mix the album with Christoph, our engineer, in Echo Zoo studios, in Eastbourne, in March.

We will be mixing a couple of songs a day over the course of a week.

This will include lunch and tea and coffee and biscuits and maybe a glass of red wine. We are happy to all eat together in the evening in a local restaurant.

If you wanted to make a day and night of it, we can point you towards a good, but not expensive hotel, which is walking distance from the studio. £500 per person per day.

We can give you the dates nearer the time but this money is to pay for the mixing in the first place.

We can have one or two a day for 5 days.

 

A one to one vocal masterclass in my home, in St Leonards, accompanied by Tony Remy, where we can work on helping you with songs you want to improve, work on your singing technique, really anything you want it to be.

We will provide home cooked lunch and dinner ( Mark is a great cook and can cater to any dietary needs), plus bed and breakfast in our beautiful spare room, for which we are a super host on airbnb. This can be a one day affair for £600 or a weekend for £1000

 

Would you like me to record a greeting to anyone special for a birthday or anniversary or .........?

£100 each

 

Would you like a private intimate acoustic concert with Tony, Tim and myself in our home, for you and your partner? Would you like to dine with us and stay the night in our home with a beautifully designed ( by SJM) ensuite room, and have breakfast the next day? All of this for £1500.

 

Would you like a day or weekend of being taught to draw by Mark Pulsford, in his studio, in St Leonards on Sea?

We can accommodate one person, or a couple that share a bed, but if there are two friends, or two separate people booking, we can book one person into our dear friends airbnb, three doors down.

We would provide lunch and evening meal and bed and breakfast on one or two days, depending what you require.

For one day all inclusive £200 per person, if you are a couple then £350.

For the weekend £400 per person and £550 for a couple.

 

When its allowed would you like Tony Remy, Tim Cansfield and I to come and do an acoustic concert in your home? We would require a fee of £2000 plus food and accommodation, if more than 2 hours from home. This can be airbnb or a local hotel.

 

We are doing a fund-raising special concert on 26th February 2022 with the band at :

Area 88

88 Alston Drive

Bradwell Abbey

Milton Keynes

MK13 9HF

This will be the first time anyone gets to hear the 10 original songs for this album.

Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.sarahjanemorris.co.uk/concert-278. or from my website on: www.sarahjanemorris.co.uk

A glass of Prosecco will be provided and accommodation can be suggested as we are in contact with a local hotel. When you book a ticket but want to stay the night you can email my manager Juliet Sharman whose email details are on the website and the advert for the concert.

Do you want to suggest something that I haven't mentioned here, that you would like from this?

Everything is negotiable, Im just trying to come up with something we can provide.

Would you like to just donate and not have any of these packages?

Any amount will help a little towards us realising this adventurous project.

Yours in music and love

Sarah Jane Morris