There are some new video clips from Richard's recent concerts in the Listen & Watch Archive

You can also watch the new film of Electric Counterpoint Live by Berlin based artist Adrian Shephard with animation by Mark Charlton.

Coming soon Richard's 2008 Solo Album

Two home gigs for Shoreham Guitarist

Richard Durrant’s often shoeless feet have barely touched the ground this year - and then May turned out to be the busiest month of his entire career. In recent weeks he has performed at the Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, taken his solo show around the country, played the famous Aranjuez guitar concerto with the Brighton Youth Orchestra and given five Brighton Festival performances of “Galactic Symphonies” with Beach Boy lyricist Stephen J Kalinich.

Now with The Adur Festival upon us Richard will be playing at home for two special gigs this June.  The first will be at 2.30 on June 1st in the Kluggs Beach Dreams Marquee with his long-time friends Herbie Flowers and drummer Malcolm Mortimore (Gentle Giant, Ian Dury). This new trio will be playing a number of brand new Durrant compositions and arrangements as well as several Sky tunes including the hit “Toccata”.

In the second week of the festival Richard will be performing an all acoustic classical show at Ropetackle (home to his successful Airport Club). The evening concert on Tuesday 10th June will include classical favourites from Albeniz, Bach, Barrios, Durrant, Myers, Lauro, Tchaikovsky and Walton interspersed, as always, with Richard’s anecdotes.

Say Durrant: “I’ve been away on so many musical adventures lately – but best of all is to come back and play at the Adur Festival. Its got that unique Shoreham vibe, a truly wonderful festival”.

Further information about Richard – including two open air picnic concerts in Lewes – can be found on www.richard-durrant.com

In 2007 Richard was comissioned to write and record an album with Californian poet Stephen J Kalinich. The resulting double sided CD/DVD (DAVD) is being released at the Brighton Festival Fringe during the weekend of 24th May (click here for gig details)

Stephen Kalinich is widely known for his work as lyricist for Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. He has also collaborated with dozens of big names as well as performing his poetry live.

Galactic Symphonies uses six of Stephen's poems with Richard's soundscapes & live guitar improvisations. The symphonies are performed with projected artwork and live vj-ing by digital artist Malcolm Buchanan-Dick. This combination was used as the basis for the DVD when a performance was filmed at Ropetacle Arts Centre in December 2007.

Click here to buy Galactic Symphonies.

UPDATE - After the Brighton Festival gigs Stevie was nominated for "Best Male Artist" in the Brighton Festival Fringe.

Click on the picture to see a new film of Richard performing his live version of Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint.  The film was shot at Richard's December Airport Club and shows him playing along to the fantastic animation by Shoreham based Mark Charlton.

Berlin based artist Adrian Shephard has edited together this great version of Reich's classic masterpiece. The live guitar is in its original, unedited form as played on Gary Hearn's "Richard Durrant Skeleton Guitar" through a guitar multifx pedal and a Korg Kaoss Pad. An edited version will be available later this year as a commercial DAVD mastered in surround sound. The backing was recorded by Richard using a variety of acoustic and electric guitars and basses. This performance is a familiar part of R's "Guitar Whisperer" show.

A studio version of Richard's recording is available from LongMan Records as a download.

This picture shows the finale of the March Airport Club which featured my song "Miniature Man" sung by the massed chorus as I flew the tiny foil figure over the heads of the rioting clubbers on the end of my mighty beach caster. Only April and May to go and thats the end of the first season of the new club. I'm working on next month's finale already.

The second picture is of me playing double bass as the wonderful Hofners sang "Ukulele Lady". It sometimes feels as if that little instrument is stalking me. But at least the soothing harmonies of Duncan and Martin Hofner made it all so wonderfully bearable.

The pace of the weekend didn't let up as Gary Hearn arrived for the full scale celebrations surrounding the 60th birthday of Guitar Guru Mr David Crozier (Guitar Junction, Worthing, Sussex). Mr C was presented with a shiny new Patrick Eggle acoustic by the great luthier himself whose loud shirt and big cowboy boots were only overshadowed by his ability to party even harder than yours truly.

As the post party fug cleared I began the new week with a full scale interview for Classical Guitar Magazine, the signing of a new promotional contract with PRG Ltd in Eastbourne, and a request for details of my Quantum inspired "Superluminal" chamber work to tour in the United States. Cor blimey Guvner! Where's me fishing rod?

photos David Roberts