Gail Ford

Bio

Trained as a classical musician, but always played everything I heard that I liked. Took up oboe 16 years ago - discovered I could play jazz, swing, Latin, & everything I liked on that, too. Have just formed my own jazz oboe quartet "Rebels Without A Chord", and we'll be gigging soon, mostly in the Cambridge area, but anywhere that likes a new sound for an old style. In between gigs I'll be earning my living as a classical/commercial/music theatre accompanist and ballet pianist. Motto: If I like it, I'll play it.

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What is music to you? What does it give you?

It's where I can be me! It gives me challenge, achievement, satisfaction and so much pleasure.

What is your music dream?

Play with Rebels Without A Chord at Ronnie Scott's, Pizza on the Park, play with Jools Holland, and just be gigging & recording. Oh, and be playing in Paris a lot. Not much to ask, is it?

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

A darn sight more common sense

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

L'Ame Calinee by Michel Polnareff

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

Genesis, Supertramp, Eagles, ELO, The Fratellis, Chet Baker, Django Reinhardt & Quintet of the Hot Club Of France, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Diana Krall, Chet Baker.

What inspires you to make music?

I need to!

What is the message you want to send with your music?

We're there together

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

It's where I should be, where I feel right.

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

It's a tough business, we need more live venues.

What do you think of Drooble?

Good idea!

What frustrates you most as a musician?

Lack of live venues for acoustic musicians - everything's club & dance. Not that that's bad, but it seems to be the only music performance opportunities.

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

Not as much as I should, but then, they keep paying on nights when I already am. We really should get together more......

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

Belief, a business like attitude (not that I have one, you understand, but I'm working on it), and rapport NOT just with other musicians, but especially with your audiences.

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

Natural modesty makes this list incomplete, but mostly my oboe teacher, John White, Jonathan Kelly (principal oboist of Berlin Philharmonic), Yo You Ma (cellist) Emmanuel Ax (pianist) and Murray Perahia (pianist). This is, of course, guessing you haven't heard of the above.