This will apply particularly to the fourth and final album in my seasonal series, "Summer," which is currently planned for 2010. Work has now begun on this project, including making new field recordings of natural sounds specifically related to the theme of summer.

Further details of this release and preview sound samples will appear on this site in due course!

However, I've been back in the studio, working on a unique album project that will be released prior to "Summer." It will be called "The Mandarin's Garden." This new project will have an oriental feel to it, and I'd very much like to tell you the story behind it.

When I was about 13 years old, I really "discovered" music properly. I had written short pieces of music for the piano before, but sometime during 1979, I wrote a suite of four pieces under the same title, "The Mandarin's Garden." I remember being quite pleased with it at the time, but over the ensuing 30 years (!), I had largely forgotten about it. My mother was always particularly fond of the music, and has made a point of reminding me that I must re-record it someday, at approximately five-year intervals....!

Then one day last year, she presented me with an old C90 cassette she had discovered in her loft, and instructed me to have a listen to it. To my surprise, it was an old recording of me playing the piano back in 1979, and yes, it was "The Mandarin's Garden." I immediately realised that I had indeed forgotten most of the music, and was almost transported back in time to what I was doing and feeling around that time. Another surprising discovery for me was that some of the melodies were actually rather good...!

So I have resolved to re-record those original pieces, together with some newly-composed material in a similar style, and release it under the same title. Work in the studio is progressing well. The music is simple and melodic, and not intended to be in any way "authentic." I make no apology for this - it describes, if you like, an impressionistic, "fantasy China" that inspired me in my early years.

For those interested, below is a short comparison between an extract from the original 1979 recording of one of the pieces, and the new version from the forthcoming album:

I will continue to post updates on progress with these projects as and when appropriate - please keep checking! In the meantime, thanks for taking the time to read this note....."

Kevin Kendle - October 2009