Very Present Tense
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| Very Present Tense | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | 8 August 2008 |
| Recorded | 2008 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 17:45 |
| Language |
|
| Producer | Tom Havelock |
Very Present Tense is the debut studio album by British actor Christopher Simpson.
In 2008, whilst Simpson was artist-in-residence with creative arts group Metal,[1] he completed the song cycle Very Present Tense. He wrote it over a number of years in response to the death of his mother. The songs which reference musical idioms, including blues, jazz, and Rwandan folk, reflecting his Rwandan and Irish family heritage.[2] The album was developed in collaboration with composer Tom Havelock.[3]
Performance
The song cycle premiered at the arts hub in Edge Hill Station pavilion in Liverpool on 8 August 2008,[4][5] during the Liverpool European Capital of Culture.[6] He performed the work for the second time with Metal at the Village Green Festival on 29 September 2009, this time working with a group of musicians from Southend. Simpson then worked on recording the work.[7]
