It was a beautiful sun filled Sunday in June and the Crouch End festival was in full swing. One of our first gigs as a choir was at the festival last year and it was good to be back, this time with a little more experience and a few more gigs under our belts. This year we would be playing two gigs during the festival, another at the Meadow Orchard Project in Crouch End and at a street party in Inderwick Road. It was TOC on tour! We had a strong setlist, comprised of all the v

A brief but heavy downpour had flooded our usual venue, Earl Haig Hall, so this week’s choir rehearsal was promptly moved to Jenni’s loft apartment in Crouch End. Being the location of numerous Vocal Tai Chi workshops, many of us felt quite at home singing or, more broadly speaking, vocalising in Jenni’s home. This week brought yet another challenge! In groups of three we were to spontaneously come up with fresh pieces, unprepared, unplanned and unconducted! A rotation was de

Cleveland Watkiss is a singer with a huge wealth and diversity of experience. Despite his many different collaborations and projects he is still primarily regarded as a Jazz vocalist, due to the improvisatory nature of his solo work. However, he has moved beyond Jazz into a much wider sound world, drawing from all the different threads of his past. This world is where he and both TIC and TOC met for this latest Club Vocale. First Set: TOC & Cleveland As a member of TOC I had

The Open Choir Having been involved on the sidelines with TIC - The Improvisors Choir, a fly on the wall to their rehearsals; witnessing their creative process emerge and evolve into a strong force, bursting with ideas and potential. It was now my turn to be a part of the action, as Jenni invited me to sit beside her at my first rehearsal with TOC - The Open Choir. A discussion ensued, during which members of the choir gave feedback and told of their experiences so far. I bec

Three weeks after my introduction to the Improvised Choir, I was once again in Jenni Roditi's loft apartment with its stunning view of Alexandra Palace. All ten singers were present for their final practice and dress rehearsal performance after six weeks of experimentation and exploration. The burgeoning rapport that I witnessed three weeks ago now seemed to have developed into an harmonious accord, these individuals now expressing themselves and their voices confidently and