Dear Friend,

One of the delights of my sojourn in California-land has been re-connecting with family and friends in the context of music. Here I'm pictured with my niece, Carlee Rasmussen, on stage just after my recent gig at the B Street Bistro in Hayward, California. Carlee has chosen to work within the California State Education System as an advocate for kids with behavioural issues. She is a vital, passionate committed human being and I am a very proud uncle!

My producer and multi-instrumentalist Mr Heath Cullen is back in Australia doing final mixes for the 10 tracks we recorded last month at Heritage Recording Company in Burbank. I’m pleased to announce that my new album, Not The Express, will be pressed and ready to go by early October 2015. Not The Express will carry forward the ethos of my debut album, Clean Exit, but with an expanded palette of musical colours and powered by the stellar rhythm section of Matt Nightingale (Hoddle, Black Mountain String Band, Heath Cullen) on double bass and Jim Keltner (The Travelling Wilburys, Lucinda Williams, Crosby Stills & Nash) on percussion.

So - in short - I’m looking homeward toward Australia, anticipating new musical adventures following my return in late July, but with a heart filled with gratitude to my family and to friends both old and new who have so enriched my time here in this place I once called home.

All best wishes to you,

Michael