At the start of this year I began working on two new projects. The first, ‘What The Darkness Takes’, is an album exploring my recent experience of breast cancer and the second is a follow up to ‘A Kiss For The Umbrella Man’, my tribute to Erik Satie. 

In February/March I put both projects on hold to deal with the logistics of lockdown: shoring up my vintage clothing business, working out how to get food delivered (I’m high risk), coming to terms with not seeing my son for a long time and making sure he is safe.

When I recently returned to the music I discovered something new emerging: a personal & emotional response to the coronavirus crisis.

Usually, I don’t release an album until it’s fully complete. This time, I’ve decided to release it as it emerges: track by track.

The first is ‘Fisher Of Men’. This is how I perceive this virus – as a ‘fisher of men’, randomly spreading, infecting, taking lives. The piece itself is an improvisation recorded on 27th March, 2020. I live on a hill and my piano sits in front of a window overlooking the Towy Valley. As I play, I watch the sky, the birds, the clouds, the trees, the ambulances speeding to and from Glangwili Hospital… ‘Fisher Of Men’ is infused with both the sadness and hope of the collective trauma we are all experiencing.

You can listen to ‘Fisher Of Men’ here: https://susanmatthews.bandcamp.com/album/fisher-of-men

When it is safe to leave my house, I will release a CD of the finished album. In the meantime, let’s all stay safe. I hope you enjoy the music. There will be more soon…

Susan, 8th April, 2020