Thursday 4th June 2015, Van Gelder Fleming, Vanessa Haynes and Incognito at the Negroamaro Wine Fest

I fly to Puglia, Italy today in advance of the Negroamaro Wine Festival 2015, which begins tomorrow. There's quite a line up of artists playing there over the five days, a large number of which are based in the UK... so it seems we all know each other! I am in fact playing with three acts: On the 5th I will play with Van Gelder Fleming, on the 6th with Vanessa Haynes and Incognito will play on the 9th June, the final day.

Van Gelder Fleming is a writing partnership between multi-instrumentalist Nick Van Gelder (Jamiroquai/Brand New Heavies/Incognito) and Sulene Fleming (The Fantastics/The New Mastersounds). They released their debut album 'Loveland' at the beginning of the year in the UK to much praise and the album has also been signed to P Vine records in Japan and released last month. The band will include three current Incognito members; Katie Leone, Matt Cooper and myself.

Vanessa Haynes has played with her own band in Italy for a few years now but this will be my first Italian concert with her. We'll be playing songs from her album Stay With Me plus some newer material and a mix of her favourite songs.

Other acts at the festival include Tony Momrelle, Natalie Williams' Soul Family and Motown Review, Lex Cameron, Yolanda Charles ft Xantone Blacq and Imagination, Mary Pearce and Matt Bianco FH