Hello Everyone,

It's been a very tough month with the loss of Mum (Joyce) and all that entails. Thank you for your cards and kind wishes. I know she is well loved from all the Hazelnuts she befriended over a span of 30 years. I'm just getting used to funny little things happening during the day and thinking "oh I must ring Mum and tell her such and such, she'll find that funny" and realising I can't, she's no longer there at the end of the phone... So I tell it to the empty space and hope she hears me.

I'm so happy to be travelling the road on this Bluja tour with my sister musicians, Clare and Sarah and maybe its good for the grieving to have concerts, to be doing music, to be busy, to be engaged in life cause to be honest there's a side to me that could easily slip away and "be blue in my cave.

Bluja have recorded a new album called "BARDO" and we have quite a few new songs written by us three gals. Two of the songs we're doing on this current concert tour are "Cinderella Moment" and "I Would Rather (Wonder Woman)" which seem to be going down very well and, of course, all the usual suspects like "Will You", "Eighth Day", "Writing On The Wall", "If Only" from Breaking Glass are always played. Hoping to see you all at our London's Leicester Square Theatredate on 6th May. Do look online at either the Bluja website or my website for the where the tour goes and hope you can make it. It's called "Blondes On Fire Tour".

My wonderful manager of ten years Maureen Simpson is semi retiring but she's still running the internet record shop and keeping an eye out for me. My new manager is David Shepherd of Leicester Square Theatre and let's hope we all have a fruitful time.

Glad to be coming back to Norwich after a two-year absence and indeed Haverhill where Cormac De Barra and I last played the Beyond Breaking Glass show there eight years ago. Also return journeys to Derby, Deal, Dartford, Milton Keynes, Hertford, Manchester, and Coventry (close to selling out) and looking forward to new journeys to Farncombe, Andover (only a few tickets left), Trowbridge (nearly sold out), Boston, Hartford (Cheshire) and Bromsgrove.

Also two other concerts and one festival to let you know about - first is a night at Royal Albert Hall in a special night Dusty - a Tribute on May 5 and a concert to raise money for Mencap with a host of artists at The Grand, Clapham Junction on May 12 and the festival is the Acoustic Festival of Britain on 21 May at Uttoxeter.

When I go to play South Petherton with The Bluja Project, I shall also be doing a spiritual journey to Deer Leap outside Wooky Hole to scatter some of Mum's ashes there, where her partner of 40 years Geoff was scattered last year.

On this note I shall close I want to thank all our friends and family who made Joyce's funeral party a special joyous event and in about six months time, we plan to have an acoustic concert in Coventry as a remembrance and fund raiser for Myton Hospice. In the meantime, if you would like to do something, rather than send a card to me, please make a donation to Myton in Joyce's name. You can send them a cheque, or do it via their website. The details will be at the bottom of the email.

Love from Hazel x

Myton Hospices

The best way for anyone else to donate is via the website www.mytonhospice.org. There is a Donate Now button and this takes the donor through the stages to make a donation via Just Giving, and people are able to say that they are donating for Joyce O'Connor.Myton then keep a tally of what they receive in her memory. You can also donate through Paypal this way.

Bardo pre-order

If you would like to pre-order Bardo prior to the album being finished and pressed, please send an email to hazeloconnor@ireland.com and we will send you details of how to do it. Please put Bardo in the subject of the email.