Katy Carr’s Jan/ Feb 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to thank you for supporting my music. I have had some lovely moments this month and I thought I would share them with you.

Earlier this month I met the Archbishop of Krakow, Marek Jędraszewski and it was a delight to be able to present him with my music and songs. I also had the chance to present him with a gift of my album, Polonia. I was extremely moved as I handed my album over to him in the room where Pope Saint John Paul II had prayed and studied. It was a great moment for me as Polonia was inspired by those Polish people who were Freedom Fighters exiled after WWII and could no longer return to Poland because of the torturous Totalitarian Communist regime reigning behind the notorious and cruel Iron Curtain.

Here I am below handing the Archbishop of Krakow, Marek Jędraszewski my album Polonia

 Below I talk about the songs on Polonia – inspired by the fight for Poland’s Independence in 1918, General Maczek, General Elzbieta Zawacka, Sir Edward Elgar’s friendship with Ignacy Paderewski the Polish composer, pianist and later Prime Minister of Poland in 1919. It was a moment of pure joy for me to share my songs in such a beautiful atmosphere and I was given a real boost for my forthcoming creative projects. 

I also asked the Archbishop of Krakow, Marek Jędraszewski if he could pray for and bless the Polish Resistance Memorial in Krakow that is due to be built this year to mark the 100th Year of Poland’s Independence. It is a very important project and I am so honoured to be Patron and to be working so closely with the Polish Home Army – Armia Krajowa Veterans who have put alot of heart, soul and effort into having a memorial built in Krakow.

In Dec the Archbishop wrote a lovely letter of patronage for the project.

This memorial means so much to me and my music because the shape is of the Second Republic of Poland where Poland’s borders were established after the 123 years of exclusion from the map of the world. Poland was deleted from the map of the world for 123years after the country was partitioned in 1795. Between 1975 and 1918 many rebellions took place and finally in 1918 Poland was reinstated as a country again.

Below I am proud to be standing with the 1 to 1 mock up of the memorial ordered by the City of Krakow.  Please note that this model is only partly representative of the final memorial as it is not finished in detail, is in wood and steel (not the final materials) and is a temporary build before construction of the memorial begins.  

Fighting for our Memorial!  – I’m so proud to be patron of this outstanding project and to be standing with the Polish WWII Veterans in the icy cold weather here in Krakow fighting for their monument in the face of adversity… – the energy of the Polish WWII veterans never fails to inspire me and their constant testimony with regards fighting for World Peace during and post WWI

The Veterans have started a special campaign where they are posting photos of themselves with a hashtag on their facebook page – If you would like to join their action please send your photos here on facebook : https://www.facebook.com/KrakowPomnikAK

We would love you to join our action ! or email them to me at info @ katycarr dot com and I will pass them on !

The hashtag to present in your own handwriting is #PomnikAKwKRAKOWIEna100lecie

Below is Captain Janusz ‘Mamut’ Kamocki (93 years old) of the Polish Freedom Fighters Armia Krajowa – the largest Underground Resistance Force worldwide during WWII.

Here I am with ‘Mamut’ before the photoshoot!

More wonderful Veterans below 🙂 So please join and send in your photos and nominate your friends !

And more friends 🙂  !

WE WANT OUR MEMORIAL – OUR POMNIK AK !

And I know our very favourite Polish flying ace General Skalski – Battle of Britain hero and top Polish Fighter ace would be very proud of our initiative and what we are doing ! (I’m speaking with him all the time… !) 

and a little friend we left out in the cold…  😉

REST IN PEACE

 

As a final note I wanted to pay respect to one of my favourite musicians and songwriters. A sad, sad loss to music.

RIP Mark E. Smith, the famously fractious front man of the legendary Manchester post-punk band the Fall — a group that existed for more than four decades — died last Wednesday at the age of 60. Under Smith’s lead, the Fall crafted a singular sound, featuring manic bass lines, borderline insane levels of repetition, and weirdo lyrics shouted in a heavy Mancunian accent.

 

 

 

Long may your music live Mark E. Smith RIP