Here is a video I shot  in New Mexico and the Western Highlands for Tell My Heart. [Robbins/Campbell] I cut it on Final Cut Pro X. I was in the State filming Long Lost Family [ITV]. It was extremely nice of the gun shop owner to show us his wares first thing on a Sunday morning. He opened specially when I told him we would “love” to see what he had. What a country. Kit Morgan is on guitar. Enjoy the sharpened ninth and Katie’s exquisite backing vocal arrangement on the bridge.

Here is another Robbins/ Campbell song. Kate put this video together for this bluesy track Don’t Start Me On Her . Logan Wilson from the Ukuleles does a great vocal. Alessandro Tomei is on alto sax. Fantastic solo.

Kate made this Video from one of our demos. This song was produced by Peter Dale and features Ray Brown on lead, Kate on backing and Keith Atack on guitar. To be honest I wrote the words at a real low point. Kate suggested some music. I tweaked the chords a bit here and there and she said – “this would be perfect for my friend Ray.” What a voice.  We’re just Passing Through.

Well we have been working hard. Amidst all the other stuff, Kate Robbins and I have written well over 20 songs in the last few months and the great news –  we are about to sign a fantastic publishing deal. News soon. On the weekend of May 2/3 we went to David Pick’s studio  and with the help of the brilliant Paul Buck, Sam Brown, Mark Howell and Kit Morgan we recorded our 4 newest compositions with the highest possible standard of musicianship. Those guys can play. Best yet. We are seriously considering or releasing our own album. It’s been a while. We have also made some videos for earlier demos. I hope you enjoy.

My songwriting partner Kate Robbins and I had a great weekend at the beginning of October in the studio with David Pick, Paul Buck, Kit Morgan, Sam Brown and Mark Howell recording 5 co-writes. We are very excited about them and the other 10 or so songs we have written. We are looking for a ver specific publishing deal for these ones and have a number of meetings one the next few weeks. Kate of course has a great track record as a writer and also musician. She has been on so many big name records and it fantastic to write with. We are building up quite a collection. Quite a few of them are country tinged contemporary AOR. There is a bit of swing, some rock and some folky stuff.  I’ll post one on here if she let’s me. Even just for a day or so!

The five we recorded for the record – I’m Gone, And Then I Loved You, Tell my heart To Tell My Mind, Real People and Parallel lives.

Radio and TV notwithstanding, it’s been a hectic time musically in recent weeks. I  co-hosted the British Country Music Awards on Sept 2 with the legend Charlie Landsborough .  Kate Robbins, my songwriting partner and  performed three songs together backed by Paul Buck, Kit Morgan and Mark Howell. We did my song ‘Through It All’ which has just been covered by the Ukuleles. Here is their website. We will also sang ‘Many’s The Time’ which I wrote for Mark Moraghan’s album ‘Moonlight’s Back in Style‘. Award winning Country star Gary Curtis joined us on stage for ‘Many’s The Time’. It’s a song i wrote for my wife in 1995 and sang at our wedding. He’s putting a version on his new album. And then, one of the songs Kate and I have written together – a number called ‘I’m Gone’, received is first airing.

The Ukuleles launched their album  in Denmark St London. Logan Wilson and Martha Paton have done a brilliant version of ‘Through It All. The asked me on stage to play it with them at the launch and here we are. The rest of their album is just brilliant. Contemporary Pop classics on the Uke! Impossible to hear it and not want to learn the instrument. It is on Demon Records and is selling really well. It made the charts - and – there is a big international relaunch in the New Year to catch the post Xmas ukulele boom. I even went on the jeremy Vine show on Radio Two to evangelise for the Uke and J played 3 tracks including Through It All.

On September 22nd,  Peerless crooner  Cole Page did a fantastic swing night with a big band at the Bridgewater Hall Manchester and I did three numbers including this song, We’ll Never Have Manhattan which I wrote for Mark and Margo Buchanan. I did it with Kate Robbins. She is such a pro. Have a listen to Kate’s brilliant album Soho nights on iTunes. See what you think.

Before the Olympics I managed to find time to cut a video for a song called ‘Corridors’ – this is a potential track for the album I am writing with Rob Harley. [From Oswald Court to Mayfield Road]. I shot the footage on my iPhone in Kiev, Chernobyl, Pripyat and Donetsk during the European Championships. It was filmed on the 8mmVintage Camera App set to Noir and I edited it on Final Cut Pro X. CLICK HERE to view.

DAVE GILES new album is out now! I said “Out Now!”.  Love, Life, Loss and Tea. I have written a song called ‘Someone In My Head’ with Dave. It is a great album and totally Dave. See what you think on iTunes. The hook for Someone in my Head came to me when i was falling asleep and i jumped out of bed and put it on a dictaphone. Hope you sell a million Dave. Kerching. x

Steven Sproat plays a 1927 Banjo-uke on this our most downloaded track. I wrote ‘Through It All‘ on my Hamano Ukulele and the words came just about all at once. I was going to ditch “serendipity” but MM insisted it stay. We performed this with Paul Buck on piano, me on uke and Mark Moraghan on vocals on the Michael Ball Sunday morning show on BBC Radio 2.

Mhormusic recently created the theme tune and stings for BBC1′s successful Sunday morning debate show The Big Questions. Listen here.

Another recently recorded as yet unassigned demo “Dynamic Arty” can be heard by clicking here.

Top class arrangements by Paul Buck and musicianship in all styles is available. Details on request.

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT MOONLIGHT’S BACK IN STYLE

“A corker “ – Alan Titchmarsh.

“A revelation” – Michael Ball.

“Wonderful” – Sir Terry Wogan.

“The lyrics are annoyingly good” – Sir Tim Rice.

“A welcome venture into the world of swing”  - Sir Michael Parkinson.

“Stylish, intelligent and really good fun.” – Bob Harris.

“An easygoing and likeable set of songs. Old swing fans should find plenty to enjoy.” – Allaboutjazz.com.

“There isn’t a weak track on this CD. If you like Connick Jr or Sinatra, you’ll love it.” – Iain Dale.

On so many levels, this should not work, but on so many levels, it does” – Paul Gambacinni.

“Moraghan is relaxed, easy and cool” – Stewart Copeland of The Police.

“The songs, written by Nicky Campbell, are a delight lyrically and lodge in your head” – ChrisHigh.com.

“Moraghan and Campbell update their chosen era superbly” – Thejazzman.com.

“The results will appeal to both lovers of traditional jazz crooners and contemporary pop music fans.” – D. Oscar Groomes.

“A delight” – The Sunday Post.

“Moraghan sings them all with the gusto of Sinatra, a Harry Connick Jr and a nod to Tony Bennett’s heartstring tugs.” – The Daily Telegraph

Gillian Reynolds did a lovely piece on us in the Telegraph.

The wonderful jazz singer Catherine Sykes did me the honour of recording a song I wrote for her album “Something Wonderful”.

It is called “He’s Not the Boy I Knew before”

The first time I heard Catherine sing I was completely blown away and immediately offered to write a song for her. It’s a total thrill to be among the legendary writers on this incomparable set list and a big wonderful buzz to have her sing one of my songs. This is an album of astonishing, haunting arrangements, outstanding musicianship and masterful production but soaring above it all is Catherine. Her voice is effortless but magical. It is graceful but passionate. It is beautiful. Thoroughly recommended. I love her version of “the Waters of March” . It is just an astonishing song. The kind that any songwriter wishes they’d written. Or could have written. Catherine has contributed some outstanding b/vs to our forthcoming album.