February News
I had a great time at "Jenty's Giga-Nyte" on Monday 6th February. I did a half hour set of my own, and lovely Joski played bass on "I Like Your Nose" & "Brown To Blonde", and I was able to just sing in the mic on "You Make Her Feel Beautiful" while he played the guitar part. Graham Birch gave a very assured and impressive performance for his set, and I joined him on a couple of his songs which was a privilege for me. Alastair Artingstall did a lovely set. Mensch of La Mantra and Roger Askew finished off the evening with a set and I had a ball joining them on lead vocals on "On Bocana", with Alastair jamming along on bass guitar. So I was very busy and had a blast.
January News
I've started going to The Lion open-mic in Stoke-Newington. Tim runs it. He's a superb guitarist and singer-songwriter, and he's a very kind, friendly host for the evening. The audience is attentive and often you get to sing 3 songs. Some of the old Progress Bar crowd have been going, such as, Michael Dunnigan, Johnny Ramsay, Graham McCullough, Graham Birch and also Astrid Brook goes a lot. She's written the most brilliant song, "A Bar in LA", which could easily be a big hit given the opportunity. There also a rapping duo who are very funny, who go to the night.
December News
December was quite quiet musically, as there was lots of clown work to do, but did play my banjo and guitar a lot for the little ones and do lots of discos for older children. The one memorable musical night I had was the VAC Christmas 80s theme night, for which I dressed up as Shane McGowan, with blacked out teeth and tatty man's suit, hat and scarf, earing, shades and cigarette, and with Joski, sang "Fairytale of New York". Michael Dunngian did a grand job playing guitar for us. And Joski was 'lovely' as Kirsty MacColl. We won the prize for best re-interpretation of an 80s song. Sadly this was the last vist to the VAC open mic, as it has now stopped running. I'd been going to it for 3 years. Time for a change and new open-mics.
November News
It's been a very busy November so far. I've done gigs for Red Stripe at the intimate Jazz After Dark and for Carlo, Atomic Mosquito at The Playroom near Baker Street. Carlo's Friday night gig was packed out and it was a fun playing my songs to a full room. There was also the 2nd Jenty's Giga-Nyte which was a big success with 84 people in the audience! Joski did his first, half hour set and he was brilliant. He's got another gig at The Hope and Anchor on the 4th of December. Silver Sam got a band together for the night too, King KY and The Booty Queens, and that set was outrageous and wonderful. There was another Jenty's Melody Night. The music was amazing at this gig. Johhny Ramsay, Kelly Harrison and Michael Dunnigan did a cover of "Everybody Wants To Be A Cat" and it was an experience I will always remember. Fantastic! Joski and his sister Penny sang together and also my own brother Bill did a great job singing and playing piano for "Your Song", Mary J Blige's "Give Me Love" and "My Cherie Amour". I saw Tracey Chapman in concert. She is very grounded and totally professional and in control. I'm going to Alastair Artingstall's gig on Sat 26th at Caenarvon Castle. That'll be good!
October News
This October I hosted the first "Jenty's Giga-Nyte" at The Red Room, at The Comdey Pub, near Piccadilly Circus. The wonderful Marlene Melike did an exquisite set of her jazzy songs, along with sets from the great Evil Nick and Silvia Murray. At our songwriting group, I set the songwriting assignment, and played The Fynn brother's "Edible Flowers" to stimulate discussion and act as a springboard for our new songs. The group on the whole hated the song and it really got the discussion going. I still like the song myself but recognise that it is rather depressing. One Wednesday this month, I led a song-circle for the Virtually Acoustic Club, while David was away with his band Piefinger. There were nearly 30 people there and it was a smashing night. A very intimate experience, each other's songs totally acoustically and also getting to chat a bit about songwriting. I also recorded a 6 song live EP at The Bullet Bar, Camden Town, run by eARmusic. Other recording this month, with David Sherwood, was The Lift, Definite Maybe (hear it on the front page of this site) and Just A Bit Sorry.
September News
I did some songs for Red Stripe’s night again. Red is a hilarious host and great at boogie woogie music. Also this month, my American friend Eve, who I was at University with, came to stay with me for a few days, and I took her to the open-mic at The Progress Bar, to see what I get up to. I had lost touch with Eve, but last year when I was on holiday in Manhattan, I got an email out of the blue from her, after 10 years. She had had a dream the night before, in which she was in a car with her father, and stopping at traffic lights, she saw me in the car next to hers. So when Eve woke up she went straight to the internet, did a search and found this website. We thought it was very funny that I was actually in America, and Eve then flew me over to where she lives in San Diego, with her spare airmiles. I think I’d better write a song about all this. “Jenty’s Melody Night” was very enjoyable too, and I was lucky enough to have the super talented Stephen Baker, Astrid Brook, Joski, Lydia Mariner and Silver Sam playing.
August News
I had a great time at The Cambridge Folk Festival. Thought it was going to rain a lot but we didn't get wet at all and the weather was fine. I did a 15 minute open-mic set in the Club Tent, for St. Neots Folk Club. There was some great music there, from all around the world. I was particularly impressed by the Scots, singer-songwriter, Karine Polwart. She's got some very moving songs. "Oh the nights are long, but life is longer still, oh the nights are long, but the sun's coming over the hill". Since I got back, I've written a new song of my own, Definite Maybe, which I'm pleased with. I wrote it to meet a deadline for our monthly songwriting group, for the assignment set by Daniel, which was, to write a "riff song". On Wed 24th, I'm playing keyboards for Tim Diggle's gig at The Blag Club, Notting Hill. "Jenty's Melody Night", back on 19th July, was great fun. Alastair Artingstall, Michael Dunnigan, Kat Flint, David Goo, Simon Middleton, Bill Smith and Anthony Williams, were all fabulous. Jane and Toby, who I met in New York, last summer, were visiting and they sang some songs. Toby's opening line was "I'm from Manhatten. Anyone got a problem with that!!" and Toby played guitar for Tam, who did a gorgeous, impromptu performance of "Summertime".
July News
My friend, Tim, went to Glastonbury this June and gave out 700 CDs to people at the festival. On these CDs were songs by Tim, Forest Brook and by myself. My tracks were versions of “Michael” and “Infinite Love”, which Tim recently did a fantastic job at producing. All these songs will be on the website www.timsrecordlabel.com . This July, I’m going to be playing piano, for some singer-songwriter friends: with Anthony Williams, at The Progress Bar and at Jazz After Dark, with Tim Diggle at The Blag Club, Notting Hill, and with Matt Collins for a new recording of some of his songs. Also, on Tuesday 19th, there is “Jenty’s Melody Night”, at Jazz After Dark, with sets from the brilliant: Alastair Artingstall, Kathyrn Flint, Simon Middleton and Anthony Williams. I’ll be hosting this night and singing some songs too. Then, at the end of July, I’m going to The Cambridge Folk Festival.
June News
I had a very enjoyable gig, at The Tinderbox Espresso Emporium, 21 Upper Street, on Bank holiday 30th May, for The Virtually Acoustic Club. I was the only act on that night, and did a forty minute set. Thanks to the friends and family that came along to support. It is a very special venue, a bit like "Central Perk", in "Friends". I felt like Pheobe, not "Smelly Cat", but singing my own song "Sitting Duck". This June I'm going to be doing lots of open-mics and writing new songs. The songwriting group that I'm part of has now got a new name, London Song Circle, and soon we'll have a website. The group has been going now for a year and a half, and we're putting together a CD with 2 songs by each of us.
May News
At the beginning of May, I'm going on a week's residential songwriting course, in West Yorkshire, led by the wonderful Heidi Berry. About four years ago, I decided I wanted to start writing songs again, and I was lucky enough to find out about an evening songwriting course run by Heidi, in Muswell Hill. She is the best teacher, always setting great writing assignments, giving loads of useful information, and she's lovely and supportive, so I know I'm going to have a whale of a creative time that week. Also coming up in May, I've got a gig at The Comedy, near Leicester Sq, on Monday 16th, and my second, "Jenty's Melody Night", which I'll be hosting on Tuesday 24th, at Jazz After Dark. (See my gig page for details). I've got top notch performers taking part, who will be doing their own songs and some classic covers. I can't wait.
April News
This April, I'm looking forward to doing gigs at Viva Viva and The Hope & Anchor. And going to see The Finn Brothers in concert at The Royal Albert Hall & The Fat Lady Sings gig, at The Islington Academy, for which my friend, Alastair Artingstall, is playing keyboards. Also, I'm doing a songwriting-weekend, led by the inspirational, Tom Robinson. I had my first, "Jenty's Melody Night", at Jazz After Dark, Soho, on 15th March. There was no need to 'beware the Ides of March' and it turned out a success, with wonderful acts and a packed out venue. The second night will be on Tuesday 24th May. Also in March, I hosted a song-circle for The Virtually Acoustic Club. It was great hearing songs in an acoustic, intimate circle and also hearing about different people's creative processes
March News
On Tuesday March 15th, I'll be hosting, "Jenty's Melody Night", at Jazz After Dark, 9 Greek Street, W1, 9pm-1.30am. I'm very excited about this and maybe I can make it a monthly event. I've booked some wonderful acts: Silvia Murray, poignant, sophisticated original songs & jazz standards, Ivor Game, exceptional master of melody, sublime guitar & songs, and a host of other talented artists including, Red Stripe, the highly entertaining piano virtuoso. I'm going to be doing some covers myself, of my favourite songs, such as, 'Sunny', 'Zoom' and 'Don't You Worry About A Thing'. Some of my friends, from the songwriting group I'm part of, will also be performing. It's an intimate venue with a cool & colourful Soho vibe.