It was my quest from the age of five to become a professional singer and performer. I had lessons from the age of 11, took A’ Level Theatre, Music and English plus Television Communications and came to music college in London when I was 18.

My real love of jazz was enhanced when Claire Martin asked me to become her vocal teacher. We met via Ted Beament’s daughter, classical pianist Jane Beament at a recital that Jane and I gave in a City church. Prior to that, I’d sung many jazz arrangements with the Jane Lilley Singers in Bath, my home town. My parents, Betty & Ron listened to standards such as Mona Lisa, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, If, and the like but mum remains a firm lover of my ‘classical voice’.

Having music ‘idols’ have never been my bag. I’ve an eclectic taste when it comes to music. I was exposed to so many differing styles whilst growing up but I did love the comic genius and singing voice of Harry Seacombe and his associates and remain thrilled by the height and sparkle in Mado Robin’s voice. We spent many Saturday afternoons, after ballroom dancing and swimming lessons glued to ‘the box’, transported to some other place whilst watching film musicals, and loved anything with a good melody. Singers’ voices such as Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald and Cleo Laine were of great interest to me.

I’ve always worked as a professional singer, actor and vocal tutor ever since leaving Trinity College and The Royal Academy of Music. Initially performing was in Chamber Music in an ensemble called Sheherazade (with Denise Dance - flute, Fiona Clifton-Welker – harp) plus early Italian Opera concerts, then No 1 Theatre tours with actors such as Norman Rossington, Barbara Murrey and George Chakiris and then with my own production company Vamp ReVamp.

In 2005 Humphrey Lyttleton invited me to record a track entitled ‘Jail Break’ on his album ‘Sad Sweet Songs and Crazy Rhythms’. The session was full of laughter, mischief and warmth and was a real turning point, a sort of ‘mid-life’ revelation, an experience, which, made up my mind in regard to pursuing a career in jazz. This album features Ted Beament, Karen Sharp, Adrian Macintosh, Ray Wordsworth, John Rees-Jones and Jimmy Hastings and ‘himself’ of course! www.calligraph-records.co.uk

Past performances include:

Venues: The Bull, Barnes; National Theatre; The Brazz; Purcell Room - South Bank; Pizza Express; Café Royal; The Green Room; Victoria Embankment Gardens.

Radio and Television: – Thames, Scottish, HTV, BBC 2,BBC London Radio, BBC Regional Radio, and Liberty Radio.

Festivals: Edinburgh, Brighton, Bath, Barcelona, Turkey and Lyon.

Corporate: The Dorchester; Lansdown Club; Clivedon; The Forum Trust, Norwich; London Business School; IBM; BBC Medas; Air France; Nestle; and London Boroughs
of Ealing, Harrow and Southwark plus London Chambers.

Monty’s Curry Jazz Vamp

Our aim with this series is to bring top quality jazz to the centre of Ealing on a regular basis. Our Launch night was a great success with Lord Soley attending as guest of honour plus interest from the local Ealing Gazette newspaper.

Karen Sharp – Sax, Ted Beament – Piano, John Rees-Jones – Bass and Adrian Macintosh – Drums made it a night to remember.

We are indebted to our sponsors for the evening SCANMOOR Ltd – Construction and in particular to Carole and Jim Moore whose foresight and generosity kicked the series off to a great start.

Please support this new venture by coming along to enjoy the jazz and curry and by telling your friends that we are here. THANK YOU.