February 2016 archive

Joe Thompson’s Primary Jazz is back!

This informal Blackheath Conservatoire session is all about the music. Come see if you have ‘big ears’, as Joe and his fellow musicians play you the best in jazz and show you how it’s done – just like they’ve done at The Ivy Club the night before!

Perfect for aspiring young musicians, or families who want some quality musical time together. This really is some of the best jazz in town, and when you pair it with an espresso from our café, makes for the hippest family scene around.

liselindstromThis session will see us joined by Lizzie Deane – a soul, funk and blues songstress with a deeply soulful voice that emulates the sweet melodic and raw belting lines associated with the classic divas. With her warm persona and infectious performance style Lizzie contemporises her musical influences, that include Aretha Franklin, James Brown, The Jacksons, Etta James, Stevie Wonder & Otis Reading.  Along with Joe Thompson on piano and Robert Rickenberg on bass, Lizzie will be demonstrating some different styles and techniques and sharing with  our local young singers some of the tricks of the trade.

Joe performing at St James’s Palace

lauren faganFebruary 2016 saw Joe once again entertaining the Royal Family.  The venue this time was St James’s Palace, playing through dinner and also accompanying the fabulous opera singer, and member of the Royal Opera House’s young artist programme, Lauren Fagan singing Puccini, Catalani and Gershwin.

Collaborating with a phantom…

celineJoe’s latest opera misdemeanour has been his collaboration with the versatile Celinde Schoenmaker currently dazzling audience’s in the West End’s production of  Phantom of the Opera.  Joe has been encouraging Celinde to unleash “her soul singer within” – not that she means much coaxing. Like the Phantom, Joe hopes to lure her, and as many other operatic voices as he can find, across to the dark side i.e. performing in cabaret!