Pizza Express Maidstone, Thursday 16th June 2011

A retro Swing sound with feverish Latino curves, Hip-Hop head nods and a cool dark Alternative rock twist!

Formed and fronted by songwriter, producer, musical ‘mixologist’ Steve Spall -Guitar/Vocals as a platform for his vibrantly original material. The band features Paul Beeching on the 'cupboard of love' aka Double Bass, and rhythmic rebel Matt Wilson on Drums, alongside Spall's mesmerizing vocals and highly revered 'filthy Spy-esque' swing/alternative guitar prowess. Influences include The Jungle Book soundtrack, Portishead, Soundgarden, Brian Setzer/ Stray Cats, Tarantino Sountracks, The Gotan Project, Tom Waits, Beastie Boys & Beyond.

“Fresh ideas, retro vibes and a healthy dose of musical juxtaposition, will engage fans of widely varying musical genres” –Timeout.

A debut originals album ’Far Flung’ was released on the band’s label Pitch-Ray Records in 2008, a mellow yet tantalizingly dark introduction to The Violet Jive sound (available on iTunes), and a new album ‘Rhythm Mythology’ is due Spring 2011.

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Coca Jem is a unique vocalist and lyricist, based in London and Kent Coca has collaborated with several other musicians including renowned guitarist Andy Vickery to create a vibrant contemporary blues/rock style. Her most recent collaboration is with Laurence Hobbs, songwriter, producer and co-founder of Major Music, who has worked with 100's of artists. Together they have created a refreshingly new tribal pop sound with Coca’s soulful voice providing a distinct 80’s feel. CocaJem performs locally and in London with Andy Vickery and Max Pepe from ‘Intraverse’ and has recently been joined by Jack Greenwood from ‘The Pretty Things’ on percussion.

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Sorrel Nation is a singer/songwriter from the UK who has been writing and performing since the age of 13, and at 15 recorded and released her first EP.

Sorrel made a name for herself performing at live music venues across London, but recently moved to Australia where she released her latest EP ‘Kids On The Run’. Sorrel’s passion for music shows in her heartfelt performances and powerful songs, and according to Ditto Music is “someone you need to put on your radar”.

She has been working with acclaimed British producer Ian Barter (Amy Winehouse, Paloma Faith, Guy Sebastian) and have created what they believe to be Sorrel’s best work so far.

“When she opens up with her angst-ridden upper register… the result is stunning.”
Tim Kroenert, themusic.com.au

“See her now before she becomes a huge star”
The Troubadour Club, London

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Singer-songwriter, Paul Dunton leads his own unique cross-over orchestra providing an atmospheric fusion of alternative and pop with a classical twist. Paul & his Orchestra take influences from varying modern day artists such as Pink Floyd, Elbow, ELO, Turin Brakes, Massive Attack, Damien Rice and contemporary composers such as Samuel Barber, Ludovico Einaudi, John Barry and Hans Zimmerman. The Orchestra performs Paul's own compositions and a varied selection of uniquely arranged standards from a wide range of artists. The line-up of 8 violins, 4 cellos, guitar, flute, bass and percussion accompanies Paul on vocals and piano, joined by his lead vocalists, Charlotte Andrew and Poppy Raine. Paul and his Orchestra regularly perform at concerts, festivals and private events throughout the UK and internationally, including headlining the Theatrium Wilhelmstraße Festival in Wiesbaden, Germany and an 8 state tour of the USA which culminated in a spectacular roof-top performance on top of the New York Strand Hotel. Increased attention and success led to the orchestra being featured on BBC Radio 2 by Joan Armatrading with interviews and airplay of one of Paul's songs, 'Don't Forget'. This led to Paul supporting Joan Armatrading on five occasions during her recent UK tours.

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