John Etheridge and Vimala
Saturday 4 May 6.30pm, music from 8pm
Tickets: £18 or £36 with dinner
Phone 01308 459511 to book now.
Two of the finest musicians you are ever likely to hear, John Etheridge and Vimala Rowe bring out the brilliant best in each other. They have been working together for number of years after John invited Vimala on stage at a solo gig and was enthralled by her passionate, soulful, utterly committed singing. Their first duo album, Out of the Sky, reflects the breadth and depth of both their musical backgrounds. Vimala has made a study of Indian classical singing as well as having worked as a musician for years in the Far East. She was the recipient of an Indie Award in 2008 for the eponymously titled EP – Vimala. Together they explore Flamenco influences, Indian Classical, Jazz, Blues and African works – an eclectic mix delivered with power, inventiveness and conviction.
JOHN ETHERIDGE rightly enjoys a glowing reputation throughout the jazz world and beyond and has been described by Pat Metheny as, “One of the best guitarists in the world”. He is a prodigiously gifted and creative player whose approach to music can only be described as ‘eclectic’ as he refuses to accommodate or even acknowledge artificial musical boundaries. His range is well illustrated by his years of touring and recording with the iconic Stephane Grappelli while simultaneously doing likewise with the legendary jazz-fusion group, The Soft Machine. John is equally at home on acoustic and electric guitar and his willingness to engage with so many styles is matched by his ability to excel in any of them. He has played with John Williams, Yehudi Menuhin, Dizzie Gillespie, Herb Ellis, Mundell Lowe, Nigel Kennedy, Pat Metheny, Birelli Lagrene, Barney Kessel, Vic Juris and countless others. John’s ability as an outstanding composer is sometimes overlooked but he is often under pressure from audiences to feature more of his own material.
VIMALA ROWE is an award winning jazz, soul and R&B singer. In her early teens Vimala left England for the Far East where she quickly established herself as vocalist with the successful rap band TKO and then as a solo artist, writing and recording a hit album which included guitar legend Tommy Emmanuel. She then spent a year studying Hindustani Classical vocals in Nagpur India, which would profoundly influence her future style. Back in England she made the eponymous EP ‘Vimala’ with Simon Horn, a recording of original compositions which garnered the Indy Music award for Best Soul, Jazz, Funk act, 2008. Since then she has gone on to establish herself on the London Jazz Scene as a remarkable live performer, appearing with such luminaries as Bobby Wellins and Jonathan Gee as well as John Etheridge and others.
Her performances have captivated audiences everywhere with notable appearances at Ronnie Scott’s with the Alex Webb Band and at the London Jazz Festival (Crazy Coqs) with John Etheridge. Her mix of Jazz sophistication and swing, soulful passion and a hint of Indian exoticism is enthralling.
“Vimala Rowe is Sensational” – The Arts Desk
“A captivating and seemingly effortless soulful voice” – Justin Wilkes, Kiss FM
“The Fabulous vocals of Vimala Rowe… stripped the songs of their datedness and brought them into the modern age” – Birdlives.co.uk
“A wonderful singer with a passionate delivery which completely captures the audience” – John Etheridge
Phone: 01308 459511 to book now. Numbers are limited – don’t miss out!
