Line-up
Sarah Gillespie – Voice
Kit Downes – Piano
Chris Montague – Guitar
Conor Chaplin – Double Bass
James Maddren – Drums
About
Anglo-American songstress Sarah Gillespie is renowned for mixing elements of jazz, folk, Americana & blues with her streetwise poetic lyrics. Having released 4 critically acclaimed albums in the last 10 years, she’s toured extensively across Europe and the USA headlining leading venues and festivals. She has twice played live on BBC ‘Woman’s Hour’ to 10 million listeners & was interviewed by Andrew Marr on ‘Start the Week’ on the role of politics in the Arts (she has a Master’s Degree in Politics & Philosophy). Gillespie’s most recent album ‘Wishbones was launched at London’s Southbank Centre and received 5 star reviews & Album of the Year from the Arts Desk. A book of her lyrics was published by Oxford’s Albion Beatnik Press in 2018.
Tonight she is performing with her full band described by Jazzwise as ‘young, jazz heavies’ including Kit Downes – piano, James Maddren – drums, Chris Montague – guitar, Conor Chaplin – bass.
Gillespie is the founder of the Create Now Academy providing mentorship and workshops in songwriting and creativity.
‘Haunting tunes and striking lyrics…yearningly pretty and bitter sweet’ The Independent ★★★★★
‘Joni Mitchell with a little rap-like percussiveness thrown in, Gillespie is an original’ The Guardian ★★★★
‘Like Dylan on amphetamines’ The Financial Times ★★★★
‘Beat poet adventurer strays beyond the boundaries of singer-songwriter’ MOJO ★★★★
‘Just beautiful’ Robert Wyatt