Piano on 'Come fly with me', 'Girl from Ipanema', 'My funny Valentine' and 'The lady is a tramp' -Alex Windsor.
All other tracks Piano Jack Schickler.
Influences
Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, The Divine Comedy, Matt Monro, Fran Landesman, Freddie Mercury, Jim Morrison, Bowie, Thom Yorke, Simon and Garfunkle, Cole Porter, Gershwin, Bernstein, Ivor Novello, Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen, Jerome Kern, Kurt Weill and of course Rodgers and Hart.
Sounds Like
I have been told: Sinatra, Matt Monro, Neil Hannon (Divine Comedy), Morrissey and Jeff Buckley.
Simon is fast becoming one the UK's top up and coming crooners and jazz composers. Since 2001 Simon has been writing and performing swing jazz in London venues including 606 Club, 100 Club, The BBC Club West One, The Big Chill, The Crypt, Hoxton Hall and Jazz After Dark. He has also performed for top corporate clients including Pepsi, Prudential and DeBeers Diamonds.
Simon is available for corporate functions, birthday parties, weddings and events. He is accompanied by ace jazz pianist Alex Windsor (you can hear his piano playing in the Sinatra covers on this page). Simon can also perform self contained with orchestrated backing tracks.
As well as singing jazz standards, Simon also loves writing his own jazz songs. As a songwriter he is inspired by the likes of Cole Porter, Harold Arlen and Jimmy Van Heusen. In this way Simon is hoping to create jazz songs for a new generation. His songs have had great acclaim within the industry, sound timeless and fit in beautifully amongst the jazz standards at gigs.
His song 'I don't love you (but my heart does)', has been extremely popular at gigs and on the internet where it has been played on some of the worlds top podcasts.
For the past two years Simon has been performing and collaborating with the 'first lady of beat poetry' and jazz lyricist Fran Landesman. Simon is recording a new album of some of her songs that artists such Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Bassey and Bette Midler recorded. Click on 'The Simon Lawrence Jazz Band' in the friends section below to hear these tracks. Simon has written music to some of Fran's lyrics such as the haunting ballad "All My Songs", the stunning "Beautiful Ruin" lyric and Fran's hilarious "Crazy Days" lyric. Simon joins a list of top composers who have put music to Fran's work. Fran called Simon's song 'I don't love you (but my heart does)' a "jazz classic".
As if that wasn't enough, Simon also writes indie/folk ballads, which he performs with his trusty ol' guitar! Check out his indie music by clicking on the 'Simon Lawrence Indie' in the friends section below.
'Twas! At the risk of sounding VERY uncool (:p) I don't usually enjoy live stuff but that night was great - I really, really liked around 50% of it :O Unheard of! That was also the first night I've seen an act stick around and jig to another.. (namely you to Junkyard Scientists :D)
Hi Si, good to hear you cover that Bowie Track. Remember when we watched it the night before we all went up to do the Edinburgh Festival? What a laugh lol!! xxx
I wanted to let you know I started my own label, first release is...me...go figure... Please check it out, listen, leave a comment, get a copy... Let me know what you think
hysterical!.. the oirish poison dwarf! (no, he just comes across like guiness sometimes, a bit bitter!). very funny simon!.. have a good one and stay cool!. ;-) rae
too cool for school eh? congrats and happy christmas simon! rae from london ... I'd send you a pic' of an ice cube (as that's coool, but don't have one uploaded! you'll have to make do with daniel craig instead 'cos he's pretty cool too!).. have a good one simon..rae from london
Alright Si, cheers for the compliment, means a lot. That would be awesome if you do make it down on the 28th, cant wait, should be a blinder, the last one was! Anyway, hopefully ill make it down to one of the jazz gigs sometime too! Laterz x
Wicked! I'll try and make it down, let me know when you have more details. Steve and I are gigging mostly in Essex at the moment, can let you know details if you fancy the trip! xx
Hi Simon, sounds like I missed a treat by not being able to come to Lulu's / Esme's party! Jan told me about the evening, which sounded really lovely! I'm the one who designed Jan's fine art website www. jkotkowski. com, and I hope you get the chance to look at it! I don't know what you make of my own music, as it is so different to your own, but hope you like my 'arty' alt rock piece "If" which appears as a music video on my page (featuring camerawork and an appearance by Jan). Take care, and best wishes, Dulmini X
