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Toni has performed internationally and throughout the UK, touring lounge bars, nightclubs, restaurants and hotels, from marquees to back garden’s and even people’s living rooms! Exclusive live performance’s on BBC Radio programs Manchester, Merseyside and Belfast has helped Toni gain a reputation as a polished and sophisticated performer. Space Magazine voted Toni one of Liverpool’s top 100 coolest people and she has had extensive positive press coverage in such magazines as Blues and Soul, Echoes, Time Out and Star Magazine. Toni supported soul legends Mica Paris, Solomon Burke, and Ruby Turner. Summer 2007 the 8 piece Toni James Band performed a one month contract playing at The Arena in Singapore.

Toni prides herself on creating the perfect atmosphere for every individual occasion. With over a 120 strong repertoire, the great thing about Toni is she can do anything from a back ground jazz and blues set to a upbeat funky pop, soul, R&B and disco set that has EVERYONE up to dance. Toni works with some amazing musicians including Pete Watson who has played keys for Vanessa Mae and Natasha Bedingfield, Jack Stevens a bass player who has supported Lionel Richie and appeared on X Factor, drummer Nigel Williams who played for Cliff Richard and Steve Parry who played with Corrine Bailey Rae and John legend.

The Toni James Band performs at numerous weddings all over the country in such places as The Lowry, Hillbark Hotel, Hilton and Radisson Manchester, The West Tower, Belle Epoque Knutsford and Thornton Manor in the North West then Ripley Castle Harrogate and even down to the Cotswolds, London and Brighton and across to Isle Of Man and Jersey. The 8 piece has just performed at the wedding of the owner of the UK’s most sophisticated bar chain The Living Room.

Toni has played at some of the most prestigious hotels and events in the North West and beyond. Mersey Partnership invited Toni to perform to Richard Branson on his visit to Liverpool. The National Tourism Awards at St. Georges Hall which was presented by Eamon Holmes. The Daily Post and Echo approached Toni to perform at Liverpool’s 2006 Regional Business Awards hosted by Peter Sissons. Then they asked her perform at the Cheshire 2007 Regional Business Awards and 2007 Cheshire Tourism Awards. In October 2006 Toni sang to Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former Prime Minister Tony Blair in Whitehall London. This year Toni’s 8 piece with her amazing horn section have performed at such places like Lancashire Cricket Club for KPMG, at Hilton Manchester for the Rugby Super League’s Man Of Steel Awards, Warwick Castle and Gleneagles for Martin Dawes.

The Toni James band has a well know reputation in Liverpool and recently performed at the opening of Liverpool One. Also at Liverpool FC’s Christmas Party and has a residency at the Pan Am Albert Dock, Knutsford Wine Bar and Wilmslow Wine Bar. The 7 piece band performed at LIPA’s Graduation Ball 2005/6. Toni’s jazz trio performed at the launch for the new Aston Martin for the 2 years in Wilmslow, at the opening of Manchester’s Max Mara and for 2 years at the Boodle and Duntorne Winter Ball.

December is a busy one for the band: The Lowry on Boxing Day and New Years Day and played for the Christmas dinners at The Grosvenor in Chester for the past 3 years. New Year at Pan American Club 2004, Hope St Residence Lounge 2005, celebrity chef Paul Nutter’s restaurant in Rochdale 2006 and New Year 2007 Toni and the band played at CragRats Brassiere in Holmfirth, Yorkshire.

The Toni James Duo has residencies at prestigious venues such as Simply Heathcoat’s, Hope Street Residence Lounge Liverpool, Pizza Express in Heswall, Liverpool and Knightsbridge London. Performing at Grand National 2005/2006 and Chester Races for 3 years. The duo is much loved at weddings creating a beautiful atmosphere over the wedding breakfast or dinner.

*Toni can perform as a duo consisting of piano or guitar, or The Toni James Band can appear with a line up from a 4 piece to a 12 piece, depending on your preference.

For more information please contact Toni on toni@tonijames.co.uk

Repertoire

1. 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

2. Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys

3. Ain’t No Body - Chaka Khan

4. Ain’t No Other Man – Christina Aguilera

5. All For You – Janet Jackson

6. At Last – Various Artists

7. Autumn Leaves – Various Artists

8. Baby Love – Supremes

9. Bag Lady – Eryka Badu

10. Best Of My Love- Emotions

11. Blame It On The Boogie – Jackson 5

12. Boogie Tonight - Tweet

13. By Your Side – Sade

14. Call Me Irresponsible – Etta James

15. Can’t Get You Out Of My Head - Kylie

16. Car Wash – The Trammps

17. Crazy - Gnales Barkley

18. Crazy In Love - Beyonce

19. Cry Me A River – Julie London

20. Cry Me A River - Justin Timberlake

21. Dance Me To Your Beauty – Madeleine Peyroux

22. Dancing In the Street – Martha and the Vandellas

23. Deja vu - Beyonce

24. Disco Inferno – Tina Turner

25. Don’t Know Why – Nora Jones

26. Don’t Mess With My Man - Lucy Pearl

27. Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough - Micheal Jackson

28. Every Time We Say Goodbye – Ella Fitzgerald

29. Fell In Love With A Boy- Joss Stone

30. Fever – Peggy Lee

31. Fly Me to the Moon - Various

32. Freak - Sugar Babes

33. Get Happy - Various

34. Getting In The Way – Gill Scott

35. Grove Jet - Spiller

36. Hard Days Night – The Beatles

37. How Come You Don’t Call Me – Alicia Keys

38. I Don’t Need A Man - Pussy Cat Dolls

39. I Love Your Smile - Shanice

40. I Shot The Sheriff – Bob Marley

41. I Want You Back – Jackson 5

42. I Wish - Stevie Wonder

43. I Wish I Didn’t Miss You – Angie Stone

44. If I Ain’t Got You Baby - Alicia Keys

45. It Had To Be You – Various

46. Jet Lag – Joss Stone

47. Keep Me Hanging On – Supremes

48. Kissing You – Desree

49. Ladies Night – Kool and the Gang

50. Lady Is A Tramp - Various

51. Lady Marmalade – Labelle

52. Living For The City - Stevie Wonder

53. Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson

54. Moondance – Van Morrison

55. My Baby Just Cares For Me – Nina Simone

56. My Funny Valentine-Various

57. Never Too Much - Luther Vandross

58. On And On- Eryka Badu

59. Oops - Blu Cantrell

60. Ordinary People - John Legend

61. People Get Ready – Curtis Mayfield

62. Play - Jennifer Lopez

63. Push the Button – Sugababes

64. Put a Spell on You – Nina Simone

65. Put Your Records On - Corrine Bailey Ray

66. Rehab - Amy Whinehouse

67. Rock With You - Michael Jackson

68. Scandalous- Mystic

69. Sexy Back - Justin Timberlake

70. Shackles - Mary Mary

71. Shoulda Woulda Coulda – Beverly Knight

72. Somebody Else’s Guy – Jocelyn Brown

73. Son Of A Preacher Man – Dusty Springfield

74. Song Bird – Eva Cassidy

75. Spinning Around - Kylie

76. Street Life - Randy Crawford

77. Stuck In The Middle - Louise

78. Summertime – Porgy And Bess

79. Super Duper- Joss Stone

80. Superstar - Jamelia

81. Superstition- Stevie Wonder

82. Survivor - Destiny Child

83. Sway – Various

84. Spooky- Dusty Springfield

85. Tainted Love – Soft Cell

86. Take Your Mamma Out - Scissor Sisters

87. This Love – Maroon 5 (Kanye West Remix)

88. Toxic - Britney Spears

89. Tyrone (Live) - Erykha Badu

90. Under My Skin - Various

91. Upside Down - Diana Ross

92. Wade In The Water – Eva Cassidy

93. When I Fall In Love – Nat King Cole

94. When I See You - Macy Gray

95. Woman’s Worth – Alisha Keys

96. X Factor – Lauryn Hill

97. You Give Me Something – James Morrison

98. You Learn – Alanis Morrisette

99. You Might Need Somebody – Shola Alma

100. Young Hearts - Candi Staton

In the 8 piece the backing singer Tim raps on some of the tracks ie Deja Vu, Crazy In Love and Sexy Back...*some of the above songs can't be performed as a duo due to the nature of the songs.

Example Set list- Funky Mix

Set 1

1. Rehab

2. This Love

3. Mercy

4. American Boy

5. Superstar

6. Grace Kelly

7. Tears Dry On Their Own into Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

8. Rock With You

9. We Are Family

10. Sir Duke

Set 2

1. Valerie

2. Take Your Mamma Out

3. Crazy

4. Shackles

5. Sexy Back into Grove Jet

6. Crazy In Love

7. Superstition

8. Never Too Much

9. 9 to 5

10. Blame on the Boogie

11. Ain’t No Body

12. Young Hearts

Extras- Somebody else’s guy

Example Set list- Newbees

Set 1

1. Rehab

2. This Love

3. Mercy

4. Umbrella

5. Black and Gold

6. Cry Me A River

7. Superstar

8. Grace Kelly

9. American Boy

10. Tears Dry On Their Own into Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

Set 2

1. Valerie

2. Take Your Mamma Out

3. I Don’t Need A Man

4. Man Eater

5. Toxic

6. Sexy Back- Justin Timberlake into Grove Jet

7. Play

8. Crazy

9. Shackles

10. Crazy In Love

Example Set list- 60’s to Current Day

Set 1

1. Get Happy

2. Under My Skin

3. It had To Be You

4. Moondance

5. Hard Days

6. Tainted love

7. Tears Dry On Their Own into Aint No Mountain High Enough

8. Street Life

9. Living For The City

10. We are family

Set 2

1. Take Your Mamma Out

2. Valerie

3. Superstition

4. Never Too Much

5. 9 to 5

6. Disco Inferno

7. Upside Down

8. Blame on the Boogie

9. Ain’t No Body

10. Young Hearts Extras- Somebody else’s guy

The Toni James Band(pop,disco,sould,rnb)

I always like to keep my finger on the popular music pulse, so I try to keep the set as fresh as possible with the latest chart hits like “American Boy” by Estelle and the brilliant “Mercy” by Duffy. Growing up I was always into Motown and soul artists like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Luther Vandross. So together I have created a set full of new hits and old classics which has EVERYONE up to dance.

The Band

6 years ago now pianist Pete Watson, bass player Jack Stevens and I put our heads together to form the RnB/Soul/Pop/Disco cover band which started out as a four piece with drummer Nigel Williams. Then there is the 5 piece with Mark Beany on guitar or with James Cruickshank on Sax. The 4 and 5 piece has performed at many weddings and corporate events all over the UK. If you want to come and see us perform publicly we have residencies at Knutsford Wine Bar, Granville’s in Stone, Wilmslow Wine Bar and Saracens’ Head Ormskirk.

The Backing Singers/Rapper

Last summer The Toni James Band was asked to perform in the Arena in Singapore as an 8 piece band. So I added Samantha Sanderson, Scarlett Rutherford and Tim Mvula as my 3 sexy backing singers. Tim is a star with amazing stage presence, he joins me up front doing the commercial raps in songs like "Crazy In Love", “Umbrella” and “American Boy” becoming my very own Jay-Z/Kanye West, this added a new dimension to the band and allowed us to tackle songs we’ve never been able to do before.

The Horns

This year I had the horn parts arranged by trumpet player, writer and composer Steve Parry who last year played his biggest gig to date with Corrine Bailey Rae at Live Aid! For The Toni James Band Steve is joined by James Cruickshank on Baritone Sax, Marco Bernardis on Sax then a session Trombonist which makes our band either a 7 piece with 2 horns or 9 piece with the 4 parts section. This summer the 8 piece performed at Lancashire Cricket Club for KPMG Summer Ball, at The Queens Hotel in Chester for The Best Western Annual Conference and The wedding of Danny Fox who owns the prestigious chain of Bars/restaurants “The Living Room” and at Thornton Manor and The Hilbark on the Wirral.

The Big Band

Put the horns and the backing singers together and we have one hell of a band! But it doesn’t end there- Add Paul Walsham on percussion and even an 8 piece string section and we can create anything from a 4 piece to a 20 piece band. Throw in a couple of show dancers too and you have the ultimate party band!