Barb Jungr Loves
Jaques Brel
Bob Dylan
Nina Simone
Odetta
Elvis Presley
Sam Cooke
Marvin Gaye
Otis Redding
Dinah Washington
Jackie Wilson
Mahalia Jackson
The Golden Gate Quartet
The Fairfield Four
Maria Callas
The Four Tops
The Temptations
Etta James
Diamanda Galas
UB40
Ali Farka Toure
Big Joe Turner
Mavis Staples and the Staples Singers
Ray Davies
Scott Walker
Rance Allen
The Blind Boys of Alabama
Eric Bibb
Buddy Holly
Amy Winehouse
John Coltrane
Letter From Pimlico, October 2008
My arrival back in the UK after nearly a month performing over in New York was greeted by a sky of unrelenting grey, “you’ve missed the sunshine” my Sikh driver told me, “that’s it for summer here till next year”.
As it happens he was wrong, but it wouldn’t matter anyway, since my month abroad was blessed by wonderfully hot and sunny weather marred by one day of rain and one of a passing storm (during which I was on a train to Washington DC). For the first time I travelled to the Pocono Mountains, glorious forest covered ranges, in which black bears, wild turkeys and coyotes roam. The drive was marvellous, the trees were just realising it was autumn and every so often golden and orange leaves burst through their greeny yellowing friends. I was with Tracy Stark, a lovely musician and my accompanist for the show in Hemlock Farms, (what a great address ), in the afternoon, there.
I stayed with my friend Andy for a week when I arrived in Hell’s Kitchen, three blocks from my favourite practice at Sonic Yoga, and on the Saturday he and I travelled to Asbury Park in New Jersey to see a version of the musical HAIR, which he’d directed with a young cast who had completely embraced the notion of the ‘tribe’ and gave a terrific performance. A couple of nights later Andy and I were invited to see another production of the show in Central Park, where The Public Theatre put on free shows every year. The version was very different, but in its own way and for very different reasons, fascinating.
Andy left for the UK and I moved to a friend’s, and rehearsed with musical maestro Charlie Giordano, who has been touring with Bruce Springsteen, and who’s playing I just love. We opened at The Metropolitan Room to a full house, which was lovely, and I found all my friends working there, and all with great projects in various stages of production.
The whole run was a joy, and I managed to train it down – through the aforementioned storm, to Virginia to visit my family with my nephew who’s just beginning school, and they came to visit me and saw my show in New York, and we did silly tourist things that kids love and went on the carousels in Central Park and it was all very joyous and life enhancing (though I have to say slides are not my strong point which is odd considering how much I love a roller coaster).
Through my time in New York I managed to get in some wonderful yoga classes with Johanna, Jonathan and Keith at Sonic and Tanya and Katrina at Laughing Lotus. Both Shalas are incredibly friendly and the teaching is supportive and inspired. Its really hard to walk into other studios and so on to practice and I remember when I was practicing Aikido years ago and went to a studio in New York and they were the meanest, most unfriendly, rotten martial apples you could be stuck in a barrel with, and experiences like stay with you when you walk in the door of any new place even long afterwards, but with my whole heart and being I can say that Sonic and Laughing Lotus are about as yogic as it gets, and I’d recommend anyone practicing yoga to go to any of their classes and feel welcome.
And my friends were wonderful and there were some marvellous nights on the town and late night dinners and sunsets and general loveliness with all manner of gorgeous people.
But its great to be back in London and I am off to Arsenal tomorrow with Ernest (we better win), and saw the lovely Julian inaugurated into the ‘Homosexual Hall of Fame’ yesterday and the most wonderful version of Sleeping Beauty at The Little Angel Puppet Theatre on Saturday, and next week there’s Frantic Assembly’s ‘Othello’ in Northampton, and I’m back at yoga with Stewart and Amanda so life here is far from dull, and may your autumn be marvellous too!
With love,
Barb.
Autumn 2008 News
LIVE NEWS
Barb’s autumn begins with a welcome return to New York’s Metropolitan Room
in a highly anticipated 3 weekend
residency. ‘I Got Life’ will feature the repertoire of Nina Simone
alongside a little bit chansons, a little bit Bob Dylan
and a little bit Barb. She is accompanied in New York by the superb
musician Charlie Giordano on piano and
accordion. Having received a Nightlife Award in New York in January 2008,
Barb’s reputation in the Big Apple is
blossoming and she looks forward to seeing her many fans at the shows.
In the UK this autumn, Barb performs across the country with an appearance
at the Belfast festival, a special concert
at the Greenwich Theatre, a return to The Stables at Wavendon, and an
appearance in the London Jazz Festival at the
wonderful Vortex Jazz Bar, among others.(Check live listings to find Barb
at a venue near you and sign up to the
mailing list for a monthly update of her UK and international appearances).
Her Blue Hour’s Season begins at the
Newbury Corn Exchange with a tremendous concert featuring Barb’s great
friend and ally, award winning jazz singer
Claire Martin. And to wind up the year Barb returns to one of her favourite
venues, Komedia in Brighton, for two
Christmas Special nights.
Watch this space for details of Barb’s 2009 programme. Her February ’09
Purcell Room concert in the South Bank’s
‘International Voices’ series is already booking at
-www.southbankcentre.co.uk/music/productions/barb-jungr-09-
02-09-40090
NEW RECORD NEWS
2008 brought the release of Jungr’s new CD and 6th recording for Linn Records, ‘Just Like A Woman – Hymn to Nina’ (AKD 309). The album has had fantastic 4 star reviews “unashamedly dark’” (The Sunday Tines) and was ‘Album of the Week ‘ in the Independent with Tim Cummings saying “classy doesn’t even begin to sum it up”. Featuring songs originally sung by Nina Simone and recorded with a stunning group of musicians including pianist and Barb’s MD Jenny Carr, organist and multi instrumentalist Jessica Lauren, drummer Johnny Lee, bassist Danny Thompson and saxophonist and clarinetist Mark Lockheart. The album was produced by Barb and legendary Blue Nile producer, Calum Malcolm.
Order and downloaded directly from Linn records on www.linnrecords.com.
=
Sounds Like
Cheek2cheek productions presents a live performance by Barb Jungr, from a film to be released in the autumn. Barb sings 'Beautiful Life' at the Blue Hours, New Greenham Arts. Lyrics by Barb Jungr. Music by Adrian York. Accompanied by Jenny Carr - Piano and Jessica Lauren - Organ. Backing vocals by Jenny and Jessica.
Fabulous UK chanteuse Barb Jungr performing her version of Bob Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone accompanied by Adrian York in front of a sell-out audience at London's Barbican Hall.
Fabulous UK chanteuse Barb Jungr performing her version of Bob Dylan's If Not For You accompanied by Adrian York in front of a sell-out audience at London's Barbican Hall.
"Bob Dylan, jazz, northern soul, Nina Simone and continental Europe's cabaret music perform a subtle dance in singer Jungr's consciousness..." The Guardian
Linn Records
For all information about Barb's records www.linnrecords.com
info@linnrecords.co.uk
Dave Mauchline
Barb's representative for all UK live bookings
8A Great Newport St., Leicester Sq., London, WC2H 7JA.
Tel: 0207 240 6997 dave@davemauchline.com
www.davemauchline.com
David Burns at Clout Communications
Barb's PR - For All PR Communications david@clout.com
www.cloutcom.co.uk
Direct:: +44 (0)207 851 8626
Kathryn Kirton at Janice Tildsley Associates
For Barb’s UK radio, television and theatre enquiries kathryn@janicetildsleyassociates.co.uk
www.janicetildsleyassociates.co.uk
Tel: 020 8521 1888
SGO Music
Stuart Ongley
Barb's publisher stuart@sgomusic.com
www.sgomusic.com
SGO Limited, PO BOX 2015
SALISBURY, SP2 7WU
Tel: +44 (0) 7798 841205
Irvin Arthur
Peter Gallagher
Park Avenue Talent
Barb's US Management Agency
Park Avenue Talent, Ltd.
1560 Broadway
Suite 1100
New York NY 10036
Tel: 212-812-6200 X110
Tel : 212-812-6200 X x 103
Fax: 212-686-9146 iarthur@parny.com
www.parny.com
Beck Lee, MediaBlitz
Barb's PR - for all USA press enquiries beckblitz@aol.com
Tel: 718-403-0939
Douglas Yeager Productions
Barb's US Personal Representative
Tel: (001) 212-245-0240 YeagerProd@aol.com
Gaynor Crawford
Australian enquiries thingie@bigpond.net.au
ZC music and Premiere Jazz Distributors
Barb's US Record Company and distributor for Bare Again re-release www.zcmusicgroup.com
www.premierejazz.com
info@premierejazz.com
228 Maple Ridge Drive
2103 Hemlock Farms
Lords Valley, PA 18428
John Haxby Design
www.haxby.net
Jim Johnstone
Barb's web designer www.jimimon.com
Steve Ullathorne
photographer
www.steveullathorne.com
NEWS FLASH
NEWS September 2008
LIVE NEWS
Barb’s autumn begins with a welcome return to New York’s Metropolitan Room
in a highly anticipated 3 weekend
residency. ‘I Got Life’ will feature the repertoire of Nina Simone
alongside a little bit chansons, a little bit Bob Dylan
and a little bit Barb. She is accompanied in New York by the superb
musician Charlie Giordano on piano and
accordion. Having received a Nightlife Award in New York in January 2008,
Barb’s reputation in the Big Apple is
blossoming and she looks forward to seeing her many fans at the shows.
In the UK this autumn, Barb performs across the country with an appearance
at the Belfast festival, a special concert
at the Greenwich Theatre, a return to The Stables at Wavendon, and an
appearance in the London Jazz Festival at the
wonderful Vortex Jazz Bar, among others.(Check live listings to find Barb
at a venue near you and sign up to the
mailing list for a monthly update of her UK and international appearances).
Her Blue Hour’s Season begins at the
Newbury Corn Exchange with a tremendous concert featuring Barb’s great
friend and ally, award winning jazz singer
Claire Martin. And to wind up the year Barb returns to one of her favourite
venues, Komedia in Brighton, for two
Christmas Special nights.
Watch this space for details of Barb’s 2009 programme. Her February ’09
Purcell Room concert in the South Bank’s
‘International Voices’ series is already booking at
-www.southbankcentre.co.uk/music/productions/barb-jungr-09-
02-09-40090
NEW RECORD NEWS
2008 saw the release of Jungr’s new CD and 6th recording for Linn Records,
‘Just Like A Woman – Hymn to Nina’
(AKD 309). The album has had fantastic 4 star reviews “unashamedly dark’”
(The Sunday Tines) and was ‘Album of
the Week ‘ in the Independent with Tim Cummings saying “classy doesn’t even
begin to sum it up”. Featuring songs
originally sung by Nina Simone and recorded with a stunning group of
musicians including pianist and Barb’s MD
Jenny Carr, organist and multi instrumentalist Jessica Lauren, drummer
Johnny Lee, bassist Danny Thompson and
saxophonist and clarinetist Mark Lockheart. The album was produced by Barb
and legendary Blue Nile producer,
Calum Malcolm.
Order and downloaded directly from Linn records on www.linnrecords.com.
Barb has given a free podcast about the new album and her love of Nina Simone. Copy the link below and paste it into your browser, or go to www.linnrecords.com to hear the full podcast:
Barb's amazing new album,"Just Like A Woman, Hymn To Nina", is now available to download either as individual tracks or as a an entire album at linn records. Please click on the link below to hear clips and to download.
“The kind of voice that many more should get around to hearing.” (Fred Dellar – MOJO)
Just Like A Woman is Barb Jungr’s hymn to the late, great Nina Simone. This beautiful, haunting and reflective album comprises eleven songs famously interpreted by Nina Simone. For the recording, Barb surrounded herself with some of the UK’s finest musicians, including Danny Thompson on bass and Mark Lockheart on saxophone and clarinets. The songs are beautifully arranged and are performed throughout with élan and a moving lightness of touch.
Album personnel:
Jenny Carr (piano & backing vocals)
Jessica Lauren (organ, harmonicas, autoharp, mbira and backing vocals)
Danny Thompson (bass)
Johnny Lee (drums and percussion)
Mark Lockheart (saxophones and clarinets)
Barb Jungr (vocals)
Described as “one of the best interpreters of Jacques Brel and Bob Dylan anywhere on this angst-ridden planet” (David Finkle, Village Voice – NY), the iconoclastic song stylist Barb Jungr is quietly revered in the UK but her seismic talent is still vastly underexposed in her native Britain. Last September she captivated Australia during a seven-city tour that earned rave reviews and solidified her reputation there as a major artist. Barb is also going down a storm on the other side of the Atlantic and is about to return to the Big Apple for a full week of shows in January 2008. In fact, news has just come in that Barb has won the Nightlife Award for Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist – the Nightlife Awards is the only broad-based, critic-driven award show for nightlife in New York.
The release of Just Like A Woman looks set to bring Barb the greater recognition that she so rightly deserves in the UK. The album will be supported by an extensive UK tour spanning January through April 2008 and will kick off with a special 3-night launch at London’s Ronnie Scott’s. At Ronnie’s Barb will be backed by a 5-piece band, comprising her regular players Jenny Carr and Jessica Lauren who will be joined by Darren Farrugia (drums and percussion), Neville Malcolm (bass) and Mark Lockheart (saxophones and clarinets).
With Jungr’s pure, quirky, powerful voice to guide you, you’ll find a depth in these songs never previously imagined. (Kerstan Mackness, Time Out)
BARB JUNGR
JUST LIKE A WOMAN (AKD309)
12TH MARCH 2008
LINN RECORDS
For promo CDs/interviews/photos etc. please contact
Dorothy Howe
Tel: 020 8995 3920 Email: press@dorothyhowe.co.uk
Barb Jungr – Just Like A Woman
Album Tracklisting:
1. Black is the Colour/Break Down and Let it All Out
2. Just Like a Woman
3. Lilac Wine
4. Times They Are a Changing
5. Angel of the Morning
6. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
7. Keeper of the Flame
8. To Love Somebody
9. One Morning in May/The Pusher
10. Ballad of Hollis Brown
11. Feeling Good
With rave reviews internationally and two New York awards (2008 Nightlife Award for Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist and Best International Artist 2003 Backstage Award), Barb Jungr is renowned for her unique vocal style, approach to arrangements and interpretation of song. Her acclaimed releases on Linn Records and performances have brought her to the world stage and revealed her to be one of Europe's most exciting voices.
Currently touring the UK with a repertoire of songs recorded by Nina Simone, Linn Records now release her new recording, "Just Like A Woman (hymn To Nina)" (Linn AKD309). The tour began in January with a sellout season at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and the album will be officially launched at The Shaw Theatre, London in March.
Critics have compared Jungr to Nina Simone and Peggy Lee, called her "a British Edith Piaf" and "one of the best interpreters of Jacques Brel and Bob Dylan anywhere on this angst ridden planet today" (Village Voice, New York).
In 2007, she appeared at The Queen Elizabeth Hall in collaboration with the composer Mark Anthony Turnage in "About Water", which was written specifically for her voice. In 2005/6 Jungr appeared on BBC television performing at the Tribute to Bob Dylan Concert alongside Odetta, KT Tunstall and Billy Bragg. In July 2006, she was featured on a BBC One documentary Queens of Heartache - a programme about iconic female singers.
Rochdale-born and Stockport-bred, Jungr's passionate singing and extraordinary song styling has its roots in northern soul, opera and jazz - the music that informed her early years.
In the 1980s she was part of the ‘alternative cabaret' circuit performing and recording with the cult vocal harmony group The Three Courgettes. Subsequently she enjoyed a 12 year song-writing and musical partnership with blues guitarist and songwriter Michael Parker. Together, they released six albums and worked extensively on tour, radio and television with, among others, Julian Clary and Alexei Sayle.
During the early 1990s Jungr created the award winning harmony show "Hell Bent Heaven Bound" but her solo career began in earnest after she recorded "Bare" in 1999 on Irregular Records. This recording brought her to the attention of Linn Records, with whom she has now recorded six albums. Her own self-penned material also features on certain albums.
Since appearing in New York in 2002, Jungr regularly performs in the United States - especially in New York where she has a loyal following. Australia has proved an equally successful territory as illustrated by a sell-out residency at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in summer 2006, followed by an 11 date nationwide tour in 2007 further underlining her fast-growing global reputation as a leading song-stylist.
With Mari Wilson and label-mate Claire Martin she created the sell-out cabaret show "Girl Talk" whose album (Linn AKD 279) was released and launched at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London in 2006.
Jungr continues to write extensively and was the lyricist for Birmingham Stage Company's sellout version of The Jungle Book.
All Barb’s Linn recordings available as downloads - Linn records has all Barb’s recordings available as downloads in any of three formats. Check the brilliant new Linn site at www.linnrecords.com.
As well as purchasing all of Barb's Linn recordings direct from the Linn website, you can now listen to previews, download whole tracks and whole albums. Click the link below to see and hear more:
LINN RECORDS now has all Barb’s albums available as download. Check the new Linn site at www.linnrecords.com.
This page is run by Dylan Lancaster and Barb Jungr.
Screen shots of all Barb's solo albums can be seen in the photos section of this page. All the albums, except Bare, can be purchased on-line and in most record stores, especially HMV
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
www.barbjungr.com
www.linnrecords.com
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Barb is a proud supporter of Kiva.
Kiva.org allows individuals to make $25 loans to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world (microfinance). By doing so, individuals provide affordable working capital for the poor (money to buy a sewing machine, livestock, etc.), empowering them to earn their way out of poverty.
It's a new, direct and sustainable way to fight global poverty.
And we can see exactly where our money goes too, which is a good thing.
