British Jazz artist Pepi Lemer performs songs from her album, Back2Front. The album is an explosive mix of Latin percussion, jazz improvisation and songs from around the world including compositions from the great Pat Metheny, with lyrics written by Pepi. As a backing singer in the late 60s and 70s, Pepi worked with and alongside The Beatles, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and Duanne Eddy with Art of Noise. Along with the bassist Jeff Clyne, Pepi created the legendary jazz fusion group Turning Point, with her unique vocalese style of singing. The band became Britain’s No. 1 jazz fusion group and released two acclaimed albums, and toured with many jazz artists including Chick Corea and Horace Silver. Pepi went on to work with jazz artists including Kenny Wheeler, John Dankworth, John Surman, Stan Tracy, Mike Gibbs, Arturo Sandeval, Barbara Thompson, Ian Carr and Gary Husband. Parallel to her work in jazz, Pepi has had a successful career as a vocal coach and has taught the Spice Girls as well as other well-known groups and personalities from actress Jennifer Saunders to presenter Graham Norton.
Press quotes
‘Back2front expresses a full range of Latin rhythms and exciting, punchy instrumental solos, sometimes avant-garde, sometimes feeling more familiar. The vocals of Pepi Lemer demonstrate her accuracy, fluency, and musical ability. She uses her voice with absolute precision, mastering its control as any true musician aspires to do. I liked the album more on the second listening and even more on the third.’
Bridget Metcalfe – BBC Eastern Counties
“Exciting tunes, atmospheric lyrics, sensitive production, fine solos from a very classy bunch of players, and the agility of Pepi Lemer’s fast vocals and improv bring back many fond memories from when I last heard her perform in what must have been the 1970s. Her inventiveness and the energy of that unison-melody sound I remember from Turning Point still sounds as vivacious as back then. Can it really have been THAT long ago?”
John Fordham
Band
Pete Lemer piano
Paul Robinson drums
Geoff Gascoyne bass
Derek Nash sax
Nathan Bray trumpet
Gary Hammond perc
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