SOLD OUT - Sunday Jazz Lunch! Kevin Fitzsimmons Sextet: Bennett to Buble - The American Songbook At It’s Best Sunday 26th June

Following two terrific sell-out shows at Ronnie Scotts, Kevin Fitzsimmons, one of the UK's classiest singers, returns with another superlative live show with his lively, talented band drawn from the cream of British Jazz musicians. They'll be performing signature gems from the American Songbook, from Bennett to Buble, plus one or two tasty jazz re-arrangements of  iconic pop and a self-penned song.  Don't miss this chance to see the Kevin Fitzsimmons Sextet perform live in London. Band: Alex Garnett (tenor sax), Simon Colam (piano), Dominic Howles (bass), Matt Fishwick (drums), Steve Fishwick (trumpet)

Biography

Being the son of a 1950′s model & a singer/pianist father, with family members who’ve acted in films with Richard Burton, Peter Sellers, Michael Caine & David Niven – & the stunt director of epic film ‘Zulu’ also in the family – meant a career in entertainment was a strong possibility for Kevin Fitzsimmons. At around the age of five he first discovered ‘the American songbook’, singing Pennies from Heaven accompanied by his father, whose constant renditions of Gershwin, Porter and Berlin were to leave an irreversible impression. By his early twenties, he found himself in the company of and performing with other like minded aficionados and their profound knowledge and musicianship helped forward his studies; they included the late American saxophonist Spike Robinson, John Critchinson (piano accompanist with Ronnie Scott at his eponymous Club) and bass player Lennie Bush – who sessioned with Frank Sinatra himself, on his album “Great Songs from Great Britain”.

Kevin Fitzsimmons has performed at a huge variety of venues ranging from world class hotels, corporate events, jazz clubs, product launches, regional theatres, stately homes, palaces & chateaux, museums, TV companies, racecourses, airshow & a premiership football match, and his long list of high-end clients is both impressive and enviable. They include media giant NBC Universal for a private party, and Anschutz Entertainment Group, owners of the 02 Arena, for a private event to celebrate their acquisition of the venue. Other media work has included: a launches/promotions for both prestige luxe brands Hermes-Paris & Louis Vuitton; vocals for the San Pellegrino ‘Dinner at Eight’ radio advertising campaign, aired in the USA; and a television advertising campaign for Price-Drop.tv. A personal highlight was being chosen by classy publishers Reel Art Press for the UK launch of their deluxe book The Rat Pack (written by bestselling U.S. author of Rat Pack Confidential Shawn Levy & described by The LA Times as "The Rolls-Royce of Sinatra memorabilia") held at Soho House, which went down so well they also booked him for their New York launch, held at trendy Soho House NY. Stars from the world of show business and sport who’ve personally booked Kevin for their own occasions include actress and EastEnders star Samantha (Janus) Womack for her celebrity-studded wedding featured in OK! Magazine, England/Liverpool footballer Glen Johnson for a charity dinner in aid of Make-A-Wish foundation, and Yorkshire/England cricketer Anthony McGrath for his ‘Question Of Sport’ Charity Dinner (hosted by England cricketer/Strictly Come Dancing winner Darren Gough). Sky Sports TV presenter (& ex-Harlequins/Wasps Rugby star) Mike Wedderburn also personally booked Kevin for his Hollywood themed Ball. Another highlight was performing for a V.V.I.P. private client who loved Sinatra, at The Ritz hotel, that was attended by H.R.H. The Prince Of Wales as well as royalty from all over Europe. One of his regrets was being unavailable when asked to perform with Dean Martin’s daughter Deana Martin in her touring UK show about the life of her father.

As well as providing entertainment at events all over the UK, Kevin & his band also manage to fit in occasional public gigs at select Jazz clubs (his Ronnie Scotts debut was sold out a month prior to the date and he’s also performed at the historic Birdland Jazz Club, off Broadway, New York) performing jazz standards as well as his own jazz arrangements of an iconic pop song or two and the odd self-penned song (the ones on his album were praised by Malcolm Laycock, former BBC Radio 2 Big Band presenter, who said “may I flatter you on the quality, both the music and the clever lyrics. I am impressed”). All of Kevin’s performances are delivered with bona fide presence and he performs effortlessly not only the less challenging songs but also the more vocally difficult.

"Wow, Kevin can really swing a song!" - Birdland Jazz Club, New York

“... I had the privilege of hearing him rehearse earlier and he was absolutely marvelous!” - Sir Trevor Macdonald

"The Marvellous Kevin Fitzsimmons" - The Stage Newspaper