These Things Will Come - Kate Dimbleby
Our LCM featured artist London based singer-songwriter Kate Dimbleby is the latest very good addition to the Folkstock family. London based Kate is releasing her new album 'Songbirds' today at a gig at the Now Gallery. Our LCM #TrackOfTheDay is a live looped of 'These Things They Will Come' taken from a gig at Ustinov Studio, Bath Theatre Royal on 18 Feb 2017. https://youtu.be/5z3dWzUX82w
Described by The Times as ‘One of the most versatile singers on the jazz/blues circuit.. opening up her own Third Way, part-cabaret, part pop concert’ Kate Dimbleby is a natural born performer.
Drawn to music from a young age, she grew up in a family where performing was the norm. Her father is the broadcaster David Dimbleby, and her mother was a trained classical singer. Her uncle on her mother’s side played jazz piano, trumpet and blues harp, and inspired her with his collection of gramaphone records. Her debut album 'Good Vibrations' was released by Black Box Music in 1998.
Kate’s fourth album, a collaboration with pianist Naadia Sheriff “Beware of Young Girls : the songs of Dory Previn” was chosen as one of Sunday Times Top Ten Jazz Records of 2012. The duo have played on Jools Holland’s Radio Show (R2), Woman’s Hour (R4) and this month on In Tune (R3). The live show that premiered at the Matcham Room, Leicester Square Hippodrome was directed by award-winning director Cal McCrystal and is touring the UK this year. Naadia and Kate are also featured in Nick Murphy’s new thriller “Blood” to be released in March starring Paul Bettany. Kate’s first album of original songs, “Things As They Are” is being re-released by Proper Music at the end of February.
As a jazz singer, Kate has released four albums, sold out the Festival Hall, toured internationally and appeared regularly on national radio. Her second album, Ain’t This Cosy, inspired by the life and music of Peggy Lee and recorded with the Geoff Eales trio, was released in 2000 to accompany a 50 date sell-out national tour of her one-woman show Fever! The Making of Peggy Lee, written by Lucy Powell. The show went on to tour Australia and New Zealand and Kate was asked to devise a show with the BBC Big Band at the Festival Hall in 2003 which toured theatres around the UK.
Kate and her jazz trio (“So tight they’re almost vacuum-packed” Time Out) went on to devise Music to Watch Boys By with One Man Two Guvnors/Cirque du Soleil director Cal McCrystal. A whistlestop musical tour of the Seven Ages of Man including songs by Tom Waits, Dean Martin, Elvis Costello and Queen, it had highly successful runs in London and Edinburgh and played several festivals in Australia and New Zealand.
In 2003, Kate moved to Vancouver Island with her husband where she wrote an album of original songs and rediscovered her own voice after several years of playing Peggy Lee.
Returning to the UK, the next few years were spent writing and performing her own songs, training as an Alexander Technique teacher, having two children and recording and collaborating with other artists and songwriters.
In 2009, Kate released ‘Things As They Are’, an album of original songs recorded with her original band. Featuring Malcolm Edmonstone on piano, Jonty Fisher on bass and Ben Reynolds (voted best newcomer for BBC Jazz Awards 2008). The band went on to play venues throughout the UK and at the end of 2010 Kate devised a new cabaret show ‘I’m a Woman’, a celebration of all the women singers who have inspired her, 5 years after the birth of her first daughter. The critically acclaimed show ran for 5 weeks in Hampstead and toured festivals in the UK.
One of the songs from the show, “Lady with the Braid” gained particular interest and it was this that encouraged Kate and pianist Naadia Sheriff to collaborate on ‘Beware of Young Girls : the songs of Dory Previn.
Kate began her career aged 16 as a singer in an all girl group called “The City Charmers”. The grouped busked in Covent Garden, were spotted for Sky TV’s “Star Search” and won a record deal. She honed her jazz skills as a regular singer at Birmingham jazz clubs whilst at university. Moving back to London, she quickly established herself on the jazz scene playing many of the UK’s most prestigious venues. A love of cabaret resulted in a residency as host and singer at Soho’s exclusive club Kabaret as well as frequent guest spots at Lenny Beige’s Regency Rooms and Madame Jo Jo’s in Soho.