MP. Hello Pete - a pleasure to be asked.
BMJ. For our members who are not familiar with your career, could you give us a potted history?
MP. Sure. I started singing jazz in Manchester at the age of 17, after a grounding of choral/church/light opera. To my tutor's dismay, instead of becoming the second Kathleen Ferrier, I was more inclined towards Bessie Smith and Mahalia Jackson! In my middle 20s I found Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day etc. Put them all in the melting pot with Ella and Sarah and that's my favourite punch! Been doing it ever since, both with my soulmate Keith and with my present band of terrific musicians. I suppose I'll keep singing 'til either no one wants to listen or the voice gives out. It's in good shape at the moment.
BMJ. Yes, I've been told that you are singing better than ever; tell us about your band.
MP. Well my line up changes, I like two guitars, drums and woodbass, fronted by a sax or trumpet. It's usually Paul Hartley and Little John Lambrick on guitars, Keith's nephew Chris Pendlebury drums, Clive Morton on bass and Art Themen on sax. However, I have had the London pianist Phil Meads in the line up and I enjoy his work very much. I also enjoy the trumpet of Gwyn Evans and incude him on some gigs.
BMJ. Have you a recent CD available and will it be on sale at the gig?
MP. Our latest offering is 'At 60 Something', The line up is the two guitars drums bass and Art Themen, I'm very pleased with the result, good tunes, listenable jazz and Art is just the best! The CD is £12 and will be on sale at the gig.
BMJ. A little birdie tells me you have just returned from a tour?
MP. I went to the Stavanger Jazz Festival in Norway in January with Mart Rogers Manchester Jazz. The members of the band are all old friends that Keith and I played with the Zenith Six before we came to live in Wales. We played four concerts and a Gospel programme in the Cathedral with a 100 strong male voice choir, fantastic!
BMJ. What have you lined up for the Summer, are you playing Brecon?
MP. A few gigs here and there, from Dorset to Griffithstown to Abersoch for the Jazz Festival. Of course I'm playing Brecon, I'm part of the furniture at the Castle! It's going to be a busy summer fitting the Jazz in with my other love, 'my horses', lots of Display and film work coming up. Our Stallion is being used to model the horses and unicorns in the new Narnia Film, so thats going to be interesting.
BMJ. Talking of Brecon I remember the first time I saw you and Keith it was at the Wellington Hotel, Brecon - that was the start of a long association with Abergavenny; long may it continue!
MP. Brecon has a special place in my heart, and I have many fond memories of Abergavenny. I always feel at home in South Wales, where the jazz fans have become real friends.
BMJ. Well it's been a great pleasure talking to you Marcia, I for one can't wait until the 18th March.
MP. Neither can I!
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Black Mountain Jazz would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to pianist Keith Pendlebury, husband and soulmate of Marcia, who died suddenly on tour in 2002. Fond memories of many great jazz evenings in local pubs, such as the now legendary Coach and Horses sessions, the Borough Theatre and Jazz at the Castle.
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Stop Press. John Gibbon, the well-known local drummer who for many years worked with Keith and Marcia (amongst many others), will be playing drums on Sunday evening, as Chris Pendlebury is unavailable.
Recent reviews of Marcia's current CD At 60 Something - available direct from Marcia's website.
Jazz UK
Dedicated by Marcia to her late husband Keith Pendlebury - 'his musical legacy lives on' - this 14 track album of standards serves as a loving testament to a matchless relationship and features the tasteful musical expression of not only the legendary Art, but also a talented team of John Lambrick, Paul Roberts, Paul Hartley and close relative Chris Pendlebury. This recording is a very relaxed affair, with each player giving the others generous time and space to add elegant flourishes between the mature and mellow tones of Marcia's vocals. Having sung professionally for over forty years, Marcia brings a quality to these songs that a less experienced artist would struggle to equal, and is reminiscent of Bessie Smith at her best. A particular high point is Robin and Rainger’s Easy Living, with its cool guitar runs and deep blue saxlines. A very special production.
The Musician
In discussions about our best jazz singers, the name of Marcia Pendlebury is all too often overlooked. She nevertheless remains one of our most popular performers and belongs up there with the best, as this new CD demonstrates. From the raw intensity of 'Body and Soul' to the wistful nostalgia of 'I'll Be Seeing You", Marcia Pendlebury invests each song with emotional depth, and on uptempo swingers still conveys a compelling sense of involvement. Adding much to the proceedings is saxophonist Art Themen, constantly spinning his sinuous, endlessly inventive lines and providing just the right degree of contrast to Marcia's soulful vocals. The guitar pairing of John Lambrick and Paul Hartley provides a distinctive setting, while bassist Paul Roberts and drummer Chris Pendlebury ensure that the essential quality of swing is always there when needed.