The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Sunday 18th November 2012

Jess Morgan is a singer-songwriter who is steadily building a name for herself in roots and folk music at home and away. Accompanied by acoustic guitar Jess’s style has been likened to that of the classic east then west coast song-crafters of the 1970s but with her own distinguishable voice – and often a distinctly British subject matter. Songs are peppered with influence from both Jess’s Welsh and English heritage; Jess supplies a fresh new twist on well worn fables; yet other story-songs spring from a keen and prolific imagination.

Recorded with musical friends and collaborators in Bergen, Norway, Jess self-released her debut album, ‘All Swell’, to notable acclaim in 2010. Since then, extensive touring outside the UK has seen Jess gain an international fanbase playing regular shows in Norway, Germany and Holland. At home Jess has earned her place supporting with the likes of First Aid Kit, Chris Wood and Megson and well as playing at clubs and venues up and down the UK.

Funded by Fans and the centrepiece of a Pledge Music Campaign, Jess released her second album ‘Aye Me’ in the Spring of 2012. ‘Aye Me’ was quickly championed by BBC Radio 2’s Steve Lamacq, Folk Radio UK and BBC Wales’s Frank Hennessey. The album’s launch was celebrated with a sold out show in Jess’s home-town of Norwich and was backed up by UK headline tour and a support tour with Paper Aeroplanes.

This Autumn Jess embarks on a two week tour in Germany before heading out on an ambitious tour of the UK including support slots of established acts and headline shows over November and December. Jess will be promoting a video EP featuring live intimate performances of her songs filmed at 'Old Merchants House' on Great Yarmouth's historic South Quay; and a music video for 'Aye Me' favourite 'Every Day A School Day.'

‘ Gorgeous country folk ’ – the guardian
‘ Simply stunning ’ – folk radio UK
‘ Beautifully crafted original songs ’ – Fish records
‘ Vivid original imagery and a gently plaintive voice make this album a treat ’ – fROOTS Magazine
‘ Every so often you come across a little gem like this! ’ Steve Lamacq , BBC Radio 2

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A conveniently timed simultaneous purchase of guitars at the age of 15 by best friends Katie Perfect and Amy Squirrell could only mean one thing – overzealous music making. The Kent based acoustic duo is built around many things: a mutual love of all things eccentric; the desire to make and promote their own music; countless in-jokes, but most of all a shared compulsion to create coupled with the inability to control their own musical enthusiasm.

The wonderful world of KP and Squizz is inhabited by Squizz’s acoustic guitar, cello, keyboard, ukulele, stylophone, kazoo and shakey egg, and KP’s basses, trumpet and tambourine. This magical collection of instruments creates a sound world roughly described the band and admirers alike as alternative indie folk, “harmonious and pleasing, downright enjoyable music.” Being both classically trained from a young age the girls also like to inject their love for good old-fashioned traditional music into their songs, as well as taking influence from all areas of the musical spectrum with favourite genres being folk, blues, rock ‘n’ roll and even ska, but to name a few, all while retaining their distinct ‘home-grown’ sound. KP and Squizz are both songwriters who combine the reckless fumbling of adolescence with the more sophisticated pursuits of adulthood to create their unique sound, both in their painstakingly honest lyrics and their music, which can be both toe-tapping and heart-wrenching. Neither of the two is ashamed to declare their love for Fleetwood Mac.

The band’s humble beginnings occurred in their music practice rooms at school, where with a lot of determination and a good few Greenday covers with which to get started, KP and Squizz established their guitar skills and quickly developed a passion for writing songs of their own. In their youth, the band spent many months recording interpretations of favourite songs and of their own music in KP’s study, with nothing but a webcam microphone and free recording software, and in bedrooms of friends alike – a beautiful disarray of background noise and feedback, but nevertheless the precursor to exciting things to come. As far as performing was concerned, the Tunbridge Wells Forum provided much opportunity, and the band gained a great deal of their experience thanks to this wonderful venue. As time went on they managed to branch out across West Kent performing in bars and pubs. KP and Squizz have been known to collaborate with old friends and members of the Kent-based dance-rock alternative post-blues indie-jazz pop band ZIGO to further enhance their onstage experience to form the imaginatively named KP and Squizz and Friends. Look out for the motley collective in the Christmas, Easter and summer university breaks, when things really start to get exciting!

Nowadays KP lives and studies ancient history and archaeology in Leicester, whilst Squizz works towards her music degree in Brighton. Writing songs is a continuous pursuit for both members of the band, and they have begun to perform in both cities as regularly as they can. Now all that remains is to break London very soon!

The band happily signed with Sevenoaks-based label Blizzard Records in the spring of 2010, and is hoping to make it big within the next year and a half or so to avoid the fiscal crush of tuition fees. They released their debut EP (modestly titled, ‘KP and Squizz EP’) with Blizzard in October 2010, available for purchase at any time from the band, Blizzard Records (see link), at live shows or from Amazon, iTunes and many other good eTailers. They are currently in and out of the studio like busy bees recording their debut album, set to be released in the summer of 2011.

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Born with left side Microtia, Nick picked up the guitar from his folk playing parents when he was seven years old. 

His uncle played drums with Suzi Quatro in the seventies, so music has always run in the family. 

Nick started to sing and produce his own songs at eighteen having honed his blues, rag finger style and soulful rocky tones. 

He ran a studio for three years and in 2013, now with time to focus on himself as an artist, released his debut EP followed by his debut album early 2015. 

Nick aims to be out and about more than he ever has been, to promote himself, record label, charities and good music. More info online.

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