'Speakeasy' showcase & open mic
Guest Artists
1 x 3 song set
Calypso
singer-songwriter
Calÿpso is an instrumentalist and singer-songwriter from the southwest of England. She started writing songs at eleven to find some catharsis in the shadow of growing up queer. Rather than relying on one particular genre, voice or emotion, Calÿpso’s songs range in tone from joy to heartbreak, angst to gratitude, anger to relief.
In 2021 she released her debut EP, ‘I Don’t Know What This Is’. She also dabbles in production and mixing. When she’s not writing or performing, she enjoys small beers, long walks, and having a good cry.
Jnr Williams
singer-songwriter
Jnr Williams was born and raised in East London and comes from an artistically creative family where his siblings were painters, graphic and fashion designers alike. It was R&B that first caught his ear but through his grandmother he found jazz, which began to intrigue him further.
Williams studied music at the British Academy of New Music; not long after leaving formal education his artistry began to develop as a recording artist and songwriter. “I’m a quiet person and introverted so my music is very exposed. For me, the environment I was in growing up and being a black man where we’re told not to express emotion was tough. The songs I write expose that and they don’t shy away from that expression,” he says.
Williams’ love for simplicity is why he prefers his voice and songwriting to do the work. “I love voices and how a tone can tell a story,” he notes. Contemporary artists such as James Blake, Moses Sumney and The Weeknd have also allowed Williams to open up his imagination and shape his sound, combining his early jazz influences with a contemporary feel.
Rory Wilkinson
singer-songwriter
East London-based singer-songwriter Rory Wilkinson crafts melancholic, heartfelt tales, pep talks and memoirs penned from the perspective of different aspects of himself, his emotions, vices, places and people around him.
He delivers his thoughts via a powerful and soulful voice in a raw, indie, bluesy style, drawing influences from Nina Simone, Jeff Buckley, Radiohead and Nick Drake.
Alissia
singer-songwriter
Alissia is a London-based singer-songwriter with Martinican and Italian roots. She was born in Rome and hails from a family of talented musicians. Playful yet introspective, her melodic style reflects her love for r&b, soul and blues. She writes for, and leads a solo piano and small group project.
The Paracosomos
band
Singer-songwriter, guitarist and bandleader Jonathan Ip met Joe Nichols (Nimbus Sextet, Acid Jazz Records) at the University of Edinburgh a decade ago, and formed a friendship based on their mutual love of mixing genres. After playing together in numerous projects, and developing a strong musical bond, they formed The Paracosmos, a blending of folk, funk, jazz and storytelling.
Joe’s strong foundation in writing and performing across the UK and Europe in the jazz and funk realms, coupled with Jonathan’s interdisciplinary background in theatre, writing, and folk create a unique and distinctive world of colourful music and diverse voices.
The band performs as a duo, where core players Jonathan and Joe play acoustic sets and incorporate spoken word and narrative into the performance. They are joined in larger spaces and on their recordings by bassist Stefan Celosia and drummer Peru Eizagirre, who bring a unique energy and substance to these performances, and add dimension to the funk and jazz elements of the music.
Speakeasy
2nd Nov 2022
The Spice of Life
6 Moor St, Soho
London, W1D 5NA
Doors: 19.00
Entry: Free
the acoustic sessions