{"id":1365,"date":"2013-07-08T11:54:24","date_gmt":"2013-07-08T10:54:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/?page_id=1365"},"modified":"2020-07-01T10:38:42","modified_gmt":"2020-07-01T09:38:42","slug":"singers-of-distinction-2013-reviews","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/reviews\/singers-of-distinction-2013-reviews\/","title":{"rendered":"Singers of Distinction 2013 – reviews"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Reviews of the Singers of Distinction 2013<\/h1>\n

The final show of the 2013 series was held on Wednesday 21st August. The series has finished for this year. We are now inviting comments on the 2013 series as a whole – so please give us your feedback.
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

Scroll down for reviews, photos and videos of each night.<\/p>\n

Read our overview of the 2013 Singers of Distinction<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Download biographies for all the artists who have performed at these shows:<\/p>\n

Singers of Distinction Artist biogs for July 7th<\/p>\n

Singers of Distinction Artist biogs for July 10th<\/p>\n

Singers of Distinction Artist biogs for July 21st<\/p>\n

Singers of Distinction Artist biogs for 24th July<\/p>\n

Singers of Distinction Artist biogs for 14th August<\/p>\n

Singers of Distinction Artist biogs for 21st August<\/p>\n

Reviews are in descending order<\/p>\n

Wednesday 21st August<\/h2>\n
\"\"
Nancy Dawkins at the Music Caf\u00e9. 3rd Feb 2017.
Photo: Keith Jobey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nancy Dawkins<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nancy Dawkins is a singer-songwriter from Leicester. \u00a0\u201cNancy Dawkins… her voice is to die for and her writing craft is phenomenal” (Dean Jackson, BBC Radio, quoted in The Monograph, Nov 2011.) Her debut single Smoke\/Inadequate<\/i> was released in June 2011 and is already getting regular radio plays, including on BBC Radio 2\u2032s Steve Lamacq show. Tonight, Nancy’s velvety voice filled the room with the sumptuous sounds of her songs … a voice with rich sonority and sparkling vocal technique, backed by intricate guitar picking and striking lyrics that are full of imagery. An outstanding songwriter, Nancy’s set, comprising mainly her own original songs but with a cover, \u00a0delighted the audience. You can find songs by Nancy Dawkins on iTunes, Spotify and Amazon. Her song Poison<\/em> is available on Vinyl and CD.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Watch this video of Nancy Dawkins performing at tonight’s show<\/a>\u00a0and another video<\/a><\/p>\n

Visit Nancy Dawkin’s website.<\/p>\n

The Skunk Boy Project<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Singer<\/a>
Singer Nate Swettenham<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Singer and songwriter Nate Swettenham has established himself as a popular and much-admired artist on the Leicester music scene. The Melton Mowbray based singer opened with his hall-mark Ukulele. An artist of outstanding originality, Nate captivated the audience with his unusual music style and ear-pleasing songs. Nate’s career has gone from strength to strength as recognition of his musical talents has grown. Nate played at the Summer Sundae festival in 2012, has appeared on Dean Jackson’s The Beat<\/em> programme and in the UnPlugged series of shows for vocalists; he has been aptly described as\u00a0<\/strong>‘a little bit of musical sunshine.’<\/p>\n

His distinctive and original songs are in a niche not occupied by many other artists. \u00a0Nate’s rich voice and lyrics imbued with humour made his performance immediate and enjoyable, laden with charm. Nate performed Dear Lord<\/em>, “… a conversation with God” with its jaunty melody and memorable chorus Lord Make My Life Easy – \u00a0<\/em>to which God replies with wisdom, making this one of Nate’s remarkable songs. Moving over to the keyboard, Nate demonstrated his impressive musical talents, delivering some of his “love songs and anti-love songs” and finishing with “a song I wrote this morning.” \u00a0Brilliant.<\/p>\n

You can hear some of The Skunk Boy Project’s songs on Soundcloud<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow The Skunk-Boy Project on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Carlos Stein<\/strong><\/p>\n

Three years ago, Carlos Stein made his music debut in this very venue. Since then this highly unusual and iconic artist has attracted a wide audience from Leicester’s music scene. \u00a0Opening with his song New Age Highwayman<\/em>, \u00a0the writer of satirical lyrics and one-man-band, launched into his repertoire that has established him as the avant-garde of alternative music. Deftly working a bewildering array of pedal loops with consummate ease, Carlos sang about a life With or Without\u00a0<\/em>Drugs and alcohol, \u00a0 before launching into two of the songs that have attracted an appreciative following – Big Fat Bankers<\/em> and Fast Food<\/em>. Carlos has produced a range of EPs and albums over the past three years and you will not find much that is remotely similar. Carlos is at his most invective when taking on the failings of the establishment but he is not beyond tackling the weaknesses of everyday folk, as he does in his song about cyclists kicking cars or a slovenly lodger who will not go away. \u00a0With his holster of harmonics, Carlos also demonstrated that he is one of the most remarkable exponents of this instrument.<\/p>\n

Watch Carlos Stein performing Big Fat Funky Dub<\/em><\/a> | and Bad Boys<\/em><\/a> |<\/p>\n

Follow Carlos Stein on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Simpletones<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"The
The Simpletones at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Introducing The Simpletones, the announcer said: “I have lost count how many times I have seen them, but every time I can’t wait to see them again.” Every time you see a set by The Simpletones, they do something new, alongside delivering some of their much-loved numbers, like Brown Eyed Girl.\u00a0<\/em>The four singers have put themselves into the forefront of harmony in the local area and also have won themselves a place in the national ranking for Barbershop. The Simpletones is one of the defining acts of the Leicester music scene in 2013, a group that has brought the vibrant delights of this vocal tradition to their home town in a way that is unrivalled by any others.<\/p>\n

On stage, they are not only incredibly good singers but also a very amusing and entertaining bunch of guys. \u00a0At one point they abandoned their microphones at the performance end of the room and took up their positions on a vacant sofa, still singing impeccably; walking through the audience, singing in the middle of the room, their harmonisation was perfect and sounded equally as good when totally ‘unplugged.’<\/p>\n

They introduced a new item into their repertoire when they sang Bastille’s Pompeii<\/em>, \u00a0‘… and the walls kept tumbling down\/in the city that we love’, before going into one of their most-loved numbers, Sting’s Englishman in New York<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Simpletones were on top form tonight, delivering an impressive performance of totally enjoyable music, with technical wizardry and a plentiful helping of good humour. Watch out for their new single, coming out soon. Magic.<\/p>\n

Watch a video of The Simpletones performing at tonight’s show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow The Simpletones on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Samuel Hutchinson<\/strong><\/p>\n

Singer Sam Hutchinson opened with one of my favourite songs from his collection – \u00a0Only Yesterday –\u00a0<\/em> with its lovely lilting melody and engaging words. With his highly pleasing voice and cool style, Sam sang beautifully, capturing mood and emotion with considerable finesse; his songs are full of richly woven chords and colours, threading together dark, bright and shimmering vocal lines into a cloth of ear-pleasing delights.<\/p>\n

Flashback, Sam Hutchinson performing in July 2011<\/p>\n

‘Sam is blessed with one of the finest male voices you can hear in our local cadre of singers. What he does with it, is to deploy it as a finely tuned instrument. Backing his singing with able guitar playing, he can deliver a set of transportingly lovely pieces of music – <\/em>Arts in Leicester magazine.<\/em><\/p>\n

Follow Sam Hutchinson on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You can hear some of Sam Hutchinson’s songs on his Myspace page.<\/p>\n

Watch a video of Sam Hutchinson performing at tonight’s show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Alex Van Roose<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Alex
Alex Van Roose at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The evening was ably closed off by the upbeat set of indie songs from singer and songwriter Alex Van Roose who bounced off his set with a foot-tapping opener. \u00a0Having received plaudits from the likes of Huw Stevens, Zane Lowe and\u00a0\u00a0Jo Whiley, Alex has dominated the band song scene in Leicester for several years. \u00a0His abilities as a solo artist are less known but no less significant, and Alex’s bright and sparky performance, of some of his own songs and covers, \u00a0showed how he is s singer with a sound of his own. “Let’s have a sing-song”, he chirped as he revved up the audience before going on to leading them in the Monkee’s I’m a believer<\/em>. \u00a0Alex sang one of Midnight Wire’s songs: Excuses,<\/em> getting the room involved in the choruses. What we saw tonight was ‘Rooster’ the entertainer. \u00a0Whether leading people in The Stroke’s Last Nite<\/em> or Midnight Wire’s Wait for me<\/em>, Alex shows he can work a crowd. It was a wonderful ending to a night of very fine quality music and the last song in this year’s series of Singers of Distinction.<\/p>\n

Follow Alex Van Roose on Facebook<\/a> | and Midnight Wire<\/a><\/p>\n

Watch a video of Alex Van Roose performing at tonight’s show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How to sum up tonight? \u00a0Might I borrow a couple of lines from the great Jon Landau: \u00a0‘For every moment I remember there are a dozen I\u2019ve forgotten, but I feel like they are with me on a night like this, a permanent part of my consciousness, a feeling lost on my mind but never on my soul. And then there are those individual experiences so transcendent that I can remember them as if they happened yesterday: ‘ and here there are several I can list and the performances of Alex Van Roose, The Simpletones, Steve Faulkner, Nuala and Leo Kai would be among them.<\/p>\n

Read our overview of the 2013 series<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wednesday 14th August<\/h2>\n

Aaron Stratton<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
Aaron Stratton at The Barley Mow Dec 12<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coldplay’s Yellow<\/em> was the song chosen by young singer Aaron Stratton to open his set at the start of the show. Aaron is a \u00a0singer who has appeared regularly at shows and open-mic nights in Leicester and at county venues; he has also been a lead vocalist in a band and is one of the most promising vocalists of his age-group. Other songs in tonight’s set-list included those by Mumford & Sons, Linkin Park, Two Door Cinema Club and Snow Patrol. Using plenty of expression and feeling, Aaron delivered his songs confidently with good articulation and inflexion, being able to capture both sensitivity and power where it was needed.<\/p>\n

Watch a video of Aaron Stratton performing at this show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow Aaron Stratton on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Leo Kai<\/strong><\/p>\n

We first saw Leo Kai at the obsUnplugged earlier this year when he particularly impressed us with his interpretation of Maroon Five’s PayPhone<\/em>, a song that he performed again tonight. \u00a0An artist with a strong presence, Leo delivered a sensationally good set which wow’d the room. \u00a0Backing himself on the guitar with intricate picking of his strings, Leo also demonstrated the range and power of his vocal abilities. \u00a0Leo has recently released an EP, details of which are on his Facebook page. Whether singing his own songs or his personal takes on covers. \u00a0 Leo comes across as an engaging and highly talented artist; \u00a0his set was described to me, \u00a0by one of the industry reps, \u00a0as “brilliant.”<\/p>\n

Watch a video of Leo Kai performing at this show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow LeoKai on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Rosie Doyle<\/strong><\/p>\n

Singer and songwriter Rosie Doyle is a well-known artist on the Leicester circuits and despite her rather “croaky voice” tonight, \u00a0she delivered a delightful set of songs; \u00a0as she said, “… just drink wine and get on with it.” \u00a0Offering an engaging set of songs, accompanied by intricate string work, \u00a0Rosie’s set conveyed plenty of feeling in a performance that was characterful and consistently enchanting, her lyrics eloquent and her stage manner relaxed and confident.<\/p>\n

Watch a video of Rosie Doyle performing at this show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow Rosie Doyle on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nuala<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Nuala
Nuala at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Singer, songwriter Nuala appeared in the last year’s Singers of Distinction series but has made such considerable progress in her career that we were pleased to see her return to this year’s series. \u00a0As soon as Nuala started her set, \u00a0the difference in her style was apparent; her remarkable voice was impressively powerful and her songs had impact and immediacy. \u00a0Nuala’s selection of original songs and covers made for an enjoyable performance and, accompanied by skilful string-work on the guitar, \u00a0it was altogether a very remarkable performance. Nuala has an EP coming out soon.<\/p>\n

Watch a video of Nuala performing at the show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow Nuala on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Steve Faulkner<\/strong><\/p>\n

An established and well-known singer, Steve Faulkner had been a front man in a rock band, before launching his career as a solo artist. Performing a set of his own songs and a cover, Steve delivered an exhilarating set, demonstrating his incredibly powerful voice and immense capacity for emotion and expression. \u00a0Steve sang a song from his albums Breakaway<\/em> and \u00a0Jigsaw Man<\/em>, details of which are on Spotify and his Facebook page. Tonight Steve demonstrated both his skills as a talented songwriter and as a vocalist and guitar player, in a performance that sparkled with energy, passion and drama. Steve delighted the audience with his own version of Billie Jean<\/em>, which is always a great pleasure to witness and always impressive in the depth and originality of its interpretation.<\/p>\n

Watch a video of Steve Faulkner performing at the show<\/a>\u00a0| and another one<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow Steve Faulkner on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Chikka Moyo<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bringing tonight’s show to a close, Chikka Moyo brought per sumptuous voice to the microphone and gave a set of songs that had immediate appeal. Chikka sang a song from her upcoming EP, wielding her voice with subtlety and strength. Having opened with a cover from Fleetwood Mac, Chikka delivered upbeat and vibrant songs from her forthcoming album Flames<\/em>\u00a0and her individual renditions of cover songs from her favourite artists.<\/p>\n

Follow Chikka Moyo on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Altogether a night of impressive singing and musical skill.<\/p>\n

Wednesday 24th July<\/h2>\n

What a great night! \u00a0The music was massively good and quite a few people turned up to enjoy some of the best vocalists in Leicester\/shire.<\/p>\n

The night was launched by Liv Armon<\/strong>, accompanied by guitarist Olly Stabler<\/strong>. \u00a0Both of them are in the Leicester band Satellite Empire. Liv started the set-list with an upbeat and vibrant song from the band’s EP. Armon’s finely toned voice was a joy to listen too and she sang with plenty of expression. With a varied set of songs, Liv’s set was strongly appreciated by those in the room who loved the good performance and highly enjoyable singing. Follow Liv Armon on Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and Satellite Empire<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Liv Armon accompanied by Olly Stabler:\u00a0Watch their performance on Youtube<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Liv
Liv Armon at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

R ‘n B singer Matthew Richards<\/strong> started his set by covering Labrinth’s Earthquake. \u00a0<\/em>Richards has been a successful recording artist for some time, now being signed to Mor Music Group. Accompanied by guitarist Darren Moulds (Velocity band), \u00a0Richards delivered a vibrant and very enjoyable set of songs, displaying his rich timbre vocals and engaging sense of rhythm. \u00a0Strong on vocal technique, his set drew an enthusiastic response from the audience. Follow Matthew Richards on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

Matthew Richards accompanied by Darren Moulds:\u00a0Watch his performance on Youtube<\/a><\/p>\n

It was gratifying to see singer, songwriter Ash Francis<\/strong> take to the stage because he has been busy with other things of late and his performances have been few and far between. His set of own songs and covers demonstrated his very listenable voice. \u00a0Francis started his set with his own song World on my Shoulders<\/em>, a resoundingly good start which was followed by some impressive interpretations of covers and solidly skilled guitar playing. Francis knows how to select just the right covers to suit his voice and style of singing. He finished with a cover by Fleetwood Mac. \u00a0Follow Ash Francis on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ashley Francis:\u00a0Watch his performance on Youtube<\/a><\/p>\n

T<\/a>he duo Binge and Bates<\/strong>, singer Andy Bates and guitarist David Binge, kept the mojo of the night going with a set of well performed and thoroughly enjoyable songs. Bate’s strong and characterful voice had plenty of resonance and their set had many compelling, foot-tapping numbers that wow’d the audience. Their cover of a Radiohead song was particularly notable and gave Bates a chance to demonstrate the extraordinary range of his voice. They got the audience clapping along to one of their songs and ended to an enthusiastic ovation from the crowd. Follow Binge and Bates on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Binge and Bates: \u00a0Watch their performance on Youtube<\/a><\/p>\n

The night was roundly completed by James Byron Norval<\/strong>, whose set was delivered with considerable colour and style. \u00a0Singing some of his own songs, Norval showed everyone what a fantastic voice he has and how he can pump out plenty of mood and emotion. \u00a0Norval concluded his set with his take on Janice Joplin’s Cry Baby<\/em>. Follow James Byron Norval on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

James Byron Norval:\u00a0Watch his performance on Youtube<\/a><\/p>\n

Sunday 21st July<\/h2>\n
\"\"
Nile Kaemon McGregor at the Soundhouse. 22nd February 2018.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nile McGregor<\/p>\n

Singer and songwriter Nile McGregor <\/strong>launched his set with a resounding opening number, delivering his songs with plenty of style and character. \u00a0Nile was an engaging singer with an attention-grabbing set of songs. \u00a0Nile brings himself<\/em> to the microphone – what we see and hear is the character and person behind the mic-stand.<\/p>\n

Watch Nile McGregor performing on Takeover Radio<\/a>\u00a0| Follow Nile McGregor on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Theo Miller<\/strong><\/p>\n

Theo Miller<\/strong> is another songwriter with a \u00a0talent for lyricism; his lyrics tell a story and he delivers them with style and feeling. His words have depth, particularly Anatomically<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Lullaby, <\/em>which “is about waking up next to someone.” \u00a0In the intimate setting of the Exchange bar, it was easy to see the person behind the songs and to really hear them. \u00a0Theo’s songs have an intimacy and delicacy that weave enchantment. Flat Line<\/em>\u00a0was a song that he sang at his performance at the Riverside festival, earlier this year. It was clear that he really enjoyed performing his songs. Theo is an established artist with a strong track record of live work and has a knack of painting striking images with his lyrics.<\/p>\n

Follow Theo Miller on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Becky Edwards<\/p>\n

The beautiful guitar picking of\u00a0Becky Edwards<\/strong>, combined with her wonderfully clear voice, were used with skill to bring her vocal crafts to the audience. \u00a0Her pitch-perfect voice had an amazing range as she reached astonishingly high notes. \u00a0At times enchanting, at others upbeat and uplifting, Becky came with no shortage of spell-binding material.<\/p>\n

Follow Becky Edwards on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wednesday 10th July<\/h2>\n
\"Dan
Dan Wright at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At our second show, Dan Wright<\/strong> opened the evening with a set of his own songs, delivering them in a strong, clear voice using a range of techniques. His songs were upbeat and vibrant, good on attack and impact. Singing with commitment, Wright articulated his lyrics clearly and used his voice to good effect. If he had a weakness then it was that he rarely looked directly at the audience – it’s the eye contact that makes the connection.<\/p>\n

Watch Dan Wright performing one of his songs at tonight’s show<\/a> (video by Kevin Gaughan)<\/p>\n

Follow Dan Wright on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Beth
Beth Pearce at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sixteen-year-old Beth Pearce<\/strong> was the youngest artists to appear so far but he performance was impressive. \u00a0Her strong clear voice was used with plenty of effects to deliver a confident performance and Pearce showed that she could command a range of vocal techniques. \u00a0There is clearly a lot of talent here and we will watch her future career with interest.<\/p>\n

Watch Beth Pearce performing at tonight’s show<\/a> (video by Kevin Gaughan)<\/p>\n

Follow Beth Pearce on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Ian
Ian Bourne at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An experienced singer, Ian Bourne<\/strong> is someone we have seen several times before, including his recent appearance at the Hinckley Music festival. With his extensive repertoire\u00a0of songs and experienced stage presence, Bourne delivered a highly enjoyable set of his own songs and covers. His song about Zombies (sung from their<\/em> point of view) reveals his sense of humour and was saw how he could easily connect with his audience and draw them into his performance.<\/p>\n

Watch Ian Bourne performing one of his songs at the show tonight<\/a> (video by Kevin Gaughan)<\/p>\n

Follow Ian Bourne on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

\"jonezy
Rapper Jonezy at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first rap artist to appear on these shows, Jonezy<\/strong> gave us one of his animated performances, articulating his own original songs in which he delivered strong stagecraft. \u00a0As an act Jonezy stood out because he goes down well with a crowd of up to 1000 people as well as he did tonight in a small room. Jonezy is a showman<\/em>, an act, someone who always makes a lot of effort to pull people in, to connect with them throughout his performance; he plays to<\/em> the crowd, he lived his lyrics, his act is a piece of musical theatre. He not so much sings his pieces as acts them. Including him in a series called Singers<\/em> of Distinction was a challenging decision and Jones would be first to admit that he isn’t much of a singer but, even so, his set tonight was enjoyable and he demonstrated something vital about the art of solo performance in music – presence.<\/p>\n

Watch this video of Jonezy performing at the show tonight<\/a> (by Kevin Gaughan)<\/p>\n

Follow Jonezy on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Rhett
Rhett Barrow at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are few songwriters in Leicester to equal Rhett Barrow; <\/strong>his\u00a0powers of song-writing are legendary. If anyone is a singer of distinction<\/em> – Barrow certainly is. On stage we see the person behind the song, we see character. \u00a0What brings the music to us is, with Barrow as much as with Jonezy, the personality behind the mic. \u00a0Some of his songs are amongst the most memorable you will have heard on the Leicester music scene. His lyrics are strikingly meaningful and his melodies sticky – they stay in the head. Barrow is incomparable.<\/p>\n

Follow Rhett Barrow on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

Scroll down for earlier dates<\/p>\n

Sunday 7th July<\/h2>\n

Our series of shows, launched at the Exchange Bar tonight, with three artists: \u00a0Meri Everitt, Ravel Lumba and Samuel Idwal<\/p>\n

Meri Everitt<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Meri
Meri Everett at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Meri is a singer and songwriter who also performs with her band Flying Kangaroo Alliance. Meri was brought up by folk musician parents and started writing songs at the age of nine. She is currently based in Leicester and won 1st place in the 2009 Leicestershire sunflower songwriting competition, more recording time and the opening show at ‘The Big Session’ folk festival. She has also had the track ‘Lonely’ remixed by UK hardcore legend DJ Sy which hit No.2 in the UK Hardcore charts and was played on BBC Radio 1.<\/p>\n

See Meri Everett on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

Ravel Lumba<\/h2>\n
\"Ravel
Ravel Lumba at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ravel Lumba lives in Leicester. Earlier this year he performed at The Riverside festival and is set to appear at Strawberry Fields festival later this year. His quirky songs marked him out when we saw him perform earlier this year at The Looking Glass. ‘… this vibrant singer delivered his songs with great articulation and plenty of style. A Dylan-esq style at times, his idiosyncratic last song was about a fish in a fridge! Marinate Me was an amusing but bitter-sweet song that showed off Ravel’s individuality as a songwriter {Arts in Leicester)<\/p>\n

Ravel Lumba on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

Samuel Idwal<\/h2>\n
\"samuel
Samuel Idwal at Singers of Distinction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sam Jones (stage name Samuel Idwal) is a singer and songwriter who now lives in Leicester but was previously in Durham where he was at University. Sam has tracks up now and has performed several times at live events in Leicester and has been broadcast on local radio. \u00a0Since moving to Leicester three months back, Samuel has been putting his Ancient History degree to grand use by whole-heartedly pursuing his music and avoiding paying Student Loans a penny, focusing instead on writing and performing intricate and balanced folk-influenced songs.<\/p>\n

Samuel Idwal on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

See also:<\/p>\n

Singers of Distinction main page<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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The final show of the current season was \u00a0held on \u00a0Wednesday 21st August. See our reviews of the Singers of Distinction shows 2013\u00a0where you will be\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"sam idwal","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/samuelidwall_radioLeicester2.jpg?fit=600%2C462&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/samuelidwall_radioLeicester2.jpg?fit=600%2C462&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/samuelidwall_radioLeicester2.jpg?fit=600%2C462&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":935,"url":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/music\/singers\/","url_meta":{"origin":1365,"position":1},"title":"Singers","author":"Trevor Locke","date":"12\/06\/2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Singers and songwriters in Leicester This page is about singers, solo artists and singer\/songwriters in Leicester. On this page you will find links to artist profiles, news, links to latest releases. Scroll down for more 18th January 2014 Midlands singer heads for US tour On 1st March, \u00a0Guy Jones will\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Justene Whyte at the City Link-Up show","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/justenewhyte_kg1.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/justenewhyte_kg1.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/justenewhyte_kg1.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":730,"url":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/music\/artist-profiles\/","url_meta":{"origin":1365,"position":2},"title":"Artist profiles","author":"Trevor Locke","date":"06\/06\/2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This is home page for the artist profiles section This page provides links to artist profiles for bands, singers, rappers and other music acts across all genres. Page last edited: \u00a019th October 2014\u00a0\u220f Profiles up now on this website MIL bands and artists featured pages by URL Bands http:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/ash-mammal\/ http:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/benchthatrocked\/\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Deadeye","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Deadeye.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Deadeye.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Deadeye.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1338,"url":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/reviews\/music-diary-june-2013\/","url_meta":{"origin":1365,"position":3},"title":"Music Diary July 2013","author":"Trevor Locke","date":"07\/07\/2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Live music diary July 2013 A diary of gigs that we visited. 2nd July Open-mic night at The Exchange with Jason Smith and Dan Freestone. Jason Smith is a singer with a distinctive voice that he uses to give an characteristic edge to his vocals. His lyrics are striking but\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/delismixbackstage.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/delismixbackstage.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/delismixbackstage.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/delismixbackstage.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3220,"url":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/music\/singers\/unplugged-2014\/","url_meta":{"origin":1365,"position":4},"title":"Unplugged 2014","author":"Trevor Locke","date":"03\/01\/2014","format":false,"excerpt":"3rd January 2014 The 2014 obsUnplugged shows Now in its fourth year, obsUnplugged is\u00a0a series of showcases to make selections for this years Musician Stage acoustic acts, both festival and support slots. 80+ Acoustic\/Electro Acoustic Acts, playing over two weeks, \u00a0in a series\u00a0showcasing some of the best local and national\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"sam idwal","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/samuelidwal_soundhouse.jpg?fit=800%2C650&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/samuelidwal_soundhouse.jpg?fit=800%2C650&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/samuelidwal_soundhouse.jpg?fit=800%2C650&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/samuelidwal_soundhouse.jpg?fit=800%2C650&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":171,"url":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/reviews\/gig-reviews\/","url_meta":{"origin":1365,"position":5},"title":"Gig Reviews 2013","author":"Trevor Locke","date":"06\/02\/2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Gig Reviews 2013 This is the home page for the Gig Reviews Section. Content previously on this page has been moved. \u00a0This page provides links to our content reviewing live music. To see some of the latest full give reviews, click on \"Trending\" on the above menu ^^ and scroll\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1365"}],"version-history":[{"count":45,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23230,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1365\/revisions\/23230"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/148"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicinleicester.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}