The Kondoors return to Coolham Live Music Club

Coolham Live Music Club enters its fifth year with another enviable programme of live music for 2018.
Jess Greenfield and Gavin Conder. Picture by Rob BlackhamJess Greenfield and Gavin Conder. Picture by Rob Blackham
Jess Greenfield and Gavin Conder. Picture by Rob Blackham

The club was started by Greame Tame and was (and remains) an entirely not-for-profit project, raising funds for Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice.

Almost £6,500 has been raised so far from the club’s gigs and associated activities.

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The Kondoors are a six-piece soul band fronted by former Christ’s Hospital student Jessica Greenfield and her husband Gavin Conder and they are returning to the club on Saturday, January 20.

Jess and Gav first met and became a couple 12 years ago, but they only stumbled on their unique musical chemistry later. Both were already established as must-see live performers by the time they met, supporting a roll call of big names, including Brian Adams, Imelda May, Rod Stewart, Rudimental, Professor Green, Take That and Sam Smith.

Both had also been writing and recording their own material for a long time, drawing on many influences from Sam Cooke, Connor Reeves and Marvin Gaye (Gav) to Dusty Springfield and Tina Turner (Jess).

It was only when they decided to record one of Jess’s songs, ‘Forgiveness’, singing together for the first time, that they discovered the amazing power of their voices combined.

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Producer Steve Brown (Rumer and Laura M’vula) stepped in to take their raw, organic sound to the next level.

They sang at Andy Murray’s wedding in 2015 and record producer Tony Visconti said that they were ‘wonderful’.

Having recently married in May the couple used the money given to them as wedding gifts to invest in both their EP and the forthcoming recording of their debut album at Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.

Jess is also a member of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, playing keyboards and singing background vocals, and will shortly be starting a major tour with them.

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Gavin has another band too, Rufus Black, which shares several of the musicians that perform with the Kondoors.

Both performers are in constant demand for live shows and are bringing their full band to Coolham, which includes keyboard player Carl Hudson, Drew Wynen on guitar, Dan Mount on bass and Simon Lea on drums.

The gig is at Coolham Village Hall and tickets cost £15 each from [email protected].

Doors will open at 7.15pm and the first set will start at about 8pm. Visit www.tamepromotions.co.uk to see what else is on.

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