The Actor’s Church welcomes Tina Carr and her band to celebrate the release of her album “Songs for Curly”.  Expect an intimate and moving performance as Tina pays homage to her musical roots. Part of the EFG London Jazz Festival 2023

Tina will be performing material from the album with her band: award-winning pianist, composer, producer Matt Robinson, Slovenian bassist, composer Miha Koren and drummer, bandleader, composer Dave Hamblett – expect an intimate and moving performance. 

She captivates listeners with her husky, authentic jazz sound. With a love of great women singers, from Nellie Lutcher to Carmen Macrae to Annie Ross to Jessye Norman, she moves through ballads, swing and be-bop, singing from experience, storytelling through songs old and new.

Tina sang from childhood, chose not to work in music, but always knew she had it in her. A few years ago, she began listening again, opening her ears to music across every genre. “It took me over. I threw in the day job and step by step, began to find my voice and sing again. An older voice maybe – but a true one”.  Since then Tina has sung in gigs and jams at Green Note, Hoxton Hall, Toulouse Lautrec, Vortex, Max Klub in Slovenia and Jazz Café Alto. Recently she has performed sell-out gigs at intimate Soho venues, as a duo with long-time collaborator, award-winning pianist, composer Matt Robinson and with her trio at Piano Smithfield.

“Songs for Curly” is Tina’s first album, and a homage to her musical roots. Her grandfather, an Eastern European immigrant, was a boxing promoter and owner of a popular café in London’s Whitechapel. Curly’s Café was a lively hub for the local community of boxers, snooker players and antifascists. They came for the food and the chat – but mainly for the music. At that time, the scene was a mix of music hall, American jazz and blues. Curly’s family were very musical – and into all of it. Tina remembers “the heartfelt ballads, the jazzy rhythms and the sheer joy of that music-making. Curly’s Café was where my musical soul was nourished, with the punching, the pies and the playing”

Tina began recording the album during the pandemic, working remotely with pianist Matt Robinson, bassist Miha Koren and multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Enser. The final recordings were completed at Eastcote Studios with her band: Matt Robinson, Conor Chaplin and Dave Hamblett, and mastered at Technology Works and Gearbox Studio.

The album will be available from 17 November on Bandcamp, CD and Vinyl, digital  download and streaming platforms.