Jazz singer, Julie Roberts will sing in a special Jazz breakfast celebrating the 70th birthday of Mike Hatchard

Mike is the brilliant jazz pianist who has been running monthly jazz breakfasts in Shoreham for over 15 years along with top jazz musician guests. The line-up for Sunday is Mike on keyboard, violin and vocals, Nils Solberg guitar and vocals, Shoreham’s own Tom Bailey on double bass, Neil Bullock on drums and Julie on vocals. The venue is The Shoreham Centre and the show starts at 11am.

Julie’s early days

Julie is a paradox because although she is not widely known she consistently draws big audiences. She has built up a following.

In the last twenty-five years Julie has sung with folk musicians, big bands and top jazz musicians including Michael Hinton, Mike Hatchard and the late Herbie Flowers, but she started singing jazz as a student in Brighton many years before that in the Steve Ellinger Quartet.

She could have pursued a singing career but decided that a professional singer’s life was not for her

In the early 2000s Julie sang occasional songs in folk clubs, especially the one at The Red Lion in Turners Hill. That’s where friends were adamant the she should put together a show and share her talent more widely.

For several years Julie sang to her own guitar accompaniment and with bass player Gary Holder. Julie and Gary, together with performance poet, Julie’s friend the late Leonie Mansell, toured locally with a show they called “Airs and Disgraces”. Julie sang the airs and Leonie’s witty poems were sharp comments on life.

Julie and Gary recorded two CDs, States of Mind and Don’t Tell Me to Stop. The latter included contributions from two outstanding jazz musicians, Mark Edwards on piano and Mike Piggot on violin.

Julie and Gary played several gigs at the Broadstairs Folk Festival, The Horsham Festival, The Croydon Festival, and Brighton Fringe and venues of all kinds in Sussex.

Julie’s singing career changed in 2015 when she turned to the music she loved best by teaming up with jazz pianist, Michael Hinton. Their shows proved very popular and they produced three CDs: Songs for Keeps, When the World was Young, and The Gift.

Herbie Flowers sometimes joined Julie and Michael to make up a trio and Julie and Michael performed on several occasions in Herbie’s Jazz Breakfasts in The Spiegel Tent in Brighton Fringe Festival.

In the last few years Julie has been fortunate to be able to sing with another brilliant jazz pianist, Mike Hatchard and the wonderful musicians who work with him, often with shows that are completely sold out.

The Shoreham Centre is in Pond Road, Shoreham BN43 5WU

TICKETS for Mike Hatchard’s Jazz Breakfast are available from from WeGotTickets.com, search for Hatchard or copy this link https://wegottickets.com/f/20300 Alternatively tickets can be reserved by phoning Lindsay 07855 693 356.

Julie’s website: https://www.julierobertssingeruk.com/