Matt Henshaw Recommends ... Motormouf

Home in Nottingham this week so I thought I'd catch up on what going on, before I play Rescue Rooms tonight, Guitar Bar Wednesday and Walkabout Thursday, I dashed down the A52 from a festival in Leek, and headed for the Golden Fleece because I knew that where my man Alex Motormouf Young was doing his thing ! I know I missed a lot of other things going off in the city but I'm sure you can forgive me for taking in just one show, and my phone died just going past the delightful Long Eaton ...

Anyway, enough of my real life situations ... Motormouf knocked me for six. I've played with and seen some top notch beatboxers in my time, Killa Kella, Beardyman, The PeteBox, and Mr Chonky Beatz, who all have talent in buckets and spades, but Alex has to be one of the nicest and most entertaining guys I've ever met, on and off stage. Granted, stick him on the stage and it's like watching a wind up bunny having the time of his life, a born performer.

Captivated a compact but lively British Bank Holiday crowd, he captured an excellently balanced set of humour, wit, slightly virtuoso and ultimately very musical, playing a rare solo set, usually playing with his group Just James you wouldn't believe that half of the time he was "just trying things out" as he weaves effortlessly from his own compositions, through Massive Attack, Ol' Dirty and the Wu Tang Clan, Sly & The Family Stone and, my personal favourite, a bit of A Tribe Called Quest ... "What's The Scenario?!"

Jump at any chance to see this magical, mystical, musical maestro, he's a mighty fine talent and a mighty fine gent, and funny as the proverbial f-word !

And now, for no reason whatsoever, although I'm sure there's a story behind it, here's a picture of the wonderful, beautiful Esther Van Leuven ...

Like This, Try This ...
More Matt Henshaw Recommends ...
Samuel Idwal
Abandon Her
Stef Baker
Emily Carr
Becky Edwards
James Byron
Mahalia
Mia & The Moon
Rosa-Leigh
AJA
Kate Rendell
Esther Van Leuven
East Midlands Girls
Ones to Watch for 2014
The Bobcats
Savanna Bones
Mattayoux
Matt Zara
The Simpletones
Charlotte Carpenter
Leah Sinead
Matt Henshaw Recommends ...

---===DOWNLOAD LINKS===---
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep/id814589358
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aint-Easy-My-Life-EP/dp/B00I8ZDJZC/
https://play.spotify.com/album/733AAcf7c2KcZ75SUFlpi3
http://matthenshaw.bandcamp.com/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep
http://www.emusic.com/album/matt-henshaw/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep/14753983/
http://www.7digital.com/artist/matt-henshaw/release/it-aint-easy-my-life
http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/matt-henshaw/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep
http://www.napster.co.uk/artist/matt-henshaw/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep

Matt Henshaw Recommends ... Esther Van Leuven

Here we go, 2014, new year, new recommendations and loads of Love to spread. As promised I'm going to be bringing you the best of the best when it comes to female vocalists over the coming weeks. I'm limiting myself to the East Midlands because I'm a proud(ish) East Midlander, and in my short tether as a singer-songwriter I've played with and enjoyed the company of so many of these girls it's such a joy and so refreshing coming from the alpha male dominated world of indie, blues and hip-hop.

Esther, I met mid-way through 2013 when we shared a bill at The Bodega Social Club in Nottingham and we've met a few times since - me, in my infinite bumblingness forgot her name on the first couple of occasions, yeah, that's right, two whole times - but I've never forgotten her face or her voice. And it was pleasure to share the stage with her for a second time last night at Pepper Rocks. My word, what a star!

Demure and continental, Esther packs a little folk, soul, Balkan and a real range and timbre into her voice. She reminds me of a true starlet, that doesn't realise the profundity of her essence, in a room or on stage, carrying herself as she does like a Joan Baez or Melanie type girl with dashing of Sandie Shaw and Mary Hopkins for pop clarity.

I know you might be thinking they're not particularly au fait points of reference or, Matt Henshaw seeing the world through his 60s tinted spectacles, but I'd be hard pushed to find anyone of the current crop who has the adorable grace of our Esther and the understated charm with which she carries herself, this one's not pushing to be a star, the world is just waiting for her to become one ... listen for yourselves ...



And here's me sharing a little Love and a little Soul ...