Matt Henshaw Press Pictures 2015-2016

Matt Henshaw, Pictures, Images, Photos, Press, Photographs, Shoots, Video, Imagery,

Matt Henshaw Recommends ... Caroline Francess ... again ...

Well, this little diamond I found. This absolute gem of an angel ... frum up north ! Sheffield to be precise, and she's a real show stopper.

I've said before that listening to her is like listening to an Original Sound Track, or a Disney film, maybe less frothy, but certainly as catchy and heart string tugging.

Effortlessly switching from humorous ditty to war poetry set to Andrew Lloyd Webber / Elton John solo piano.

I'll tell you something, Burt Bacharach once had a pet duck called Quack Quackarack ... that might not make any sense, but when you think about the combination of Bacharach's humour and genius songwriting, then see Caroline, it will all make sense.

Check her out 'Home' and 'Queen B' you'll be humming whilst washing the dishes or strolling through the park ... and then you think, "hey, she's a Sheffield Wednesday fan too" ... and hey Preston, Robert's your father's brother, and you've got one of my favourite artists right about now !!

Spread The Love, see you and her at my homecoming show in Leicester on Saturday night, gonna be good fun ...

Peace, Love & Tea, MHx
MattHenshaw.com

'Like' and follow 'Matt Henshaw Recommends ...' on facebook ...

Anywyn Williams, Caroline Francess, Lew Bear, Martin Luke Brown ... again ..., Josh Wheatley, Casino Empire, Elizabeth Cornish, The Strangler Figs, Sky Valley Mistress, Jesse Wright, Siobhan Mazzei, GEORGIE, Tapestry, The De Montfort University Gospel Choir, By The Rivers, Martin Luke Brown, Joy Mumford, Three Girl Rhumba, MotorMouf, 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, Amii Dawes, Hib Word (House Of Verse), Matt Henshaw Recommends ...

---===DOWNLOAD LINKS===---
DOWNLOAD & STREAM 'YOUR EYES ARE MADE OF GOLD' NOW !!
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/your-eyes-are-made-of-gold-ep/id904335049
https://play.spotify.com/user/11100320251/playlist/7CJI4WcomJKYozyujcN4hK
DOWNLOAD & STREAM 'ALWAYS IN THE WAY' NOW !!
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/always-in-the-way-ep/id875188981
https://play.spotify.com/user/ilsonowl/playlist/2tHGjyz7EpEZpvgc8HpuRm
DEBUT 'IT AIN'T EASY/MY LIFE - EP' !!!
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
'EASIER' OUT NOW !!!
'Easier' Official Video - https://goo.gl/ynTayr
iTunes - https://goo.gl/9r5341
Spotify - https://goo.gl/OTLXaV
GooglePlay - https://goo.gl/JVvd5r

Award Winning, Radio Playing, Homecoming Showing Peace, Love & Tea with Matt Henshaw

Goooooooooooood Morning !! This afternoon I'm on the radio, the FM airwaves in Birmingham again, this time Switch Radio​ at noon to collect this beautiful piece of glass for "Best Independent Male Singer/Songwriter in the Midlands" ... the award ceremony itself was a little like graduating from university, you wait for ages to go up and you don't really get anything aside from a handshake on the stage ... but this was worth the wait ... not that graduating university wasn't ... or was it ?!

Matt Henshaw Recommends ... Elizabeth Cornish

Here I go recommending again, this time a beautiful soul, one of the most heartfelt and passionate troubadours I've come across. Massively excited to say that the lovely Elizabeth Cornish will be joining me at the Cookie, Leicester for my show on Saturday 20th September, and what a talented little lady she is.

I bought her album 'Displaced' a few months ago to accompany me driving around the country this festival season, and it's been a wonderfully wistful companion soundtracking my journeys. And it's all the more pleasing when I bought the CD from her cash in hand, her adorably modest demeanour said "are you sure you want to buy one, they're quite expensive?!"

No regrets, what a purchase ! The opening 5 songs melted my heart straight away. Track one 'Tears with Tea' wins on that title alone, but when you listen through the delicate, intricate web of emotions and platitude of honest raw confessional lyrics you can only be left uplifted, heartbroken and endeared to Elizabeth's tacit charm.

The title track 'Displaced' had me itching to let of the steering wheel and learn the chords right away, and I'll be honest, 'Saint' almost had me in tears, if you've ever felt love, in love or part of an unconditional love you'll know exactly what I mean.

More people should feel the heartbeats pumped into this record, more people should hear Miss Cornish sing, and more people should know her name, you should start by coming out to see her with myself on Saturday 20th September Live @ The Cookie in Leicester along with The Strangler Figs and the De Montfort University Gospel Choir ...

Peace, Love & Tea, MHx

The Strangler Figs
Sky Valley Mistress
Jesse Wright
Siobhan Mazzei
Georgie Rose
Tapestry
The De Montfort University Gospel Choir
By The Rivers
Martin Luke Brown
Joy Mumford
Three Girl Rhumba
MotorMouf
Samuel Idwal
Abandon Her
Stef Baker
Emily Carr
Becky Edwards
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===---
DOWNLOAD & STREAM 'ALWAYS IN THE WAY' NOW !!
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/always-in-the-way-ep/id875188981
http://matthenshaw.bandcamp.com/album/always-in-the-way-ep
https://play.spotify.com/user/ilsonowl/playlist/2tHGjyz7EpEZpvgc8HpuRm
DEBUT 'IT AIN'T EASY/MY LIFE - EP' !!!
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

Thing I Like ... Leicester

First of all, straight off the bat, I'd just like to say a big "thank you" from the bottom of my heart to all the people and the city of Leicester ! I've been through Leicester a lot in my short life through work and study, and only being from Nottingham, it's just down the road, although some people in Nottingham and Derby talk about the place like it's a million miles away. It's a great city, and I've been massively humbled and overwhelmed by how warm and welcoming it has been, and how supportive certain quarters have been, over the last year, as we're coming up to just under one year since I decided to go out with my acoustic guitar and make a living making music.



So, in July of last year I had recently left my job at the University of Leicester, great place as it is feeling trapped in an office as a Computer Science Sustainability Research Assistant just didn't feel like the life for me, music had always been something in the back of my mind that I might return to, why not just go for it, still 5 years away from 30, step out into Leicester, Lesta, Les-tah, Leicestershire and embrace the music scene, or whatever scene it is that you might find out there.

I had already been in Leicester as a student, but never really ventured too much into town, staying in the student bubble out in Oadby, south of the city, or only ambling in in anonymity to get bits of fruit off the market, quiet, much quieter, and only too happy for no-one to know my name, why I was here or what on earth I was doing !



Now Leicester Market is one of my favourite places in the world, and I'll champion it until the day I die, and that's not forgetting the great little greengrocers up on Queens Road in the Clarendon Park area, and all the little independent shops in that area, and all the boutiques and great places to explore in the Lanes, Silver Arcade and St Martins Square side of town too. I love this way of life, existing and shopping(!?) so much so that I've quite vocally joined the campaign 'Tesco Queens Road Say No' to stop large supermarkets and retailers crushing the independent spirit of the city, and will quite happily sport an I heart CP badge in support of the people's charity 'Friends of Clarendon Park'.

Leicester has enabled, and even accelerated, my penchant for clean and healthy living, whilst Clarendon Park may seem the last bastion of Little Britain, the city has more diversity than you will ever willingly wish to shake a stick at ! The Caribbean, Asian, African, European and Latin flavours you encounter on a daily basis sends the positive energies and vibrations soaring, and everyone seems to be living so harmoniously. Not the only one, but a great example of metropolitan, cosmopolitan diversity, of which we should all be proud.



And on the music front, there is a lot going on, you might have to peer under a few rocks and make the right connections to find out where, but Leicester has a lot of talent on show and residing here. I won't mention any names, I think do enough to Spread The Love through my 'Matt Henshaw Recommends ...' blog, the Tea & Toast podcasts and inviting guests to play at my nights at the Cookie. And what a place full of, and run by wonderful people The Cookie is. I felt honoured and flattered that I was asked back in January that they asked me to put on a regular night there, I never intended to settle there, like Leicester itself, but I've found myself hosting some electric parties, with positive vibrations running through the whole building, from the basement to the top floor.

I'm throwing a birthday party this year, Saturday 20th September at The Cookie ! Be there, more info will follow shortly ...

Some of the other venues in Leicester I've enjoyed playing and meeting the people who run them, such great people at The Donkey and The Shed, you know why the likes of Tom and Serge of Kasabian hold a special place in their heart for these little places, and they might bring back memories of playing what are described as "toilet venues" up and down the country, but that's where the best memories are made, and they've had some great acts, and some great people through their doors. When I was last at the Donkey we ended up drinking with The Damned !! Small venues, big reputations ...



And the places I played in my first week out of the squares closet, I went down to open mic nights, I tried to do every night of the week. The first, on the Monday night, fittingly enough was the City Acoustic Club at The Musician, what fabulous people were there, and every week if it's on, the hosts, comperes, acts, atmosphere, I've met some really interesting, wonderful and talented people on these nights, and the same goes for The Soundhouse on a Tuesday night, I went there in my first week, and I've been back many times and ended up singing Kinks songs in the midnight hour.

I also ended up playing at The Marquis Wellington, The Exchange and The Barley Mow for a Wildfire Session. Then moved onto the Cradock, and my had I met some fantastic, fabulous and fantabulous people, all within the space of a couple of weeks or so, people I've worked with, done shows with, sang with, written songs with and recorded with, and greatest of all, to me, I've met a selection of families, whole families that feel now like part of my own, truly some of the best people, the kind of people that you only need think of and it brightens your day.

It's been a long old slog getting myself to when I want to be, in terms of being a professional, living, working, breathing musician and singer/songwriter, but we're getting there, even though there's a long way left to go, I'm so pleased considering that at Christmas I only had one show booked for the new year, and was anticipating a small article in a local magazine, by the end of January, following the OBSunplugged nights, which are a great showcase for new and up and coming acoustic acts in the city, and what turned out to be a double page spread with some excellent photographs in one of the most widely distributed editions of The Monograph magazine, gave me a great, great platform to go forth and spread the good gospel of Peace, Love & Tea through the rest of the year !



It would be a crime not to touch on some of the other massive things happening in the city right now, the City of Champions indeed ! I take full vicariously responsibility for Leicester City winning the Championship by the way, since my arrival, my blue and white scarf and love of big Nigel Pearson at the helm has been enough to spur them on to be crowned champions.

And then there's the snooker, basketball, TV talent shows and bloomin' King Dick III knocking about in a car park, fancy old King Richard, the King of York, buried under Greyfriars for hundreds of years. It pains me to say that, with my personal love of cricket, Leicester CCC are what can only be described as languishing in all competitions this season ... I'm still waiting for the phone call to get down there and give them a team talk !

Anyway, that's probably enough rambling from me, and what probably seems to read like "An Open Love Letter to a City", but it's all true and from the bottom of my heart, I love Leicester, the city and the people, and I'm happy to call it my home now, and for some time, in the hope it continues to be good to me and good for me.

The plan was, if there ever was one, to make myself self-sufficient in year, and get on at all the great little festivals in an round the city the following summer, and here we are, one year on, I'm playing at loads of great festivals including Strawberry Fields on the Friday and Simon Says in the great De Montfort Hall on the Sunday, so, if you've got tickets see you there, and you never know, I might pop up at some of the great open mic nights I went to last summer and have already mentioned, but I hope I'll see all of you at The Cookie for my birthday party on Saturday 20th September, it's gonna be great !!

And you might have seen some of the pictures in this blog from my travels around Leicester city with top cameraman, the Digital Mechanic, definitely hairier than a couple of the other lovely chaps I see around at a lot of gigs, amazing photographers in this city too, and all so wonderful and approachable. The venues give the artists somewhere to perform, the photographers give them an image and the memories, promoters work hard at spreading the word and the people, well, the people are just beautiful.


Goodnight Leicester, Peace, Love & Tea, MHx


PS. You may have noticed I haven't mentioned any names in this blog, but if you know who you are then you know who you are, you're great and I hope you stay that way !!



Some more Things I Like ...
Fire
Gardening
Film
Yorkshire Tea
LEGO
Tippy The Cat
Khan Academy
Apple Cider Vinegar
McVitie'sBiscuits
Cricket
Linked in

---===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 ... Kate Rendell

A nice quick blog before I head out into the bright lights of Leicester City. Why am I going out I hear you cry? Well, first off, after a day of video production, tour-related meetings and a bit of fruit indulgence on Leicester Market, I'm off to play a secret little show and then see another one of my favourite East Midlands girls perform at my local, right on my doorstep bless her !

Kate Rendell is so sweet, like a real proper fruit salad, I'm not talking the saccharin little sweets that get in your teeth, or syrupy stuff out of a tin, but an actual fruit salad with all the freshness, zing and zest of real fruit ... now, Kate is not a fruit, but she is sweet. Anyway, I think I've lingered on this metaphor long enough ... Music ?

Such a natural with a guitar in her hands it's as though she was born that way, she can carry a stage or compliment an other as easy as most find it to tie their shoes. Tonight I'm seeing her play with the wonderful Tom Crump as part of Sold Separately, which with their combined teenage songwriting abilities have hit a few melodies and turns of phrase that would have you jotting down beautiful similes and metaphors by the dozen if you was keeping track.

Also, performing with Moccasin Mile there's a diversity and a recognition that the comfort zone is ever-expanding. I'd like to see more of Kate on her own and develop that sweetness into a fully formed songstress, and I think an element of diva won't do her any harm, when a girl has a gift a girl should get what she wants and run with it. Very much still learning, as she is still at college, and finding her musical feet, it's early days for our Miss. Kate Rendell but definitely one to keep an eye on and listen out for, one day she'll write her own Tapestry and you will all want to hear it, I hope so anyway.

Peace, Love & Tea,
Matt Henshaw x

PS. she's also a dab hand with a camera too ... I'm in the process of uploading some studio shots she did for me at the tail end of last year ... Spread The Love !

Matt Henshaw Recommends ... Charlotte Carpenter

So, here we go again, another ready made starlet from the East Midlands for you. Coming straight out of Northants and Live in Leicester every month, Charlotte Carpenter is fast becoming a favourite songwriter of mine. I've found the transition into becoming a solo singer-songwriter quite strange, and at times difficult, even lonely, but when you do come across another artist you find so likable and relatable it makes the journey all the more bearable. Watching Charlotte play live and solo at Hansom Hall in Leicester last month I was struck by her natural demeanour and wonderful disposition, well crafted songs, innocence and she was an absolute joy to listen to. I've never related so much to one girl and a guitar in the entirety of my existence.

I see parallels between her and myself, we've probably written thousands of love songs and yet as we mature and become jaded by the things that life throws at us and the strive to pursue our artistic visions and present ourselves creatively it can sometimes get a little dark and introspective. It's all good though, a deep cleansing catharthis, when someone sings from their heart and soul you know about it, you recognise it and it chimes with you, stays with you and resonates.

Her regular showcase Charotte Carpenter's Tea Party at The Cookie Jar in Leicester has established itself, in my head at least, as the best night of the month in the city and features some of the best acoustic acts from around the country. The imagery and inflections Miss Carpenter bring to the party sit very well with me, I love Lewis Carroll and a good cup of Yorkshire. And I'll be playing with Charlotte at the end of this month (Friday 29th November), I can't wait.

Again, I'd love to see more of this girl and take a road trip in 2014, her new EP 'Whole' will be coming out shortly and from what I've heard it's going to be fantastic. The production sounds top notch and the songs have a depth and wisdom that is astonishing, I like a good minor chord and a wistful lyric. Highly recommended.

Here's the lady herself previewing a track from the new EP, and if you want some more the lead track is on her SoundCloud, playing on repeat for me ...



And here's me being wistful myself, when I sing the second verse I am speaking of people who are the complete antithesis of Charlotte, she makes going out and making idle chatter an absolute pleasure ...

Matt Henshaw Recommends ... Leah Sinead

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to draw your attention to Leah Sinead.

The above picture is taken from her set a week ago or so at The Old Bell in Derby taken by Alice Kell and the show was put on by Paul Herron of The Sons. I had the pleasure of being with her that night and she went on to do a second set that night at a Halloween party at The Maze in Nottingham, indicative of just how hard working Leah has been this year, two shows in one night and performing almost every night of the week is nothing out of the ordinary for this girl. A true artist and performer, and one of the many reasons why I can relate so much to this girl who on the surface may seem so different from myself.

Leah's sombre Irish-tinged melodies betray her roots and the powerful imagery in her lyrics touch the soul and come from the same place within her. I'm happy to say that I'm an old friend of Leah and as surprised as anyone who knew her before she began performing with a vengeance that she is so full of grace, talent and a modesty that is endearing and sweet. So unassuming is Leah that she has no idea how talented she is as a writer, singer and completely unaware of her effortless brilliance.

Definitely one of the finest of the current crop of singer-songwriters and female vocalists coming out of Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands. I hope to see a lot more of Leah live and I hope to see us hitting the road a bit together come 2014, take the sound of the East Midlands, our humour - yeah, she's a really funny girl too - and our acoustic guitar into the deepest darkest parts of this country of ours.

I like her so much she played at my birthday party a couple of months ago. Top Girl !

And I think she'll be playing with me in Nottingham on Saturday 23rd November at Hinckley Market Lace Market, whatever it's called. Afternoon shindig with food and market stalls and that. Give her a listen, find her playing live, close your eyes and listen good. You won't be disappointed.



And here's a bit of me singing about Nottingham, our home town ...

Play The Game - Matt Henshaw (newsletter)

So, this is what we're doing.  Playing the game.  Whilst I'm slowly coming to terms with being a solo singer-songwriter and looking out for means of keeping those skills of singing and songwriting in employment I'll be slowly dripping out some of my recordings ... so far It Ain't Easy and My Life have surfaced.  And here's a third instalment ... 
Play The Game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29e1_rwG7jg&list=PL7UCvjRIeiY9bHc8S5B10vDleLSXwSIdf&index=3
About coming of age in Nottingham city and a reflection on how great cities transition from pastoral historic medieval towns to the great globalised Americanised urban metropolitan cities, that by hook or by crook, they're now becoming around the world.

Nevermind anyway, eh?  It's just a ride.  I like this format, not giving too much away, letting the songs do the singing ... but it you are hungry for imagery here's me performing at The Curve Theatre in Leicester ... and you can always find me on facebook and/or instagram ...


Peace, Love & Understanding, Matt Henshaw x

Play The Game - Matt Henshaw

More to follow, MHx
http://www.matthenshaw.com
http://www.facebook.com/matthenshaw

Matt Henshaw = One to Watch for 2012 ...

As far as lists go, there are many on the inside and outside telling who to look out for and listen out for in 2012 ... I'm so pleased to tell you that I'm not on a list that belongs to Dante or Nostradamus but an independent music industry insider along with a whole host of other acts as one to keep an eye on over the next twelve months ... I hope I don't disappoint, and as always I'll tell all here first on my ever popular bloggity blog ...

Matt Henshaw in the mix and one to watch for 2012 ...

Here's another picture of me rockin' the live stage ...