Jacques Brel
25ème Anniversaire
featuring
Barb Jungr
Robb Johnson
Des de Moor
with Jenny Carr piano

2003 is the 25th anniversary of the death of Jacques Brel, one of the greatest and most influential French-language singer-songwriters of all time. Pirate Jenny couldn't let this date pass without marking it, especially since Brel must be one of the most performed songwriters at the club and his influence on many of our regular performers is profound. So we're very proud to round off our Autumn chanson season with a special evening in which three great English chansonniers pay tribute to their the great man.

BARB JUNGR has emerged in recent years as one of Britain's foremost cabarettistes, and her unique talents are now being recognised internationally: in 2003 she won a Backstage 2003 International Artist Of The Year for her appearances in New York and her new CD on Linn Records, Waterloo Sunset, looks set to garner the same success as its award winning predecessors, Bob Dylan album Every Grain of Sand and the chanson collection The Space In Between.

Born in Rochdale of Czech and German parents, Barb emerged through the British cabaret and music scene working with leading UK artists from comedians Julian Clary and Alexei Sayle to singers Claire Martin, Ian Shaw and Mari Wilson. Back in 1998 she recorded Brel's 'Jacky' for the seminal Irregular compilation CD Ne me quitte pas, followed in 2000 by four Brel songs in original translations on her chanson album. Since then she's been performing the show Barb, Bob and Brel which includes Dylan songs alongside the repertoire of the great Belgian.

ROBB JOHNSON has been described as one of Britain's best songwriters, a veteran of stages and festivals across Britain and Europe who first established himself on the folk and acoustic music scene. His own work as songwriter and gripping singer and guitarist, as exemplified in excellent recent album Clockwork Music, is infused by a literacy, humanity and wit drawn straight from chansonniers like Brel. Robb was the man behind the Ne me quitte pas CD in 1998 which brought together a number of British and Belgian performers in tribute to Brel, and since then he's produced original translations of many of the great man's songs, recorded by himself and others. He's also a key figure in the intermittently touring Ne me quitte pas live show and a tireless supporter of English chansonniers through live seasons at the Drill Hall and elsewhere.

DES DE MOOR is a first class songwriter and unique and dynamic performer who for nine years has provided a platform for both his own work and many other talented chansonniers and musical cabaret singers in Britain through the monthly Pirate Jenny's club. With Robb he has provided many new, accurate and singable versions of Brel in English; he too contributed to Ne me quitte pas and is part of the team for the live shows. Des originally discovered Brel's work through covers by David Bowie, so it's no coincidence that he's also worked on Bowie songs, co-creating the show Darkness and Disgrace (now recorded on Irregular).

Overall, this is an unmissable evening for fans of the best in both English and French chanson.

Update: a whole website has been created with a report and photos of this particular gig. See www.jacksonline.plus.com/pjtribute.htm

www.barbjungr.com
www.robbjohnson.co.uk
www.jacquesbrel.be

Back to the Pirate Jenny's page
Back to Des de Moor's home page

See also

Des de Moor's gigs page for a complete list of his forthcoming performances.