Telephone Number : For Organ Society enquires (01902) 850843 or email Jean or Bob direct
Email address : robertware@btinternet.com or jean@jeanmartyn@yahoo.com
Website : www.jeanmartyn.co.uk
Address : Contact Dan Waite, MIG Management Ltd. email dan@migmanagement.com or phone 0207 2876539,
Jean has been playing professionally for 30 years, having commenced on the family piano at the tender age of three - playing the tunes of nursery rhymes. It comes as no surprise to learn that Jean comes from a musical family, with her mother and both grandparents themselves having been musical.
Young pianist
Her natural musical ability began to show through when she was only five years old, so her parents saw fit to send her to a music teacher who, in turn, saw her through her grades on piano, and on through Trinity College of Music in London - from which Jean emerged as an Associate of that college.
Like so many of our finest organists over the years, Jean was appointed organist of her local church and - even nowadays - when time permits, she willingly slides onto the organ bench, to give the regular organist a little time off.
Moving effortlessly between grand piano, custom-built electronic organs or keyboards, and mighty Wurlitzer theatre organs, Jean will occasionally surprise - and delight - audiences by performing on more than one instrument during a concert. If anyone in the audience is expecting the same old routine, then they will be disappointed every time.
More often than not, Jean arrives at a venue armed with her music (and a vast amount stored in her head), and the programme that follows is very much dictated by her mood, the surroundings, the instruments available to her, and feminine intuition.
So, if you like the "William Tell" overture at a cracking gallop, the spirit-raising "Dam Busters' March", a ride on the "Orient Express", a hip-swivelling selection of Latin American dances, a toe-tapping swing session from the big band era, a smoochy love song from the latest West End hit . . . you can have it!
Having said that, there is nothing Jean herself likes more than playing her own special arrangements of music from the 1940s.
With such a dexterity, and understanding of the complexities of her chosen range of instruments, it is not easy to pigeon-hole Jean's specific style. There are some who say that her technique and artistry remind them of the great Errol Garner (albeit with extra fingers), while others say that her romantic interpretations are reminiscent of Richard Clayderman, but with a little of Russ Conway - and even Fats Waller - in there, determined to get out.
Flexibility, fun, frolics and effervescence are the hallmarks of Jean's inimitable performances, while drawing on her extensive classical training, and wide range of repertoire.
She is equally at home with jazz, swing, big band, and concert orchestral music - when you are in one of her audiences, you might well be at a James Last concert, or in Ronnie Scott's club. It is hardly surprising that Jean is regularly sought after as a session player for the BBC, whether for recordings or live broadcasts.
She is also a bit of a globe-trotter, entertaining beyond our shores - frequently on the same bill as famous personalities such as the irrepressible Ken Dodd, singer Vince Hill ,Chris Tarrant Rolf Harris, and Dame Vera Lynn.
There are a great number of organ societies around the UK, many with preserved theatre organs, others with electronic instruments (and occasionally with a piano standing by), and Jean is a regular fixture on most circuits - being asked back again and again.
Her popularity has spread worldwide, and she is constantly being asked to play across America, and throughout Europe - regular dates being in Germany, Holland, Italy and Switzerland. She is not backward when it comes to supporting deserving charities, and has personally raised large sums of money to assist cancer charities, and to help the blind.
As to posterity, Jean has made numerous recordings on CD and DVD on which she has ably demonstrated her talents and ability on piano, electronic organ, and - her real love - the theatre organ. One of her all-time favourite recordings was made on the famous Wurlitzer organ in the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool.
It is no accident that Jean is the only female organist to have recorded on the Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer in the last 50 years!
In December 2009 She entertained 300 Chelsea pensioners at St James's Palace London, and was formally introduced to HRH The Princess Royal. She has played in Birmingham Town Hall and also the Symphony Hall magnificent Klaus Organ and Steinway grand piano, as well as being a regular visitor to the Bournemouth Pavillion theatre.
In December 2010 She is performing a charity concert in Birmingham Cathedral.
Jean will also be featured at the following festivals this year.
2012 |
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February 24th |
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September 3rd |
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| Concerts in 2012 | |
|---|---|
| April 29th | Peterborough Theatre Organ Preservation Society (PTOPS) |
| May 6th | private engagment |
| May 11th | private engagment |
| May 16th | Bourne Organ Club |
| May 24th | Buckingham Palace (more details) Private engagement/piano |
| May 26th | WEDDING |
| June 2nd | Shareshill open air concert (more details) Jubilee Celebrations |
| June 4th | private engagement |
| June 8th | Zurich Orgelsurium |
| June 17th | Pipes in the Peaks |
| June 23rd | Private engagement |
| June 29th | Dudley Charity concert |
| June 30th | St Johns Church Wolverhampton (more details) with Male Voice Choir |
| July 6th | Isle Of Man Organ and Keyboard Society (more details) wurlitzer - EL900 |
| July 10th | Penrith and District Organ Society |
| July 13th | Bristol Hammond and Electronic Organ Society |
| July 15th | Brewood Music Festival (more details) 3-30pm -4 00pm |
| July 20th | Gigmill Methodist Church |
| July 21st | Private engagement |
| August 2nd | Exeter Electronic Organ Club (more details) Club 40th Anniversary |
| August 13th | Detling Kent (more details) Religious event |
| September 10th | Private engagement |
| September 12th | St Chads Social Centre Sedgeley (more details) 2-3pm |
| September 13th | Forest Green Leamore Walsall |
| September 19th | Broadway Organ Society |
| September 20th | St Johns Methodist Chapel St Austell (more details) Charity fund raiser Little Harbour Childrens Hospice |
| September 22nd | Beer Wurlitzer |
| September 25th | Launceston Electronic Organ Club |
| September 29th | King Edward School Lichfield |
| October 4th | HAMBURG |
| October 14th | Burtey Fen Collection |
| October 20th | Ashby de la Zouch Rotary CLub |
| October 22nd | GOODYEARS WOLVERHAMPTON |
| October 24th | wolverhampton Masonic |
| October 26th | British Legion fund raising concert Brewood |
| October 27th | Earlsdon Methodist Church Coventry |
| December 2nd | Scarborough Fair Collection (more details) Christmas Story with Jean Martyn finalist on "Britains got Talent 2-30pm Doors Open 1-30pm Light Refreshments and Licensed Bar |
| December 3rd | Hull - Springfield Electronic Organ & Keyboard Club |
| December 8th | Cambridge Electronic Organ Society |
| December 12th | Clacton & District Organ Society |
| December 15th | Chelmsford Organ and Keyboard Club |
| December 16th | Peterborough Theatre Organ Preservation Society (PTOPS) (more details) Christmas !!! With Jean Martyn |
| December 18th | Bideford Keyboard and Organ Club (more details) Christmas Supper Event |
| Concerts in 2013 | |
|---|---|
| January 12th | private engagment |
| February 3rd | Singing Hills |
| February 28th | Milton Keynes Organ Society |
| March 7th | West Bromwich Town Hall |
| March 24th | RYE |
| April 21st | Pollockshaw Theatre Organ |
| April 27th | Whitchurch Rotary Club |
| July 4th | Association of Organ Enthusiasts (AOE) (more details) joint concert with Ian House |
| July 20th | WEDDING |
| August 1st | Skegness and District Organ Society |
| August 27th | Barnstaple Keyboard & Light Music Club |
| September 18th | Kings Lynn Organ Club |
| September 24th | Norwich Organists Club |
| December 7th | West Bromwich Town Hall (more details) Carol Concert |
| December 8th | Chillington Hall Private engagement (more details) Piano |