BiGiAM & Crawley Town FC are proud to present The Mark Butcher Band.

If Eric Clapton says “Great stuff!” about anyone’s music, pay attention! Best known for a highly successful career in first class cricket, Mark is now concentrating on music: recording, playing live and taking up opportunities as diverse as dueting on National TV with Sarah Brightman, to trading licks with Albert Lee and Bill Wyman and opening for The Straits at the Royal Albert Hall.

Mark started playing guitar at 13 and was already writing and playing live regularly before signing with Surrey County Cricket Club, so music has long been an integral part of his life. Influenced by the likes of Al Green, Robert Cray, Freddie King, Mavis Staples, Little Feat, Stevie Wonder, Small Faces, Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt, his style is a classy blend of heartfelt blues and soul.

A stunning debut album “Songs from the Sunhouse” (available on iTunes, Amazon etc) was critically well received, with self-penned songs inspired by his experiences of life, love and loss: Properganda Magazine said “chock-full of soulful vocals and stinging guitar with funky twists and turns that hit the mark every time – quality stuff”.

Go to markbutchermusic.com for tracks and more info.

“Very, very impressed” Bob Harris, Radio 2

Tickets are available via: this link.

The event, organised by BiGiAM and the lovely people at CdA, with invaluable support from nearby Yellow Fish Music Group, will run from noon to midnight on 22nd April 2012. It will feature live music stages, art work and other interesting soon-to-be-revealed features. The idea is that we not only have a fabulous, entertaining day – bar and refreshments, pizza oven and more are all in situ – but it’s a also chance for like minded artistic and industry folks to network, relax and party.

Tickets are £25 (limited supply of early bird tickets £15), available from WeGotTickets

Children are welcome during the day but we ask that after 8pm the day operates as an adults only event.
Further information, including line-up to be announced in due course.

Jo continues to enjoy the love and support of truly some of the finest and most ‘decorated’ (in terms of their playing CV’s) musicians in the country….the pool of guys that comprise ‘The Company’ in ‘Jo Harman and Company’. This support and acceptance is invaluable and gives enormous credibility to both Jo’s as an artist and also her ‘offering’ as a live performer. She has also increasingly been asked to ‘guest’ with some of most noted and respected bands and artists in the soul, blues, gospel and ‘groove’ community.

All of this has been achieved without any significant backing or financial spend and, indeed, without any studio material whatsoever. Although already accepted and respected in many of the ‘right quarters’, Jo considers herself still to be an artist in development, not least in terms of material and defining the detail of her musical vision. It’s getting increasingly close, but she is right not to rush it… and progressing this will clearly be one of 2012′s priorities, alongside expanding her outreach and building upon the foundations achieved thus far.