International piano-playing phenomenon.
International piano-playing phenomenon Jon England has been giving enthusiastic audiences what they want since 1979 when, at the relatively young age of 19, he wowed night-club goers in his native Great Britain with sparkling and unique renditions of everything from “New York, New York” to Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue. Early TV spots and seasons in London’s “West End” amplified his national exposure and now Ragtime and Jazz classics punctuate a diverse spread of repertoire with his shows as likely to contain Hoagy Carmichael’s “Star Dust” as it is “The Wind Beneath My Wings,” just look at the 55 evergreen titles featured on Jon’s two new releases The Entertainer and At Your Request to get an idea of the palette from which he paints his musical pictures!
A remarkably phonographic memory for melody allied to an unerring sense of mood rapidly built Jon’s reputation for pleasing fans and, upon learning he has had NO formal training and remains to this day unable to read a note of music, has left people flabbergasted at his pristine yet relaxed technique. He understandably enjoys the audience-bestowed sub-title – “The Velvet Piano Player” – you’ll get the message the first time you hear him. As if that’s not enough, ALL the instruments, arrangements, orchestrations and producer-credits on all of his recordings and live shows go to Jon – he does it all! . . . just watch Royally Entertained, Jon’s brand new music video.
Musically touching lives around the globe…
Jon has performed his “Piano Orchestral Pops Show” (or P.O.P.S. for short) in Theaters, Night-Clubs, Concert venues and on Television and Radio as well as hopping aboard some of the world’s most exclusive and luxurious cruise liners from time to time. His first sea-borne break came in the early 1980’s when asked to play aboard Cunard’s fabled QE2 since when he has headlined alongside Vic Damone, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Bill Cosby, Al Jarreau, Kenny Burrell and many other “names” on repeat trips around the world. International relations have led to the creation of a U.S.A.-oriented twin album of Jon’s music entitled Velvet Piano – Volume 1 and Volume 2 combining both live and studio/orchestral renditions of many classic melodies.
Theatre, Concert Performances and Recording
have filled Jon’s schedule since the early days yet his Radio broadcast connections eventually led to a unique partnership with the revered B.B.C. (British Broadcasting Corporation!) in the late 90’s. Reprising and re-designing an idea born in the 1950’s – Jon invited listeners to call-in requests live on-air, for him to play. These shows received an overwhelming response and many of the all-time classics receive a fresh outing on Jon’s brand-new-for-2007 release Star Dust/Love Story. These BBC recordings spawned a double album of evergreen favorites released on a two-disc (and cassette!) double-album by renowned UK label, Music and Memories going on to sell over a quarter million copies through mail-order, newspaper/magazine/radio and televisual publicity.
Of Jon England’s first ever solo Christmas recording, featuring classics “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”, “Silent Night” and “White Christmas”, Hugh Caswell, President of Azurre Records writes “The luxurious sound of Jon England’s unique ‘Velvet Piano’ touch render this collection of 18 timeless Holiday classics a joy to encounter time and again. Whether by a Winter fireside or in the company of friends and loved ones, this beautiful music has rarely been presented in such fine style and the comforting, elegant image of a convivial gathering around a gleaming Grand Piano with snowflakes falling outside floats instantly to mind from the very first notes that spill effortlessly from the fingers of this master of the keyboard. ‘It’s Christmas, with Jon England’ is sure to become a recording you will play over and over again, stylishly enhancing all your Holiday moods.”
It’s “SHOWTIME” for Jon at the Carolina Opry, Myrtle Beach, USA
The 2,500+ seat privately owned “Gilmore Auditorium” is the Show Palace of the South (Carolina), dedicated to wowing audiences with a Branson-meets-Vegas, Bible-Belt-meets-Broadway mix of high-energy, high-kicking, singing-dancing-instrumental power-performances, six nights a week, forty-nine weeks of the year since 1986. Founded by music-and-real-estate entrepreneur Calvin Gilmore from Missouri, - and mirroring his childhood dream of performing at the “Grand Old” Opry on WSM AM Radio - Jon’s piano-perfect stylishly-splashy technically-sparkling contributions were immediately sought once the two met late in 2002.
10 non-stop minutes of a dazzlingly-dextrous showcase convinced the CEO and the artistic management, that Jon was a must-have they just HAD to have! Show-goers, mostly from the surrounding six states (and hundreds of thousands from even further afield), filled the theatre to capacity night after night – and the now-legendary Christmas Spectacular became a Winter Wonderland from Thanksgiving until New Years - yielding a superb second Seasonal album of heart-warming favorites from Jon’s very own “Santa Claus Gift Sack” repertoire – this time, with full Broadway-style orchestral accompaniment.
Thus commenced a noteworthy chapter in Jon’s USA performing career in which he rose from excited newcomer to an established, essential and hard-working (most headliners performed two solos per show, Jon presented 20 minutes solo pre-show AND two/three featured pieces each show), top selling artiste in their fabled roster including vocalists, gospel ensembles, dancers, comedians and magicians who broadened Jon’s stage-credentials exponentially. Friendships and camaraderie built in the melting-pot of such high-stakes talent have lasted to this day and Jon remains a committed friend to many cast members, and fans, despite his career moving on apace since those South Carolina days.
America’s Got Talent, NBC, Los Angeles, USA
Spotted by the broadcasters’ talent scouts (to add some “professional” sparkle to an otherwise essentially “amateur” contender contingent); Jon was flown out to the NBC soundstages and presented his ivory-tickling “London’s Liberace” segment to Sharon Osbourne, Piers Morgan and David Hasselhoff along with a raucous invited audience for the recording of Jon’s segment.
A white concert-grand piano was specially brought in for Jon for the show and the last minute addition of a fully-loaded candelabra (along with Jon’s unique rhinestoned Trans-American-British white top-hat and his custom-tailored Uncle Sam tails outfit) completed the seriously-outrageous visual. The shortest show Jon ever played (90-seconds) led to USA-wide publicity – though no onward progression throughout the series. Sharon’s hilariously-effusive and delighted praise (and vote) prompted her to follow Jon’s segment by exclaiming “I love you Jon, and Elton John would love you too”!
Living the Legend – King of the Keyboard, Las Vegas-Nevada, USA
Long an afficionado of Liberace’s performing style and remarkably varied pianistic skill, Jon was invited to participate in the International Piano Competition bearing his name in Las Vegas the result being that Jon took the coveted “Showmanship Professional” prize title in a packed field of contestants from all corners of the globe. Lavishly filling his alloted five-minute showcase, Jon played “Blue Danube Waltz” (a Liberace creation, care-of Johann Strauss!), a Chopin interlude, “New York, New York”, “Nola”, “Lara’s Theme” from the movie ‘Dr. Zhivago’, “As Time Goes By” from the movie ‘Casablanca’, George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue” and “Tea For Two”.
Receiving his Liberace-inspired piano-shaped crystaline inscribed trophy from the Liberace Foundation President in front of a packed and rapturous audience, Jon was congratulated on his dazzling, flawless and unique tribute to the finest pop-pianist to have ruled the keyboard in Las Vegas and around the world. You’ll see from the photograph here, that the hand-made, rhinestone-encrusted stage-costume might have had something of a hand in the judges decision too!
Branson, Missouri – Highway of the Stars – USA
The lure of this Mid-Western Theatre Heaven (with Andy Williams, Ray Stevens, Roy Clarke, Buck Owens, Gatlin Brothers, Kenny Rodgers, Oak Ridge Boys, Lawrence Welk, Mickey Tilley, Daniel O’Donnell, Tony Orlando all featuring over the years) was strong enough to lure Jon from his Myrtle Beach residency with the (South) Carolina Opry to try his hand at establishing his own “Velvet Piano” show in a theatre of his own on the fabled Highway 76 bisecting the city.
Taking his “Royally Entertained” stage set, THREE pianos, his retinue of “Liberace-style” outfits, guitars, lighting and video-rig (and his own teapot/kettle for good measure…) Jon set out his presentation for the wide-ranging tour-bus audiences and local residents at the Caravelle Theatre, adjacent the Jim Stafford “House of Laughter” and across from Mickey Gilley’s Country-Rock showroom.
“Afloat, in High-Style”
Ocean-going liners have played host to Jon’s prodigious musical talents since his first professional outing-on-the-ocean-waves in 1980. Global airline travel has place him and his dextrous fingers as a featured headliner aboard Crystal Cruise Lines, Radisson Seven Seas (now RSSC), Holland-America mega-ships, Cunard (including the beautiful Saga/Vistafjord sea-sisters in their hey-day), SAGA cruises, Norwegian, Oceana, Renaissance, Silver Seas Cruises, Regent Cruises Lines, and latterly Viking (both oceangoing and mainland American waterway River Ships) and American Cruise Lines upon which Jon became the favored leader-of-the-pack ‘Resident Entertainer of the Line’ - performing three-to-five full-on variety shows per cruising week (featuring his multi-instrumental capabilities) and hosting many entertainment events afloat from 2018 onward.
‘Though the pianos are always chained firmly, yet invisibly, to the stage, Jon’s wide-ranging and remarkably phonographic recall means his repertoire ranges widely from show to show, audience to audience, and sometimes, from minute to minute – with Pops, Classics, Reggae-Ukelele, Beatles guitar-driven production numbers, soulful R&B, Ragtime, Operatic gems, New Orleans Jazz, depending on the mood, style or energy level desired by his discerning and varied international audiences.
More recently…
Jon’s career takes a more leisurely pace these days with the California sunshine and palm-frond-laden sunset-scapes more to his liking. Recording beautifully-orchestrated timeless classics in his fully-featured recording studios and broadcasting live telecasts to fans and private screenings allow for a more relaxed and less hectic schedule. In the past few years he’s traveled the globe on the most exclusive liners, set foot upon his Mother-country’s soil (England!) where he’s in demand from those recalling his BBC television and radio days. He’s a little more selective about choosing performance opportunities and prefers the “rarity” factor of “fine-wine” venues, audiences and facilities ensuring a top-notch, curated and a-la-carte event for those fortunate enough to experience the “Velvet Piano” player at his finest.
His outstandingly-productive album discography together with ‘yet-to-fall-under-his-fingers’ pieces are a rich well from which he draws to entertain, charm and educate. The world is - to Jon - the most musical and lovely place and he truly appreciates the privileged position his God-given gift has enabled him to enjoy. A double-album (likely to be released on vinyl AND Compact Disc) is in the works ‘catching up’ with his fully-orchestrated show-repertoire which it had so-far been impossible to take the time to record during his most recent years on the stage.
For those fortunate enough to have enjoyed Jon “up-close-and-personal”; it will not be a revelation to discover that EVERY instrument featured on Jon’s albums (and stage shows) is performed by Jon himself – having been unable to master the art of reading music (at school or anywhere else!). Entirely self-taught, he has mastered all the instruments needed to complete his unique and utterly charming “Velvet Piano” sound.