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Peter Jones

Peter Jones is an experienced and versatile jazz singer who has played all over London and the southeast with some of the UK’s finest musicians. His three albums under his own name have received rave reviews. Mark McKergow of London Jazz News described Under the Setting Sun (2017) as an 'atmospheric and superbly- executed collection of late-night vibes and sentiments... This album succeeds brilliantly... a valuable and important collection for anyone remotely interested in contemporary jazz singing and song-writing.' His newest release is a project called Zoöphyte, whose album Signs of Life (2020) distils jazz, pop, soul and psychedelica to create a very contemporary sound palette. The reviews have been unanimous raves.

Since late 2016, Peter has also worked with the Mü Orchestra, performing jazz renditions of classic tunes by Steely Dan and Donald Fagen.

Peter’s forthcoming book – This Is Hip: The Life of Mark Murphy – was published by Equinox in March 2018. His new biography of jazz singer Jon Hendricks will be published in November 2020.

Zoöphyte: Galapagos

Read "Galapagos" reviewed by Ian Patterson

by Ian Patterson
August 22, 2023

Zoöphyte is a ten-piece pop band boasting some of London's finest jazz musicians. Its debut album, Signs Of Life (Howlin' Werewolf, 2020), was a pleasing hybrid of uber-catchy grooves, ear-bending psychedelia and sizzling jazz virtuosity. How could it be otherwise for a band that cites influences as diverse as Canterbury progressives Soft Machine and Caravan, psychedelic soulsters The Fifth Dimension, rock antiheroes Chicago and Steely Dan, and nu-jazz conceptualist Robert Glasper? One pandemic later, this genre-slippery unit delivers another slice ...

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Recording

Drummer Kevin Peter Jones Releases "Magnetic Journey"

Source: Michael Ricci
December 28, 2009

Fairfax, VA -- One of Washington, D.C.'s most refreshing new talents, Kevin Peter Jones, is poised to release his long awaited debut-album, “MAGNETIC JOURNEY" on Sakestyle Entertainment. It is with good reason that Kevin has been on the rise since the journey to complete this project started in 2005. Known for his ability to blend a variety of musical genres and styles, he has produced an eclectic yet cohesive sonic experience, Kevin Peter Jones meticulously hand selected each song for ...
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“It takes only one listen to Signs of Life… to understand the name of singer Peter Jones’s project, for exotic it undoubtedly is, with roots gloriously entangled in the soils of jazz, pop and psychedelic music… Sophie Alloway’s brushes, and bassist Andrew Cleyndert’s slow groove, instill laid-back swing on “Füsun,” a delightful, blues- tinged number with handsome solos from [Rob] Luft and pianist Ross Stanley. Jones’ delivery on this bitter-sweet tale of love lost, and on the shimmering, Hammond organ-driven swinger “House on the Corner,” position the singer in a lineage somewhere between Frank Sinatra and Kurt Elling.” Ian Patterson, All About Jazz

“What Peter Jones has achieved here is a valid and worthy 21st century British riposte to the greatest American jazz rock outfit of the 20th. He’s also picked up the Steely Dan trick of writing enigmatic, tip-of-the iceberg lyrics instead of, say, rote heart-on-the-sleeve relationship songs. With the result that this album is endlessly listenable, allowing the gorgeous musicianship to grow on listeners — and it deserves many.” Andrew Cartmel, London Jazz News

“Listening to “Signs of Life”, I realised that a way had been found to clothe ambitious music in beautiful and tempting robes – even to the least sensitive eye – and thus satisfy a wide audience: so there is a surface beauty that anyone can appreciate, but there are also deeper waters, and in them, a journey through fairy-tale lands.” Marta Ratajczak, Babskim Uchem (Poland)

“Smoothly trowelled pop-jazz… cosmic grooviness…” Andy Robson, Jazzwise

“This [album] works so beautifully… As a vocalist, Jones brings to mind such greats past and present as Mark Murphy (natch!); Jon Hendricks; Kurt Elling and Gregory Porter. At the risk of facing accusations of being sycophantic, Jones is at a point in his career where he can hold his head up high even in such exalted company.” Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here

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