Jennifer Maidman Explained

Jennifer Maidman
Birth Date:1958 1, df=yes
Origin:Upminster, England
Instrument:Bass guitar, guitar, piano, drums
Occupation:Musician, composer, producer, singer, actress, author and editor
Years Active:1974–present
Label:Earthmusic, Phongram, London, Zopf
Associated Acts:Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Joan Armatrading, Paul Brady, Boy George, Chris De Burgh, Murray Head, Kokomo, Gerry Rafferty, Terry Reid, Shakespears Sister, David Sylvian, Annie Whitehead, Robert Wyatt, Linda McCartney, The Proclaimers, Guesch Patti

Jennifer Maidman (formerly Ian Maidman, born 24 January 1958) is a British musician, singer, producer, songwriter, actress and author who has collaborated extensively with many internationally well known groups and artists. Her work appears on hundreds of recordings from 1976 onwards and she has received numerous awards, including a platinum award from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for the album 'Hormonally Yours', on which she worked as part of the band Shakespears Sister. She was a core member of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra from 1984 until 2007.[1] [2] She is best known as a bass guitarist but also sings and plays guitar, keyboards, drums, percussion, ukulele, cuatro and Chapman Stick. In June 2016, her website announced that she was working on a solo album in Woodstock, New York featuring amongst others, Jerry Marotta (ex Peter Gabriel), Annie Whitehead, and David Torn.[3] The album, entitled 'Dreamland' was released on 1 August 2017 and features Marotta, Torn and Whitehead, with guest contributions from Paul Brady and Robert Wyatt amongst others.Since 2017, she has also been collaborating frequently with New York-based arts cooperative The Secret City.[4] In 2021, she reunited with Joan Armatrading for a live stream concert at the Asylum Chapel in London. In 2022, the concert was broadcast in the UK by the BBC and released as a double album on CD and streaming services.[5]

Career

Early years

Maidman's first release was L-L-Lazy Days in 1976, as a writer member of the group Red Hot, signed to Phillips/Phonogram, and produced by Mutt Lange.[6] In the late seventies Maidman also trained as a recording engineer, sometimes assisting John Burns at Escape Studios and notably recording and mixing Marc Bolan's 1976 hit single 'I Love to Boogie' at Decibel Studio,[7] a track later featured in the film 'Billy Elliot'.

Recording and production

Maidman's work as a musician, producer or writer, has since featured on hundreds of recordings, working with artists including Joan Armatrading,[8] David Sylvian,[9] The Penguin Cafe Orchestra,[10] Ian Dury, Shakespears Sister, The Proclaimers,[11] Paul Brady,[12] Sam Brown,[13] Gerry Rafferty,[14] Annie Whitehead, Robert Wyatt,[15] Sniff 'n the Tears,[16] Loudon Wainwright,[17] and Murray Head amongst others.

Notable successes include the Shakespears Sister double platinum album Hormonally Yours,[18] (which spawned the single "Stay", number one in several countries and certified gold in the US), The Proclaimers' Letter from America (certified gold),[11] and producing Paul Brady's Back to the Centre (featuring Eric Clapton, and voted best Irish album of the year by the readers of Hot Press[19]) and the follow-up Primitive Dance (featuring Mark Knopfler). She co-wrote, arranged and recorded a number of songs with Boy George and Bobby Z (of Prince and the Revolution), which appeared on the albums Tense Nervous Headache[20] and High Hat and went on to work again with Z on the album Gobe by French artist Guesch Patti, on which she arranged and played all instruments.[21] Maidman has also written for Sam Brown, Eurovision entrants Bardo, and Murray Head.

She has written and worked extensively with her partner, the English trombonist Annie Whitehead and produced and played on her albums Naked, Home and The Gathering.[22] She produced two albums by the Irish singer songwriter Paul Brady, Back to the Centre and Primitive Dance (and appears on many others), produced and performed on tracks on Linda McCartney's solo album Wide Prairie,[23] and has also produced Murray Head, Dutch African band Pili Pili,[24] The Kick Horns,[25] Northern Lights, and Lund.[26]

Other notable appearances on record include When in Rome, Union Cafe and Concert Program with Penguin Cafe Orchestra, extensive contributions to Gerry Rafferty's sixth album North and South, Christie Hennessey's platinum selling album This is As Far As I Go, David Sylvian's Gone to Earth, Paul Brady's Full Moon, Oh What a World and Hooba Dooba, Sam Brown's Stop and April Moon albums, and many releases by Murray Head from 1984 until the present. Her distinctive fretless bass playing can be heard on a number of recordings, notably Taking the Veil and Silver Moon by David Sylvian, Heaven and Frustration by Joan Armatrading, The Awakening by Paul Brady, and Peril in Venice by Murray Head. Jennifer contributed guitar and accordion on Robert Wyatt's album Cuckooland, nominated for the 2004 Mercury Music prize.[27]

In 2015 The Vicar Street Sessions Volume One was released, on which Jennifer (on guitar and bass) accompanies Paul Brady, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Bonnie Raitt and Ronan Keating amongst others.[28]

Live performance

Maidman has performed throughout Europe, the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, appearing live with amongst others Joan Armatrading, Paul Brady, David Sylvian,[29] Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Murray Head, Bonnie Raitt, Terry Reid,[30] Elvis Costello, Van Morrison, Curtis Stigers, Boy George, Tony O'Malley and Kokomo. Major live performance tours include Joan Armatrading band's 'The Key', a six-month tour which visited major venues in the UK, US, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and Australia,[31] and, following on from her contributions to the critically acclaimed album 'Gone to Earth', an 'eighty day world tour' entitled 'In Praise of Shamans' with David Sylvian, Mark Isham and David Torn.[32] Maidman's performance on multiple instruments can be heard throughout the definitive recording of the first incarnation of Penguin Cafe Orchestra, the album 'When in Rome', a recording of a live performance by the band at London's Royal Festival Hall.[33] She toured extensively with the band throughout the world and played a key role in their reunion/farewell concerts in 2007, when the band played three sold out nights at London's Union Chapel and received a five star review from the Guardian.[34]

Television and film

Major television appearances include a South Bank Show documentary as a member of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra,[35] a six-part RTE series on Paul Brady,[36] and a BBC4 documentary on Robert Wyatt, in which Jennifer appeared alongside Robert on lead vocals, guitar and accordion.[37] She played drums with Salif Keita and the Penguin Cafe Orchestra in Kevin Godley's 'One World One Voice', a global musical chain letter featuring Sting, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson and many other musicians from around the world. The project became a BBC TV special, a documentary and an album.[38] Jennifer provided music for the soundtrack to the film 'All the Little Animals' (1998), starring John Hurt and Christian Bale.[39]

Recent projects

Maidman sings lead vocal and plays guitar in SoupSongs, a project devoted to Robert Wyatt's music, put together by Wyatt and Annie Whitehead. Soupsongs have released a critically acclaimed live double album,[40] and performed at London's Royal Festival Hall,[41] Queen Elizabeth Hall,[42] at many other UK venues, and in France, Germany and Italy.[43] Writing in the Guardian, the music critic John Fordham praised the album and said that "Maidman catches the composer's sense of dishevelled dignity and casually poetic radicalism".[44]

Maidman also performs regularly with the Orchestra That Fell to Earth (five members of the original Penguin Cafe Orchestra, including Geoffrey Richardson),[45] plays regularly in France with Murray Head,[46] and with Kokomo,[47] Terry Reid[48] and Annie Whitehead.

She has also appeared at a number of performance poetry events with the beat poet Michael Horovitz,[49] and with Penny Rimbeau's Last Amendment, including a concert at the National Cite' de la Musique Museum's auditorium in Paris.[50] Jennifer also collaborated with James Tartaglia (Saxophonist and Professor of Philosophy at Keele University [51]) on albums influenced by Tartaglia's philosophy work, 'Dark Metaphysic' (2008) [52] and 'Kooky Steps' (2014).

In 2020 Maidman's track 'Psycho Loco', a collaboration with lyricist Verna Gillis, won the Independent Music Award in the Funk Fusion category.[53]

In November 2020 Maidman released a single 'All In', a vocal duet with Senegalese star Youssou N'Dour recorded during the covid lockdown. The Afropop website described the track as a "soaring anthem of solidarity".[54]

Theatre work

Maidman's first theatre appearances were with James Cooper's Renegades company in East London. She has subsequently appeared on stage in London, featuring in 'Strange Cargo', a devised piece directed by Jamie Beddard and Claire Hodgson for Diverse City, and on the New York stage in Chris Wells' "It Will All Work Out' at Dixon Place, Mannhatan, in 2017. In January 2019 Maidman appeared in Leah Coloff's musical theatre piece This Tree, which premiered at the Prototype Festival in New York City.[55]

Discography

As Jennifer Maidman (solo artist):

With Alice:

With Joan Armatrading:

Single:

With Jan Allain:

With Bardo:

With Paul Brady:

Singles:

With Paul Brady, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Mark Knopfler, Ronan Keating

With Sam Brown:

With Vicki Brown:

With Stan Campbell:

With Boy George:

Singles:

With Maryen Cairns:

With Judy Cheeks:

With Crazy House:

With Chris De Burgh:

With Ian Dury and Mitt Gamon:

With Murray Head:

With Christie Hennessy:

With Hue and Cry:

With Jazz Monk:

With JC001

With Lorraine Jordan:

With Shona Laing:

With Jim Leverton and Geoffrey Richardson:

With Lies Damn Lies:

With Little Bob Story:

With Lund:

With Marco Machera:

With Eleanor McEvoy:

With Linda McCartney:

With Loz Netto:

With Northern Lights:

With Guesch Patti:

As member of Penguin Cafe Orchestra:

With Penguin Cafe Orchestra/Salif Keita/Lou Reed/Kevin Godley

With Pili Pili:

With The Proclaimers:

Singles:

With Gerry Rafferty:

With Red Hot:

With Penny Rimbeau:

With Penny Rimbeau Academie des Vanities/Crass

With Rude:

With Phil Saatchi:

With Shakespears Sister:

Singles:

With Sniff 'n the Tears/Paul Roberts:

With Soupsongs (The music of Robert Wyatt):

With Lisbee Stainton:

With David Sylvian:

Unofficial releases:

Singles:

With James Tartaglia:

With T.Rex/Marc Bolan:

Singles:

Various artists:

With Vitamin Z:

With Loudon Wainwright III:

With Well Red:

With Annie Whitehead:

With Robert Wyatt:

Sources:[60] [61] [62] [63] [64] [65]

Writing on humanistic psychology and therapy

Maidman is also a trained therapist and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy [66] who has written on the subject of Humanistic Psychology for professional journals,[67] [68] and contributed chapters to, and edited (with Dr Richard House and David Kalisch) "The Future of Humanistic Psychology", described by Professor Arthur Bohart of California State University as "a profoundly important book".[69] On 21 August 2017 publisher Routledge released 'Humanistic Psychology: current trends and future prospects' in the US and UK. Maidman again contributed chapters and co-edited the book with Dr Richard House and David Kalisch.

Personal life

According to an interview published in 2015, Maidman had gender reassignment around 2000, after a long period of transition, changing her first name to Jennifer.[70]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Penguin Cafe Orchestra – Songs, Playlists, Videos and Tours – BBC Music . Bbc.co.uk . 21 October 2015.
  2. Web site: Penguin Cafe Orchestra Discography . Discogs.com . 18 December 2011 . 21 October 2015.
  3. Web site: Jennifer Maidman . Jennifer Maidman . 21 October 2015.
  4. Web site: Radio Kingston NY interview: Secret City Radio Hour: Jennifer Maidman . 12 October 2019.
  5. Web site: Joan Armatrading's 50-year music career being marked with new live album. 28 December 2022.
  6. Web site: Record Details. 45Cat. 22 October 2015.
  7. Web site: T•Rex* - I Love To Boogie. Discogs. 9 September 1976 .
  8. Web site: Winnipeg Free Press by Midnight Raver . ISSUU . 21 October 2015.
  9. Web site: David Sylvian - Gone To Earth (Vinyl, LP, Album) ]. Discogs.com . 9 September 1986. 21 October 2015.
  10. Web site: The Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Other Members . Penguincafe.com . 21 October 2015 . 15 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151115153122/http://www.penguincafe.com/original/members.htm . dead .
  11. Web site: The Proclaimers - Letter From America (Band Version) (Vinyl) ]. Discogs.com . 9 September 1987. 21 October 2015.
  12. Web site: Aaron J. Sams . :: U2 Discography - Back to Centre Album / Paul Brady . U2 Wanderer.Org . 21 October 2015.
  13. Web site: Sam Brown - April Moon (CD, Album) ]. Discogs.com . 9 September 1990. 21 October 2015.
  14. Web site: Gerry Rafferty - North And South (Vinyl, LP, Album) ]. Discogs.com . 23 August 2010 . 21 October 2015.
  15. Web site: Robert Wyatt - Cuckooland (Vinyl, LP) ]. Discogs.com . 21 October 2015.
  16. Web site: Downstream - Sniff 'n' the Tears | Credits . . 21 October 2015.
  17. Web site: Ian Maidman | Songs. AllMusic.
  18. Web site: ATom Demalon . Hormonally Yours - Shakespear's Sister | Songs, Reviews, Credits . . 21 October 2015.
  19. Web site: Rocklist.net...HOT PRESS Albums & Singles of the year . Rocklistmusic.co.uk . 21 October 2015.
  20. Web site: Aaron Badgley . Tense Nervous Headache - Boy George | Songs, Reviews, Credits . . 21 October 2015.
  21. Web site: Guesch Patti - Gobe. Discogs. 9 September 1992 .
  22. Web site: Annie Whitehead - The Gathering (CD, Album) . Discogs.com . 21 October 2015.
  23. Web site: Linda McCartney - Wide Prairie (CD, Album) . Discogs.com . 27 October 1998 . 21 October 2015.
  24. Web site: Boogaloo - Pili Pili - JARO Medien - Jazz, Classic, World Music, Pop . Jaro.de . 13 August 2013 . 21 October 2015.
  25. Web site: Paul Nieman . Kick Horns - The Other Foot . Cdvine.co.uk . 21 October 2015 . 31 August 2001 . https://web.archive.org/web/20010831154930/http://www.cdvine.co.uk/kickhorns.html . dead .
  26. Web site: Flawed Heroine | LUND . Lundband.bandcamp.com . 21 October 2015.
  27. Web site: Robert Wyatt: Cuckooland - 2004 Shortlist - Albums of the Year . Mercury Prize . 21 October 2015.
  28. Web site: The Vicar Street Sessions Volume 1 - Paul Brady & His Band . SpiralEarth . 21 October 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150912210843/http://www.spiralearth.co.uk/news/Review-story.asp?nid=9055 . 12 September 2015 . dead .
  29. Web site: Artists related to David Sylvian - Ian Maidman | David Sylvian :: davidsylvian.net :: Expect Everything and Nothing less! . davidsylvian.net . 21 October 2015 . 22 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151122215010/http://www.davidsylvian.net/releases/miscellaneous/62-artists-related-to-david-sylvian/115-ian-maidman.html . dead .
  30. Web site: The Half Moon - What's on & events . Geronimo-inns.co.uk . 21 October 2015 . 22 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151122223152/http://www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/london-the-half-moon/events/12913 . dead .
  31. http://www.joanarmatrading.com/index.php/categories/item/605-tour-dates-1983
  32. Web site: Live Performances. www.davidsylvian.com.
  33. Web site: Penguin Cafe Orchestra - When In Rome.... Discogs. 9 September 1988 .
  34. News: Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Union Chapel, London. John L.. Walters. 13 December 2007. www.theguardian.com. The Guardian.
  35. Web site: The South Bank Show: Season 10 Episode 21 . LocateTV . 21 October 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160117124948/http://www.locatetv.com/tv/south-bank-show/season-10/1245697 . 17 January 2016 . dead .
  36. Web site: Paul Brady :: The Paul Brady Songbook DVD . Allcelticmusic.com . 21 October 2015.
  37. Web site: Robert Wyatt Video: 2003 - Robert Wyatt - Free Will And Testament . Robertwyattvideo.blogspot.co.uk . 21 October 2015.
  38. http://www.discogs.com/Various-One-World-One-Voice/release/1659720a
  39. Web site: All the Little Animals (1998) : Soundtracks. IMDb.com. 21 October 2015.
  40. Web site: Various Artists: Soupsongs Live: The Music of Robert Wyatt. All About Jazz. 28 December 2005 .
  41. News: John L Walters . Jazz: Soup Songs | Global . The Guardian . 26 June 2001. 21 October 2015.
  42. News: Ghosts at the banquet. Guardian Staff. 28 October 2000. www.theguardian.com. The Guardian.
  43. Web site: Annie Whitehead Group - Soupsongs . rosalba di raimondo . 21 October 2015.
  44. Web site: Jazz CD releases | The Guardian | guardian.co.uk. www.theguardian.com.
  45. Web site: The Orchestra That Fell To Earth - The Orchestra That Fell To Earth . Orchestrathatfell.co.uk . 21 October 2015.
  46. Web site: Murray Head . Performing-musician.com . 26 September 1998 . 21 October 2015 . 17 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117025434/http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/apr08/articles/murrayhead.htm . dead .
  47. Web site: LondonJazz: REVIEW: Kokomo at the 100 Club . Londonjazznews.com . 29 August 2014 . 21 October 2015 . 17 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117030721/http://www.londonjazznews.com/2014/08/review-kokomo-at-100-club.html?m=1 . dead .
  48. Web site: Terry Reid Band - Ronnie Scott's . Ronniescotts.co.uk . 21 October 2015 . 17 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117021119/http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/performances/view/1633-terry-reid-band . dead .
  49. Web site: Veteran Beat poet Michael Horovitz marks 80th birthday with three 'jazz poetry superjams' | Write Out Loud. www.writeoutloud.net. 12 March 2015 .
  50. Web site: Le punk, contre-culture ou sous-culture ? - Cité de la musique (concerts, expositions, pratique musicale et médiathèque à Paris) - Cité de la musique, Paris. www.citedelamusique.fr.
  51. Web site: James Tartaglia, Keele University. Keele University.
  52. Web site: James Tartaglia's Free Funk Assembly: Dark Metaphysic. All About Jazz. 14 June 2009 .
  53. web|url=https://independentmusicawards.com/blog/2020/04/28/the-18th-independent-music-awards-winners-announced/
  54. web|url=https://afropop.org/articles/all-in-jennifer-maidman-and-youssou-ndour-sing-for-solidarity
  55. Web site: Leah Coloff's ThisTree: Storytelling and Song at Prototype. Alyssa. Kayser-Hirsh. 15 January 2019. I CARE IF YOU LISTEN.
  56. Web site: Lorraine Jordan - A Light Over There. Discogs. 9 September 2023 .
  57. Web site: Penny Rimbaud - Oh Magick Kingdom. Discogs. 9 September 2023 .
  58. Web site: Lisbee Stainton - Sidekick. April 16, 2012. Femalefirst.co.uk.
  59. Web site: Jazz Direct, Music Services - James Tartaglia Kooky Steps . 13 November 2015 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033439/http://www.jazzdirect.co.uk/page14.html . dead .
  60. Web site: Ian Maidman Discography . Discogs.com . 21 October 2015.
  61. Web site: Jennifer Maidman Discography . Discogs.com . 21 October 2015.
  62. Web site: Ian Maidman Discography and Music at CD Universe . Cduniverse.com . 21 October 2015.
  63. Web site: Paul Brady - Songbook CD Album . Cduniverse.com . 6 May 2003 . 21 October 2015.
  64. Web site: Certified Awards . Bpi.co.uk . 21 October 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160917112745/https://www.bpi.co.uk/certified-awards.aspx . 17 September 2016 .
  65. Web site: Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - October 21, 2015 . RIAA . 21 October 2015.
  66. Web site: Authors - Jennifer Maidman. www.pccs-books.co.uk.
  67. Web site: Standard Search - Social Care Online. www.scie-socialcareonline.org.uk.
  68. 10.1080/03060497.2011.11084193. Self & Society. 39. 2011 . 2. New Departures for Self and Society. Richard House, David Kalisch & Jennifer Maidman. 6–16 .
  69. Book: The Future of Humanistic Psychology. Foreword by Andrew Samuels; Afterword by Maureen O'Hara: Amazon.co.uk: Eds, Richard House, David Kalisch, Jennifer Maidman: 9781906254650: Books. 2 September 2013.
  70. Web site: Kowalska . Monika . The Heroines of My Life: Interview with Jennifer Maidman . Theheroines.blogspot.co.uk . 18 February 2015 . 21 October 2015.

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