Fever: Band Biographies

Band Biographies
Below are a list of our pool of musicians, used in Fever and Souled on Funk. We pride ourselves on using only the best musicians in the industry.

Georgie Standage (vocals)
Georgie began singing as far back as she can remember! She progressed this musical talent in school choirs, church choirs and gospel, achieving grade 8 in electronic organ and graduating in contemporary vocals at the Academy of Contemporary Music, where she founded Fever. This enabled her to tour the UK and world wide. Georgie was delighted to be given the opportunity to work on the musical production of “Head” as the vocal coach, and has been voice coaching in theatre schools, live performance workshops and privately for the past 5 years. As a professional singer, she has been involved with session work for a company called Evera Woman, re-writing a well known track and singing the theme alongside the presenter Kate Thornton. Other artists Georgie has had the pleasure performing with are members of Skunk Anansie, Republica and Pete Freisen the guitarist from Alice Cooper.

Marco Meniconi (bass)
Marco has been a musician for nearly 30 years. He grew up in Switzerland where he became involved in blues, rock, and progressive rock bands at
an early age. He moved to Canada at the start of the eighties, where he resided for 15 years. During that time he played in numerous bands, both covers and originals, stylistically ranging from pop to fusion, funk and soul. He moved to the UK in 1994 and worked as a lecturer in electrical engineering until he decided to give up his career to pursue a degree in bass performance which he completed in 2004. He has since then been working as a professional musician in the London area.
Apart from having toured all over Europe and North America in the past, Marco has also been collaborating on several Albums as a songwriter. In his spare time, he also enjoys building and modifying effects pedals for some of London’s top session musicians. He is currently working on a solo project which will feature some prominent players. Watch this space...

Chris Nugent (drums)
Chris discovered drums at the age of ten. Soon realising that anything he hit made some sort of noise, he had chosen his path through life. Chris has played during two sold out nights at The Royal Albert Hall and performed live on BBC Radio 2, as well as supporting bands such as Megadeth, Pitchshifter and The Workhorse Movement. Working with various bands, Chris has toured the UK extensively, as well as playing throughout Europe and the Middle East.
Playing drums with numerous musical projects including musicals (42nd Street, HEAD, Joseph), Mikey Graham (Boyzone) and many original projects (Fat Controller, Heat) he takes inspiration from drummers such as Keith Moon (Who), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) and Simon Philips.

“…a rock solid, creative drummer with a great attitude.”
Mike Sturgis – Rhythm Magazine / ACM Tutor.

“This is a drummer who is frighteningly good and a complete showman with it!”
Fiona McWilliam - Live Club UK.

Gemma Collins (vocals)
Gemma began singing at the age of 5, at such a young age her parents decided to hone her talents, and set about sending her to musical theatre and dance training. As her talents for singing grew she joined School Choirs and entered county singing shows and music concerts. Gemma gained a degree in vocal performance at the Academy of Contemporary Music where she had a wonderful opportunity to perform with musicians from the Jools Holland Band and Jamiroquai. In Gemma’s spare time she enjoys teaching children in the performing arts industry.

Jez Davies (piano)
Jez has been playing piano for 16 years, and is adept at working in many styles of music, ranging from pop to funk, jazz and classical. He studied music at the University of Surrey, graduating in 2005. Currently he works as a tutor at Surrey County Arts, doing individual music tuition, and teaching at the county youth jazz orchestra. He has played piano/keyboards in numerous shows, including: Oliver, Copacabana, Archy and Mehitabel, The Wizard of Oz, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Slipper and the Rose and The Boyfriend. He has played at many prestigious venues, including the London Palladium and the Theatre Royal, as assistant MD for ATA Productions. As well as working in Fever, he can often be found doing jazz gigs, arranging music and playing organ/keys in The Nat Martin Band (an original contemporary blues group). He has played piano at many private functions across the UK, and in numerous bars, restaurants and clubs. In his spare time he enjoys writing and recording in his home studio, and is recording tracks for a forthcoming jazz / fusion album (more info at www.myspace.com/jezdavies). His music has been played on Solar Radio, and there’s been plenty of positive feedback so far, including some from the jazz great Jeff Lorber!

Nathanael Martin (guitar/vocals)
Nat began playing music at the age of 6 and took up the guitar when he was 9 taking lessons at school. He progressed onto private tutoring and began to develop a passionate interest in blues music through listening to a range of artists including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Albert Collins and B.B.King. In more recent times Nat has developed a love for Jazz music (primarily bebop and modal Jazz) and so cites the aforementioned players as well as blues/jazz guitarist Robben Ford and many Jazz horn players as his main influences.
Nat also teaches periodically at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford.

Mike Bamber (sound engineer)
MikeR17;s background in sound goes way back to his school days when he started DJing in nightclubs and for friends at parties, as well as playing guitar in various bands at school and college. From then, he has built his own PA company (www.livesoundhire.co.uk) and engineers at venues such as the Albert Hall, Hammersmith Palais and StockholmR17;s Globe Arena. His main interest is live music and loves to engineer live bands. He has worked with a number of well-known artists including Lemar, The Fratellis, The Blockheads and James Morrison. Mike enjoys engineering with Fever because, in his own words, “They’re a great bunch of people, very professional and always put on a fantastic gig!”

Tom George (vocals)
Tom is a graduate of the Academy of Contempory Music, has a wealth of singing experience and is regularily in demand for session work and live events. Tom is also an accomplished song writer, currently involved with numerous projects having had some of his work published and released in 2005 and also has TV experience, having appeared on the BBC and ITV as well as regularily appearing on QVC! Tom’s love of Soul music came from a diet of Aretha Franklin and James Brown from a young age.

Tim Smart (Trombone, Bas Trombone & Euphonium)
Tim is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music. His playing career is massively varied, taking in session and live work with Toploader, The Go! Team, Cheikh Lo, The Heritage Orchestra, The Grand Union Orchestra, Prince Buster, Ultimate Earth Wind and Fire, Robin Jones Latin Jazz 6tet, King Salsa, IDMC gospel, Afro Elements, Mr Gone, Down to the Bone, Y-T and the Inner Heart Band, the Bollywood Brass Band, Atar and the Funkadrome, plus music theatre work as a dep on Acorn Antiques, (West End), Annie Get Your Gun (UK Tour), My Fair Lady (UK Tour) and Time's Up (Guildford, UK). Tim's Big Band work includes the Tom Richards Jazz Orchestra, the James O'Carroll Big Band, the Jimmy Cannon Big Band, the Young Guns Big Band and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and he has performed in a classical context with the London Concert Orchestra, Emerald Ensemble, Magdala Opera, and in the contemporary music field with the Avenue A Ensemble and Music at the Brewhouse. His television appearances include Top of the Pops, the Des and Mel show and Record Breakers.
Tim's arrangements and compositions have been recorded by the Wallace Collection, the dance project H&H, and for TruMethod Recordings in a variety of different projects. He also holds an MA in Music Education from the Institute of Education, University of London, and in addition to his busy playing career is currently engaged in research towards a PhD in musical development and is working on a new integrated musicianship course with Access To Music Ltd. His website is www.hidefhorns.com

James Arben (Sop, Alto, Tenor & Bari Saxes, Clarinet & Flute)
James Arben is a graduate of Oxford University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, where he completed a Masters Degree. He has studied with Jean Toussaint, Tim Garland and Don Rendell, and has being playing sax, clarinet, flute and oboe professionally since 1998.
James is currently engaged in a variety of jazz, pop, funk and fusion projects, and has played at venues including the prestigious Ronnie Scott's, the Vortex Jazz Club, the Spice of Life and Pizza-on-the-Park. He works in the UK as a freelance musician and as a featured artist and also co-leads his own quartet, A to Z. He has recorded live on BBC Radio 2, played live on TV and has toured extensively all over the world, and has just finished the UK tour of Dancing In THe Streets. His website is www.jamesarben.com

Jean Paul Gervasoni (Lead and Solo Trumpet, Flugel Horn)
Jean Paul "JP" Gervasoni is a graduate of the Royal College of Music, and Trinity College of Music, where he won an Archer Scholarship. JP has played on lead and solo trumpet chairs for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, the Bridge, Alpha Connection, the Ian Pearce Big Band, the Jimmy Cannon Big Band, plus touring experience with shows West Side Story, History of Motown Blues Brothers, and Guys and Dolls. He also performs as lead trumpet with the Ultimate Earth Wind and Fire.
JP is also a piccolo trumpet specialist, and has classical trumpet experience with the National Musicians Symphony Orchestra and the Britten-Pears Orchestra.

Michael Lesirge (Sop, Alto, Tenor & Bari Saxes, Clarinet & Flute)
Michael Lesirge has been a professional saxophonist since graduating from the Guildhall School of Music in 2004, where he studied with Jean Toussaint and Tim Garland.
He has since been a regular on the London music scene, performing with his own quartet as well as for radio and TV and in West End shows, and playing and recording with a variety of pop, jazz, soul and big band projects at venues such as the Jazz Café and the 606 club. Michael has toured in Sweden, Finland, Spain, Russia and Argentina, and performed with Hermeto Pascoal, Django Bates and Billy Cobham.

Jon Shenoy (Sop, Alto, Tenor & Bari Saxes& Clarinet)
Jon is a graduate of Goldsmiths College, University of London, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama postgraduate jazz course, where he studied with Scott Stroman, Pete Churchill, Simon Purcell, Jean Toussaint and Tim Garland. Jon is swiftly establishing himself as one of the finest young saxophonists and composers on the London scene. Jon played with international jazz musicians such as John Taylor, Django Bates and Billy Cobham whilst studying at Guildhall. Jon was awarded the Carlton Granberry award for his final recital and since graduating has toured with various big bands and small ensembles across the UK and Europe. A prolific writer and creative musician Jon runs his own quartet and the contemporary groove ensemble Gambit.