The world of Tricity Vogue
Larger-than-life jazz vamp Tricity Vogue is the creation
of writer and singer Heather Tyrrell, who invented her alter
ego after a number of bruising romantic encounters prompted
her to start composing songs about her misadventures. Tricity
burst onto the London scene in 2003 with a philosophical ditty
about a one-night-stand, Well I didn't want you anyway.
She didn't yet have a band, or even an accompanist, but she
didn't let a little thing like that stop her, and sang a capella
at performance poetry nights. Proving the truth of the philosophy
"if you sing it, they will come", sure enough within
months she was performing with a full band behind her, thanks
to the musical genius of pianist Miss Connie Vanderlay, who
provided the voluptuous jazz chords to complement her words
and melodies.
Every jazz diva needs a good gown, and Tricity acquired a
suitably dazzling wardrobe thanks to the flamboyant genius
of designer and dressmaker Stephane St Jaymes.
Tricity first met her partner in crime Miss Honey Mink while
she was out on a date with an electrician from Coventry she
picked up at a gig. Honey was singing in the restaurant, and
by the end of the night, Tricity was up on stage with her,
leaving her date sitting alone in the Hampstead eatery (it
was a quiet night). The electrician was never seen again,
but Tricity and Honey have been singing together ever since.
Trombone player Sir Fitzroy Callow was found lurking in the
back row of Ronnie Scotts polishing his brass, while guitarist
Earl Mysterio first materialised in a disreputable after-hours
club with cocktail in hand. It wasn't long before both of
them had thoroughly seduced the Vogue ears. Impish drummer
Bobby Fresh stepped in to the breech one night as deputy and
wowed Miss Vogue so much with his rim-shots that he's been
behind the drums ever since. Rumour has it that Tricity talent-spotted
bassist Trousers Mercedes on a yoga holiday in Crete, and
guessed that anyone that good at bending must have other hidden
talents.
Now the Tricity Vogue slinktet is a seven-piece band, with
a mischievous repertoire of jazz, blues, swing and latin numbers,
including several unexpected jazzifications of pop classics,
plenty of vintage favourites, and a sprinkling of witty originals
you might almost think were written 70 years ago, if it weren't
for the suspiciously contemporary lyrics.
What's more, Miss Vogue has also taken to wandering the open
mics of London, troubador-like, with her small pink ukelele
- so keep your eyes open for a guerilla glamour appearance
near you... |
