The Sharp Perspective
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The Sharp Perspective

Band Jazz Funk

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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Elbow Room, Leeds 09/05/07"

A quiet, uneventful drink in The Elbow Room... or not? Sat upstairs, the acoustics were pretty dire, so I descended to get a closer listen. The bluesy, jazzy feel of the music is what drew me in - it kept me there. The feeling was of a very competent band with plenty of feeling behind what they're doing - and this suddenly became enhanced as I was drawn into singer Lesley's stage personality. She sings with great humour, you can't help but really listen to what she's singing. And you think you're in one mood only to discover you've actually taken on the mood of the current song.

I'm not normally one to rave about lyrics that get you feeling all soppy or nostalgic (oh no?) because it happens to all of us, right? Some event that you link with some song? So how do you explain it when you've never heard any of these songs before? Naahh, it was probably the sound - it was toe-tapping, cafe-bar city, the kind of sound that you can't imagine anyone not liking - yet it felt like it appealed directly to me. I must have been in a funny mood that night... but I'm not in one now and, listening to the tracks on their MySpace page, it's doing it again. Only the recordings sound just like that – recordings. The energy and feeling of the experience live was much fuller. Don't get me wrong, the recordings are still great, but my point is this: if you like what you hear online, you won't fail to have a great time when you see them live.

And what else? I heard it was only their second gig....wow.
- www.franticcorduroy.com


Discography

Mini Statement: 4-track demo

The Sharp Perspective debut album: coming to a download site near you in autumn 2008!

Photos

Bio

Lesley knew Leon and Leon knew Tom. So they hooked up and went for a curry at the Shabab on Eastgate in Leeds and hatched a plan over a naan to form a baaand. The result is The Sharp Perspective, a tight-knit ensemble of like-minded lovers of groove.

Lesley B Sharp: vocals

Born in Scotland, Lesley started singing at the age of seven. She was a member of Glasgow Youth Choir for 10 whole years, but all that fell by the wayside when she discovered jazz. Oh, and boys. It wasn’t until many years and several career tangents later that she started singing in public again, this time in restaurants in and around Leeds as one half of a jazz duo. Having worked as a professional actress for four years and an advertising copywriter for many more, Lesley has a penchant for wordplay... which goes a long way to explaining her unique lyrical style and her engaging live performances.

Tom Quayle: guitar

Christmas Day 1995, and fifteen-year-old Tom Quayle ripped the wrapping paper off his first guitar, a lime green electric with all the finesse of a cheese grater. Unperturbed, the intrepid teenager practised fervently for four years and played in rock and funk bands until he arrived on the doorstep of jazz. Enrolling at Leeds College of Music, he recorded two jazz guitar albums during his studentship, and graduated with honours in jazz studies in 2002. Today, Tom teaches guitar at the Yamaha music school and mentors a group of gifted musical children as well as composing for and playing with More Month than Money. Busy man.

Leon Stevens: bass

Despite the fact that he really wanted to play the trumpet, Leon started off learning flute at the tender age of seven. He switched to keys when the Stevens family moved from their flat to a thick-walled house and his dad bought an organ. Fast forward to his teens and you’d find Leon in church, playing gospel piano and turning his hand to any instrument thrown at him. Like Tom, he’s a Leeds College of Music alumnus and, whilst bass was originally his second instrument, these days it’s in pole position. Leon played up and down the country in his old man’s calypso band and in numerous jazz, funk and covers outfits before setting up More Month than Money.

Al Roberto: drums

Al's been gigging with grown-ups since the age of 13. He's only 21 now, but he's already a dad and has given up on hardcore partying. Is this normal behaviour for a drummer, we wonder? Anyhow, he's the new boy on the block and we're well impressed with his chops (on drums and in the kitchen).