Peoples Republic of South Devon

Mama Tokus sings

May 8th, 2008

posted by Cptn

We caught up with powerhouse of soul Mama Tokus, the bebop behind the Barbican Jazz and Blues Festival, which runs in Plymouth till May 11.

How would you describe your music?
I do soul-jazz interpretations of songs you’d thought you’d forgotten, and I write nu-blues and swamp-soul suited to the Deep South West. Plymouth voodoo. Er, Poodoo?

What sort of show do you create?
I’m still creating it, but think Dr John in a three-way with Shirley Bassey and Eartha Kitt, tucked away in a sweaty Southern soul club populated by misfit Mods and off-their Rockers.

What’s your background in music?
I’ve been singing since 17, working in blues and jazz mainly. I was in the terribly-named latin-jazz-rock outfit Sha-Gov during the 1990s which played in Plymouth and Cornwall, Bristol and London. Then I slipped into a Bristol trip-hop outfit Statik Sound System in 1998. To pay the bills I was a club promoter putting on monthly sessions of jungle and… easy listening. Then I stopped music totally to concentrate on the day-job and to hang out with my Nan.

I got back into performing a couple of years ago when Nemo Jones came along – a former guitarist with Faithless, who now lives in Totnes. I did backing vocals with him, while also completing a short barbershop singing course.

It’s only now that I feel totally qualified to pursue my own musical vision.

Who are your influences?
Dinah Washington and Dean Martin (from my Nan’s record collection), Sarah Vaughan, Charles Mingus, The Beach Boys, Hendrix, Dusty Springfield, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Cindy Lauper, Ray Barretto, Joni Mitchell, Fats Waller, Donald Fagen, David Byrne, The Monkees, Sade, Marlena Shaw and Mel Tormé.

What’s your favourite venue – locally and nationally?
OK I’m biased, but hubby’s running The B-bar, and that’s definitely my favourite local venue.
Nationally, I like supper-club scenes like the Soho Revue Bar (formerly Raymond’s Revue Bar) and the Pigalle Club. Anywhere with velvet walls really.

From the current scene, what would be your ideal line-up – with you headlining of course?
Tricky because I’m permanently stuck in 1967. I’ll have a go: Jack White on guitar; Aldo Vanucci (Plymouth-based DJ/producer) on decks; Amy Winehouse, Adele and Duffy on backing vox, all wearing massive beehives of course; horn section of current jazz-types Dennis Rollins on trombone, Abram Wilson on trumpet and Soweto Kinch on sax. And Mark Ronson producing.

Where can we catch you?
I’m supporting the wonderfully eccentric Earl Okin, a very British gentleman with a bossa nova bent, as part of the Barbican International Jazz and Blues Festival, on Thursday May 8 in the Barbican Theatre, from 8pm. Reservations can be made on the B-bar hotline 01752 242021. Check him out at on his myspace site.

Entry Filed under: Arts