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Jim Mullen - Guitar. Zoe Francis - Vocals.
Scott Flanigan - Organ.
Dominic Mullan - Drums.
Jim Mullen was guitarist with Pete Brown & Piblokto! for two albums in 1970. He then played with Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, appearing on the band's first three albums together with future Average White Band drummer Robbie McIntosh. Mullen then joined Kokomo and later toured with the Average White Band.
It was while both musicians were touring the United States with AWB in the mid-1970s that Mullen met tenor saxophone player Dick Morrissey and throughout the 1980s, he found critical notice as joint leader of the British jazz funk band Morrissey–Mullen. Record producer Richard Niles, who produced the band's sixth album, It's About Time, later produced three solo albums for Mullen.
Mullen has also played and recorded with, among others, Mose Allison, Hamish Stuart, Joanna Eden, Tam White, Claire Martin, Mike Carr, Jimmy Witherspoon, Dave O'Higgins and Georgie Fame, Sinan Alimanović, David Tughan, Jimmy Smith, Terry Callier and Frank Holder. Mullen has recorded as part of The AllStars, a collective of session musicians on their Paul McCartney-produced album All About the Music, alongside special guests Jocelyn Brown, Hamish Stuart and Angelo Starr. In 2014, he featured prominently on the Citrus Sun album, People of Tomorrow, produced by Incognito co-founder, Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick.
Mullen has won many British music awards including "Best Guitar" in the British Telecom Jazz Awards (1994, 1996 and 2000).
London-born Zoe Francis grew up in Northern Ireland in an artistic environment, her father John and grandfather Colin Middleton MBE were celebrated artists and encouraged a lifelong love of art.
When her parents separated she moved to Lincolnshire with her mum and sister. Zoe fell in love with dancing through films starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse and in her teenage years she toured with a contemporary dance company and acted in a local theatre group.
On a visit to New York while learning Tango and going to Jazz clubs, a musician introduced her to the vocal workshops of pianist Barry Harris. This was a turning point for Zoe. She discovered her love of great songs and lyrics and was encouraged to pursue singing. Alongside the weekly workshops Zoe began singing in the many jam sessions held around Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Harlem. This led to her performing in local clubs with musicians of the calibre of Harry Allen, Joe Cohn, Warren Vache, and Chris Flory.
Although she loved her time in New York, a homesick Zoe returned to the UK and moved to Bristol where she began performing with award-winning pianist David Newton. In 2013 she recorded her first album “Looking For a Boy” with David Newton.
A move to London gave Zoe the opportunity to work with top players like Gareth Williams, Stan Sulzmann, and Jim Mullen, producing a live album at London’s 606 jazz club in 2014 which led to her performing with this band including Mick Hutton and Enzo Zirilli in and around the London area.
Zoe’s album “Remembering Blossom Dearie” 2018 celebrates the reportoire of the singer/pianist Blossom Dearie with Jim Mullen, Barry Green and Mick Hutton.
Zoe's new album, blue town, is a selection of bittersweet songs the lyrics of which capture our moods whether we are reminiscing or daydreaming, hopeful or heartbroken and features Jim Mullen and the incomparable Ross Stanley on Hammond organ.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Arthur's Blues & Jazz Club, 28 Thomas Street,Dublin, Ireland
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