In this podcast I'm joined by Cat Gisby & Rob Sykes. We chat through mental and physical health, food, making music, performing and how our industries have been impacted over the last year or so! Cat Gisby is a composer, performer and agent for Clarendon Personal Management! She is a hugely talented on and off stage and has a seriously kick ass voice! (Check out her youtube videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyAoItSmh0wYkR_sGZskW8g)

Rob Sykes is a sound therapist; an amazing form of therapy which is a type of vibrational medicine. It’s the practice of using instruments, including the human voice to guide you into a deep state of relaxation, so that your body’s innate intelligence and incredible healing power can re-balance your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects.

You can find out more about what Rob has to offer by visiting his website at https://www.robsykessoundtherapy.com/

This week I am joined by Tess Burrstone and Jimmy Walters. Both here to talk about their fantastic creative projects but also to talk about their attitude to all things fitness, weight loss and eating!

Tess is a powerhouse singer with a wealth of credits and experience under her belt having performed with some of UK's biggest bands, groups and touring shows including Jay Z on Radio 1 Live Lounge, Michael Bolton on Strictly It Takes Two, Pixie Lott and Billy Ocean! Having performed all over the world in various forms she takes time to explain the impact on her work and her mental health! She is also here talking about her latest single 'We Can Have It All'! It's truly a summer banger and created in collaboration with the extraordinary sax talents of Brendan Mills!

Find out more by visiting www.facebook.com/tessingeruk/

To find out more visit www.proudhaddock.co.uk

Don't forget you can find out more about our podcasts by visiting our Facebook and Instagram pages @TheWeddingThinners

Joining me on the podcast this week is Iwan VanHetten and Anna Brooks. We chat about food, weight loss and how they approach a healthy lifestyle. We also talk music, Anna; a prolific multi-instrumentalist and member of the Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and Brooklyn Funk Essentials and Iwan producer, musician and composer with Trioniq and also Brooklyn Funk Essentials!

As well as casual chattery we also have THREE stonking pieces of music for you to enjoy from Brooklyn Funk Essentials, the Anna Brooks Quintet, and Trioniq!

Iwan VanHetten

Iwan is a longtime writing, touring and recording band member of the New York based Brooklyn Funk Essentials with whom he has toured the world over several times playing on prestigious festivals such as North Sea Jazz (NL and South Africa) Ronnie Scotts. Iwan has worked recorded and toured with other artists such as Sister Sledge, Candy Dulfer and Paco Sery to name a few. Iwan has his own professional recording facility in which he produces and mixes albums for Artist from all over the world.

https://www.facebook.com/AnnaBrooksSax/

Joining me for a chat this week is Artistic Director, Rob Watt and session singing supremo Gavin Conder.

Rob is a critically acclaimed director, dramaturg and facilitator. He collaborates with writers, communities, poets, designers to try to make sense of the fractured world we live in.

He is dedicated to working with young people to help them tell stories, understand how to access theatre and to make resonant and risk taking work. He started his career working on Hackney estates; taking theatre to the doorsteps of communities in East London.

He currently is the Artistic Director for Theatre Centre and an Associate at Headlong Theatre. He regularly teaches at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and makes work with the Institute of the Arts Barcelona. He previously headed up the young people’s team at the National Theatre, was a Lead Artist at Lyric Hammersmith, an Artist Mentor at the Barbican and was Associate Director at Immediate Theatre.

Gavin is one of the UK’s most respected and sought after vocalists. In his 15 year career, he has worked with artists such as Tom Jones, Cliff Richard, Sam Smith, Bryan Adams, Brian May, Professor Green, Rudimental, Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, White Snake, Sophie Ellis Bextor and many more.

Sessions include jingles for Radio 2, Magic FM, the X factor, The Voice ,Minute Maid and the Carphone Warehouse He is also an artist and songwriter in his own right, being part of The Kondoors, a duo he shares with his wife (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Bird member Jessica Greenfield) and rock band Rufus Black. He is currently a writer for Audio Network, The Nerve and has had songs feature in blockbuster film Logan, hit American show Suits, Netflix, channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and many more. He has also written and recorded for Universal, Sony, Emi, Decca. He is also now producing, arranging, mixing mastering recording for Peer Music Germany.

In this weeks podcast I'm joined by Tori Allen Martin and Vonne. Both super talented performers in their own right with a lot to say about healthy eating and their weight loss journey!

Tori Allen Martin

Born in New York and brought up in Kingston Upon Thames, Tori is a singer, songwriter, actor, director and co-founder of Burn Bright, a platform that aims to level the playing field for womxn in theatre. Tori's career as a singer has seen her perform on stages from the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam to The Lincoln Centre, NYC. She appears on Idris Elba's 'mi Mandela' album alongside Maverick Sabre and George the Poet and on various Eliza and the Bear tracks after working as their lead backing vocalist around the launch of their first album. Though music has always been her first love, Tori is best known for television appearances on BBC'S London Kills and Pandemonium, ITV's Unforgotten 3 and Channel 4's Pure. Tori's 2nd ep 'Half Full' released on March 19th is an honest and vulnerable record about escaping from a toxic love affair and ends on a high with a track (I'll Be The One) about easing into new relationships without the pressure of 'labels' or expectation. 'I sat on this record for ages because it felt too personal. I could only release it when I was fully over the person it's about. In all honesty, I don't think it's him I had to get over, I think it was my fear of relationships.

Vonné (pronounced von-nae)

The 26 year old Singer Songwriter grew up in South East London. After discovering her love for singing she asked her Mum if she could join her Church Choir. Her parents encouraged her to learn how to play the guitar and she then went on to study music at The Academy Of Contemporary Music.

Since graduating Vonné has toured as a backing vocalist with Artists such as Emeli Sandé, Mabel on the Harry Styles support, Nao and with Grime Legend & ‘Top Boy’ Star Kano.

Her debut EP Love Games gained loads of coverage from BBC 1Xtra, BBC Introducing, Reprezent, The Beat, Pulse88 and online Press includes Earmilk, Apitate and more. At the start of the last year she released her 3rd single “Twice” which was named ‘Track of The Week’ by DJ Ace on BBC 1Xtra, made the C List on Pulse88 & the Brand New List on the Beat.

Her sophomore EP is out & making noise with the lead single “Someone Like Me” being her second ‘Track Of The Week’ on BBC 1Xtra & within one year. Vonné was one of the Top 21 winners in the ‘I Saw It First Look’ competition. 2020 is definitely looking promising for the Songstress.

Joining me on the podcast this evening are Kofi Kyei and Paul James.

Paul James is the singer and front man of the bands One Day Elliott and Brothers From Another Cover. He has a PhD from the University of Westminster and is a guest music lecturer, vocal tutor and composer. He also runs choirs and other musical ensembles for various organisations.

During lockdown he launched a music comedy project with Phil James (related by love of rock only) called Rocket Up.

He is currently training for the Brighton marathon and loves his food (a little too much.) Kofi Kyei is the founder of Ride for Unit; an amazing global cycling initiative born out of the idea of unifying rather than dividing. Kofi talks about his inspiration for starting it all up, how it has grown and where he aims for it to be in the future! Don't forget to follow us on instagram @TheWeddingThinners and Facebook by searching for The Wedding Thinners!

This week I am joined by Dan Berry and Sammy Dinneen both incredible talents in their own right! We discuss mental health, how to overcome those moments where our brain might suggest that we can't reach our goal, and even who our favourite member of Gladiators was (OBVIOUSLY Wolf...) Check us out on Instagram (@theweddingthinners) and Facebook @TheWeddingThinners to keep in touch with what is coming up!

Live music comes from The 3rd Estate a hip hop / jazz collective founded by Daniel '3Digits' Berry. Upcoming UK MCs CANMKING & Chriz Gabriel share microphone duties with UK legend Ty who sadly passed away last year. MC verses are backed by live tracked instrumentals featuring some top Jazz talent including Tom Driessler (Yussef Kamaal, Tom Misch) Dougal Taylor (Vels Trio, Emma-Jean Thackray) & Jonny Murray (Mr Jukes, Bombay Bicycle Club).

Their debut single "Heart is Beating" is an uplifting & enriching track created collaboratively in a way that allows for interplay between all of the creative voices involved. Cut to tape with no click track and written with room for interpretation and improvisation, the single captures some of the wild energy and passion that the band have been delivering live. The single is a love letter to the music we love and dedication to the craft, a fitting tribute to our brother Ty who kept his heart front and centre in all the music he created.

Sammy trained at The National Centre for Circus Arts (the UK’s national circus school) for three years, specialising in handstands while also achieving a high level of skills in acrobatics and other circus disciplines.

After this, Sammy travelled to the Ukraine where he worked with some of the top handbalancers in the world to perfect his art.

In this week's podcast I am joined on Zoom by Ross Stirling & Damien Edwards.

Ross is a creative and fundraising force. The owner and creative director of Studio Juice; an independent design studio based in London. The company works with brands from across the world including live music venues and breweries (our favourite!!)

As well as his day job Ross is a prolific fundraiser for @WarChildUK; he's run deserts, climbed mountains, cycled across France and even canoed across the English Channel! His current fundraising project is a global initiative for WarChildUK called Peace Band with the aim to get participants moving and notching up 24,901 miles (the distance of the world!). At the time of this release they have hit their miles target and raised a HUGE £103,738!

Damien Edwards is an amazing performer with west end pedigree and joins me to talk about his latest project and imminent single release with Cats In Space. His skills as a front man are second to none and I seriously recommend you check him out performing with the band! We discuss the massive impacts that Covid has had on his career and how he intends to overcome them in the future! You can find out more about this week's guests by visiting our Instagram page @TheWeddingThinners or our Facebook page facebook.com/theweddingthinners!