JOHN MANN - Life is Nothing Without Music CD [NEW] Eminent Grand Theatre Organ

“Life is Nothing Without Music”… What an apt title, chosen in this instant for a celebration of fifty years of playing and entertaining. It hardly seems possible that I have reached this stage in my career, especially when I am still playing to audiences and gaining new listeners at each performance.

This life of music has been like the music I perform, varied and most of all, tuneful. I have kept to a formula of melodic sounds. The music side started its life on the piano and later, church organ, then onto electronic Hammond organ and Wurlitzer theatre organ, all in my native town of Brighton.

Over many years I have covered every aspect in music making and entertaining, presenting my own theatre summer season shows, the all music, singing and dancing ones. It was lots of fun and experience ensuring a good background to my business. I still have many in my audiences today who go back to those days of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. I continued on into the ’80’s with one night stands which were rather hectic, almost living in my car, travelling thousands of miles a year, appearing as I have done with the top names in the world of entertainment; a list larger than room for here.

Fashion changed again and it became the ‘In Concert’ or ‘An Evening With...’, featuring solo performers holding the stage for two hours giving their brand of act. This I did under the banner of ‘His Eminent’ which came about through my spell of demonstrating the Dutch built Eminent electronic organ. I travelled on the Continent, America and the UK using the Grand Theatre 2000 model which is used on this CD. Accolades were given to me as Top Demonstrator, Top Theatre Organist and numerous presidencies’ to UK organ societies, some of which I still hold.

With my theatrical side ever present, and with a manager we set up a company presenting me in every major theatre and concert hall in the country in ‘An Evening with John Mann’. I was in my element being able to present a package of music and comedy sketches and playing both piano and my faithful old Eminent organ, which is now thirty years old and in electronic terms still holds up to modern equivalents.

We all have to slow things down a bit, I call it making myself exclusive, the only problem is saying no to an offer of an engagement which I used to enjoy doing in the past. Though now I must admit I get the ‘Royal’ treatment arriving at a theatre or venue, and my introduction seems to be ‘the legendary John Mann’. My Appreciation Society are a wonderful support and encouragement. There is hopefully several more years ahead in my music making.

I hope you will enjoy this collection of piano and organ arrangements which along with my many other recordings cover fifty years of music making.

...John Mann (August 2006)