JONNY BOY experienced an epiphany when he first heard Born Slippy by Underworld on the soundtrack of Trainspotting. Up to that point his musical career had progressed along a fairly traditional path. At the age of 11 he won a music scholarship to a local school that enabled him to study with The Reverand Anthony Curry - a world authority on the music of J.S. Bach. Jon's instruments were trumpet and piano, but Curry recognised a hitherto untapped talent for singing which Jon resisted. His musical education continued when he gained entry to the Birmingham School of Music to study the trumpet. He beat off fifty other applicants for the prize of studying with the internationally renowned classical trumpet player John Wilbraham. Jon's parents loved music of all kinds, and Jon by his own admission was a lazy child. His father had a trick that would get him out of bed however. When he felt it was high time for Jon to surface, he'd find an LP of Stan Kenton or Sinatra accompanied by a hard-swinging big band. He'd put it on the old music centre at a fair volume, and before too long Jon would appear in his pyjamas asking excitedly, 'Whats that!' Jon arrived in London after 3 years of study with Wilbraham. He soon picked up work and after a couple of months was asked to take up the position of lead trumpet for The Big Band of The Sporting Club of Monte Carlo where he stayed for 2 years. 'I loved it down there. It was a surreal time. Weird things used to happen. One night we were backing Sammy Davis Jnr. and like a wraith from the side of the stage Michael Jackson appeared. He came on, sang 'Bad' with Sammy and disappeared again'. Jon returned after being asked to tour Britain and Europe with The Four Tops. 'Those gigs were amazing. As soon as they walked on everyone went mad. I'd never experienced the roar of a crowd like that. From Nuremberg to Newcastle. The same every night. It really raised your game'. Soon after the tour came to an end Jon got an opportunity to play with The Jools Holland Band. On the strength of this Jools asked him to join permanently, and apart from a short sabbatical where Jon was hired (and fired) by Sting, he has been a regular ever since. 'I dont know what it is about trumpet players. So many of them loved to sing. Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Chet Baker. I'd written lots of songs over the years, but could never decide on the best way to present them. Then I heard 'Born Slippy' and knew what I had to do. I loved the way that violence and beauty seemed to make such perfect bedfellows. It took a while to get there, but I did, and the whole project has been an incredible journey of discovery for me'. The project in question is the album Welcome to Jonnyland. Harking back to his school days he says, 'I think old Curry was right. I love singing now. I should have listened to him!' Jonny Boy live consists of Jon on lead vocals and Keyboard. Theo Gordon (Roots Manuva) joins him as programmer and on keyboards. Dave Swift (Jools Holland) is the bass player whilst drummer, Darren Mooney (Primal Scream) takes charge of the beat. Backing vocals are provided by Johanna Marin and Amazireé.