Today I’m delighted to feature an interview with the wonderfully talented jazz singer, Peter Borthwick. I was one of the lucky few to attain a ticket for the launch of his new album, ‘This Moment’, and the performances were exquisite. I’ve been humming ‘Cuban Peter’ for weeks now…

This month, I’m giving away a copy of my novel Burning Embers and Peter’s CD ‘This Moment’ – entry details here.

For more details on Peter, visit http://www.peterborthwick.com/. ‘This Moment’ is available from both Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk and on iTunes.

1. When did you first fall in love with jazz, and why?

I’d say it is a long and enduring love affair spanning most if not all of my life. My grandfather used to play jazz piano and I grew up listening to a lot of jazz. One of my elder brothers in particular loved jazz and so I enjoyed listening to his eclectic collection. Much of my musical tastes are a result of his mature discoveries. On the way to school in the car we would listen to Ella Fitzgerald sing the American Songbook so much so that I knew the recordings, including every detail of the wonderful band arrangements, back to front. And why? Well, in contrast to a lot of the classical music I was exposed to, it was invariably fun with lots of instrumental variation to satisfy my attention span!

2.  You gave your first performance in a Chiswick restaurant – how did it feel to perform then, and how does it compare to performing now?

Then, as now, when I perform it is a pleasure and something that comes quite naturally to me. Now I use a microphone to sing, which allows me to sing very softly and focus on both tone and portraying emotion in my song.

3. Can you tell us a little about your quartet?

The jazz world is such that once you have one recommendation or like the sound of a particular musician they will invariably have recommendations for you, and so the band was formed by trial and error over some years. Having met bass player Simon Little when he was playing for someone else, I asked him to play for me. Later it was Simon who introduced me to the pianist Janette Mason, who has arranged all the songs on my new album. I’ve performed with Mark Fletcher longest of all (we’ve recorded twice before the current album), and he is one of the country’s best. This quartet forms the basis of my band, which expands or contracts depending on what we’re doing. It is a great joy to play with them, particularly as we all work so well together.

4.  How did you enjoy the launch for your album at the Jazz Club in Soho, London?

It was a whirlwind. There was quite a lot to do with a press launch first and then a show. It was a joy to be supported by such a terrific audience made up mostly of friends and long-standing supporters. I was only sorry that some people were unable to get in as tickets sold out, so hopefully we will be back there again soon to make up for it.

5.  Do you have a favourite venue for performing?

Any venue where there is a decedent sound system and an appreciative audience makes for a great night – and preferably with a place for people to dance!

6.  Which do you prefer, a capella or big band?

I think both lend well to different times and situations. I particularly love the big band sound but equally wonderful can be singing with a string quartet, which I’ve had the pleasure to do a number of times and am planning to do again soon.

7.  Which artists have been your biggest inspiration?

Contemporary artists who have championed the jazz renaissance like Harry Connick Jr, and to an extent Michael Bublé. I love the voices of Fred Astaire and Nat King Cole.

8.  Aside from jazz, what are your passions in life?

I love cinema, story-telling and photography. I have a highly visual as well as auditory inclination, so I seek out beautiful cinematography – equally important is a great soundtrack!

9.  What is the message you would like to send to your fans?

I hope that you enjoy the new album, which has been created entirely with fun and the lifting of spirits in mind. Please keep giving me feedback, and if you have any songs you’d love me to sing, I’d love to hear from you.