From a toddler listening to Elvis, to learning to play like blues legend Mississippi John Hurt, Jezz Hall has come a long way. With his collection of musicians playing the likes of double bass, cello, mandolin and fiddle the Jezz Hall Band carry Nottingham audiences into deep America through an array of folk and blues traditions. We liked them so much last time they played LeftLion Unplugged that we thought we’d ask them back for more…

How long have you been playing Nottingham for?
Well I first played in Nottingham many moons ago at the Running Horse, which was the first time I’d ever played anywhere. I started playing regularly about 95 or 96, but it’s only the last four years that I’ve been playing and touring out of town, mainly on the folk scene, although I don’t think that’s where I belong. So after recording the last CD I’ve taken a back step to look at where it is I see myself going.

In your music I hear a little Bonnie Prince Billie, Lou Reed and a lot of Dylan. Are these your influences?
I’d like to be very careful about quoting influences because they get taken out of context and come back to haunt you. But the names you have mentioned have all spent considerable time in my CD player. I also really like old time American folk music and I learned fingerstyle picking from Mississipi John Hurt records. Doc Watson and John Hartford are two others to spring to mind and I’ve got to mention Kate Bush.

I understand you’ve spent a lot of time in Mississippi. How did this affect your song writing?
I was already writing songs when I went out there but when I came back I was much more excited about it because my head was full of experiences. I met the bluesman RL Burnside whilst out there and I also met an old Fife player. He was called Othar Turner and was ninety years old at the time. He shared some of his moonshine with me which was very nice of him.

You have two previous releases Smalltown and When the Music is Over. Tell us about them…
They are very different but they do follow on from each other I think. Smalltown was me having fun playing with different styles and learning to find my voice as a songwriter. When the Music is Over is a much more cohesive album, its also darker and much more reflective.

When is your next release?
I’m very excited about the next record, I think it will be the one I’ve been working towards making. I’m very happy about the songs and I think me and Andy (Hill) have learned the right approach to recording me. That is to keep things simple and to give me space to play live. My favourite recording from the last CD was a track called Meadow by the Sea, which was me on voice and guitar, Phil Jackson on mandolin and Wayne Evans on double bass all just sat around in a circle. We ended up using the first take and that’s the approach we are going to take with the next one.

There are sure to be countless potential Jezz Hall fans reading this. Convince them to come to see you at the Malt Cross in January…
Well…I’m trying to create or and capture something beautiful but simple when I’m on stage, I try to use phrasing and the silent spaces in between to draw people in. Maybe I’ll have some friends on stage with me playing bass and fiddle I don’t know yet. But it will be good! Come down or else I’ll burgle your house.

Jezz Hall plays LeftLion Unplugged at the Malt Cross on Tuesday 16 January 2006

Jezz Hall website




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