Katy Carr is a London based performer and songwriter who sings, plays a vintage, wurlitzer electronic piano, ukulele and banjolele with her group ‘The Aviators.’ She has self released three albums on her label Deluce Recordings. ‘Screwing Lies,’ 2001 and ‘Passion Play’ 2003 and ‘Coquette’ 2009 which has received no less than 4/5 star reviews in the mainstream and music press during with a 5/5 star review from Music Critic, ‘Quite simply a masterpiece’.

Katy’s music is inspired by themes, stories and characters from 1940s Britain, France and Poland. Boasting a wide variety of performances from The Royal Opera House to Glastonbury music festival together with regular appearances on BBC radio, this eccentric and eclectic performer delivers her self -penned folk songs, with verve and humour.  Expect the gentle tone of a Spitfire Mk 1 as it soars with balletic grace in the skies above and maybe the roaring of a 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K racing around the Berliner Ring in the midday heat….

‘Katy Carr’s performances for Beaford Arts effortlessly blended contemporary song writing with timeless 1940s classics.  A delight for audiences of all ages.’ Hannah Ashwell Programming and Events Manager, Beaford Arts.

‘Exquisite, original and lovely.’ 4/5 PSYCHOLOGIES

‘This album ‘Coquette,’ is a scrapbook of characters, places and stories from deep inside Katy Carr’s imagination and it has been a mesmerising experience to glimpse into her world.’ 5/5 Music Critic

‘Katy Carr celebrates the “beautiful feminine energy” of wartime icons Gracie Fields, Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers, evoking their resilience, beauty and eroticism in the most haunting and uncanny ways.’ 4/5 Daily Express

Examples of previous audience quotes…

‘Back in time is the new way forward. Great Stuff. ’

‘Contemporary but timeless, – please come back soon!’

‘What a voice! What a future!’

‘Terrific integration of music and video.’

‘Beautiful sweet songs especially ‘Sally,’ my mum’s favourite. Lovely to hear your strong voice and sensitive music. Thanks for a great night’

‘A delight to hear our fave 1940s hits, your own songs and a touch of Klezmer – definitely more please!

Katy Carr and the Aviators can offer venues a live, multi-media music and film show, which will consist of Katy Carr’s highly acclaimed, music compositions themed on the era of 1940s as well as some golden oldies, and song hits from the era of the 1940s from both Britain and Poland.

Accompanying the music there are specially created short films and visuals by White Gloves Films evoking the song writing narratives and based on design imagery by Susan Burghart.

In terms of a package,  the first half of the evening with Katy Carr and the Aviators includes a film screening of ‘Kazik and The Kommander’s Car,’ a 25 minute documentary about a Polish boy scout, Kazimierz Piechowski, who made a daring escape from Auschwitz in 1942. Directed by Hannah Lovell and produced by Katy Carr. Katy Carr’s song about the escape provides the soundtrack for parts of the film.  There will be a question and answer session on the film as well as 1940s inspired music.

The second half would feature music from Katy’s album ‘Coquette’ and further 1940s songs.

This act is four musicians in total, Katy Carr [lead vocal, keyboard and ukulele], Francesca Ter-Berg [cello], Hannah Lovell [backing vocal] and Camilo Tirado [percussion]. A self-contained touring unit this act can provide PA , backline, engineer, projector and transport to and from the venue. Event hosts are asked to provide seating, stage set up, lighting and offer accommodation after the performance where possible.

Outreach work and site visits to schools, clubs and retirement homes are greatly welcomed between both the youth and the elderly, in particular with Polish WW2 veterans. Katy’s native tongue is British however she speaks Polish fluently and can readily translate. The main focus would be to encourage people to share stories from the past and connect experiences with the contemporary to create greater understanding between cultures and age groups. Feedback will be gathered and freely available on the Internet in the form of pod casts, video blogs and in the written form.

For more information please visit www.katycarr.com or email info@katycarr.com

Booking agent  Sophie@continentaldrifts.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 8365 9555

‘I called the group Katy Carr and the Aviators partly because my lineup has changed so many times over the years and almost like a airplane my group has rolled, yawed and looped in many directions. As a solo performer I have had the opportunity to work with many wonderful musicians and artists and there have been no barriers in my [air] lines of creativity!’

‘Coquette’ Katy’s third album, was recorded in a bedroom studio with producer Nick Crofts opposite the 1936 Grade II listed Odeon Art Deco cinema in Muswell Hill, North London. It is a carefully crafted album of beauty honing the talents of Katy Carr’s song writing and the vast spectrum of contemporary sonic delights from Producer Nick Crofts – ‘Crofty.’ Inspired primarily by themes, stories, characters and music from Britain, France, Germany and Poland in the 1940s the songs on ‘Coquette’ have been delicately and elegantly arranged.

‘However, if you’re expecting the record to sound like a lost Andrews Sisters 78 then you soon need to think again. She actually sounds a little like Beth Gibbons after considerably fewer cigs, but her spectral tones are enormously attractive and while the subject matter may seem anachronistic, the sound itself is state of the art. ‘   8/10 Whisperin and Hollerin

‘This album is a scrapbook of characters, places and stories from deep inside Carr’s imagination and it has been a mesmerising experience to glimpse into her world. I can’t fault this album. Quite simply it is a masterpiece.’  5/5 The Music Critic .

‘The name of my group ‘the Aviators’ bears special meaning for me because all the way through my teenage years I wanted to join the RAF – I had no intention at that time to join or to become involved in the entertainment business… I wanted to be a Fighter Pilot!’

Herself a qualified pilot with a lifelong fascination with all manner of aerial things, Katy Carr weaves her fascinating storysongs from a unique perspective. Born to a Polish mother and English father, early dalliances with her Catholic ancestry were replaced by an obsession with the wonders of flight. An RAF scholarship followed and Katy was soon soaring through the skies and gaining a whole new outlook on the immensity (and, conversely, the triviality) of things. References to flying and celestial matters are rife throughout her compositions and the songs.

‘I joined The Air Training Corps [ATC] at 13 years old. In my teenage years I needed discipline, belief, confidence building and to be kept out of mischief. The ATC gave me constant thrills – every weekend I would hang out with Royal Air Force pilots, visiting different aerodromes and airflields. I dreamt of flying all the time and was hugely inspired by Amelia Earhart and Amy Johnson. The era of the 1940s also provoked a strong passion for the music of Edith Piaf, Marlene Dietrich, The Ink Spots and George Formby. I loved the black and white films of the era and watching incredible dancers and tappers like Fred and GInger and The Nicholas Brothers and of course most of all learning about RJ Mitchell’s Supermarine ‘Spitfire,’ aircraft.’

‘Katy Carr has a lot going for her. Her sensual vocal delivery and the frisson of sophistication emanating from her best songs gropes towards timelessness. Her ‘Coquette’ is a beguiling beauty who breezes through enemy lines, but believe me you’ll follow her. Hear these siren’s songs and you’ll be smitten.’  8/10 Whisperin and Hollerin

Previous Collaborations and projects include….

• ‘Kazik and the Kommander’s Car’  a documentary produced by Katy Carr and directed by Hannah Lovell 2009 recording Katy Carr legendary meeting with  Kazimierz ‘Kazik’ Piechowski in Gdansk in Poland in August 2009. Kazik’s made a remarkable escape from Auschwitz concentration camp in the summer of 1942 and his story was the main source of inspiration for Katy’s song ‘Kommanders Car,’ on her album ‘Coquette.’ This film has been shown at the 9th Imperial War Museum short film festival in London, in Nov and Dec 2009 and is to be shown at the Warsaw Kultural House as part of the 65th Anniversary to mark the Liberation of Auschwitz at the end of Jan 2010. Katy who is very honoured to be presenting the documentary at its Polish film premiere will also be playing a concert as part of the memorial. [view this 23 minute film in three parts at the bottom of this page]

• Collaboration with Hannah Grace Lovell to produce two music videos for ‘Army and Berliner Ring’

• Katy Carr and The Aviators’ debut performance at The Royal Opera House in July 2008 hosted by Flomotion DJ Nick Luscombe. Katy directed a group of 12 musicians and 4 dancers at the prestigious and momentous event encompassing accompaniments with a string quartet, accordionist grand piano, tuba, cello, backing vocals and finishing off with the infamous song made famous by Marlene Dietrich ‘Lili Marlene.’

• Release of ‘The Crow Club’ compilation on Peopletree Records an offshoot label of Acid Jazz Jan 2008 – Katy Carr ran a successful folk club called The Crow Club between 2005 and 2008 at The Strongroom Bar in Shoreditch East London – performers included Patrick Wolf, The Rumble Strips, Amy Winehouse. Even our favourite minstrel and Mancunian Ian Brown popped in once! Katy now also comperes at our sister club ‘The Magpie’s Nest,’ started and run by Joe Burski and Sam Lee.

• ‘Aftershock Project’ at the Arts Depot North Finchley with Nitin Sawhney in March 2007.

• Duet with John Hegley on Katy’s song Turpin released in 2003 on her second album ‘Passion Play’ Collaborations with various dancers, artist(e)s, film makers and musicians which include: Vault49, Susan Burghart, Pooka, Sharon Lewis, Patrick Wolf, Katharine Blake and The Mediaeval Baebes, The Title Sequence, Sound of Bailey, Bromide, Circulus, Rosie Meres, Anthony Elvin, Christine Luby, Hannah Grace Lovell at Redstart Productions, Melanie Simpson, Jeremy Vass, The Kooks.

please find the youtube clips here for our documentary directed by Hannah Lovell and produced by Katy Carr Sept 2009.

Part 1

Our film has been shown at the 9th Imperial War Museum short film festival and is shortly going to be presented in Warsaw [details to follow] as part of the 65th Anniversary at the end of Jan 2009 to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp. Katy Carr who is very honoured will also be performing the song ‘Kommander’s Car’ at the memorial service.[apologies some of the footage on youtube is a little shakey due to difficulties uploading high definition film]

Part 2

Part 3