Kate Shortt

kate Shortt is a cellist/pianist and singer/ songwriter. She also performs her one woman show comedy show 'Shortt and Sweett' using these instruments, singing self penned songs and performing observational patter. Having performed in various festivals including Edinburgh, Brighton and Bracknell and the theatre/cabaret scene in and around london, (events include Mardis Gras for classic fm/LBC radio/MC for covent garden festival/Amnesty International) she has been hailed as an 'ebullient cellist with wide ranging vocals' (The Stage) someone with 'A wonderful elastic face' (London live Radio) and 'A cross between Victoria Wood and Jim Tavare' (Impact magazine Brighton). Her freelance cello work covers a variety of genres: classical, jazz, pop and contemporary. Artists include singers such as Christine Tobin ( broadcast on radio 3 for london jazz festival), Peter Green and the & the Splinter Group', Frances Ruffelle, the North London choir 'Songlines' . She has also worked on an album project with Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet, played for Tears for fears, Take That and Cliff Richard. Amongst other general session work for composers she plays in a contemporary jazz group improvising for the poet Penni Rimbaud and plays with guitarist Phil Robson in his band 'Six Strings and the Beat.' In the more contemporary classical world her work includes playing with Austrian composer Norbert Zehm and she has toured with the Jocelyn Pook string quartet. She has composed and/or recorded cello accompaniments for various artist's albums including West End theatre singer Alison Jiear to singer songwriter comedienne Lorraine Bowen. She is currently touring the UK playing for Christine Tobin's band with material from her new album 'Secret Life of a Girl', also touring with Phil Robson's band performing new album 'Six strings and the Beat' Kate will be premiering a specially composed concerto for cello and wind band in September 2008 by Norbert Zehm for the International Klangspuren festival, Schwaz, Austria. ....'A remarkable cellist'... (The Guardian) (review of Phil Robson's '6 strings and the beat' for Derby Jazz Festival) ..'beautifully embellished by a shortt solo'.... (Chris Parker) (review of Christine Tobin's performance at The Vortex May 2007) Kate has produced her first album entitled 'Something to tell you' This is a selection of straight/ballad numbers at the piano composed over the last decade and have been described as 'Quirky and evocative' and 'Instantly engaging' Albums can be purchased from cdbaby http://cdbaby.com/cd/kateshortt or Itunes under the title 'Something To Tell You'