Barb Jungr

 

With rave reviews internationally and two New York awards (2008 Nightlife Award for Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist and Best International Artist 2003 Backstage Award), Barb Jungr is renowned for her unique vocal style, approach to arrangements and interpretation of song. Her acclaimed releases on Linn Records and performances have brought her to the world stage and revealed her to be one of Europe's most exciting voices.

Critics have compared Jungr to Nina Simone and Peggy Lee, called her "a British Edith Piaf", "one of the best interpreters of Jacques Brel and Bob Dylan anywhere on this angst ridden planet today" (Village Voice, New York) and "mesmerizing" (The New York Times).

2008 brought Jungr's sixth album release for Glasgow based Linn Records. "Just Like A Woman - Hymn to Nina". A celebration of Nina Simone's repertoire, it launched with a sellout season at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and subsequently toured the UK. In January Barb received the 2008 Nightlife Award at New York's Town Hall, Manhattan, having completed a sellout season at The Metropolitan Room. She returned to New York in autumn 2008 for another sellout season, heralded by a feature about her work in the New York Times.

In 2007 Barb toured the UK, Australia and Ireland, and performed several times in New York. She collaborated with the acclaimed contemporary classical composer Mark Anthony Turnage and performed his composition "About Water" with The London Sinfonietta for the reopening of the The South Bank Centre. She then performed her collection of Bob Dylan songs in sellout shows at the Almeida Theatre in Islington and The Queen's Hall in Edinburgh.

Singer, performer and writer Barb Jungr was born and raised in the northwest of England. She moved to London in the mid 1970's and became part of the early alternative cabaret circuit performing and recording with the cult vocal harmony group The Three Courgettes after which she formed a 12 year song writing and musical partnership with the blues guitarist, songwriter and singer Michael Parker. Together they played all over the world, recording and releasing a number of albums and touring and collaborating with comedians Julian Clary and Arnold Brown (with whom they won a Perrier Award), supporting Alexei Sayle on two national tours, and appearing on radio and television.

In the early 1990s Jungr created the harmony shows "Hell Bent Heaven Bound" with Parker, Christine Collister , Ian Shaw and Helen Watson. In 1995 she recorded the CD, "Durga Rising" with Bhangra producer and percussionist Kuljit Bhamra and pianist Russell Churney. After creating a series of shows and releasing the album Bare on Irregular records in 1999 she was invited to record for Glasgow based Linn Records, releasing a collection of largely new English translations of classic French songs, "Chanson: The Space In Between" in 2000. In 2002 Linn released "Every Grain Of Sand", Jungr's highly acclaimed album of new arrangements of Bob Dylan songs, followed by "Waterloo Sunset" in 2003. In 2005 she released "Love Me Tender", an album of songs previously recorded by Elvis Presley. "Walking In The Sun", Jungr's interpretations of blues and gospel songs was released in 2006 and launched at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club.

In 2002 with support from The British Council Jungr had a three week run at New York's Flea Theatre, for which she won the 2003 Backstage Award for Best International Artist. She has since appeared regularly in New York, performing several times at Joe's Pub and lately, exclusively at the Metropolitan Room.
As well as her solo recordings, performances and tours Jungr has worked with the Amici multi disciplinary dance troupe, directed and produced the work of other artists and collaborated with composers including Jonathan Cooper. She was featured in Simon Armitage's award winning, millennial poem Channel 4 film, directed by Brian Hill (for whom she also worked on the Bafta winning prison docu-musical ‘Feltham Sings' and the Sundance screened ‘Songbirds') and created the sell-out cabaret show ‘Girl Talk' with her friends, top British singers Mari Wilson and Claire Martin which toured the UK for 10 years, with one release on Linn Records.

In autumn 2005 Barb appeared alongside Billy Bragg, Odetta and K.T. Tunstall as part of a Tribute to Bob Dylan at The Barbican, in London. The concert was filmed and shown on BBC national television. In 2006 Girl Talk appeared at the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of EuroPride after a short UK tour and Barb appeared at The Adelaide Cabaret Festival in June with a sellout run of her Bob Dylan repertoire, "Every Grain of Sand", followed by a sellout season in New York in the Brits Off Broadway festival with her Elvis Presley tribute, "Love Me Tender".

Barb Jungr is a respected lyricist, writer and songwriter for a number of productions and producers including The Birmingham Stage Company, Newbury Corn Exchange and others. Currently she is developing a children's musical with The Little Angel Puppet Theatre, in collaboration with composer Jonathan Cooper she is writing the book and lyrics celebrating the circus star tiger tamer, Mabel Stark, (work in progress shown as part of the Greenwich Theatre's Musical Futures weekend in November 2008) and in collaboration with physical theatre practitioner John Paul Zaccarini she is working on The Art Of Falling Gracefully supported by Newbury Corn Exchange. She writes regularly for 'The Singer'.

Barb currently lives in London.