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Jon Gomm

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Jon Gomm
Jon Gomm by Danny North
Jon Gomm by Danny North
Background information
BornBlackpool, Lancashire, England
Occupation(s)musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)guitar, vocals, ukulele
Years active2004–present
WebsiteJongomm.com

Jon Gomm (born 11 July 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and performer. He employs percussive techniques on acoustic guitar, and his influences include genres such as blues, soul, rock and metal and the musician Michael Hedges.[1] He has recorded three solo albums.

Biography

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Jon Gomm started playing ukulele at the age of two.[1] He began classical guitar lessons at the age of four, and at twelve, he would accompany his father, a music critic, to blues gigs in his hometown of Blackpool. As a teenager, he played electric guitar.

On leaving school, Gomm turned down a place at Oxford University studying English to attend the Guitar Institute (now part of the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance)[2] in London.[citation needed] While there, he paid his way through college playing jazz in café bars, recording as a session guitarist, and playing Country music in working men's clubs for line dancers. He moved to Leeds to study in the Jazz degree course at Leeds College of Music.

Jon Gomm and his guitar
Jon Gomm (Picture: Marek Zawrotny)

He began solo performances in Leeds.[3] He developed a percussive style – hitting the surface of his guitar to make snare drum, bass drum and bongo sounds, re-tuning the strings to get bass sounds, and using high harmonics from the guitar for synthesizer-like effects.

Jon Gomm avoids playing chain venues and corporate festivals. His appearances are generally organised with independent promoters in venues like ale pubs in rural areas, theatres or arts centres.[4] He is a regular performer at the Junction Inn, Otley.

Gomm has also performed with Tommy Emmanuel, Nick Harper and Bob Brozman.

Gomm has performed at festivals including Download, Electric Picnic, the Canadian Guitar Festival, the Italian National Guitar Festival, the Garforth Arts Festival and the London Guitar Show at Wembley Arena. He performs regularly across the UK and has toured in China, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, Australia and Canada.

In February 2012, a video of him performing his song "Passionflower" was the subject of a tweet from the broadcaster Stephen Fry.[5] This led to him appearing on several television shows and being booked for gigs and tours around the world during 2012.[citation needed]

In November 2013, the album Secrets Nobody Keeps was released after being entirely crowd funded in four weeks in a PledgeMusic campaign. In 2021 the album was reissued on CD with an updated version of "Passionflower" as a bonus track. [6] In 2023 "Passionflower" achieved 6th place for the "50 Greatest Acoustic Songs Of All Time" in Total Guitar.[7]

On 12 August 2020, Gomm released "Cocoon”,[8] his first single in seven years, from his album The Faintest Idea.[9]

Discography

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Studio Albums

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  • Hypertension (2003) – released on Gomm's own label. All tracks are single takes with no overdubs.
  • Don't Panic (2009)
  • Secrets Nobody Keeps (2013)
  • The Faintest Idea (2020)
  • Secrets Nobody Keeps – Passionflower 10th anniversary edition (2021)

Singles

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Videography

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  • Passionflower (2011)
  • Message in a Bottle (The Police cover, 2011)
  • Ain't Nobody (Chaka Khan cover, 2012)
  • Ain't Nobody (Chaka Khan cover, featuring Daniel Tompkins, 2013)

Press

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Referring to Jon Gomm, comedian Stephen Fry posted the one word tweet "wow" in February 2012.[10][11]

Sandman Magazine wrote "how on earth can one man play so proficiently a "one man band" style that puts full bands to shame?"[12]

Leedsmusicscene.net wrote "Leeds should feel very lucky to have such a performer to call its own."[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Gomm alert!". Yorkshire Evening Post. October 2004.
  2. ^ "ICMP: Music Schools | Music College London | Music Academies UK". Icmp.uk.com. 11 September 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Jon Gomm". Sandman Leeds. February 2004.
  4. ^ Harvey, John (6 August 2004). "Jon Gomm – Interview". Leeds Music Scene. Archived from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  5. ^ Bloxham, Andya, Stephen Fry tweets guitarist past 2m views with a 'wow', The Daily Telegraph, 31 January 2012.
  6. ^ ""Secrets" Album Reissue - Passionflower 10th Anniversary". Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Passionflower 6th in Total Guitar's "Greatest Acoustic Songs Of All Time"". Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Jon Gomm - Cocoon". YouTube. Jon Gomm. 12 August 2020. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  9. ^ Ewing, Jerry (31 July 2020). "Jon Gomm announces new album The Faintest Idea". Louder Sound. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  10. ^ Reed, Paul. "Music Skanner Report - Best Acoustic Guitars 2017 - Epic Guide". Musicskanner.com. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  11. ^ "3 Incredible Guitar Players You (Probably) Never Heard of | Live Music Machine". Archived from the original on 22 June 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  12. ^ "Sandman Magazine". Sandman Magazine. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Leeds Music Scene". Leeds Music Scene. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
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