What Are You Passionate About: Featuring Musician Vernon Fuller

What am I passionate about?

Many people and many things. My list starts in order of priority and then tails off into various things.

Faith - I have a Christian faith so the top of my list is having Jesus Christ as my savior. I don't try and push or force my faith on to others but it's the main part of who I am.

Partner - Then comes my love for my wife, Pat, who has been a great source of encouragement to me in life, including with my music making.

Children - My four sons and daughters and my grandchildren are my next passion, even when they don't laugh at my jokes!

Music - This is and has been a passion since I was very young. I am a guitarist, song writer and vocalist who can be found performing solo and in duo's and larger bands. I love good music, whatever the genre but I particularly like and play Soul, Jazz, Funk, Reggae and Blues. I grew up in London and was in the same class at school as the drummer from The Sex Pistols and the same year at school as the guitarist with The Sex Pistols. I also used to hang out with (play football (soccer to my American friends) with the bass player from Culture Club. I started playing in reggae and funk bands in London, including playing upstairs at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and have played many music/jazz festivals (Wigan Jazz Festival, Marlborough Jazz Festival and Southport Jazz Festival for example) in the UK. Two of the highlights were playing support for Courtney Pine CBE at the Nantwich Jazz & Blues Festival and being a featured artist on Jazz FM. I absolutely love the music of Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, George Benson and funk bands of the 1970's. I lead community singing for people who suffer with dementia and I am passionate about making smile and laugh through music. I have been featured on various radio shows including Tracey Edges who has been featured in this blog. Tracey is a legend!!

Oh and I love reading, and, visiting the theatre and art galleries when I can.

Encouraging others

I am passionate about encouraging and supporting other artists (not just musicians) in any way that I can. I believe that we all need encouragement!!

Travel

I have travelled extensively around Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, with an American Multinational Company that I used to work for and also in a private capacity on holiday and doing relief work and I love to travel. My three trips to the USA (Memphis twice and Atlanta once) have been highlights especially visiting Martin Luther King Jr's church in Atlanta, Elvis Presley's home- Graceland's and Sun Studios in Memphis.

Oh yes and there is a certain football team (soccer) called Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) that I follow. They aren't doing very well at the moment but I am still passionate for them to win every game that they play!

I gig regularly in the UK, mainly in the North West of England, but have gigged and gig in other parts of the country too. I have performed & appeared on Tunisian and Turkish TV.

One of my sisters is a actress, dancer and singer who has performed around the world. We used to pretend we were running shows and performing at them when we were around eight years old. I don't think I have changed since growing up tee hee!

Music Now

I love to deliver a heady cocktail of smooth jazz with a hard edge of funk and soul and laced with reggae, Latin and blues!!

I have released several recordings (albums) to date, mostly cover versions of songs until my most recent release called "What Will You Do?". "What Will You Do?" which is a CD and Digital Release of 16 songs composed by Vernon Fuller. It contains love songs and social commentary songs ranging from soul, jazz, Latin and reggae in style. With guitars, male and female vocals, bass guitar, percussion, drums, keyboards and trumpet, Vernon has already performed some of these songs live on several radio stations.

Here is what the owner of Ghostnote Records, Paula McCool says about the album:

“With this album Vernon displays his guitar prowess and versatility through many musical styles. Being fresh and uplifting as always Vernon and his band are talented, vibrant performers with masses of drive and feel, something that I feel is vitally important in song writing and the production of music. The title track ‘What Will You Do’? stands out with its flowing Latin inspired beats, and hugely danceable rhythm. The Benson feel of ‘For You’ effortlessly blends into the lush reggae of ‘See that Girl’. ‘Last Kiss’ is evocative of Leon Russell’s song writing at its finest, and ‘Love Isn’t Love’ instantly draws you into a New York club atmosphere; the whole sound of this particular track is warm, immediate, and expansive with a whole-band feel. The whole album, in fact, has a wonderfully tactile quality that is timeless and engaging.”

Another review, this time by It Matters Radio said:

‘Free Butterfly’ is one of the most beautiful yet haunting songs I’ve heard in quite a while.