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Pepi started performing at an early age, having been trained in voice, dance and performance. She appeared in many stage shows and musicals, and throughout a long and varied career went on to become a backing singer, jazz performer and vocal coach.


As a backing singer in the late 60s and 70s she worked with and alongside The Beatles, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and Duanne Eddy with Art of Noise. Along with the bassist Jeff Clyne, Pepi created the legendary jazz fusion group Turning Point, with her unique vocalese style of singing. The band became Britain’s No.1 jazz fusion group and released two acclaimed albums, and toured with many jazz artists including Chick Corea and Horace Silver.

 

Pepi went on to work with and alongside jazz artists including Kenny Wheeler, John Dankworth, John Surman, Stan Tracy, Mike Gibbs, Arturo Sandaval, Barbara Thompson, Ian Carr and Gary Husband.

 

In parallel to her work in jazz, Pepi has had a successful career as a vocal coach and has taught the Spice Girls as well as other well-known groups and also personalities from actress Jennifer Saunders to presenter Graham Norton. She also produced the successful DVD, Yes You Can Sing.

 

Not long after the release of her DVD, Pepi was devastated to discover she was suffering from oesophageal cancer. Fortunately, after lengthy treatment, she has made a full recovery. Pepi says ‘As a professional singer working for some of the greatest names in music industry, the prospect of having oesophageal cancer filled me dread, with the thought of never being able to sing again. But after a long, dark journey I came back singing better than ever, recording a new album and performing live. My music and story are bound together by a force of energy and willingness to survive and to keep creating – and this album is the proof!’

 

For her album and tour, Pepi formed Back2Front, a new band of outstanding musicians including Peter Lemer (John Stevens, Jeff Clyne) on piano, Chris Laurence (John Surman, Kenny Wheeler) on bass, Paul Robinson (Nina Simone) on drums, Gary Hammond (The Beautiful South) on percussion, Richard Edwards (Jamiroquai) on trombone and Derek Nash (Jools Holland) on tenor sax. 

 

Pepi and her band performed at The Pheasantry in London to launch the new album, and recently appeared at London’s St James Theatre, as part of the London Jazz Festival.

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