JON ALLEN

He might have gone to university in Liverpool, but this singer/songwriter got his true education from listening to the Beatles

Three years after graduating from LIPA (Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts) Jon Allen is quickly gathering attention with his rich, distinctive voice and instant, melodic songs. At 27, Allen cites his key musical references as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Led Zeppelin, Police, Stevie Wonder, Radiohead, Coldplay and The Beatles.

"'I Wanna Hold Your Hand,' was pop music like I'd never heard before" says Jon. Learning first to play drums (with chopsticks!) then piano and guitar, Jon's parents bought him a 4-track home recorder and he began experimenting with layers, textures and sounds, sharpening up his songwriting and production skills along the way. Growing up in Totnes, South Devon, Jon formed a band with a couple of friends, playing the local music scene before his life-changing move to Liverpool.

A few years ago, during his final year at LIPA, Jon mailed a demo of his songs to the now-defunct Making Music magazine, generating a 5-star review by Doug Johnstone, who called him a "star in the making" and praised his superb, effortless songwriting.

As more and more people discover Jon Allen, he is gaining some important new fans, including Robbie Williams' co-writer Guy Chambers and Colplay producer Ken Nelson. He has earned some support dates on Damien Rice's UK tour and a BBC Radio session. He has also performed at the Edinburgh Festival and earlier this year made his first visit to the MIDEM conference, where he drew unanimous interest as part of the "British in MIDEM" contingent. For more info, visit www.jon-allen.co.uk.