JS CREATIVE
Music
My activities as a musician range from writing, performing and recording my own songs to playing with a number of classical ensembles.
As a singer-songwriter, I return time and again to the songs of Joni Mitchell, Al Stewart and Jacques Brel. As a mandolinist and recorder-player, I am always coming back to the compositions of Vivaldi, Bach and Scarlatti.
Song Writing
Histories of the Heart
In 2022 I released my second album, Histories of the Heart, recorded in Cambridge together with Roland Gallery, Evelyn Nallen and Amin Jan Sayed in 2019.
The album features the classical guitar of Roland Gallery, the recorder of Evelyn Nallen, and the bass and keyboards of Amin Jan Sayed, who also engineered and produced it. I myself am responsible for the vocals, some of the classical guitar parts, the acoustic guitar parts, and the very small sliver of mandolin.
“She gave me a ticket without a date
She said, Come when you like, but don’t come too late
There’s a space at the bar of the restaurant car
And the barman’s called Joe, he knows just who you are …”
- Nostalgia
Histories of the Heart is available on Apple Music and all other streaming platforms. Details of how to order CDs are available in the Shop.
The Road in Our Feet
2006 I released my first album, The Road in Our Feet, recorded in London together with Roland Gallery in 2005.
The album features Roland Gallery on classical, electric and bass guitar. I myself am responsible for the vocals and the parts for six- and twelve string acoustic guitar, cittern, mandolin and alto recorder. The Road in Our Feet was engineered by Kenneth Brake, who co-produced it with Roland Gallery.
“I never knew you, martyred, sainted Joan
These visions are all my own
And if my words are all wrong
And there’s no truth in this poor song
Many these lines never be known …"
- Joan of Arc
The Road in Our Feet is available on CD. Details of how to order copies are provided in the Shop.
Instrumental Playing
Running in parallel with my work as a singer-songwriter are my activities as a classical mandolinist.
I have the great privilege to play with the Moonlight Mandolin Orchestra of Cambridge, the Moonshot Mandolin Ensemble of Cambridge, and also the British Fretted Orchestra, which is drawn from the UK’s various fretted orchestras.
I also study the mandolin under the Italian maestro Mauro Squillante and have the great pleasure of participating in his course on the Baroque mandolin at the annual Festival of the Italian Federation of Early Music, FIMA.
For booking enquiries, please email info@jonathansteffenlimited.com or call +44 (0)7747 793248.