YouTube jazz pianist, 84, plays in Northampton market stall
An 84-year-old jazz pianist who made a name for himself on YouTube during the coronavirus lockdown has taken up residency at a tiny arts centre, based at a market stall, in order to meet other musicians.Mike Kemp started an online channel to help with his mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic.Speaking about his new audience online, he said: "If lockdown hadn't occurred, my career would have come to an end because of my health."Mr Kemp's stint at the centre, alongside Northampton-based artist Musetta Seagrove, continues until the end of Saturday.
The Creative Place (TCP) arts centre, run by Northampton Film Festival, opened six months ago in Northampton's refurbished Market Square.During lockdown, Mr Kemp said he collaborated online with other musicians virtually.He said he wanted to do the residency to meet other YouTubers, musicians and filmmakers, to learn how to improve the technicality and reach of his videos.The "intricacy" of constructing videos and experimenting with different editing software like GarageBand provided a distraction and "comfort" to him during that time, he added."People always ask me, 'Have you been playing all your life?' And I say, 'Not yet'," he said.
Mr Kemp, originally from Coventry, worked in electronics before playing piano with a jazz quartet.He said he enjoyed his job in electronics but it "felt like [I] was wearing somebody else's shoes".Mr Kemp said it felt like he had not worked "a day in his life" since 1960 when he began his music career.
Becky Carrier, who runs the arts centre, said it promoted "connection, inspiration and creativity"."Everybody has a story to tell and everybody has a unique voice," she said."It is for people that have a creative bone in their body, but also for people that just want to try something new."It is really nice for people to use their ears and their eyes to experience quite different things."
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