Andrew Sentance's musical biography

In Andrew's youth, he learned to play the piano and the organ and taught himself the guitar in the 1970s. He played regularly at Clare College Folk Club and was the Club Secretary in 1979. The Club met in the vault under the College chapel and was one of the focal points of the Cambridge music scene, featuring local talent such as Robyn Hitchcock and the Soft Boys, Kimberley Rew and other members of Katrina and the Waves (Eurovision song contest winners in 1986), and Mal Pope (a Cambridge student at the time) as well as stalwarts of the folk music scene such as Bert Jansch, Stefan Grossman and Telephone Bill and the Smooth Operators.

In the early 1980s, Andrew played bass with fellow Cambridge musicians Dick Jenkins (rhythm guitar/vocals), Richard Carson (drums) and Jon Crowcroft (lead guitar) in the band Rock Creek, which broke the boundaries of popular culture by establishing a residency at Notting Hill Gate Wimpy Bar on Friday evenings in late 1980 and early 1981. Andrew had recently met Anne (now his wife of 26 years) and invited her to join the band as a singer and a durable musical and personal partnership was formed.

Andrew and Anne joined with Phil Scott (now bass player with The Eskys in Bristol) to form the Christian musical group Daystar in the early 1980s, with Andrew and Phil playing guitars and Anne helping to provide Crosby-Stills-Nash style three-part harmony vocals. Variants of Daystar played on and off through the 1990s and into the 2000s.

The mid-2000s saw a bit of a renaissance in Andrew's musical activities. The band Revelation (click here for more information) started playing at St Cedd's Church and has since developed into a rock band playing at local parties, fetes and fayres in South Essex.

There have also been a number of collaborations with musicians from Clare College days - Ian Wycherley,  Rick Benbow (member of Pink Floyd tribute band, Brit Floyd), Julian Fowler and Simon Husband - ably supported by drummer Theo Sloot. (Simon, Rick, Ian, Theo and myself are pictured right.) Some of this music has found its way onto Youtube: click on the following links for versions of Oye Como Va and Reelin' in the Years.

Andrew still plays the organ at his local church in Horndon on the Hill and his improvised organ voluntaries are heavily influenced by his diverse musical tastes, including the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Yes.

Andrew and Anne's son Tim is a talented saxophone/keyboard player and musical arranger. He is currently studying jazz at Birmingham Conservatoire and is available for bookings with a range of different ensembles. Visit www.timsentancemusic.com for more information.

For my thoughts and views on music, visit Andy's Music Blog. And for the musical activities of friends and family members, visit my Musical Links page.