South Norwood's Gill Manly to play Royal Albert Hall
1:09pm Wednesday 9th June 2010
By Catherine Shannon
During eight years away from the industry she went on a pilgrimage to India, sang to the Dalai Lama, ran a vegetarian kitchen for refugees and set up a community café in Southwark which became a jazz musicians’ haunt.
Manly was persuaded to return though and next Wednesday will headline one of the new Late Night Jazz sessions in the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall with her trio.
“I have done several gigs in the Royal Albert Hall cafe over the years and this is a new concept they have that I am very much looking forward to,” she says.
"I think it will be very interesting and people are enjoying the sessions that have taken place already."
Having immersed herself in Tibetan Buddhism, singing to the Dalai Lama was an exceptional moment for Manly.
“On one occasion we went to meditate with him on a very holy site and I had the opportunity to sing his Long Life Prayer in Tibetan, to the tune of Amazing Grace,” she says.
“He was moved to tears. He came and blessed our Buddhist Centre in Kennington the year after.
"I put together the first ever Tibetan Mantra Gospel Choir and we sang to him while he planted a tree.”
Although reluctant at first, Manly, who lived in Streatham for 13 years before moving to South Norwood a year ago, is enjoying her return to the stage.
“I left partly because of business disagreements, and also a bit of a glass ceiling in some venues,” she says.
“Thankfully a lot of that has changed. The people and personalities running things are different and I’m more relaxed and having fun.
“I’ve also managed to start getting into Ronnie Scott’s which is another feather in my cap, because for 25 years I couldn’t get in there!”
Manly is approaching the fourth season of a sell-out Nina Simone tribute at Ronnie Scott’s, songs from which she will be performing at the Royal Albert Hall.
Gill Manly, Late Night Jazz at the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, June 16, 9pm, £10. Call 0207 589 8212 or visit royalalberthall.com
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