Des de Moor
Encyclopedia
Des de Moor is a writer, singer, musician and songwriter. His first performance in front of a paying audience was in Hertford
, Hertfordshire
, England in June 1976. He worked with local bands and performed in folk clubs in the Hertford area during the late 1970s and 1980s before moving to London
in 1985. In 1987 he formed the The Irresistible Force with Morris Gould aka Mixmaster Morris
, releasing two singles and several remixes and performing in Britain and the Netherlands.
After dissolving his partnership with Gould late in 1989, de Moor re-emerged in 1993 as an acoustic performer specialising in European-influenced chanson
, theatre song and musical cabaret
. In December 1995 he launched Pirate Jenny's club at the Vortex Jazz Club
in London, presenting other artists specialising in this style of music. The club transferred to The Drill Hall
, London, in 2004.
Apart from Pirate Jenny's, de Moor's best known work to date is Darkness and Disgrace, an adaptation of David Bowie
songs in cabaret/chanson style created in collaboration with pianist Russell Churney
, originally performed in 2001 and recorded in 2003 (see Darkness and Disgrace: Des de Moor and Russell Churney Perform the Songs of David Bowie
.
De Moor has worked with chansonniers Barb Jungr
, Robb Johnson
, Leon Rosselson
, pianist David Harrod and double bass player Julia Doyle.
He is also a translator who has written accurate English translations of songs by Jacques Brel
, Léo Ferré
, Claude Nougaro
, Barbara (Monique Serf
), Bertolt Brecht
and Wannes Van de Velde
.
De Moor is also known for several other activities. Between 1996 and 2006 he was a regular DJ at the 100 Club
, London, though playing vintage swing, R&B, soul and ska rather than chanson or cabaret.
He is a beer writer, writing regularly for Campaign for Real Ale
publications. In 2010 he contributed to the book 1001 Beers You Must Try Before You Die (edited by Adrian Tierney-Jones, Quintessence) and in 2011 published his own first book, The CAMRA Guide to London's Best Beer, Pubs and Bars (CAMRA Books).
He has also written on walking for the Ramblers' Association.
Des has a degree in Philosophy and Pure Linguistics.
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England in June 1976. He worked with local bands and performed in folk clubs in the Hertford area during the late 1970s and 1980s before moving to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1985. In 1987 he formed the The Irresistible Force with Morris Gould aka Mixmaster Morris
Mixmaster Morris
Mixmaster Morris is an English ambient DJ and underground musician. Relating specifically to ambient music, Morris stated "It's exactly what you need if you have a busy and stressful life".-Life and career:...
, releasing two singles and several remixes and performing in Britain and the Netherlands.
After dissolving his partnership with Gould late in 1989, de Moor re-emerged in 1993 as an acoustic performer specialising in European-influenced chanson
Chanson
A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specialising in chansons is known as a "chanteur" or "chanteuse" ; a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.-Chanson de geste:The...
, theatre song and musical cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
. In December 1995 he launched Pirate Jenny's club at the Vortex Jazz Club
Vortex Jazz Club
The Vortex Jazz Club is a London venue that primarily features live contemporary jazz. The club's official website features book reviews and jazz CD reviews by critic Chris Parker....
in London, presenting other artists specialising in this style of music. The club transferred to The Drill Hall
The Drill Hall
The Drill Hall is a theatrical venue in Bloomsbury in the London Borough of Camden, just to the east of Tottenham Court Road. It contains rehearsal rooms and meeting rooms, and two small theatres - the 200-seat Drill Hall 1 and a 50-seat studio space, known as Drill Hall 2. Its name derives from...
, London, in 2004.
Apart from Pirate Jenny's, de Moor's best known work to date is Darkness and Disgrace, an adaptation of David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
songs in cabaret/chanson style created in collaboration with pianist Russell Churney
Russell Churney
Russell Churney was an English composer, pianist, arranger and musical director. He was also a member of the legendary comedy/cabaret group, Fascinating Aïda...
, originally performed in 2001 and recorded in 2003 (see Darkness and Disgrace: Des de Moor and Russell Churney Perform the Songs of David Bowie
Darkness and Disgrace: Des de Moor and Russell Churney Perform the Songs of David Bowie
-Track listing:#"Future Legend" /"Bewitched" - 1:09#:Originally from the David Bowie album Diamond Dogs #"Diamond Dogs" - 3:52#:Originally from the David Bowie album Diamond Dogs...
.
De Moor has worked with chansonniers Barb Jungr
Barb Jungr
Barb Jungr is an English singer-songwriter, composer and writer, of Czech and German parentage. She is perhaps best known as a chansonnière, or singer of chansons—in the sense of classic, lyric-driven French songs; in the broader sense of European songs in the cabaret style; and in the even...
, Robb Johnson
Robb Johnson
Robb Jenner Johnson is a British musician and songwriter, who has been called "one of the last genuinely political songwriters", and is known for his mix of political satire and wit...
, Leon Rosselson
Leon Rosselson
Leon Rosselson is an English songwriter and writer of children's books. After his early involvement in the folk music revival in Britain, he came to prominence, singing his own satirical songs, in the BBC's topical TV programme of the early 1960s, That Was The Week That Was...
, pianist David Harrod and double bass player Julia Doyle.
He is also a translator who has written accurate English translations of songs by Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
, Léo Ferré
Léo Ferré
Léo Ferré was a Franco-Monegasque poet, composer, singer and musician.Born in Monaco, Ferré mixed love and melancholy with moral anarchy, lyricism with slang, rhyming verse with prose monologues...
, Claude Nougaro
Claude Nougaro
Claude Nougaro was a French songwriter and singer.Claude Nougaro was born in Toulouse to a respected French opera singer, Pierre Nougaro, and an Italian piano teacher, Liette Tellini. He was raised by his grandparents in Toulouse where he heard Glenn Miller, Édith Piaf and Louis Armstrong on the...
, Barbara (Monique Serf
Monique Serf
Monique Andrée Serf , known as Barbara , was a popular French female singer...
), Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
and Wannes Van de Velde
Wannes Van de Velde
Wannes Van de Velde , born in Antwerp as Willy Cecile Johannes Van de Velde was a Flemish singer, musician, poet and artist....
.
De Moor is also known for several other activities. Between 1996 and 2006 he was a regular DJ at the 100 Club
100 Club
The 100 Club is a music venue in London situated at 100 Oxford Street, W1, originally called The Feldman Swing Club.The 100 Club attained legendary status in modern British music, having played host to live music since 24 October 1942....
, London, though playing vintage swing, R&B, soul and ska rather than chanson or cabaret.
He is a beer writer, writing regularly for Campaign for Real Ale
Campaign for Real Ale
The Campaign for Real Ale is an independent voluntary consumer organisation based in St Albans, England, whose main aims are promoting real ale, real cider and the traditional British pub...
publications. In 2010 he contributed to the book 1001 Beers You Must Try Before You Die (edited by Adrian Tierney-Jones, Quintessence) and in 2011 published his own first book, The CAMRA Guide to London's Best Beer, Pubs and Bars (CAMRA Books).
He has also written on walking for the Ramblers' Association.
Des has a degree in Philosophy and Pure Linguistics.
Solo albums
- A Bloody Row (1982)
- Photographs in Empty Houses (1992)
- Margins (1994)
- Water of Europe (1999)
- Testing Times (forthcoming)
Other albums
- Various artists
- The Tempest 2 (1982)
- Various artists
- Hartforde Poets 10th Birthday Party (1982)
- Various artists
- Ne Me Quitte Pas: Brel Songs by... (1998)
- Various artists
- Nine Times Two (2002)
- Des de Moor and Russell ChurneyRussell ChurneyRussell Churney was an English composer, pianist, arranger and musical director. He was also a member of the legendary comedy/cabaret group, Fascinating Aïda...
- Darkness and Disgrace: Des de Moor and Russell Churney Perform the Songs of David BowieDarkness and Disgrace: Des de Moor and Russell Churney Perform the Songs of David Bowie-Track listing:#"Future Legend" /"Bewitched" - 1:09#:Originally from the David Bowie album Diamond Dogs #"Diamond Dogs" - 3:52#:Originally from the David Bowie album Diamond Dogs...
(2003)
- Darkness and Disgrace: Des de Moor and Russell Churney Perform the Songs of David Bowie
Singles
- Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
- My Bag (1987)
- The Irresistible Force
- I Want To (1988)
- Stump
- Charlton Heston (1988)
- Edward II and the Red Hot Polkas
- Edward II and the Mad Professor Take a Trip to Sweden to Polka Steady with the Irresistible Force in a Rub-a-Dub Stylee at 90bpm (1989)
- The Irresistible Force
- Freestyle (1989)
- Sofrito
- The Spice of Life (1990)
- Edward II
- Dashing Away (1992)