Local choir to sing with pop icon

Howard Jones

One of our best-known local choirs is to join forces with an 'eighties pop icon.

Howard Jones is linking up with Morriston Orpheus for a special concert in Cardiff.

The choir will join him on stage at the St David's Hall, but the connections with the choir and Swansea run deeper.

Howard Jones said, "My mother was from Treboeth in Swansea, and one of my uncles was actually a member of the Morriston Orpheus."

Keenly linked with synthesised music in his early days - Howard is playing a trio of concerts with locations of special significance - with the finale in Cardiff.

The gigs will include the live premiere of the eagerly awaited Ordinary Heroes album which will be released in November, in its entirety, performed by the artists featured in the recording of the album, including a string quartet.

Howard Jones as photographed in 1983

The choir, whom Jones remembers performing at a church in Rhiwbina, Cardiff, will perform a set and accompany Jones on his new single 'Soon You'll Go' and other hits.

Clive Williams spokesman for the choir said, "The choir is delighted to have recorded 'Soon you'll go' with Howard Jones and we are looking forward to performing live with him."

But it is not the choir's first brush with pop musicians.

Mr Williams said, "Other successful ventures into the "pop" world have included recordings with chart-topping T'Pau and the Welsh group, The Alarm ('A New South Wales'.)"

In the 80's and early 90's Howard Jones was a major recording artist with a string of hits including 'What Is Love'.

He has recently worked with artists as diverse as Ringo Starr, Ferry Corsten, Eric Prydz, The Sugababes and Sandie Shaw.

He has achieved acclaim as the only artist to debut at No 1 in the worldwide podcast download chart with over 750,000 downloads of the track `Building our own Future'.