Jamming with a star

Multi-platinum-selling jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux took time off from her world tour to visit St Mungo's Endell Street project recently.

Madeleine PeyrouxThe French-American singer met with St Mungo's clients who are part of the training programme based in the recently refurbished hostel's recording studio. Clients are trained in music skills, including song writing and recording, encouraging their creativity while developing transferable skills that can give them the confidence to progress into further training, voluntary or paid work.

Madeleine spent time jamming on several songs including her own single 'Instead' and songs composed by a former resident, Steve Light. Watch Madeleine's performances on You Tube of Instead and accompanying Steve, performing his song Strangers.

Alpheous Little, St Mungo's social enterprise manager, said:

"We are absolutely delighted to welcome Madeleine as the first internationally renowned musician to visit our studio and our clients.

"Many of our Endell Street residents, and other homeless people in Camden who are using the studio, are passionate about music. As well as having a therapeutic, cultural and social function it's an amazing way of helping clients create a sense of possibility and hope for the future."

Matt Catlow, music production trainer at St Mungo's, said:

"At the moment we have about six homeless men and women working with us in the studio towards an accredited qualification. In future, we hope to introduce an element of social enterprise to the project - local bands will have the opportunity to book studio time at a subsidised rate while our clients engineer and mix the sessions. This will give our clients a feel for what it is like to work in a professional recording environment while also creating a level of sustainability for the project."

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