Tom Waits for No Man

Lindsay Hannon – Vocals
Alan Law – Piano
Paul Grainger – Double bass
Brendan Murphy – Percussion 

Vocalist and composer Lindsay Hannon (“A voice soulful, brooding and unselfconscious in its longing” Jazz Journal) has chosen and re-arranged a selection of songs from the legendary Tom Waits decades spanning back catalogue.

From the tender nostalgia of Martha, the gospel infused Picture in a Frame and the variously, dark, comedic and lewd content of such numbers as The Piano has been Drinking, Way down in a Hole, and Christmas card from a Hooker in Minneapolis; this outstanding live show is both intimate and raucous, playful and moving, and appeals to both established Waits fans and newcomers alike.

Formed for a one off performance on the main stage of Darlington’s R&B festival in 2023, this project has gone from strength to strength, selling out jazz clubs, festivals and venues in London, Brighton, Manchester, Stockton, Durham, Mallorca, Yorkshire and Cumbria.

They are fast establishing themselves not only as an excellent live act, but as evangelists for the music of Tom Waits.

“...Just right for the poetic words of Waits - he doesn't do nice or sweet - it's gritty street-life, and Lindsay has the voice to bring the words and the music into an emotional cinematic landscape.” Bebop Spoken Here

“Backed by superb musicians Alan Law and Paul Grainger, Lindsay Hannon was supreme. Her personality, her presence, but above all, her singing, captivated an already-enraptured audience.” George Shovlin

Lindsay Hannon hails from Northumberland and is a vocalist, composer and instrumentalist working particularly in blues, jazz and improvisation. 

She has performed and toured in the UK and Europe with electric blues band Broken Levee, The Strictly Smokin' Big Band, Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass project Hand to Mouth as well as releasing two albums of originals and covers with her own jazz quartet The Lindsay Hannon Plus. 

She regularly performs a free improvisation sets using vocal loop pedals, electric bass and guitar with drummer and percussionist Martin Douglas with whom she also performs with in her original post - punk project, Lockheed Lindsay. 

Tom Waits for No Man was formed two years ago to fulfil a request for a slot from Darlington R&B festival and has since gone from strength to strength, with dates in the UK and Europe booked for 2025/26.

Paul Grainger came to the double bass comparatively late in the day, yet managed to become an in-demand player on the North East scene and further afield, working with a huge array of musicians across a wide sphere of music. 

Paul is currently working with Lindsay Hannon in Tom Waits for No Man, the Abbie Finn Trio, Swing Manouche, the Ruth Lambert Quartet, Bellavana, the Alice Grace Quartet, and the Niffi Osiyemi Trio. 

He has played with, among others, Julian Costello, Anita Wardell, Robin Aspland, Tristan Mailliot, Tessa Souter, Strictly Smokin’ Big Band, and Sue Ferris. He is also a founding member of, and resident bass player for the highly regarded Newcastle based Black Swan Jazz Cafe ‘Jam Sessions’.

Alan Law is a Sussex born, Newcastle based pianist who is a veteran of the North East scene. 

Following classical study in his home town of Rye, he realised he could play better by ear, and started playing local blues and rock n roll bands. 

Jazz came later, via the piano chair in the Friday night band at the Newcastle jazz cafe. 

Current projects include The Ruth Lambert quartet, Pete Tantons Chet Baker tribute, the Chet set , Cuban style Latin band Belhavana, and the homage to Tom Waits, Tom Waits for No Man with Lindsay Hannon.

Influences include Monty Alexander, Gene Harris, Ruben Gonzalez and Ahmad Jamal. 

Brendan Murphy is a percussionist based in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear. He has been working in, and from, the north east region for the last 25 years. 

As a constant student of numerous percussive disciplines, and as an energetic performer on many percussion instruments, he has had the pleasure over the years, of working in five different continents of the world with all manner of creative people and companies. 

Over recent times the starting point for all his work has come from RumbaPalace, which is his extensive percussion studio based in Gateshead. Here, a world of percussive instruments made from wood, metal, bamboo, glass and, of course...skin, come to life in endless cyclical combinations.