Jon Gomm

Jon Gomm started playing ukulele at the age of two.{{cite journal|title=Gomm alert!|journal=Yorkshire Evening Post|date=October 2004}} He began classical guitar lessons at the age of four, and at twelve, he would accompany his father, a music critic, to blues gigs in his hometown of Blackpool. As a teenager, he played electric guitar.

On leaving school, Gomm turned down a place at Oxford University studying English to attend the Guitar Institute (now part of the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance){{cite web|url=http://www.icmp.uk.com/ |title=ICMP: Music Schools | Music College London | Music Academies UK |website=Icmp.uk.com |date=2015-09-11 |access-date=2017-07-23}} in London.{{citation needed|date=February 2012}} While there, he paid his way through college playing jazz in café bars, recording as a session guitarist, and playing Country music in working men's clubs for line dancers. He moved to Leeds to study in the Jazz degree course at Leeds College of Music.

File:Jon Gomm (tatto).jpg

He began solo performances in Leeds.{{cite journal|title=Jon Gomm|journal=Sandman Leeds|date=February 2004}} He developed a percussive style – hitting the surface of his guitar to make snare drum, bass drum and bongo sounds, re-tuning the strings to get bass sounds, and using high harmonics from the guitar for synthesizer-like effects.

Jon Gomm avoids playing chain venues and corporate festivals. His appearances are generally organised with independent promoters in venues like ale pubs in rural areas, theatres or arts centres.{{cite web|last=Harvey|first=John|title=Jon Gomm – Interview|work=Leeds Music Scene|date=6 August 2004|url=http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/2956/|access-date=21 September 2009|archive-date=3 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803044508/http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/2956/|url-status=dead}} He is a regular performer at the Junction Inn, Otley.

Gomm has also performed with Tommy Emmanuel, Nick Harper and Bob Brozman.

Gomm has performed at festivals including Download, Electric Picnic, the Canadian Guitar Festival, the Italian National Guitar Festival, the Garforth Arts Festival and the London Guitar Show at Wembley Arena. He performs regularly across the UK and has toured in China, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, Australia and Canada.

In February 2012, a video of him performing his song "Passionflower" was the subject of a tweet from the broadcaster Stephen Fry.Bloxham, Andya, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120201223250/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/9052125/Stephen-Fry-tweets-guitarist-past-2m-views-with-a-wow.html Stephen Fry tweets guitarist past 2m views with a 'wow'], The Daily Telegraph, 31 January 2012. This led to him appearing on several television shows and being booked for gigs and tours around the world during 2012.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

In November 2013, the album Secrets Nobody Keeps was released after being entirely crowd funded in four weeks in a PledgeMusic campaign. In 2021 the album was reissued on CD with an updated version of "Passionflower" as a bonus track. {{Cite web|url=https://jongomm.com/blogs/latest-news-from-the-blog/posts/6711983/secrets-album-reissue-passionflower-10th-anniversary |title= "Secrets" Album Reissue - Passionflower 10th Anniversary |access-date=12 May 2024}} In 2023 "Passionflower" achieved 6th place for the "50 Greatest Acoustic Songs Of All Time" in Total Guitar.{{Cite web|url= https://jongomm.com/blogs/latest-news-from-the-blog/posts/7291773/passionflower-6th-in-total-guitar-s-greatest-acoustic-songs-of-all-time |title= Passionflower 6th in Total Guitar’s "Greatest Acoustic Songs Of All Time" |access-date=12 May 2024}}

On 12 August 2020, Gomm released "Cocoon”,{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km1fp0tIagA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/km1fp0tIagA |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Jon Gomm - Cocoon|date=12 August 2020|publisher=Jon Gomm|website=YouTube|access-date=28 September 2020}}{{cbignore}} his first single in seven years, from his album The Faintest Idea.{{Cite news|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/jon-gomm-announces-new-album-the-faintest-idea|title=Jon Gomm announces new album The Faintest Idea|last=Ewing|first=Jerry|date=31 July 2020|publisher=Louder Sound|access-date=28 September 2020}}

• Hypertension (2003) – released on Gomm's own label. All tracks are single takes with no overdubs.
• Don't Panic (2009)
• Secrets Nobody Keeps (2013)
• The Faintest Idea (2020)
• Secrets Nobody Keeps – Passionflower 10th anniversary edition (2021)

• "Passionflower" – released in 2011 on Gomm's website
• "Message in a Bottle" – originally by The Police, released in 2011 on Gomm's website
• "Ain't Nobody" – originally by Chaka Khan, released in 2011 on Gomm's website
• "Cocoon" – released in 2020

• Passionflower (2011)
• Message in a Bottle (The Police cover, 2011)
• Ain't Nobody (Chaka Khan cover, 2012)
• Ain't Nobody (Chaka Khan cover, featuring Daniel Tompkins, 2013)

Referring to Jon Gomm, comedian Stephen Fry posted the one word tweet "wow" in February 2012.{{cite web|last=Reed |first=Paul |url=http://www.musicskanner.com/best-acoustic-guitars-2016-epic-guide/ |title=Music Skanner Report - Best Acoustic Guitars 2017 - Epic Guide |website=Musicskanner.com |access-date=2017-07-23}}{{cite web |url=http://livemusicmachine.com/3-incredible-guitar-players-you-probably-never-heard-of/ |title=3 Incredible Guitar Players You (Probably) Never Heard of | Live Music Machine |access-date=2014-07-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140622015859/http://livemusicmachine.com/3-incredible-guitar-players-you-probably-never-heard-of/ |archive-date=22 June 2014 |df=dmy-all }}

Sandman Magazine wrote "how on earth can one man play so proficiently a "one man band" style that puts full bands to shame?"{{cite web|url=http://www.sandmanmagazine.co.uk/ |title=Sandman Magazine |publisher=Sandman Magazine |access-date=2017-07-23}}

Leedsmusicscene.net wrote "Leeds should feel very lucky to have such a performer to call its own."{{cite web|url=http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/4298/ |title=Leeds Music Scene |publisher=Leeds Music Scene |access-date=2017-07-23}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.jongomm.com/}}
• [http://www.last.fm/music/Jon+Gomm Jon Gomm page] on Last.fm
• [http://www.myspace.com/jongomm Official Jon Gomm page] on MySpace

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Category:1977 births

Category:Living people

Category:Acoustic guitarists

Category:English blues guitarists

Category:English male guitarists

Category:English blues singers

Category:Alumni of Leeds College of Music

Category:Musicians from Blackpool

Category:Musicians from Leeds