Photo credit: Steve Brock, Mayor's Welcome Reception, 2019. 

"Some projects just work from the start, they just do... Lindsay Hannon and Bradley Johnston’s debut performance at the Jazz Café (Newcastle, UK) in the autumn of last year attracted a full house” (Bebop Spoken Here).

"No doubt about it, Hand to Mouth are a class act, in fact they don't come much classier. Bradley can turn his hand to just about anything from Django to Pat Metheny or, as was the case last night, Joe Pass. Likewise, Lindsay's mouth can encompass the world between old-time Mississippi blues singers to Joni Mitchell and beyond or, as was the case last night, Ella Fitzgerald and Carmen McRae.” (Lance Liddle, BSH, Nov. ’20).

​A chance gig between Bradley Johnston (“A brilliant young guitarist” - The Crack Magazine) & Lindsay Hannon (“A voice soulful, brooding & unselfconscious in its longing” - Jazz Journal) led to a discovery of a mutual love of guitar & vocal duos; Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass. 

Lindsay and Brad’s shared appreciation for the albums “Take Love Easy” and “Fitzgerald and Pass...Again” inspired them to join forces and recreate some classic hits, such as "A Foggy Day”, “That Old Feeling” and “The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)”. They perform songs from those albums with eloquence and humour, as well as original arrangements, under the moniker 'Hand to Mouth’. 

Individual Biographies:
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Lindsay Hannon (vocals), originally from Northumberland (UK), was inspired to join a blues band after a trip to the Southern states of the USA at 21. Jazz was a very natural progression from that point and drawing inspiration from previous opportunities working with such jazz luminaries as Bobby McFerrin, Sheila Jordon and Ian Shaw, the unique and emotionally uncompromising vocal style of Lindsay Hannon is garnering plaudits from audiences nationally and internationally. Lindsay also leads her own quartet, The Lindsay Hannon Plus, and runs numerous of choirs throughout the region. 

She has guested with numerous outfits, Denis Rollins and the 'Durham Alumni band', the 'Strictly Smokin' big band', Norways 'Quintus' and Shaun Blezard's improvising collective 'Some Some Unicorn'.

Bradley Johnston has become firmly established on the North East jazz scene. He has studied jazz guitar with Dr. James Birkett at Sage Gateshead since the age of 14, and graduated from the B.Mus. degree programme in 2016 at Sage Gateshead with a First Class Honours classification. Furthermore, Bradley has just recently completed a PGCE at Newcastle College. 

In his role as featured soloist in Jambone (the Regional Youth Jazz Ensemble) he has also performed alongside numerous jazz artists from the UK, USA, Cuba and Brazil. Brad has performed at some major jazz festivals in the UK, including: Gateshead International Jazz Festival; Manchester Jazz Festival; Isle of Skye Swing Jazz Festival; Callander Jazz Festival. He has also performed at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards, Portcullis House, London.

​For several years he has been presenting duo concerts with James, and their first CD (entitled Together) presents a variety of jazz repertoire for two guitars.  He works regularly as a sideman and session musician throughout the region. 

Special Occasion Bookings :
The duo may also be booked for: Weddings, Light Background, Private Function, Restaurant, NYE, Seasonal Event, Home-warming parties and more - Contact Brad via 'Contact / Bookings' to book 'Hand To Mouth'.