Phil Wakeman

I taught classical guitar to groups of primary school children all over Kent and Sussex through Southern Counties Music Publishing Services.

I have been in numerous bands since leaving school, and I play over 100 gigs in the average year. Depending on the occasion, I play guitar, drums, bass, keyboards, percussion and/or singing!

I have been a touring session musician for a long time now. Early highlights include a two-week stint in New York with a jazz band while I was still at school.

In April 2007, I went on a tour of South Africa with acclaimed alternative act Letcher (www.letchermusic.com/). I am now their first-call guiarist and I have gigged and recorded across Europe and Africa with them. Highlights include recording album tracks in a studio in Belgrade in 2009, along with several televised gigs and associated radio shows and interviews. I feature prominently on the latest album, "Spectroscope" (http://chrisletcher.bandcamp.com/album/spectroscope)

I have also worked with Rich Webb (www.richwebb.com.au/). As part of his European band, I helped write and record his latest album (entitled "Beautiful World"). The promotional drive for this album featured a live TV appearance on Muenchen TV's "Mikks" variety show and and two appearances on Volker Rebell's popular sunday evening show on HR3 with an estimated audience of two million.

Other bands I have worked with include Cambride-based punk band The Pretty Young Things, Kent-based Intraverse and Brighton-based Vividville.

I currently play in Kent-based function band The Vibes (www.the-vibes.co.uk). I also write songs and sing for alt-folk act Sarah Tonin and up-and-coming rootsy rock band Goldie Reed.

While still at school, I started lunchtime music lessons at Sussex Road primary school in Tonbridge. From this, I started tutoring some of the pupis at home in the evening.

I have taught private lessons ever since!