Kevin Oliver Jones - Musical Director
Kevin has been involved in the entertainment industry from a very early age making his first professional appearance in the West End revival of Oliver! at the age of nine as one of the gang to Ron Moody’s Fagin! There then followed a series of ‘Blink and you’ll miss ‘em’ appearances in The Bill, Eastenders, the film Mona Lisa and various adverts.
He also played in various bands from ICEHOT at the age of 13 appearing on Sky Star Search to The Sluts! at 18 – he also promoted gigs in various theatres around South London for local bands to anyone who would come and listen! Kevin then played the part of ‘Baz’ in BBC TV’s Growing Pains for 6 episodes before joining the cast of The Roy Orbison Story on tour at the tender age of 19. Over the course of three years he understudied and played virtually every role in the show (also appearing on the original cast album) eventually taking over as Musical Director on tour after a year and a half in the West End. Since then Kevin has been in Return to the Forbidden Planet 1999 UK Tour playing Bosun and understudying Prospero and Captain Tempest, Blood Brothers on tour (doorbell), Four Steps to Heaven UK tour, All You Need Is Love in the West End and the Circus of Horrors at the Edinburgh Festival playing any combination of Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Saxophone, Trombone, Harmonica or singing (although not necessarily at the same time!)
As Musical Director Kevin has also played and appeared in Elvis – The Musical on tour and in the West End, Pump Boys and Dinettes playing Jim at The Stoke New Vic Theatre (Being the best of a bad bunch and having Grade 4 Ballet, Tap, Modern and Jazz ISTD he was also made Dance Captain!), Dancing in the Streets on tour and at The London Palladium with Edwin Starr and The Pasadenas, Rock and Roll Heaven on tour, Harry’s Webb at The Windsor Theatre Royal - where he created the role of Bruce Welch, This Lonely Heart – a tribute to Roy Orbison Palladium, UK and European tours, last years tour of Summer Holiday with Darren Day, Suzanne Shaw and Christopher Biggins (also playing the part of Wilf!) and numerous Pantomimes including Newark with Jill Greenacre (Brittas Empire) and Hemel Hempstead with Jill Halfpenny (Eastenders) and Tim Vincent.
On screen he has appeared as a musician in The Queens Nose for BBC TV, Jim Davidson’s Generation Game, This Morning, The Today Programme, The Kelly Show (Ireland) and as an actor in Time’s Up and Playtime for Ghost Films both of which he also wrote the music for. He also has a duo with his sister Keeping Up With The Jones’ who along with numerous pub and club gigs have also completed two tours of Eastern Germany.