Originally from  Sheffield,  Kerry was educated to  'A' Level  in South Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.  Coming from a musical family,  she gained her first professional experience at an early age.

Training & Teaching

In 1990  Kerry began her theatre training at the Birmingham School of Speech and Drama,  graduating in 1993.  Whilst there, Kerry gained some valuable experience teaching Speech and Drama to 8-16 year olds as part of the BSSD  Saturday  morning  childrens'  theatre  school,  also  gaining  formal  teaching  qualifications  -  L.A.M.D.A. A.L.A.M. & L.L.A.M. in Teaching.

Kerry was to use her teaching skills again during a brief period teaching vocal technique at the Musicians'  Institute in  London and between September  2003 and June 2005  Kerry  taught vocal and performance  technique at Bedford College.  Kerry  also  taught  Speech  &  Drama  at St Andrew's School, Bedford in 2004/05. 

Since September 2003 Kerry has been the popular/jazz singing teacher at  Bedford Modern School, preparing students for Trinity-Guildhall Singing Examination, inaugurating and leading the Senior School a capella group, Mozzarella and co-leading the Junior School Chamber Choir.  

Kerry also teaches privately.  Visit her teaching page for more information.

During  her  time  at  BSSD  Kerry continued to gain professional experience as varied as playing a police woman in a  training video  for Birmingham  Police,  playing  Rachel  in  "They  Go  In  Twos"  -  a  drama  written  and  produced  by  students  from  the  Birmingham Polytechnic Media Department and being a featured dancer at Tressines Nightclub in Birmingham.

After graduation,  Kerry moved to  London  and spent  4 months  working as a  vocalist and dancer on the  Sealink  boat  Stena Parisien.  However, in 1994 she moved to Hertfordshire and joined The Spirellas.

The Spirellas

The Spirellas  were a four part  all-female  a capella group,  performing  various styles including soul and jazz.

Over the next 2½  years with  The Spirellas,  Kerry played many live gigs, was featured several times on BBC  Three  Counties  Radio,  did  session  recording  work  -   including  backing  vocals  on  the  CD "Denim on Ice" for the band Denim (released February 1996) and being featured on "The Sounds of Being",  a dance album by The Serious Sound Syndicate  - and appeared on "The James Whale Show" on ITV in June 1995.

In 1996 the group disbanded and some of its members (definitely not Kerry!) decided to concentrate on procreation for a while.

It felt like the end of an era!

"....surprisingly good.... obvious technical ability.... their own individual personalities came through."
The Stage

"Good quality material, this time girls with talent who really can sing."
Bucks Music Ltd

"...outstanding."
Home Counties Newspapers

"All that talent, all that hair!"
Maddy Prior

Live & Kicking

Kerry  continued to  gain  live  performance  and  recording  experience  over the next few years via her involvement with  several projects.

These included:

Jazz trio/duo gigs around Hertfordshire and London (inc. The Fasion Café, Leicester Square) - 1998/-

"Lost in Music" - an album of pop covers - released Oct. 1997

Ground Zero - a Rock/Blues covers and originals band - 1996/98

The Babe Shades - a covers soul/party band - 1996/97

Darwin - an originals dance band - 1996

Session vocals on "Paul B Edwards' 1st CD" - released November 1996

Crissy Lee Big Band - all female jazz big band - 1995

In 1997  Kerry  established  a  Prince's Trust  funded  business  -  Lady Blue  -  providing  musical  entertainment in varying styles.   This includes a solo cabaret vocal act, jazz band, function trio and now also a 7 to 9 piece Motown/Atlantic soul band.

During  this period  Kerry  also began studying for a  modular  BA (Hons) Degree with  The Open University.   Her  study  encompassed literature, psychology, history and philosophy.   Kerry completed her study in October 2001 gaining a "First-Class" degree classification!

Ben & Kerry / Broken Drum

Up to date...

In  February  2005  Kerry  began  studying  with  the  Open University  again, achieving  a  Post  Graduate  Certificate (2005) and a Post Graduate Diploma (2006) in Humanities as part of her ongoing studies for a Masters Degree in Literature.  Kerry has now completed her Masters Degree, graduating in December 2007.

In 2006 Kerry set up a new 7 to 9 piece Motown/Atlantic Soul band Soul Possession.  This band features professional musicians recreating the sounds of 1960s/70s soul to a very high standard for corporate events, weddings and other functions.

It was also in 2006 that Kerry became the new featured vocalist with the 14 to 17 piece big band, Sounds of Swing Orchestra.  Kerry is hugely proud to be part of this incredible band, working with some of the finest musicians London's West End has to offer.

All that Jazz...

Brought up with classical, pop, blues and soul music,  it wasn't until her late teens/early twenties that Kerry really discovered jazz.   In about 2000  Kerry's  real  obsession  with  all  things  jazz,  both vocal and instrumental,  really kicked in.   Since then she has begun to appear at some key jazz venues,  including  Pizza on the Park,  various  Pizza Express  restaurants and the  National Theatre Foyer.

Her debut CD "...and everything" was released on 33 Records in February 2002, receiving airplay on Jazz FM, BBC Southern Counties Radio and a very favourable review in JazzReview Magazine. 

"...and everything" is available from selected record shops, direct from Kerry's live gigs, or by mail order from www.jazzcds.co.uk.

Kerry  counts  Billy Holiday,  Etta James,  Peggy  Lee,  Aretha  Franklin  and  more  recently  Claire Martin  and  Liane Carroll  among  her influences.   Musicians  worked  with  include  Alan Barnes,  Andy  Panayi,  Clark Tracey,  Robin Aspland,  Gareth Williams,  Alex Garnett, Julian Siegel, Jeremy Brown, Simon Thorpe,  James Pearson,  Mick Foster, Simon Wallace, Barry Green, Ian Riley, The Mike Ellis Swing Band, The Mid Herts Jazz Orchestra and The Crissy Lee Big Band.

Kerry completed her first UK tour in Feb/March 2003, with The Kerry Hodgkin Quintet:

Kerry Hodgkin - vocals
Alan Barnes - sax/clarinet
Robin Aspland - piano
Jeremy Brown - bass
Clark Tracey - drums

Playing an  eclectic combination of the  standard repertoire  mixed with  crossover soul and popular classics in a  contemporary jazz style, with a blues edge.

The tour was a huge success and was supported by:

        &      

Kerry has been living in Bedford since 2002 and has become very active on the Bedford music scene.

She  is  now  developing  a  number  of  new  jazz  projects  including  a  new  CD  to be recorded in 2008 with some of the leading lights of the UK jazz scene and a  contemporary tribute to one of her musical/jazz  idols  (suitable for jazz clubs and theatres). 

Watch this space...

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