Gwyn Jay Allen

Born in the UK to Sierra Leonean parents, he served his musical apprenticeship singing and playing guitar on the train. In 1992 he achieved a residency at the Park Lane Hilton and later the world famous The Dorchester Hotel.

Gwyn went on to star as Cab Calloway in the long running smash hit West End Musical ‘The Blues Brothers’ and his lifelong love of the work of Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong propelled him to TV stardom when he became a finalist in the UK’s ITV ‘Stars in Their Eyes’ show. He has since gone on to make many more featured TV appearances.

Gwyn’s vocals, guitar and percussion has graced tracks recorded by musical giants such as soul diva Diana Ross, reggae heavy weight Maxi priest, and dance icon Jamiroquai. His musical collaborations have included working with Basement Jaxx and Latin Jazz Supreme Alex Wilson. He independently released his first solo album ‘Land of Milk and Money’ in 2001 whilst touring and supporting gospel giant Kirk Franklin at venues such as London’s renowned Royal Albert Hall and The Jazz Café and in 2010 released his second album ‘I Love Louis’, a Creole Tribute to Louis Armstrong which has been touring all corners of the world and warned him an invitation to perform at the Louis Armstrong Estate and Museum in New York in honour of Louis Armstrong’s birthday and the American Day of Independence. The ‘I Love Louis’ tribute show and stage adaptation has been toured around the world and is still a very much alive. Gwyn is currently working on his third solo album ‘Freetown – The Return’ which will be released early 2016.