KIM PROVEN and DIMINISHED FIFTH, sometimes known as DIM 5, came into existence gradually and first appeared in public in April 1987. The members come from polyglot musical backgrounds but have remained a remarkably cohesive group with only three changes of membership to date. The band has performed in a variety of venues ranging from smokey pubs to world class hotels; hospital charity gigs to blues bars in Belgium; and some jazz festival appearances in Leith, Edinburgh, Rothsay and Dundee. Kim and the boys are comfortable performing a range of styles including standard ballads, swing, blues, bosa-nova, trad and even the odd rag-time tune. The easy swinging style of the group and sense of fun that they emit, in large part, emanates from the fact that they are a group of friends who enjoy what they do.
A regular slot for the band is at the Grouse and Claret restaurant, Heathryford, Kinross where a friendly atmosphere, artistic surroundings and excellent food make for a memorable evening. Diminished Fifth has performed at a variety of private and corporate functions including rotary, golf, and cricket club dinners, Royal Collage of Surgeons functions, Rikki DeMarko's70th Birthday party, Lord and Lady Elgin's Lifeboat concert and The Tourist Board Thistle Awards ceremony. Jazz festival appearances include Dundee, Edinburgh Leith and Rothsay and Kim has been invited on three occasions to perform at the Edinburgh International Jazz Festival in the Ladies of Jazz line up.
"Rain On My Hat"
- Cassette (out of circulation)
"Lazy Green"
- Cassette (out of circulation)
"Please Don't Talk About Me" - CD recorded in September 2000
Photographer - George Ferguson, Dunedin Studios
Cover Design - Ken Kerr - Landform Design
Producer - Robin Evans
Recorded: Tpot Studios - Path of Condie
Price: £10
Kim Proven (vocals)
Kim Proven is a graduate of Edinburgh College of Art where she studied drawing and
painting. Her finest art is singing! Her musical tastes are eclectic and her
vocal abilities in jazz and soul utterly belie the fact that she is untrained and self
taught. Few of the songs in Kim's extensive repertoire have been learned from a
score sheet. She prefers to listen to recordings by great artists like Sarah
Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday amongst others, before offering her own
interpretations of a song. A practical pastime that continues to pay off.
Alastair Blair (saxophones, mouth organ, vocals)
Alastair Blair fiddled around in amateur groups as a student and was pushed back into
playing years later because of a charity concert. As a founder member of Diminished
Fifth, he progressed to modest musical literacy, at least finding the dots and lines
easier to read than Bob's chord book. Sometimes known to don hat and shades, to scat
and satchmo.
Pete Cooper (double bass)
Trained classically, Pete played the viola in amateur orchestral and chamber groups.
When completing his accountancy training, he had a brief skirmish with a bass
guitar but rapidly saw the light, and progressed to string bass which seems to go well
with his tall stature and laid back sense of humour.
Bob Watson (guitar)
Bob Watson entered jazz from the folk scene, where he is still an active performer.
He gave up farming to become a rally driving instructor. He has written
several folky lyrics and uses a notorious chord book with pictograms, symbols, shapes and
rude remarks, which may one day be recognised as uncrackable encryption.
Dave Watt (piano, keyboards, vocals)
Dave Watt will not only play a piano into submission, he can tune it afterwards as
well. When one is not available, he plays a Zongoraphone, a unique construction
melding wood, hammers, ivory and modern technology. He has an instinctive feel for
jazz and catches the spirit and energy of the music. On Sundays to be found playing
church organ.
Alan Cleobury-Jones (drums, percussion) (joined Diminished Fifth
2002)
Alan started tub thumping in the mid sixties, playing pop music of that era, and at
the same time developing a passion for jazz of all types. With these influences he
formed bands which toured Europe and Scandinavia as well as the UK. He also played
in London residencies and did session work. He now teaches percussion in Edinburgh
schools as well as playing rhythmical games with Diminished Fifth.
To email Kim click here.
