My name is Helen Maher. I like my name as it has my mum’s name sounding in it: Lynne. Hel – Lynne; see! My mum’s side is predominantly from Yorkshire and my dad’s side (Maher) is Irish. Both sides met in the middle and, hey presto, Helen Maher is from Liverpool!

I was exposed to music from an early age. My mum was in the church choir and my dad loved swing and jazz records, played the clarinet and now swaggers his voice on the Liverpool karaoke scene (he does a mean Frank Sinatra song).

I have one sister, Ruth. She is an actress best known in the online soap ‘Spinning Jenny’ (she is Jenny) and currently is one of the newsreaders for the Liverpool Echo and Daily Post website.

 
 

Early musical murmurings started at 5. I was bought a piano but I had to get on with lessons I didn’t enjoy or understand. It wasn’t until my teenage angst kicked in that I started my musical ‘expressions’. At 16 I went straight into music education and also started a small number of gigs. At 19 I got the opportunity to play with the Pete Best Band as keyboard player/backing vocalist. I got to tour nationally and internationally and saw what the big kids do!

However, I was still at college so I supported myself with many jobs. Teaching and playing music were the two most consistent. I have been teaching the piano since 1995 and performing in many guises. In 2003 I graduated from Dartington College of Arts with a BA Hons in Music.

Since then I have worked with many organisations on projects such as writing music for film and theatre, running workshops and teaching music. I love all of this and want to do more, but my real love is performance.


One day, I ‘found’ an accordion in the hallway of a house I used to live in and took it as a sign and started playing it. I didn’t take it seriously until I met Trez Fez. Initially responding to an ad in the local newspaper wanting a jazz vocalist, I went along to Dead Frog Studios to sing. It turned out Trez Fez, a gypsy jazz inspired ensemble, wanted an accordionist/vocalist. I have been playing with them ever since.

My musical style can (and does) vary through many genres. Most listeners comment on how ‘French’ my sound is and that would be about right as lots of my influences stem from 1930’s – 1940’s Parisian jazz, sometimes mixed with a nice dose of vocals.

Through experience, this music is very accessible to most audiences and I marvel at how all ages love it. My band has played at many types of events; weddings, festivals, pub gigs, birthday parties and anniversaries to name just a few. The solo and duo works well in restaurants, art gallery openings, awards ceremonies and I’ve even played in a greenhouse!!

  


I am lucky to have so many good fellow musicians around me and equally lucky to be a full time musician playing music that I love. I would like to share that music with you as nothing makes me happier than seeing a big smile on the audience’s face!