Since their formation in a shanty old factory in East London in February 2011 Franky and the Jacks have gone from strength to strength taking their first festival season by storm (Secret Garden Party, LoveBox and Bestival to name but a few) and can now regularly be found playing the various dives and dens of east London and beyond.

Their simple setup is lead by Mr Francis Merlyn Doody  on guitar and lead vocals and backed by the jacks themselves…

• the Jack of Spades Mr Tom Rosenfeld (Backing vocals and Double Bass)
• the Jack of Clubs Mr Sax McGuiness (backing vocals and Harmonica)
• the Jack of Hearts Mr John Beale (backing vocals, violin and trumpet)
• and the Jack of Diamonds Mr Federico Rios (drums)

Their sound is a unique one. Taking influence from the gypsy jazz stylings of the likes of Django Reinhardt an Les Doigts de L’homme and lyrically akin to the storytelling country styles of Hank Williams and Townes Van Zandt, many of the songs can appear simultaneously both uplifting and tragic. This can be better explained by a metaphorical battle between genres, so, in other words you take a fight between folk and jazz and as folk trips and is stumbling to the floor, jazz seizes the opportunity and kicks it hard in the ass. Folk lets out an almighty cry and it is this cry that is the sound of FatJ.

FatJ are currently recording their first EP “Yes We Do” and are looking forward to another sunny festival season choosing their three favourites from 2011 Secret Garden Party, Wilderness, and Beatival.