The charming singer, songwriter and saxophonist Curtis Stigers will be crossing the Atlantic next month, and stops off at the Gordon Craig Theatre. He will perform some of his strongest work to date, including songs from his new album Real Emotional – due

The charming singer, songwriter and saxophonist Curtis Stigers will be crossing the Atlantic next month, and stops off at the Gordon Craig Theatre.

He will perform some of his strongest work to date, including songs from his new album Real Emotional - due to be released on March 26.

Curtis said: "My touring life keeps on going. It's how I make a living and see myself. My live performances are who I am."

Curtis who has had hits with I Wonder Why and You're All That Matters To Me says touring is hard work but playing music for people and telling stories with songs is what he grew up doing.

"Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and Nat King Cole all told stories through their music, and they are musicians I admire," he said.

Curtis has a life-long passion for jazz.

He said: "Jazz put me in a place nothing else reached. I love it because it is performance-based.

"The music you hear is the music that happens in one moment of time.

"The best songs I have written are ones closest to my life. Hopefully people will relate to the music.

"I love it when a song makes me cry, so I look for those kinds of songs.

"But some of the songs on my new album are also quite sexy.

"Hopefully it will sound like an emotional and beautiful record because it's not heavily produced like my past four albums.

"I feel like the songs on this album wouldn't necessarily get airplay, but that is a chance I'm willing to take. All musicians take chances."

Unlike other musicians, Curtis does not strive to make it into the charts.

He said: "Getting in the charts was a bit of a disappointment for me because there is always the problem that if you don't get to a certain spot in the charts you're a failure.

"It seemed like such a drag creating a work of art and having it dismissed."

Curtis, who is also influenced by singer-songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Ella Fitzgerald, is also a fan of some of today's groups, such as the Arctic Monkeys.

He said: "I want to be in that band!"

A person who would not influence Curtis' performing style is GMTV's Penny Smith.

Last year Curtis teamed up with Penny on Just the Two Of Us.

He said: "It was utter madness but I enjoyed it because of Penny.

"She was an awful singer, but the fact that she knew that was great.

"With her sense of humour and me playing it straight, we turned the show inside out and drove the producers insane.

"It was a riot, and we're now such good friends. I would definitely not do it again though!"

Curtis says he can not see himself anywhere else other than being on stage and making music.

"I used to write and thought about being a journalist or a novelist, but everytime I got a day job I realised how much I loved being a musician.

"This is who I am. I'm not sure I could do anything else.

"In the next five-to-10 years I still see myself performing on stage.

"I have always followed my instinct and heart. When I haven't done that in the past I was unsuccessful and unhappy."

For more information about Curtis visit www.curtisstigers.com

Curtis will be performing live on stage at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage, on April 20 at 7.45pm. Tickets priced from

£18-£20 are available by calling the box office on 08700 131 030, or by emailing:

boxoffice@stevenage-leisure.co.uk