GET TICKETS here for my new Saucy Songs show!

Aim

LET'S GET SAUCY TOGETHER! Pledge here for your tickets for a new Mama Tokus music show of vintage saucy songs!

Reserve your places close to the sauce

Let me get suggestive: I suggest that you get your tickets for my new show!

I'd love to create a new production that brings together some vintage rude blues and saucy songs, whilst also telling the story of the women singers who sang them.

I think it would be a fabulous and funny way of continuing my creative mission: to make more Collective Joy through music. 

People connect when they're in a room giggling and enjoying a fun show - and I hope my Saucy Songs performance will you do just that. 

But I'll need you to get your tickets nice and early if this is going to happen...

It's risky/risqué to do this

Performer-promoters like me are struggling against the forces of

• last-minute ticket-buyers
• fewer people at gigs generally
• entertainment competition from Netflix, box-sets, social media
• social media algorithms that make it hard for events to be seen by the right people (without chucking a load more ad-money at already-rich oligarchs)
• disappearing local newspapers, magazines & What's On publications, leaving people in the dark about local shows

All these things make it very risky for performers to put on gigs without knowing whether they'll break even or, worse, lose money.

Reserve your tickets through this Crowdfunder!

If you get your tickets via this Crowdfunder, I'll be able to stage my debut Saucy Songs show on Saturday 8 November 2025 at The Quad Theatre, Marjons, Plymouth, Devon.

If this all goes right, I'll be able to fund and create a new show with two other musicians, visuals and décor, good sound and lighting - all in a great venue.

If you fund this fully by buying your tickets (and other Rewards) through this Crowdfunder, I'll know well ahead of time whether I've got a show that's a goer.

And if you're a goer, you're gonna love this show...

Meet the musicians

We play together very regularly, so we've turned into a slick and swingin' outfit.

We play a lot for dancers too, so if you're coming and you want to take to the floor - we'll ensure we're playing the right tempos for you. With the right groove! 

Me, Mama Tokus

I've been singing jazz - and LOVING characterful songs - since I was a teenager. My Nan brought me up listening to records by Fats Waller and Dinah Washington, and I adore performing fun and funny numbers to make your eyes roll!

Tom Unwin

Tom is the Musical Director, maestro and pianoman who is always finding something new in the vintage songs he performs. His style, taste and consummate skill ensures we play our very best, and that we swing!

John Donnelly

John's double-bass playing's got so much bounce, it's a wonder he doesn't play at Wimbledon. His pulsing rhythm drives the Mama Tokus Trio - and his way of the groove helps any dancer make their best moves. John swings hard.

We play together regularly at Burgh Island Hotel - where we inject a little bit of sauce with songs like Makin' Whoopee by Diana Washington, or Your Feets' Too Big by Fats Waller.

Here's what we sound like together when we're there, although this isn't a particular saucy song: 

You can see some dancers in the background, which reminds me...

Lindy hoppers welcome!

Lots of these songs are made for dancing to, and as we're plugged into the South West swing-dance network, we're going to make sure that we play plenty of songs that you can dance to.

The venue has seating, and then a large space in front to dance. We'd love to see you there, cutting a rug!

So how saucy is saucy?

I'm not going out there to be deliberately erotic, pornographic or X-rated, although let me say now: this isn't a show for under-18s. It's saucy, not filthy (that's next year's show!).

Seriously, this isn't sauce for the sake of it - this is a ballsy (ahem) history lesson in the expression of African-American musicians who were telling it like it is. At a time when black and women's voices weren't to the fore.

Agreed, it's not a show if you're easily offended, but if you like a little naughty sugar in your bowl, be prepared for a riotous romp through roots-music history.  

Whose songs will I be doing?

I've already got form with Barrel House Annie's If It Don't Fit Don't Force It (hear my version on Spotify), but I'm looking at people like:

• Bessie Smith (pictured above)
• Dinah Washington
• Sippie Wallace
• Victoria Spivey
• Lucille Bogan
• Nina Simone
• Sister Rosetta Tharpe

I'm still deciding the set list, but I'll keep you donors posted!

Whatever happens, I'll choose funny, interesting, hilarious AND SAUCY songs - and if this show goes ahead and you get to be in the audience, you'll be discovering loads of fun facts about these amazing and inspiring women.

Be in the audience & I'll smother you in proper sauce

If you pledge for tickets here, I promise to make this a fabulous, funny and downright saucy session that will tickle your fancy AND your funny bone.

So please book your places and help me create this show of vintage rude tunes and saucy songs.

Let's get saucy together!

This project successfully funded on 24th June 2025