High Wycombe's Howard Jones is among the artists performing in a fund raising concert at Taplow Court. TAPLOW Court Festival is following in the footsteps of the current 1980s revival with a fund--raising concert featuring Howard Jones, Matt Goss (from Bros) and Pepsi Demaque -- one half of pop duo Pepsi and Shirley.

The various stars will be performing at the festival's Frank Sinatra tribute concert, which is being held to raise money for War Child. Howard will be performing songs by the legendary singer including Strangers in the Night.

The international charity aims to alleviate the suffering of children by getting material aid into war zones and providing spiritual and psychological rehabilitation of children affected by war.

A fund--raising album called Help! was released in 1995 by War Child featuring acts such as Noel Gallagher and The Charlatans.

Lez Hannibal, spokesman for Howard Jones' record label detox says the Maidenhead-based singer is breaking off from a world tour specifically to play at Taplow Court.

She adds: "It is something that Howard really wanted to do because he is a Buddhist and Taplow Court is the home of Buddhist foundation SGI. He unfortunately wasn't able to make it last year and so he is stopping off this time around.

"He flies in from New York in the morning of the concert and then he will be straight off again for a week in Italy. He is also going to Germany and he will be in the UK next February and March."

"He is really looking forward to playing at Taplow. We really decided that as a well-known local artist it would be great for him to play there."

The pop sensation, who had a string of hits such as Like To Get To Know You Well throughout the 1980s, has been recording material for a new album People which is due to be released on February 1 next year.

His current American tour has taken him up and down the west coast to Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Diego and San Francisco to Las Vegas, Chicago and finally New York.

Other concerts which are taking place as part of the festival include a performance of Broadway shows and spirituals by the Maidenhead Chamber Choir and a recital of English choral favourites by the May Choir.

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