Zeb Soanes awarded annual Betjeman Society Award

Zeb Soanes with the Betjeman Society Award at St James Garlickhythe Church

Zeb Soanes was presented with the Betjeman Society Award after giving a performance of Betjeman’s Banana Blush at St James Garlickhythe Church on Saturday 14th June.

The award is presented annually to the person, group or organisation which in the opinion of the Society’s Council has made the most significant recent contribution to the understanding or enjoyment of the life and work of Sir John Betjeman.

Zeb was handed the award by the Betjeman Society’s Chairman Steve Jackson. The statue is a bronze maquette of Martin Jennings’ much-loved statue of Betjeman, sited at St Pancras Station.

Zeb has been touring live performances of Betjeman’s hit album Banana Blush to celebrate its 50th anniversary — accompanied by the dazzling virtuosity of the Chris Warner Ensemble. Transporting the audience from 20’s cocktail party to village bandstand, Zeb tells the story of this unique collaboration between Betjeman and the composer Jim Parker.

Jim Parker’s music will be instantly familiar from countless memorable TV series: House of Cards, Foyles War, The House of Elliot, Mapp and Lucia and Midsomer Murders. He won the BAFTA for Best Original Television Music four times.

Before he died in 2023, Jim Parker lovingly recreated his original Banana Blush score (much of which had been lost over the years) for Zeb’s special live performances.

Zeb said, “It is such a great honour to be presented with The Betjeman Society Award. It must also belong to my friend and genius musical director Chris Warner and our wonderful band who so love performing Banana Blush, celebrating our cuddliest poet laureate in this most toe-tapping marriage of words and music.”