Paul Ubana Jones

Swiss-English musician Paul Ubana Jones was born in London, United Kingdom to a Yorkshire-born mother and a Nigerian father. He began playing guitar by the age of 11, launching a four-decade career that would see him crossing continents and recording eight albums.

Awarded a scholarship for music college, Jones studied guitar, cello and composition, but also began to forge his own contemporary style influenced by blues, rock, folk and jazz. He spent a year in the United States shortly after graduating.

In 1980, Paul came to play in Switzerland and fell in love not just with the country but with his wife, with whom he soon moved to Zürich. It was there that his real musical career began. He quickly became fluent in Swiss German and built up a busy touring schedule through folk clubs and other music venues in Switzerland, playing (among others) the Nyon Folk Festival (now called Paléo), the Gurten Festival, and the Stimmen Festival. Paul and his wife also became parents to two children in Zürich, and Paul gained Swiss citizenship.

Over the years, Paul has been commissioned by the Erziehungsdirektion Zürich (Ministry of Education) to hold several hundred music workshop in local and QUIMS schools (multi-ethnic schools) with great success. His touring area widened to Europe, Australia, the USA and Canada.

In the late eighties, Paul and his family moved to New Zealand, where he still has his official residence. He continues to perform regularly in New Zealand, Australia and around the world. Paul and his wife return every year to Switzerland to play concerts and workshops, see his many Swiss friends, do some hiking and visit their son, who lives in Bern. Over the years, Paul has shared the stage with a wide range of talented artists, including Taj Mahal, Keb Mo, Norah Jones, Bob Dylan, Tuck and Patti, Crowded House, and many others.

His festival appearances include the Dublin Blues Festival, Byron Bay Blues Festival, Vancouver Island Folk Festival, Blues at Bridgetown and many others across Europe. Paul has won three New Zealand Music awards.