Steve Melling

Steve Melling, Piano

Steve Melling was brought up in Preston, Lancashire, UK and studied at Goldsmiths’ College in London before joining the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. In the late 1970s he began playing professionally when he toured with Harry Beckett and Elton Dean.

In 1986 Steve received the first Pat Smythe Memorial Trust Award, a financial prize for promising young jazz musicians, presented to him by the late Ronnie Scott.
He played keyboards with Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia in 1986-7, and in 1987 and 1989 toured the Far East with the Clark Tracey quintet and made three albums with the band. Steve worked with Tim Whitehead in 1988-9, and played on his album Decision.

Melling has worked for many years with Alan Skidmore and can be heard on his quartet album East To West and on three recordings of a band which combined a jazz quintet and African percussionists and came to be known as Ubizo. Alan invited Steve to play on the title track of his exquisite ballad album After The Rain with Colin Towns’ Mask Symphonic.

During the 1990′s Steve worked and recorded with Claire Martin, Alan Skidmore and Peter King and played regularly at Ronnie Scott’s with these and several other bands and his trio. In 1996 he recorded his own album Trio Duo Solo for the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz House label. In the UK he has played with most major jazz musicians, including concerts with he and Stan Tracey playing two pianos. Steve has also played with many American jazz musicians including concerts with Jazz Machine, a band led by the legendary drummer Elvin Jones. He has also worked with Phil Woods, Benny Golson, James Moody and Charles McPherson. From 1996-98 he was Professor of Jazz Piano at London’s Royal College of Music.

In 2000 Steve joined The New Couriers, a band formed by Martin Drew and Mornington Lockett and made four albums with them. Steve can currently be heard with the Peter King Quartet, his own trio and quartet, and with Special Septet, a band in which Steve shares leadership with long-time friend Clark Tracey.
During 2012 Steve was invited to play with the European Jazz Ensemble, a band which has featured many outstanding musicians from all over Europe since it’s inception in 1976.

Nigel Hitchcock

Nigel Hitchcock, Alto Saxophone

After leaving school at sixteen, and already a seasoned professional, Nigel walked straight into the London session scene, recording TV jingles, movie soundtracks, pop solos and various other library albums, as he still does today.
In 1989 Nigel joined the contemporary saxophone quartet ‘Itchy Fingers’ and toured Europe and South-East Asia with them.  3 jazz awards, the Schlitz award for rising star, the Cleo Laine Personal Award for best young musician, and the Pat Smythe Trust award (voted for by musicians).

During the 90′s Nigel toured extensively with artists like Tom Jones and Wet,Wet,Wet. He also appeared on TV many times backing artists like James Brown, Robbie Williams and The Spice Girls.

In 2004 Nigel moved to the Isle of Skye and before long began playing with a local band, the Peatbog Faeries. He was soon travelling across Scotland, playing with bagpipes and fiddles in a rock context and other highland bands.

In 2006 Nigel received a commission to compose some classical music for an orchestra in Kazakhstan.

In 2009 Nigel moved to the grounds of an old castle on the river at  Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, which gave him the inspiration to continue writing and recording.
Since arriving back in the south in late 2011 Nigel has performed on ‘The Voice’ with the winner Leanne Mitchell’, toured with George Michael, recorded and gigged with Mark Knopfler, and recorded a classical alto sax concerto for Brian Byrne’s ‘Tales From The Walled City’.

Andrew Cleyndert

Andrew Cleyndert, Bass

His first professional experience was as resident bassist at the George Chisolm Club in Manchester where he backed visiting Jazz soloists including Americans such as Art Farmer and Joe Newman.
On moving to London in 1982 Andrew quickly established himself as a highly versatile player, working with the cream of Uk and visiting musicians – Bobby Wellins, Don Weller, Red Rodney, Bud Shank, Lee Konitz to name but a few.
He toured in the Caribbean, the Middle East and Europe with Ronnie Scott, and Cananda and China with Stan Tracey Other tours include working with American piano players Benny Green and most recently James Williams with drumming legend Ed Thigpen, New York saxophonist Jon Gordon, trumpeter Conte Candoli, and guitarists Herb Ellis and Mundel Lowe. He has released two albums as co-leader.
Andrew has taught on various summer schools including the Glamorgan Summer School, The Jazz Academy at the Royal Academy and the Berkshire Jazz Weekend as well as taking further study himself under double bass soloist Tony Haugham.

Miles Levin

Miles Levln, Drums

Miles has worked with many established musicians including Paul Dunmall, Soweto Kinch, & Jean Toussaint.
He has performed at numerous music festivals including the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Glastonbury, Marlborough and the London Jazz Festival. Live performances include prestigious venues such as the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool, the 606 Club in London and the Symphony Hall in Birmingham. He has also worked as a musician internationally in the United States and Europe.
As well as working with Steve Melling’s Trio, he has recently been involved in projects and recordings with The Deep Joy Quartet, Steve Tromans Qrt and the Edgar Macias Latin/Jazz Ensemble.
Miles’ studio recordings include the new album ‘Golden Ocean’ with Paul Dunmall and Sophia Domancich. Other recent recordings include ‘Four Moons’, ‘Golden Lake’, ‘Cycles and Stories’ and ‘Foxhunt’.
In 2013 Miles will be working with Peter King Alan Skidmore, Steve Melling & Alec Dankworth as part of a band which both celebrates the work of Elvin Jones, and also remembers the late Martin Drew, who was its  original drummer.

Bobby Welliins

Bobby was born in Glasgow in January 1936 into a musical family. After study at Chichester College and a spell in the RAF, he bagan working the dance band circuit. His recording career began when he joined the legendary Buddy Featherstonhaugh pianoless quintet in 1956. Bobby linked up with Stan Tracey in the early 1960s and is best known for his work on the classic (and best selling British jazz album) Undermilk Wood, recently revived in concerts at Brecon and elsewhere.

He has his own distinctive sound: his taste in saxophone includes Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz, John Coltrane and Tony Coe: “but while embodying most of their virtues, he sounds like none of them”. Recently Bobby is enjoying resurgence in popular exposure and is playing as well as ever.

Kate Williams

Kate Williams was born in London into a musical family (her father is the guitarist John Williams, her mother a classical pianist). A recipient of the John Dankworth Award For Talent Deserving Wider Recognition, she has gained a distinctive reputation as both a writer and performer.

She has released several CDs, each one to critical acclaim. Her trio CD “Scenes And Dreams” (2005) was rated in the top ten jazz albums that year by Mojo magazine.

Her quintet recording “The Embrace” (2008) displayed her rich and sonorous writing, and featured Canadian tenorist Steve Kaldestad, and award-winning flautist Gareth Lockrane.

In 2011, she recorded with her new septet featuring Gareth Lockrane, Steve Fishwick, Ben Somers, Julian Siegel, Jeremy Brown, Oli Hayhurst, and Tristan Mailliot. ‘Made Up’ was released in October 2011, and was ranked 7th in Mojo’s top jazz albums of 2011. The septet was nominated for a Parliamentary Jazz Award in March 2012.

She has also performed with many of the UK’s leading musicians, including Stan Sulzmann, Nikki Iles, John Etheridge, Anita Wardell, Georgia Mancio, Dave Cliff, Tony Woods, Tim Whitehead, Julian Siegel, Karen Sharpe, Allison Neale, and is a member of Chris Biscoe’s Mingus Moves. She also performs regularly with Bobby Wellins, and their duo CD is due for release in spring 2012. Kate currently teaches on the jazz degree course at Middlesex University.

www.bobbywellins.co.uk

www.kate-williams-quartet.com

Early in 2012 Roger Marks had the good fortune to play for Chris Walker’s Swingtet on a couple of cruises when they had numerous opportunities to talk about their music and their particular influences and alignments.

It turned out that the ‘trad boom’ had, long ago, claimed a couple of conscripts. Had there been no such rebirth of traditional jazz I think its fair to say that both may have sailed through life unaware or at least uninterested in the world of jazz in the much the same way as 99.9% of modern teenagers are equally unaware and uninterested in the world of jazz.
It became clear that amongst other things we share the same fondness for those early days and that over the years we have played, like many other of our contemporaries, the tunes popularised by Chris Barber and Acker Bilk at that time – such as Bourbon Street Parade, Chimes Blues, White Cliffs of Dover, Marching Through Georgia etc, etc. – the tunes which are pretty much standard fare for a working band to this day.

To cut a long story short, they came up with the idea of a stage show entitled “Tribute to Trad Jazz” showcasing flagship tunes of the period popularized by Chris, Acker and Kenny with a bit of Dutch Swing College, Humph (who we know would probably not have approved) and Papa Bue thrown in for good measure.
An all star line up of musicians, including three prominent and popular band leaders playing a programme consisting entirely of those tunes most readily identified with the so-called “trad boom”.
Chris and Roger will embellish their presentation with supporting facts and anecdotes of those times.

Clark Tracey

Clark is a frequent visitor to the Festival with top bandleaders. But as a leader, he continues to bring together groups of outstanding young musicians to play accessible, exciting post-bop jazz. This latest formation are all still in their early twenties.

Clark was born in London in 1961. He grew up in a jazz environment as the son of Stan Tracey, the UK’s leading jazz pianist, and from an early age took to the piano and vibraphones. At 13 he started playing the drums and began working with semi professional jazz groups until he turned professional at 17 in 1978 by joining his father’s various ensembles, from trio to orchestra. Within that context he has toured worldwide and recorded extensively ever since. In 2001 Clark set up his own record company, Tentoten Records and in 2007 he also started up Resteamed Records, a label dedicated to his father’s works.

In 1981 he formed the first of his own groups with Django Bates, Iain Ballamy and Andrew Cleyndert. Later groups included Guy Barker, Jamie Talbot, Nigel Hitchcock, Dave O’Higgins, Mark Nightingale, Mornington Lockett, Julian Arguelles, Gerard Presencer, Alec Dankworth and Steve Melling, Simon Allen and Zoe Rahman. More recently he led a sextet featuring young luminaries Lewis Wright and Kit Downes and a quartet with Brandon Allen, Gareth Williams and Arnie Somogyi, performing British material.

Clark has had 30 years’ experience playing alongside some of the most important artists in jazz at home and abroad. Some of the most significant unions with American artists have been with Johnny Griffin, Pharaoh Sanders, John Hicks, George Cables, Bud Shank, Red Rodney, and Scott Hamilton. British artists include names such as Ronnie Scott, John Surman, Alan Skidmore, Kenny Wheeler, Alan Barnes, Don Weller and Tommy Smith. He has recorded over 90 albums (9 as a leader) and performed in around 50 countries. He has been awarded “Best Drums” title three times in the British Jazz Awards and Ronnie Scott’s Award for “Best Drums” in 2007.

www.clarktracey.com

Jean Toussaint

Since saxophonist Jean Toussaint left Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, he hasn’t looked back. Nor has he spent a career trying to repeat the past. The experiences gained in that world-class hothouse have enabled him to push forward and embrace challenging and often high profile musical collaborations in many different jazz styles. Today he works out of London as a band leader/composer, and educator.

Born in the Caribbean, Toussaint studied at Berklee with peers Branford Marsalis, Greg Osby, Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts and others. He joined Blakey in 1982 and toured and recorded with him for four years with fellow band members Lonnie Plexico, Terence Blanchard, Mulgrew Miller and Donald Harrison. Based in New York with the Messengers, Toussaint regularly led the jam sessions at the famous Blue Note club.

Initially invited to teach at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Toussaint came to London in 1987 and still uses the city as his base. He has released 10 CDs as a Leader and guested on many more. Collaborations with musicians based in the UK have included Bheki Mseleku, Julian Joseph, Jason Rebello, Cleveland Watkiss, Steve Williamson, Orphy Robinson and others. Toussaint is also invited to join tours with US musicians visiting Europe: he has played with Wynton Marsalis, McCoy Tyner and the Gil Evans Orchestra. In the last couple of years, he has played North Sea Festival (Den Haag), The New Morning (Paris), Montreux Festival (Switzerland), Clermont Ferrand Festival (France), Cork Festival (Ireland) as well as many clubs and theatres. He still teaches at Guildhall, and also at Trinity and Birmingham Conservatory.

Enrico Tomasso

A ‘pick-up’ band of some of our favourite musicians playing in the broad area of ‘classic jazz’. A superb front line and a stunning rhythm section are absolutely certain to produce some fireworks in a memorable gig.

Karen Street

Accordionist Karen Street’s latest project features the amazingly creative talent of guitarist Mike Outram, Will Harris who is fast becoming the South West’s most in-demand bassist and honey-toned saxophonist Andy Tweed. The music is melodic, influenced not only by jazz but with strong leanings to both Central European and South American styles.

The accordion, hugely popular in the first half of the 20th century  produced American jazz accordionists Art Van Damme, Matt Mathews, Leon Sash, Frank Marocco, and in the UK, Jack Emblow  but it’s decline in the 1960s discouraged it’s natural course of development. However the instrument maintained it presence and popularity in mainstream music across continental Europe and there is now a resurgence of interest in the instrument with performers like Richard Galliano and Stian Carstensen becoming internationally known artists. It truly is an amazing instrument with many colours and much to offer the jazz world. Karen continues to be in the vanguard of those accordionists giving the accordion a fresh voice in jazz.

An invitation to join Mike Westbrook’s big band threw Karen in amongst some of the UK’s best jazz players. Further invitations from Tim Garland led to tours with’ Lamma’s, his project ‘Songs of Love and Liberty’ and later in his “Made by Walking ” tour playing alongside Geoff Keeser,  Joe Locke and Avishai Cohen . His demanding compositions made her even more aware of the accordion’s jazz potential and encouraged her to form her own group. She has produced three CDs under her own name all receiving national reviews. She has since played alongside Martin Taylor, Phil Robson, Stan Sulzman, Chris Biscoe, Nikki Isles, Fred T. Baker and Tina May and Steve Berry. Other credits include Grace Jones, Martha Wainwright, Ute Lemper and Sir Willard White.

“Musicians who have given the accordion a genuine voice are rare, but Karen Street is undoubtedly among them. “Jazz UK

Mike Outram is one of the UK’s foremost guitarists who is sought after as an improviser and for his ability to contribute a unique voice to any musical ensemble. He has toured internationally and  appeared on over a hundred CDs for Universal, Sony, Candid, Blue Note records and others,

In addition to performing, Mike teaches at all the Major music colleges in the UK.

Andy Tweed is one of the most accomplished saxophonists inhabiting that ground between contemporary classical and jazz making him the perfect choice for this project. A former member of highly successful saxophone quartet,Saxtet who toured extensively throughout the world, he now plays with Venn saxophone quartet based in Bristol and the Flotilla ensemble in London. His work with Mike Westbrook includes “The Village Band “ and most recently “The Serpent Hit”

Will Harris has established himself as one of the most in-demand double bassist in the South West, having played with the likes of Bobby Wellins, Alan Barnes, Tina May and Anita Wardell. He is also a member of Emily Wright’s Moonlight Saving Time who have had sell out concerts at Brecon, Oxford and Cheltenham Jazz Festivals. He is also currently working with  Kevin Figes quartet, Andy Hague quartet and Jake

www.karenstreet.com

Arnie Somogyi Scenes In The City

A repertoire, rather than a tribute band, Scenes in the City, led by combines the talent of some of the UK’s leading jazz musicians.

Arnie Somogyi’s first jazz record was Mingus’ “Ah Um” Unknown to him, a connection to one of the most colourful figures in jazz had occurred years earlier when Arnie’s Dad shared a urinal (the trough variety, not the small porcelain type) at Ronnie Scott’s with the bass legend. Not much was said and Arnie’s Dad didn’t look down!

Initially wary of taking on Mingus’ music, Arnie eventually bit the bullet as a special fundraiser for Sheffield Jazz. The musicians and audience enjoyed it so much that he decided to extend the band beyond a one-off gig. Drawing its repertoire from the music of the great jazz composer and bassist and some of Arnie’s own compositions influenced by Mingus\s approach to music, the band embodies the freedom of interpretation and drive that characterise the music of one of the most important and colourful figures in jazz.

Expect to hear lesser known Mingus compositions as well as familiar favourites such as “Boogie Stop Shuffle”, “Fables of Faubus” and “Better Get Hit in Your Soul”.

www.arniesomogyi.com

Alan Skidmore

Alan Skidmore started playing professionally at the age of sixteen. He played regularly in the BBC Jazz Club and with Eric Delaney Orchestra, before joining Alexis Korner’s band, recording with John Mayall and playing with Ronnie Scott. He represented United Kingdom at the Montreux International Jazz Festival in 1969 with his Quintet (Kenny Wheeler, Tony Oxley, Harry Miller, John Taylor).  In the same year he was awarded the International Press Prize for Best Band, the Soloist Prize, and a Scholarship to Berklee School of Music, Boston, USA. He also made his first album as a leader “Once upon a Time” with the Quintet.

In the 1970s he worked and toured extensively with Georgie Fame, George Grunz, Chris McGregor, Mike Westbrook, Mike Gibb and many other leading jazzmen. He co-led the brilliant saxophone trio SOS (Skidmore, Osborne, Surman) while maintaining his career as a bandleader with his own quintet. In the 1980s and 90s, he continued to work with Georgie Fame and also toured with Van Morrison. He worked extensively as a soloist West German Radio and Television. Among his many other connections, he played with Elvin Jones and established a life long friendship. More recently, along with further travels gigs with Georgie Fame and Van Morrison, and a busy life as a first-choice sideman, he has played and recorded extensively in Africa and Europe with South African musicians, following an initial British Council sponsored tour in 1995.  Most recently he was invited by BBC Radio to celebrate his 7oth birthday by recording a tribute to his greatest jazz influence, John Coltrane.

“After three decades of liaisons with legends such as Herbie Hancock and Georgie Fame, Skidmore only really needs his smouldering saxophone to get us drooling. As usual he massages and then assaults our ears with the kind of heady, devotional jazz that gets even the non-smokers in the audience gagging for a cigarette. His set comprises music written by John Coltrane and the band is obviously at home evoking his slow-burning dreamscapes and his fiery crescendos. As they strike up with Resolution you would swear that Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison and McCoy Tyner are in the room, so authentic are those swelling sheets of sound.” (James Griffiths, The Guardian)

www.alanskidmore.info