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Saturday, 30 October 2010
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Monday, 25 October 2010
TODD SHARPVILLE
Todd Sharpville album launch
Todd Sharpville is launching his new album Porchlight at Charlotte Street Blues, 74 Charlotte Street London W1 on Friday 29th October 2010. Giles King is guesting on harmonica.
The double album was produced in Rhode Island by Duke Robillard and features Joe Louis Walker on guitar and Kim Wilson on harmonica.
Todd is featured on the front cover of issue 107 of Blues In Britain magazine.
Todd Sharpville is launching his new album Porchlight at Charlotte Street Blues, 74 Charlotte Street London W1 on Friday 29th October 2010. Giles King is guesting on harmonica.
The double album was produced in Rhode Island by Duke Robillard and features Joe Louis Walker on guitar and Kim Wilson on harmonica.
Todd is featured on the front cover of issue 107 of Blues In Britain magazine.
Blues in Britain gig for GEORGE MCFALL MEMORIAL SHOW
Sunday 31st October 2010
HALLOWEEN for GEORGE @ the Boom Boom Club 7pm -11pm
Below are some of the star musicians who will be appearing:
JOHNNY WARMAN & THE MODS
OTIS GRAND
CHANTEL MCGREGOR
RIETTA AUSTIN (Brilliant New Zealand vocalist worked with Kirk Pengilly INXS)
MARCUS MALONE (usa)
STEVIE SMITH (Ruthless Blues)
JOHNNY CASANOVA (American rock& roll pianist /Jerry Lee Lewis Show)
REV SWIFTY LAZARE slide gtr (Alice Cooper)
IAN ELLIS & THE BLUES IMPERIALS with ATLANTIC SOUL MACHINE HORNS
Featuring
IAN ELLIS vox/bass– (Savoy Brown/Pete Townsend)
TONY MORLEY gtr/voc (Jefferson Starship)
GARY SANFORD gtr/voc (Joe Jackson/Joan Armatrading/Aztec Camera /Kirsty McCall)
CHRIS HUNT dr (Joe Brown/Dana Gillespie/Meal ticket)
NEVER THE BRIDE tbc
JOHN O’LEARY
ROB BROWN (the voice of London Live /Capital Radio) with MICK MAHONEY (playing the song they wrote with George for the film ‘Disappearance of Finbar Flynn’ + DOM BROWN (guitarist Duran Duran)
Please note there may be more guests and not everyone is guaranteed to be there, but the response from individual musicians, bands, family, friends and has been magnificent.
All proceeds to George’s widow and a cancer charity of her choice
7pm – 11pm show starts very early
HALLOWEEN for GEORGE @ the Boom Boom Club 7pm -11pm
Below are some of the star musicians who will be appearing:
JOHNNY WARMAN & THE MODS
OTIS GRAND
CHANTEL MCGREGOR
RIETTA AUSTIN (Brilliant New Zealand vocalist worked with Kirk Pengilly INXS)
MARCUS MALONE (usa)
STEVIE SMITH (Ruthless Blues)
JOHNNY CASANOVA (American rock& roll pianist /Jerry Lee Lewis Show)
REV SWIFTY LAZARE slide gtr (Alice Cooper)
IAN ELLIS & THE BLUES IMPERIALS with ATLANTIC SOUL MACHINE HORNS
Featuring
IAN ELLIS vox/bass– (Savoy Brown/Pete Townsend)
TONY MORLEY gtr/voc (Jefferson Starship)
GARY SANFORD gtr/voc (Joe Jackson/Joan Armatrading/Aztec Camera /Kirsty McCall)
CHRIS HUNT dr (Joe Brown/Dana Gillespie/Meal ticket)
NEVER THE BRIDE tbc
JOHN O’LEARY
ROB BROWN (the voice of London Live /Capital Radio) with MICK MAHONEY (playing the song they wrote with George for the film ‘Disappearance of Finbar Flynn’ + DOM BROWN (guitarist Duran Duran)
Please note there may be more guests and not everyone is guaranteed to be there, but the response from individual musicians, bands, family, friends and has been magnificent.
All proceeds to George’s widow and a cancer charity of her choice
7pm – 11pm show starts very early
Sunday, 24 October 2010
Friday, 22 October 2010
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Daria
Daria has performed and recorded with legendary musicians such as Jose Neto, Alex Acuna, Abe Laboriel, Turtle Island String Quartet, Wayne Wallace, Frank Martin, Karl Perazzo, Harold Jones, Marcos Silva She has also shared the stage and recorded with renowned and amazing musicians Jonathan Alford, Deszon Claiborne, Sam Bevan, Marc Russo, Charles McNeal, Ian Dogole, Troy Lampkin, Gary Brown, Celso Alberti, Marc Van Wageningen, Paul Van Wageningen, Michael Spiro, Marcia Miget, Murray Low, Dave Belove, Jeff Chambers, Rich Kuhns, Saul Sierra, Robin Lewis, Mimi Fox, Carlos Oliveira, Harvey Wainapel, William Kennedy, Dmitry Matheny, Sheldon Brown, Bill Douglass, Andre Bush, Jean Michel Hure
Influences Diane Reeves, Annie Ross, Mark Murphy, Ursula Dudziak, Elis Regina, Dory Caymi, Djavan, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'Day, Flora Purim, Airto, Shirley Horn, Boz Skaggs, Leny Andrade, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Carmen McCrae, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Jon Hendricks, Ivan Lins, Annie Lennox, Eva Cassidy, Joyce, Marisa Monte, Etta James, Kurt Elling, Cream, The Beatles, The Yellow Jackets, Carol King, Chaka Khan...and many more
Sounds Like D A R I A
Read more: http://www.myspace.com/dariajazz#ixzz130SfhXZF
Friday, 8 October 2010
Sandra Grants Concert dates and venues:
This is a new month, so here are some gigs for October;
Sunday 17th. The Colony Club. 9pm-12am. 24, Hertford street, London.
14th and 28th. 8pm-10.30pm. Performing at Little Venice Restaurant. ST NEOTS ROAD, CAXTON,CB23 3PD, Cambridge.
Wednesday 20th. 8.15pm-10.30pm. Jazz duo Featuring Sandra Grant on Tenor and Alto Saxophones, Flute with Vocals, and Nicholas Gilmore on Keys.
at The Peahen; 11 London Rd, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1NQ.
Saturday 30th. 9pm. Performing as Miss Saxophone Lady at; Arch 1
ADDRESS Arch1, 1Cranberry Lane, West Ham, London E16 4PD
Sunday 17th. The Colony Club. 9pm-12am. 24, Hertford street, London.
14th and 28th. 8pm-10.30pm. Performing at Little Venice Restaurant. ST NEOTS ROAD, CAXTON,CB23 3PD, Cambridge.
Wednesday 20th. 8.15pm-10.30pm. Jazz duo Featuring Sandra Grant on Tenor and Alto Saxophones, Flute with Vocals, and Nicholas Gilmore on Keys.
at The Peahen; 11 London Rd, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1NQ.
Saturday 30th. 9pm. Performing as Miss Saxophone Lady at; Arch 1
ADDRESS Arch1, 1Cranberry Lane, West Ham, London E16 4PD
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Stan Getz
Getz was born on February 2, 1927, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Ukrainian Jews who emigrated from the Kiev, Ukraine area in 1903. The family later moved to New York City for better employment opportunities. Getz worked hard in school, receiving straight As, and finished sixth grade close to the top of his class. Getz's major interest was in musical instruments, and he felt a need to play every instrument in sight. He played a number of them before his father bought him his first saxophone at the age of 13. Even though his father also got him a clarinet, Getz instantly fell in love with the saxophone and began practicing eight hours a day.
He attended James Monroe High School (New York) in the Bronx. In 1941, he was accepted into the All City High School Orchestra of New York City. This gave him a chance to receive private, free tutoring from the New York Philharmonic's Simon Kovar, a bassoon player. He also continued playing the saxophone. He eventually dropped out of school in order to pursue his musical career, but was later sent back to the classroom by the school system's truancy officers.[1]
In 1943 at the age of 16,[2] he was accepted into Jack Teagarden's band, and because of his youth he became Teagarden's ward. Getz also played along with Nat King Cole and Lionel Hampton. After playing for Stan Kenton, Jimmy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman, Getz was a soloist with Woody Herman from 1947 to 1949 in 'The Second Herd', and he first gained wide attention as one of the band's saxophonists, who were known collectively as 'The Four Brothers', the others being Serge Chaloff, Zoot Sims and Herbie Steward. With Herman, he had a hit with "Early Autumn" and after Getz left 'The Second Herd' he was able to launch his solo career. He would be the leader on almost all of his recording sessions after 1950.
In the mid to late 1950s working from Scandinavia, Getz became popular playing cool jazz with Horace Silver, Johnny Smith, Oscar Peterson, and many others. His first two quintets were notable for their personnel, including Charlie Parker's rhythm section of drummer Roy Haynes, pianist Al Haig and bassist Tommy Potter. A 1953 line-up of the Dizzy Gillespie/Stan Getz Sextet featured Gillespie, Getz, Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown and Max Roach.[1]
Returning to the U.S. from Europe in 1961, Getz became a central figure in introducing bossa nova music to the American audience. Teaming with guitarist Charlie Byrd, who had just returned from a U.S. State Department tour of Brazil, Getz recorded Jazz Samba in 1962 and it became a hit. The title track was an adaptation of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "One Note Samba". Getz won the Grammy for Best Jazz Performance of 1963 for "Desafinado," from the same album. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[3] As a follow-up, Getz recorded the album, Jazz Samba Encore!, with one of the originators of bossa nova, Brazilian guitarist Luiz Bonfa. It also sold more than a million copies by 1964, giving Getz his second gold disc.[3]
He then recorded the album Getz/Gilberto, in 1963,[4] with Tom Jobim, guitarist Charlie Byrd,[4] João Gilberto and his wife, Astrud Gilberto. Their "The Girl from Ipanema" won a Grammy Award. The piece became one of the most well-known latin jazz tracks. Getz/Gilberto won two Grammys (Best Album and Best Single). A live album, Getz/Gilberto Vol. 2, followed, as did Getz Au Go Go, a live recording at the Cafe Au Go Go. Getz's affair with Astrud Gilberto brought an end to his musical partnership with her and her husband, and he began to move away from bossa nova and back to cool jazz. Even while still working with the Gilbertos, he recorded Nobody Else But Me, an album of straightforward jazz with a new quartet including vibraphonist Gary Burton, but Verve Records, wishing to continue building the Getz brand with bossa nova, refused to release it. It eventually came out 30 years later, after Getz had died.
In 1972, Getz recorded in the fusion idiom with Chick Corea Tony Williams and Stanley Clarke. This group, without Getz, went on to become Return to Forever, and many of the pieces, including "La Fiesta", remained in their repertoire. In this period Getz experimented with an Echoplex on his saxophone. He had a cameo in the movie, The Exterminator (1980).
Towards the end of his life, the then drug-free Getz had another creative peak with a group including the pianist Kenny Barron, whom Getz described as "my musical other half." His tenor saxophone of choice was the Selmer Mark VI, whilst on early recordings he had used a White Plastic Brilhart Tonalin mouthpiece.
In the mid-1980s he worked regularly in the San Francisco Bay area and taught at Stanford University where he was artist-in-residence at the Stanford Jazz Workshop until 1988.[5] In 1986, he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame. During 1988, Getz worked with Huey Lewis and the News on their Small World album. He played the extended solo on the title track, which became a minor hit single.
[edit]Personal life
Getz married Beverly Byrne, a vocalist with the Gene Krupa band, on November 7, 1946; they had three children together: Steven, David, and Beverly.
Getz became involved with drugs and alcohol while a teenager. In 1954, he was arrested for attempting to rob a pharmacy to get a morphine fix. As he was being processed in the prison ward of Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, Beverly gave birth to their third child one floor below. Getz tried to escape his narcotics addiction by moving to Copenhagen. He married Swedish aristocrat Monica Silfverskiöld on November 3, 1956, and had two children with her: Pamela and Nicolas. Getz divorced Monica in 1987.
Zoot Sims, who had known Getz since their time with Herman, once described him as 'a nice bunch of guys', as a consequence of the wide behavioural range of which Getz was capable. In the final stages of his life Getz was able to end his addictions.
Getz died of liver cancer in 1991. His body was cremated and the ashes scattered at sea, off the coast of Malibu, California.
In 1998, the 'Stan Getz Media Center and Library' at the Berklee College of Music was dedicated through a donation from the Herb Alpert Foundation.
He attended James Monroe High School (New York) in the Bronx. In 1941, he was accepted into the All City High School Orchestra of New York City. This gave him a chance to receive private, free tutoring from the New York Philharmonic's Simon Kovar, a bassoon player. He also continued playing the saxophone. He eventually dropped out of school in order to pursue his musical career, but was later sent back to the classroom by the school system's truancy officers.[1]
In 1943 at the age of 16,[2] he was accepted into Jack Teagarden's band, and because of his youth he became Teagarden's ward. Getz also played along with Nat King Cole and Lionel Hampton. After playing for Stan Kenton, Jimmy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman, Getz was a soloist with Woody Herman from 1947 to 1949 in 'The Second Herd', and he first gained wide attention as one of the band's saxophonists, who were known collectively as 'The Four Brothers', the others being Serge Chaloff, Zoot Sims and Herbie Steward. With Herman, he had a hit with "Early Autumn" and after Getz left 'The Second Herd' he was able to launch his solo career. He would be the leader on almost all of his recording sessions after 1950.
In the mid to late 1950s working from Scandinavia, Getz became popular playing cool jazz with Horace Silver, Johnny Smith, Oscar Peterson, and many others. His first two quintets were notable for their personnel, including Charlie Parker's rhythm section of drummer Roy Haynes, pianist Al Haig and bassist Tommy Potter. A 1953 line-up of the Dizzy Gillespie/Stan Getz Sextet featured Gillespie, Getz, Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown and Max Roach.[1]
Returning to the U.S. from Europe in 1961, Getz became a central figure in introducing bossa nova music to the American audience. Teaming with guitarist Charlie Byrd, who had just returned from a U.S. State Department tour of Brazil, Getz recorded Jazz Samba in 1962 and it became a hit. The title track was an adaptation of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "One Note Samba". Getz won the Grammy for Best Jazz Performance of 1963 for "Desafinado," from the same album. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[3] As a follow-up, Getz recorded the album, Jazz Samba Encore!, with one of the originators of bossa nova, Brazilian guitarist Luiz Bonfa. It also sold more than a million copies by 1964, giving Getz his second gold disc.[3]
He then recorded the album Getz/Gilberto, in 1963,[4] with Tom Jobim, guitarist Charlie Byrd,[4] João Gilberto and his wife, Astrud Gilberto. Their "The Girl from Ipanema" won a Grammy Award. The piece became one of the most well-known latin jazz tracks. Getz/Gilberto won two Grammys (Best Album and Best Single). A live album, Getz/Gilberto Vol. 2, followed, as did Getz Au Go Go, a live recording at the Cafe Au Go Go. Getz's affair with Astrud Gilberto brought an end to his musical partnership with her and her husband, and he began to move away from bossa nova and back to cool jazz. Even while still working with the Gilbertos, he recorded Nobody Else But Me, an album of straightforward jazz with a new quartet including vibraphonist Gary Burton, but Verve Records, wishing to continue building the Getz brand with bossa nova, refused to release it. It eventually came out 30 years later, after Getz had died.
In 1972, Getz recorded in the fusion idiom with Chick Corea Tony Williams and Stanley Clarke. This group, without Getz, went on to become Return to Forever, and many of the pieces, including "La Fiesta", remained in their repertoire. In this period Getz experimented with an Echoplex on his saxophone. He had a cameo in the movie, The Exterminator (1980).
Towards the end of his life, the then drug-free Getz had another creative peak with a group including the pianist Kenny Barron, whom Getz described as "my musical other half." His tenor saxophone of choice was the Selmer Mark VI, whilst on early recordings he had used a White Plastic Brilhart Tonalin mouthpiece.
In the mid-1980s he worked regularly in the San Francisco Bay area and taught at Stanford University where he was artist-in-residence at the Stanford Jazz Workshop until 1988.[5] In 1986, he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame. During 1988, Getz worked with Huey Lewis and the News on their Small World album. He played the extended solo on the title track, which became a minor hit single.
[edit]Personal life
Getz married Beverly Byrne, a vocalist with the Gene Krupa band, on November 7, 1946; they had three children together: Steven, David, and Beverly.
Getz became involved with drugs and alcohol while a teenager. In 1954, he was arrested for attempting to rob a pharmacy to get a morphine fix. As he was being processed in the prison ward of Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, Beverly gave birth to their third child one floor below. Getz tried to escape his narcotics addiction by moving to Copenhagen. He married Swedish aristocrat Monica Silfverskiöld on November 3, 1956, and had two children with her: Pamela and Nicolas. Getz divorced Monica in 1987.
Zoot Sims, who had known Getz since their time with Herman, once described him as 'a nice bunch of guys', as a consequence of the wide behavioural range of which Getz was capable. In the final stages of his life Getz was able to end his addictions.
Getz died of liver cancer in 1991. His body was cremated and the ashes scattered at sea, off the coast of Malibu, California.
In 1998, the 'Stan Getz Media Center and Library' at the Berklee College of Music was dedicated through a donation from the Herb Alpert Foundation.
Monday, 4 October 2010
Stan Tracey is an outstanding figure in the jazz world. His distinguished career has spanned six decades of flourishing creativity. He has been a highly influential and stimulating musical voice, not only to his peers, but to each successive generation of musicians with whom he has worked.
Stan’s capricious piano playing combines the percussive melody of Thelonious Monk with the robust lyricism of Ellington in a highly idiosyncratic style. A master of harmony, he possesses a potent and compelling improviser’s intellect. Through Stan Tracey’s unflinching commitment and dedication has emerged a very rare artist who has sustained an output of highly exceptional music.
Throughout his career, Stan Tracey has been a prolific composer, writing over twenty commissions and the music for forty of his own albums. His first major work ‘Under Milk Wood’ inspired by Dylan Thomas’ radio play of the same title, is widely recognised as a masterpiece. A number of suites for big bands have followed, as well as works for his octet, sextet, and quartet.
Ignoring the lure of commercialism, Stan remains true to his musical roots, celebrating 30, 40 & 50 years in jazz at concerts in the Queen Elizabeth Hall (his 50th was recorded on Blue Note International in 1993), and also marked his 70th birthday there in 1996. Recently celebrating his 80th birthday in 2006 (and going from strength to strength!), Stan articulates: "Somewhere deep inside the crusty old cynicism is still the bright-eyed lad thinking, ‘Hey this is great!’ "
The Formative Years
Stan was born in Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London in 1926 and grew up an only child in Tooting in South London. Unwilling to be evacuated at the outbreak of war, his education came to an end at the age of 12 and he kept his mother company while his father worked in a West End Club. As his household had no radio or gramophone, his musical input came from listening to his neighbours' radio from the bottom of the stairs and his mother's 'black note' efforts on their upright piano. He fell in love with a shiny accordion in a nearby shop and Stan's musical career began, soon being adept enough to enter local talent competitions.
The Forties
1943 - Aged 16 he joined the variety troupe ENSA entertaining the country's workers as an accordionist.
First gig was at a factory in Cosham, Sussex.
He later joined a gypsy accordion band
1944 - Stan took up the piano, having heard recordings of boogie-woogie giants Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis.
1945 - Having successfully avoided the authorities for two years, Stan was eventually called up and enlisted in the RAF.
1946 - Joined the RAF Gang Show touring productions by Tony Hancock in Egypt & Palestine.
1948 - Left the RAF and, working in London, came across Ronnie Scott and Laurie Morgan who steered Stan towards taking up jazz full time.
The Fifties
1951 - Made his debut recording with Eddie Thompson's Quintet which featured a 16 year old Tubby Hayes.
Signed up for 'Geraldo's Navy', performing on the Queen Mary and Coronia, which took him to New York where he heard Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington amongst others.
1952 - Toured with the Roy Fox Band.
1952/54 - Worked and recorded with Kenny Baker and Victor Feldman.
1955 - Worked and recorded with the Malcolm Mitchell Orchestra
1956 - Stints with Ronnie Scott, Tony Crombie, Kenny Graham.
Joined Ivor & Basil Kirchin's group.
1957 - Short US tour with Ronnie Scott's band.
1957/59 - Joined the Ted heath Orchestra, a very popular 'jazzy' dance band which toured home and abroad extensively, playing piano and vibes and contributing arrangements.
1958 - Recorded his debut as a leader, 'Showcase'.
1959 - Formed his own group MJ6.
Recorded 'Little Klunk'
Began his seven year tenure at the brand new Ronnie Scott's Club.
The Sixties
From 1959 to 1966 Stan was resident pianist at the now world famous Ronnie Scott's Club in London's Soho, where he served an arduous but unique apprenticeship accompanying, often for several weeks at a time, the giants of American jazz. Amongst Stan's particular favourites were Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Roland Kirk, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn. He also accompanied notoriously 'difficult' musicians such as Stan Getz, Don Byas and Lucky Thompson. Throughout these years Stan also recorded extensively as a sideman and topped the Melody Maker polls annually as best pianist, composer and arranger. In addition to this workload he managed to fit in the following:
1960 - Married his third wife, Jackie.
1961 - Had their son, Clark.
1962 - Had their daughter, Sarah.
Played in the stage show 'A Thurber Carnival'.
Formed his own quartet with Bobby Wellins.
1962/64 - Performed with New Departures, a jazz poetry vehicle with Michael Horovitz.
1964 - Recorded 'Just Friends' with Paul Gonsalvez & Tubby Hayes.
1965 - Wrote and recorded 'Under Milk Wood'.
1966 Recorded soundtrack of 'Alfie' with Sonny Rollins.
1966 - Recorded 'Alice In Jazz Land' with his first big band.
Left Ronnie Scott's due to poor health.
1967 - Toured and recorded with Ben Webster and Zoot Sims.
1968 - Recorded 3 'concept' albums for his contract with Columbia Records including his least favourite of all time - 'Latin American Caper'.
1969 - Formed new trio with Dave Green and Bryan Spring, the nucleus of most of Stan's groups over the following nine years.
Stan recorded many albums as a band leader during this decade which may be found under his discography.
The Seventies
Following Stan's departure from Ronnie Scott's there was an almost destitute period of very little activity, which his wife Jackie acted upon. She and Hazell Miller formed the Grass Roots Jazz Club in South London to provide work for friends and family. She also established the first London based Jazz Summer School, assisted with funding from the GLAA and ILEA. She also helped to set up the Musicians' Action Group with a steering commitee of new and established jazz musicians to lobby for better funding.
1970 - Recorded 'Webster's Dictionary' with Ben Webster, also contributing string arrangements. 1971 - Builds musical partnerships with younger musicians such as Mike Osborne, John Surman, Trevor Watts.
1972 - Stan forms 'Splinters' which included Kenny Wheeler, Tubby Hayes, Phil Seaman and John Stevens.
1973 - Stan celebrated 30 years in jazz with his first Queen Elizabeth Hall Concert, the first jazz concert ever to be staged there. It was a sell-out, and Stan was back on the map just when he thought his musical career had hit the bottom.
Stan forms 'Tentacles'.
1974 - Stan forms his Octet.
He teams up with virtuosic pianist Keith Tippett (TNT) for a series of dates and recordings.
1975 - Stan wrote a suite for string quartet based on Spike Milligan’s "Small Dreams of a Scorpion’ which was performed by the Delme Quartet.
His 'Under Milk Wood' recording topped the Melody Maker Best Jazz Album poll (the only British jazz record in the Top Ten).
Stan formed his own record company - Steam Records. He recorded his own work with British musicians but, with no distribution outside the UK, sales were always small. Steam Records are now a sought-after collectors item.
1976 - Stan made a new recording of Under Milk Wood with Donald Houston at the Wigmore Hall. This was followed by a very successful UK tour which further boosted his career.
1977 - BBC1 broadcast a documentary, 'Original' in their Omnibus series, about Stan's life. Worked with his Quartet and Octet.
1978 - Stan toured the UK with his Octet opposite Gil Evans' Orchestra.
Collaborated with John Surman, recording 'Sonatinas'.
Stan's son, Clark, joins Stan's groups on drums.
1979 - Worked around the country with his new Quartet (Art Themen, Roy Babbington, Clark Tracey), Octet (Qrt + Malcolm Griffiths, Harry Beckett, Jeff Daly & Don Weller) and newly formed Sextet (Qrt + Tony Coe & Alan Wakeman). 1979 Commissioned by Bolton Festival to write The Crompton Suite for a new sextet.
The Eighties
1980 - Toured South America and Mexico with his Quartet for the British Council.
1980 Worked in Europe with Dutch saxophonist Gijs Hendriks.
1982 - Toured The Middle East & Greece for the British Council.
1984 - Received from BASCA the Gold Badge Award for Services to the British Music Industry.
Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music.
Premiered and toured 'The Poets Suite' in Northern Ireland.
1985 - Jazz Journal International award for Musician of the Year.
1985 Toured and recorded with Sal Nistico and own Quartet.
1986 OBE in The Queen’s Birthday Honours.
He was a member of Rolling Stones drummer, Charlie Watts’ 32 piece big band.
Received Schlitz Award for Jazz Composition.
1987 - Jazz Journal International awards for Musician of the Year and Record of the Year.
1987 Toured with Charlie Rouse and own Quartet. 1988 - Toured and recorded with Thelonious Monk's tenor player Charlie Rouse.
The Nineties
1990 - Stan transcribes and performs excerpts from Duke Ellington's Sacred Music Concerts for Big Band and choir, premiereing at Durham Cathedral for its 900th anniversary celebrations. The music has been performed subsequently in cathedrals across the land.
1992 - British Jazz Awards - Best Pianist.
1993 - Awarded Fellowship of the City of Leeds College of Music.
Jazz Journal International - Album of the Year.
Guardian/Wire Awards - Best Composer of the Year.
BBC Radio 2 Jazz Awards - Composer/Arranger.
British Jazz Awards - Best Composer/Arranger & Best Album Release for Portraits Plus (also nominated for the Mercury Music Prize).
50th Anniversary Concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall, recorded and released on Blue Note International.
Stan composes for the classical ensemble The Ebony Quartet.
1994 - British Jazz Awards - Best re-issue CD for Under Milk Wood.
1995 - British Jazz Awards - Best Composer/Arranger & Best Small Group.
When Stan was invited to appear at The Jazz Club in Hong Kong, the club contacted Governor Chris Patten who arrived with the Head of Arts from the British Council. Thereafter, he commissioned Stan to write a suite which captured the colony's cultural vitality.
Stan forms new Quartet with Gerard Presencer, Andrew Cleyndert and Clark Tracey.
1996 - Stan's 70th Birthday Concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall which reunited Stan with his old partner Bobby Wellins.
1997 - British Jazz Awards - Best Composer/Arranger.
Received Hon.D. Lit. - University of Hertfordshire.
Received Silver Medal - Worshipful Company of Musicians.
'The Hong Kong Suite' for Stan's Octet was premiered in Beijing and Guangzhou in mainland China - the first British jazz musician to perform there. In Hong Kong they gave the last performance at Government House before the changeover.
1998 - Stan takes Under Milk Wood on the road again with Bobby Wellins back on board with narration by acclaimed actor Philip Madoc.
1999 - British Jazz Awards - Best Composer/Arranger.
Stan’s Big Band is one of the highlight of the Ellington Centennial celebrations on the South Bank at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Stan was Sue Lawley’s guest on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4.
Stan and his Quartet toured Canada, performing at six major Canadian jazz festivals including the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
His Quartet perform at the British Ambassador's residence in Washington D.C.
2000 - present
2001 - Stan's Big Band headlines at the Royal Festival Hall and is the first jazz band to perform at newly opened Tate Modern Museum in London
2002 - Lifetime Achievement Award at BBC Jazz Awards
Stan receives an Arts Council commission to write and perform 30 minutes of music with Clark Tracey in an 11-piece project called "Continental Shift"
Stan's Big Band perform Ellington's Sacred Music at Chelmsford Cathedral
Stan works in Vicenza with Evan Parker
2003 - Multi-screening of Channel 4's TV documentary on Stan: "The Godfather of British Jazz"
2004 - Stan's Big Band perform Ellington's Sacred Music at Rochester Cathedral
2005 - Stan's Quartet appear in concert on 'Jazz Britannia', a TV programme highlighting British Jazz Stan's Quartet performs at Rotterdam Festival with Benjamin Herman
Stan receives Parliamentary Awards Best Album of the Year for his Quartet album "The Last Time I Saw You"
2006 - Stan performs in Novara with Louis Moholo
Vicenza and Brecon Jazz Festivals make Stan their featured artist
Stan's Big Band perform Ellington's Sacred Music at St.Pauls Cathedral
Stan's Quartet performs in Roccella and his Trio perform opposite Wayne Shorter at The Barbican
Stan holds his 80th bithday concert at the Bull's Head, London
Dedication - Stan's website was originally designed and maintained by Chris Georgiou, Stan's son-in-law, who sadly passed away in 2006. His supreme effort and spirit lives on in these pages.
2007
Stan’s capricious piano playing combines the percussive melody of Thelonious Monk with the robust lyricism of Ellington in a highly idiosyncratic style. A master of harmony, he possesses a potent and compelling improviser’s intellect. Through Stan Tracey’s unflinching commitment and dedication has emerged a very rare artist who has sustained an output of highly exceptional music.
Throughout his career, Stan Tracey has been a prolific composer, writing over twenty commissions and the music for forty of his own albums. His first major work ‘Under Milk Wood’ inspired by Dylan Thomas’ radio play of the same title, is widely recognised as a masterpiece. A number of suites for big bands have followed, as well as works for his octet, sextet, and quartet.
Ignoring the lure of commercialism, Stan remains true to his musical roots, celebrating 30, 40 & 50 years in jazz at concerts in the Queen Elizabeth Hall (his 50th was recorded on Blue Note International in 1993), and also marked his 70th birthday there in 1996. Recently celebrating his 80th birthday in 2006 (and going from strength to strength!), Stan articulates: "Somewhere deep inside the crusty old cynicism is still the bright-eyed lad thinking, ‘Hey this is great!’ "
The Formative Years
Stan was born in Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London in 1926 and grew up an only child in Tooting in South London. Unwilling to be evacuated at the outbreak of war, his education came to an end at the age of 12 and he kept his mother company while his father worked in a West End Club. As his household had no radio or gramophone, his musical input came from listening to his neighbours' radio from the bottom of the stairs and his mother's 'black note' efforts on their upright piano. He fell in love with a shiny accordion in a nearby shop and Stan's musical career began, soon being adept enough to enter local talent competitions.
The Forties
1943 - Aged 16 he joined the variety troupe ENSA entertaining the country's workers as an accordionist.
First gig was at a factory in Cosham, Sussex.
He later joined a gypsy accordion band
1944 - Stan took up the piano, having heard recordings of boogie-woogie giants Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis.
1945 - Having successfully avoided the authorities for two years, Stan was eventually called up and enlisted in the RAF.
1946 - Joined the RAF Gang Show touring productions by Tony Hancock in Egypt & Palestine.
1948 - Left the RAF and, working in London, came across Ronnie Scott and Laurie Morgan who steered Stan towards taking up jazz full time.
The Fifties
1951 - Made his debut recording with Eddie Thompson's Quintet which featured a 16 year old Tubby Hayes.
Signed up for 'Geraldo's Navy', performing on the Queen Mary and Coronia, which took him to New York where he heard Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington amongst others.
1952 - Toured with the Roy Fox Band.
1952/54 - Worked and recorded with Kenny Baker and Victor Feldman.
1955 - Worked and recorded with the Malcolm Mitchell Orchestra
1956 - Stints with Ronnie Scott, Tony Crombie, Kenny Graham.
Joined Ivor & Basil Kirchin's group.
1957 - Short US tour with Ronnie Scott's band.
1957/59 - Joined the Ted heath Orchestra, a very popular 'jazzy' dance band which toured home and abroad extensively, playing piano and vibes and contributing arrangements.
1958 - Recorded his debut as a leader, 'Showcase'.
1959 - Formed his own group MJ6.
Recorded 'Little Klunk'
Began his seven year tenure at the brand new Ronnie Scott's Club.
The Sixties
From 1959 to 1966 Stan was resident pianist at the now world famous Ronnie Scott's Club in London's Soho, where he served an arduous but unique apprenticeship accompanying, often for several weeks at a time, the giants of American jazz. Amongst Stan's particular favourites were Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Roland Kirk, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn. He also accompanied notoriously 'difficult' musicians such as Stan Getz, Don Byas and Lucky Thompson. Throughout these years Stan also recorded extensively as a sideman and topped the Melody Maker polls annually as best pianist, composer and arranger. In addition to this workload he managed to fit in the following:
1960 - Married his third wife, Jackie.
1961 - Had their son, Clark.
1962 - Had their daughter, Sarah.
Played in the stage show 'A Thurber Carnival'.
Formed his own quartet with Bobby Wellins.
1962/64 - Performed with New Departures, a jazz poetry vehicle with Michael Horovitz.
1964 - Recorded 'Just Friends' with Paul Gonsalvez & Tubby Hayes.
1965 - Wrote and recorded 'Under Milk Wood'.
1966 Recorded soundtrack of 'Alfie' with Sonny Rollins.
1966 - Recorded 'Alice In Jazz Land' with his first big band.
Left Ronnie Scott's due to poor health.
1967 - Toured and recorded with Ben Webster and Zoot Sims.
1968 - Recorded 3 'concept' albums for his contract with Columbia Records including his least favourite of all time - 'Latin American Caper'.
1969 - Formed new trio with Dave Green and Bryan Spring, the nucleus of most of Stan's groups over the following nine years.
Stan recorded many albums as a band leader during this decade which may be found under his discography.
The Seventies
Following Stan's departure from Ronnie Scott's there was an almost destitute period of very little activity, which his wife Jackie acted upon. She and Hazell Miller formed the Grass Roots Jazz Club in South London to provide work for friends and family. She also established the first London based Jazz Summer School, assisted with funding from the GLAA and ILEA. She also helped to set up the Musicians' Action Group with a steering commitee of new and established jazz musicians to lobby for better funding.
1970 - Recorded 'Webster's Dictionary' with Ben Webster, also contributing string arrangements. 1971 - Builds musical partnerships with younger musicians such as Mike Osborne, John Surman, Trevor Watts.
1972 - Stan forms 'Splinters' which included Kenny Wheeler, Tubby Hayes, Phil Seaman and John Stevens.
1973 - Stan celebrated 30 years in jazz with his first Queen Elizabeth Hall Concert, the first jazz concert ever to be staged there. It was a sell-out, and Stan was back on the map just when he thought his musical career had hit the bottom.
Stan forms 'Tentacles'.
1974 - Stan forms his Octet.
He teams up with virtuosic pianist Keith Tippett (TNT) for a series of dates and recordings.
1975 - Stan wrote a suite for string quartet based on Spike Milligan’s "Small Dreams of a Scorpion’ which was performed by the Delme Quartet.
His 'Under Milk Wood' recording topped the Melody Maker Best Jazz Album poll (the only British jazz record in the Top Ten).
Stan formed his own record company - Steam Records. He recorded his own work with British musicians but, with no distribution outside the UK, sales were always small. Steam Records are now a sought-after collectors item.
1976 - Stan made a new recording of Under Milk Wood with Donald Houston at the Wigmore Hall. This was followed by a very successful UK tour which further boosted his career.
1977 - BBC1 broadcast a documentary, 'Original' in their Omnibus series, about Stan's life. Worked with his Quartet and Octet.
1978 - Stan toured the UK with his Octet opposite Gil Evans' Orchestra.
Collaborated with John Surman, recording 'Sonatinas'.
Stan's son, Clark, joins Stan's groups on drums.
1979 - Worked around the country with his new Quartet (Art Themen, Roy Babbington, Clark Tracey), Octet (Qrt + Malcolm Griffiths, Harry Beckett, Jeff Daly & Don Weller) and newly formed Sextet (Qrt + Tony Coe & Alan Wakeman). 1979 Commissioned by Bolton Festival to write The Crompton Suite for a new sextet.
The Eighties
1980 - Toured South America and Mexico with his Quartet for the British Council.
1980 Worked in Europe with Dutch saxophonist Gijs Hendriks.
1982 - Toured The Middle East & Greece for the British Council.
1984 - Received from BASCA the Gold Badge Award for Services to the British Music Industry.
Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music.
Premiered and toured 'The Poets Suite' in Northern Ireland.
1985 - Jazz Journal International award for Musician of the Year.
1985 Toured and recorded with Sal Nistico and own Quartet.
1986 OBE in The Queen’s Birthday Honours.
He was a member of Rolling Stones drummer, Charlie Watts’ 32 piece big band.
Received Schlitz Award for Jazz Composition.
1987 - Jazz Journal International awards for Musician of the Year and Record of the Year.
1987 Toured with Charlie Rouse and own Quartet. 1988 - Toured and recorded with Thelonious Monk's tenor player Charlie Rouse.
The Nineties
1990 - Stan transcribes and performs excerpts from Duke Ellington's Sacred Music Concerts for Big Band and choir, premiereing at Durham Cathedral for its 900th anniversary celebrations. The music has been performed subsequently in cathedrals across the land.
1992 - British Jazz Awards - Best Pianist.
1993 - Awarded Fellowship of the City of Leeds College of Music.
Jazz Journal International - Album of the Year.
Guardian/Wire Awards - Best Composer of the Year.
BBC Radio 2 Jazz Awards - Composer/Arranger.
British Jazz Awards - Best Composer/Arranger & Best Album Release for Portraits Plus (also nominated for the Mercury Music Prize).
50th Anniversary Concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall, recorded and released on Blue Note International.
Stan composes for the classical ensemble The Ebony Quartet.
1994 - British Jazz Awards - Best re-issue CD for Under Milk Wood.
1995 - British Jazz Awards - Best Composer/Arranger & Best Small Group.
When Stan was invited to appear at The Jazz Club in Hong Kong, the club contacted Governor Chris Patten who arrived with the Head of Arts from the British Council. Thereafter, he commissioned Stan to write a suite which captured the colony's cultural vitality.
Stan forms new Quartet with Gerard Presencer, Andrew Cleyndert and Clark Tracey.
1996 - Stan's 70th Birthday Concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall which reunited Stan with his old partner Bobby Wellins.
1997 - British Jazz Awards - Best Composer/Arranger.
Received Hon.D. Lit. - University of Hertfordshire.
Received Silver Medal - Worshipful Company of Musicians.
'The Hong Kong Suite' for Stan's Octet was premiered in Beijing and Guangzhou in mainland China - the first British jazz musician to perform there. In Hong Kong they gave the last performance at Government House before the changeover.
1998 - Stan takes Under Milk Wood on the road again with Bobby Wellins back on board with narration by acclaimed actor Philip Madoc.
1999 - British Jazz Awards - Best Composer/Arranger.
Stan’s Big Band is one of the highlight of the Ellington Centennial celebrations on the South Bank at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Stan was Sue Lawley’s guest on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4.
Stan and his Quartet toured Canada, performing at six major Canadian jazz festivals including the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
His Quartet perform at the British Ambassador's residence in Washington D.C.
2000 - present
2001 - Stan's Big Band headlines at the Royal Festival Hall and is the first jazz band to perform at newly opened Tate Modern Museum in London
2002 - Lifetime Achievement Award at BBC Jazz Awards
Stan receives an Arts Council commission to write and perform 30 minutes of music with Clark Tracey in an 11-piece project called "Continental Shift"
Stan's Big Band perform Ellington's Sacred Music at Chelmsford Cathedral
Stan works in Vicenza with Evan Parker
2003 - Multi-screening of Channel 4's TV documentary on Stan: "The Godfather of British Jazz"
2004 - Stan's Big Band perform Ellington's Sacred Music at Rochester Cathedral
2005 - Stan's Quartet appear in concert on 'Jazz Britannia', a TV programme highlighting British Jazz Stan's Quartet performs at Rotterdam Festival with Benjamin Herman
Stan receives Parliamentary Awards Best Album of the Year for his Quartet album "The Last Time I Saw You"
2006 - Stan performs in Novara with Louis Moholo
Vicenza and Brecon Jazz Festivals make Stan their featured artist
Stan's Big Band perform Ellington's Sacred Music at St.Pauls Cathedral
Stan's Quartet performs in Roccella and his Trio perform opposite Wayne Shorter at The Barbican
Stan holds his 80th bithday concert at the Bull's Head, London
Dedication - Stan's website was originally designed and maintained by Chris Georgiou, Stan's son-in-law, who sadly passed away in 2006. His supreme effort and spirit lives on in these pages.
2007
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