Events

Ralph Freeman Quintet
with Steve Waterman (tp) Dave O’Higgins (sx), Dominic Howles (db), Matt Home (dm)

This exciting quintet features some of the UK’s leading jazz musicians playing a programme of their own distinctive take on some classic jazz material along with recent compositions from Freeman himself.

‘… vibrant, energizing music, with new compositions that span from bluesy to bossa-esque, all with be-boppy brio.’ Dan Martin, 2014

Steve Waterman is one of the top British players and composers both at home and on the international scene, he began his career while studying at Trinity College of Music and has recorded many critically acclaimed CDs under his own name. Steve has worked, recorded and toured with many major artists including Carla Bley, Andy Shepherd, Tony Coe, Mal Waldron, Victor Mendoza, Don Weller, Colin Towns … He is professor of Jazz Trumpet at Trinity College of Music and visiting trumpet specialist at the Purcell School and Royal Northern College of Music.

Dave O’Higgins has honed his jazz chops through sixteen albums as leader, years on the road and in the studio with the likes of Joe Locke, Martin Taylor, Joey Calderazzo, Ray Charles, Jim Mullen, BBC Big Band, Ronnie Scott’s Allstars, Frank Sinatra, Jason Rebello, Phil Dwyer, Stan Tracey and Eric Alexander. He also leads, writes and arranges for the Two Minds Big Band, teaches saxophone, harmony and improvisation at the London Centre For Contemporary Music and runs a specialist jazz recording studio where he records, engineers, mixes and masters work by some of the finest jazz musicians on the planet.

‘O’Higgins plays with quite exceptional fluency and his fund of ideas never runs out.’ The Observer
‘Dazzling post-bop tenorist with a magnificent range and a dramatic turn of phrase.’ The Guardian

Ralph Freeman is a composer and founder of St Ives Jazz Club. (Winner, Jazz Venue of the Year 2015, in the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards) As well as performing with his own ensembles and original projects, he has worked with many of Britain’s leading jazz musicians.

Dominic Howles is an ex- Guildhall School of music, much in demand bassist, arranger and composer in his own right. He has worked and recorded with many of the greats including Gary Smulyan, Nick Brignola, Stan Sulzman, Stacey Kent, Anita Wardell, Bobby Wellins, Gareth Lochrane, Don Weller … and recently recorded CDs with his own septet and quartet.

Matt Home born in Huddersfield, feb 1973 started playing drums age seven and studied three years at Leeds College of music in 1994 before relocating to London in 1999. Since then he has played toured and recorded with many leading Jazz artists in the UK, US and Europe including Stacey Kent, Nigel Price Organ Trio, Brandon Allen, Alan Barnes, Jim Mullen, Steve Fishwick and Dave O Higgins. Matt has also backed many visiting US artists such as Barry Harris, Scott Hamilton, Ken Peplowski, Gary Smulyan, Jim Snidero and Eric Alexander.

Tickets £20 including dinner and wine: book online.