Band
Sarah Ellen Hughes Jazz Quartet
London
UNITED KINGDOM
Region: London
Contact: Miss Sarah Ellen Hughes
E-Mail: sarah@sarahellenhughes.co.uk
Mobile: 07958 760813
Web site: http://www.sarahellenhughes.co.uk
Name: Sarah Ellen Hughes Jazz Quartet
Band members:
Functions: No
Workshops: No
Size: 4
Biography: This tour will showcase music from Sarah Ellen Hughes’ first album, Darning the Dream, a collection of standards and originals released last year (and featuring guest appearances from Dave O'Higgins and Ian Shaw).
A proficient and versatile singer, Sarah Ellen Hughes has been on the London jazz scene since 2006. During this time, she secured an eight-month residency at Pizza on the Park, working with musicians such as Dave O’Higgins, Jim Hart, Iain Mackenzie, and Gareth Lockrane. Sarah first came to attention during her three year stint as the principal vocalist of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO). She is currently a regular vocalist with the RAF Shades of Blue Jazz Orchestra, and the Queen’s Division Big Band with whom she recorded a big band album in 2007.
Darren Altman began studying jazz at Leeds College of Music, and settled into the London jazz scene whilst studying for a graduate diploma in jazz at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He spent three years with NYJO, and has worked with some of the top names in the UK jazz world such as Clare Teal, Sax Appeal, Anita Wardell, Bob Martin, The London Jazz Orchestra, Renato D'Aiello, and Jim Mullen. Darren has also drummed for the house band at Ronnie Scott’s, The Rat Pack show in the West End and on European tours, The Pop Idol Big Band with Will Young, and has numerous film and television soundtracks to his credit, including Life and Death of Peter Sellers, in which he also appears. Darren co-leads Centre-Line, a jazz quintet with Russell van den Berg.
Rick Simpson is a recent graduate from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama as a classically trained pianist specialising in jazz piano. During his time at Guildhall he was an active teacher with various educational summer school courses. In particular, he tutors for the popular Mehr Clef Jazz Education Agency. Rick spent some time as NYJO pianist in 2007-2008. In 2008 he was awarded the Classic FM-Yamaha Jazz Scholarship Prize for Outstanding Jazz Musicians at the Houses of Parliament.
Tom Farmer is one of the best young bass players in the country, most renowned for his work with the award winning band Empirical. He is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he studied bass with Steve Watts and Colin Paris (LSO). Andy Hamill has played double bass and bass guitar with many artists from jazz to pop, including 4 Hero, Lou Rhodes, Carleen Anderson, Ursula Rucker, Omar, Shea Seger, Mark Murphy, Larry John Wilson, George Soule, Bonnie Bramlet, Nitin Sawhney, Natasha Atlas, Chris Bowden, Boris Grebenshikov, Cara Dillon, Beth Rowley, Tracey Thorn, Kylie Minogue, John Hegley, and Harry Hill. Andy has produced two albums with his wife, singer songwriter Rebecca Hollweg; his debut solo album, Bee for Bass, was released in 2003.
Reviews:
"After years of NYJO-graft, Sarah Ellen Hughes emerges as an astonishingly assured singer. She has an engaging personality... [and] she sings with rhythmic drive but also rhythmic freedom, surprising versatility across a range of styles, and a wonderful sense of phrasing. Sarah Ellen Hughes is a singers' singer, a musicians' musician, or indeed any combination of the above" - Sebastian Scotney, londonjazz.blogspot.com
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