Jazz Services - A voice for jazz

The Campus

Welwyn Garden City

AL8 6BX  Map

Hertfordshire

 

()

Pianist Leon Greening's hard swinging style has made him a favourite on the UK Jazz circuit for over a decade but 2012 sees him lead a tour as bandleader for the first time as he launches his debut CD "Cookin? in Brooklyn". He will play music from the CD including tunes by his own favourites such as Victor Feldman and Dudley Moore plus some of his own compositions. Leon brings with him a sizzling band line-up of favourite UK musicians. Pianist Leon Greening studied at Leeds College of Music and the Guildhall. His extraordinary solos, inspired by the likes of Wynton Kelly and Bud Powell, keep the audience on the edge of their seats and mark him out, at the age of only 31, as one of the finest pianists this country has ever produced. He was voted runner-up in the 1999 Sun Alliance Musician of the Year awards. 
He has performed at Ronnie Scott's and with Christian Brewer Quartet, Matt Wates Sextet, Gareth Lockrane Septet and toured with pop band "Incognito". Alex Garnett, is one of the leading saxophonists in the UK and Europe, recognizable by his dark, husky sound. He has enjoyed success as a jazz artist, composer, arranger and an in demand session saxophonist. He is a regular sideman choice for top visiting American jazz artists, and has performed in over 30 countries worldwide appearing at such prestigious venues as the Blue Note, Birdland, as well as the Perugia, North Sea, Vittoria, Montreax, and Oslo Jazz Festivals to name but a few, with varied and diverse artists across the spectrum such as Sir John Dankworth, Wynton Marsalis, Pete King, Humphrey Littleton, Scott Hamilton, Van Morrison, and The Rolling Stones, as well as with his contemporaries Gareth Lockrane, Seamus Blake, Phil Robson, and Joel Frahm, to name only a few. Michael Janisch is freelance bassist and bandleader whose talents have been described as dynamic, driven, and enthusiastic. Michael has shared the stage with many of jazz's legends and contemporary visionaries, such as Shirley Horn, Quincy Jones, Dianne Reeves, Gary Burton, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joe Lovano, Roy Hargrove, Donny McCaslin, Joel Frahm, Joe Locke, Ambrose Akinmusire etc. He has appeared at Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, The Hollywood Bowl, The Monterey Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz, and The North Sea Jazz Festival. Additionally Michael has worked with UK artists such as Jason Rebello, Gary Husband, Sir John Dankworth, Jean Toussaint, Tim Garland, Julian Joseph, Soweto Kinch and Alex Garnett amongst others. In other fields, Janisch has performed with stars from Annie Lennox to Kevin Spacey to Cat Stevens, and has appeared on the Michael Parkinson Show, MTV Europe, The Brit Awards, Strictly Come Dancing, and various BBC programs and documentaries. He teaches at both the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity College. In 2007, Janisch was awarded "Young Jazz Musician of the Year" by the Worshipful Company of Musicians. Steve Brown has become one of the most sort-after drummers in the country. He studied in New York in the early 1990s with Carl Allen and John Riley and played some dates with Harry Allen. As part of the Jim Hunt Quartet he was a finalist in the European Jazz Competition in Germany. He also worked in the Far East with Dave Newton, as well as playing in Spain and France. He moved to London in 1996, made his first recording the same year and his career took off. He has worked with almost every major British artist, and has accompanied many visiting American musicians, including Conte Candoli, Kenny Davern, Harry Edison, Art Farmer, Mundell Lowe, George Masso, Warren Vache, Ralph Sutton, Junior Mance and Barry Harris. In addition to being part of Scott Hamilton's Quartet since 2000, he is a member of John Bunch's British trio, and has recorded a number of albums with both of these groups. His other studio credits include albums with Stacy Kent, Dave Cliff, various Alan Barnes groups for Alan's Woodville label, Dave Newton and Andy Panayi.

 

Sunday, May 20, 2012

8.00pm

£11.00/£13.00/£8.00/ £5.00 students and under 21s

01707 357117