Monday, January 17, 2011

Feb 16 and 17th: SPECIAL EVENT: Kenny Wheeler with John Taylor, Jon Irabagon, Andrew Bain and Michael Janisch


The pizza express welcomes two of the UKs most revered and celebrated jazz musicians and composers in a very rare and special musical collaboration with three rising jazz stars, celebrating the life and music of Kenny Wheeler.

Wheeler was born in Toronto Canada in 1930 and studied trumpet before moving to the UK in 1952, where he played with John Dankwork, Ronnie Scott, Joe Harriot and with pioneering free improvisers John Stevens, Tony Oxley and Anthony Braxton. Through his subsequent groups with John Taylor, Norma Winstone, the Dave Holland Quintet and his own big band, Wheeler has become one of the most highly regarded composer/trumpeters in jazz history. Recently turning 80, Wheeler embarked on a birthday celebration tour featuring his big band. For these two nights, he is presenting his music for quintet in a rare and intimate setting, joined by long time musical associate and world renown English pianist John Taylor and the recent Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz Saxophone Winner, NYC based altoist Jon Irabagon, with the first call rhythm section team of Scottish drummer Andrew Bain and American bassist Michael Janisch.

John Taylor's individualistic piano style draws on the whole of the jazz pallette and considerable influence from classical music, his approach is characterised by a sophisticated and advanced rhythmic and harmonic sensibility. He has performed since the 60s with many of the most creative improvising musicians: Charlie Haden, Norma Winstone, Jan Garbarek, Enrico Rava, Gil Evens, and Lee Konitz. He currently tours the world with his trio featuring Mark Johnson and Joey Barron and teaches at universities in Cologne, Germany and York, England.

NYC residenct Jon Irabagon, winner of the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition and Concord Recording Artist, has performed extensively as both a sideman and as a leader in an ever-expanding range of projects, from the most straight ahead to the most searching. Jon has studied under such divergent artists as Dave Liebman, Wynton Marsalis, Dick Oatts, Jason Moran and Victor Goines, and has performed and/or recorded with musical luminaries such as Billy Joel, Wynton Marsalis, Bright Eyes, Tom Harrell, Tommy Iago, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Deborah Gibson, John Abercrombie, Frank Wess, Wycliffe Gordon, Renee Fleming, Kenny Washington, Lou Reed, Jenny Lewis, and Ken Vandermark.

At: Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho 10 Dean Street Soho London W1D 3RW
Booking Tel : 0845 6027 017

Price of Admission: 25 Pounds (20 for students/musicians)

http://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/jazzList.aspx