UK Tour and live album recording for Turaco Artist Tom Harrison.
Turaco Music is pleased to annouce the 7th UK tour of Turaco artist Tom Harrison, including a live album recording at the Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho, London. Harrison will lead an all-star quartet including the multi-award-winning vocalist Cleveland Watkiss, MOBO-nominated drummer David Lyttle and rising star bassist Daniel Casimir. Guesting with the group on three dates will also be Steinway Artist and regular collaborator Robert Mitchell on piano. The group will perform the music of jazz giants Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, and will try to find new ways to interpret the classic lareg ensemble repertoire in a smaller setting.
Sunday Jan 31st: Hen & Chicken, Bristol
Monday Feb 1st: Kenilworth Jazz Society
Tuesday Feb 2nd: Hastings Jazz Society
Wednesday Feb 3rd: Pizza Express Jazz Club, London
Friday Feb 5th: Southampton University
Saturday Feb 6th: Fisher Theare, Bungay
Sunday Feb 7th: Arts Centre, Colchester
Monday Feb 8th: Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
An excerpt from the press release follows;
In a new project from London-based saxophonist Harrison, five unique instrumental personalities will interpret the music of the great Duke Ellington.
Described by MOJO magazine as 'a trumpeter whose style is a sizzling update of the Morgan/Hubbard approach', Quentin's performance credits range from Prince to Gregory Porter, as well as highly regarded jazz instrumentalists such as Will Vinson and Joel Frahm. Also appearing will be veteran virtuoso pianist and Steinway endorsee Robert Mitchell, as well as rising stars Dave Hamblett and Conor Chaplin.
The Ellington Project aims to explore the music of the genius jazz legend Duke Ellington and his long-time collaborator Billy Strayhorn. Following a year of intensive study of Ellington's music, Harrison aims to bring some of the jazz giant's more obscure music to light, as well as focussing on better known compositions. Five gigs of the 9-date tour, including the project launch at Pizza Express, Dean St will be recorded live, with a view to producing and releasing an album of the performances later in 2016. Featuring prominently in the group is acclaimed vocalist Cleveland Watkiss, as well as MOBO-nominated drummer David Lyttle, Steinway artist Robert Mitchell, and Rising Star bassist Daniel Casimir.
Tom Harrison
For alto saxophonist/composer Tom Harrison, the art of jazz is far more than mastery of the instrument, fluency in the repertoire and respect for the tradition. For Tom, the real undertaking is to connect with that which inspired the immortals of jazz, and to cultivate it within his own work. More than drawing inspiration from those giants, Tom is also making a serious commitment to jazz expression through his collaborations with living artists who are strongly connected to the heritage of jazz. He thus continues his conservatoire education on the bandstand, following the grandest traditions of the music.
Since graduating from the renowned Trinity College of Music in 2012, Tom Harrison has performed or recorded with a host of internationally recognised jazz musicians in 12 countries, including Terell Stafford, Joe Lovano, Jason Rebello, Michael Buckley and Jean Toussaint, as well as commercial artists such as Heather Small, M-People, Talib Kweli and The Fall. His debut album was well received by the media, described as “impressive” by Jazzwise and “a strong calling card” by All About Jazz. The album was launched with a 22-date UK tour, featuring a series of guest tenor saxophonists including Jean Toussaint and Paul Booth
Cleveland Watkiss
Featuring prominently in the group is internationally renowned vocalist Cleveland Watkiss. Described by The Evening Standard as “The best male vocalist in Britain,” Cleveland Watkiss won the London Jazz Award for Best Vocalist in 2010, and was voted Wire/Guardian Jazz Awards best vocalist for three consecutive years.
Watkiss was born in Hackney, East London, to Jamaican parents. Watkiss was one of the co-founders of the vastly influential Jazz Warriors big band. His vocals can be heard on their debut album, Out of Many People. Watkiss has performed with a diverse range of artists from around the world, including: the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis & JALO, Bob Dylan, Art Blakey, Abdullah Ibrahim, Stevie Wonder and many more.
Robert Mitchell
In the early 90s, Robert Mitchell began to emerge as an important member of the London scene with two groups Quite Sane and Tomorrow's Warriors. Poles apart in their music and purpose, the diversity foretold Robert's wide-angle view of Jazz expression. This quickly led to further involvement internationally with Steve Coleman, Greg Osby, Courtney Pine and Steve Williamson. Over his nearly 20 years entrenched in the art of music, Robert has recorded eight albums of his own projects, participated in over 100 projects as a sideman and has performed in more than 40 countries.
David Lyttle
David Lyttle began performing professionally at the age of four in his folk group the Lyttle Family, playing bongos, bodhran and mini lambeg drum. At eight years old he added drum kit and by ten years old he was also studying cello and uillean pipes. At eighteen he began focusing on the drum kit after taking an interest in jazz. Over the next three years David received scholarships to study at Skidmore Jazz Institute (New York) and the Banff Centre (Canada). David first reached a national audience with jazz guitar legend Louis Stewart in 2006. Over the next five years would feature a long list of international jazz icons in his touring bands, including Greg Osby, Soweto Kinch, Terell Stafford, Jason Rebello and Jean Toussaint. Since then, David has performed in over 20 countries. His MOBO nominated album ‘Faces’ featured collaborations with internationally recognised music stars, including Joe Lovano and rapper Talib Kweli. Rolling Stone magazine described Faces as “sophisticated and sharp...one of the best, robust listening experiences you're likely to have all year.”
