TINA MAY & NIKKI ILES

THURSDAY MAY 27

9.00 PM PARIS / 8.00 PM LON / 3.00 PM NY / 12.00 PM LA

TICKET PRICE €10.00 / £10.00 / $13.00

Tina May - vocals, Nichola Iles - piano

Tina May started exploring and developing her jazz sensibilities at University College, Cardiff. She started her apprenticeship in Jazz while living in Paris where was soon performing at Le Slow Club with the Roger Guerin Big Band with special guest, and legendary drummer Kenny Clarke. At that time Tina was also involved in theatre and especially comedy review – something she felt a great affinity with. She met up with another talented thespian, Rory Bremner who was already writing sketches and performing his hilarious monologues and skits on politics.

 She went on to collaborate with Welsh guitarist/composer Dylan Fowler. Together they formed the nonet Frevo – the band led by Dylan with Brazilian rhythma but original compositions – and lyrics by Tina. This band performed at many major festivals in the UK and Europe including at Bath Festival (where Tina was invited to sing by Egberto Gismonti’s trio).

In 1998 Tina was presented with the vocal jazz award at the BT Jazz Awards having topped the critics choice for several years prior to that. Since then she has recorded and performed all over the world with many of the great names in Jazz including Ray Bryant, Scott Hamilton, Nathan Davis, Stan Tracy, Tony Coe, Humphrey Lyttelton, John Dankworth and many more. She formed a close musical relationship with Nikki Iles over more than 20 years.

Nikki Iles, jazz pianist and composer, was a founder member of the innovative Creative Jazz Orchestra – working with Anthony Braxton, Mike Gibbs, Vince Mendoza and Mark-Anthony Turnage. ... She has been a driving force behind the Jazz syllabus at the ABRSM and continues to publish with Oxford University Press.

In 1996, Nikki won the John Dankworth Special Award at the BT British Jazz Awards, and has been nomintaed for numerous awards, almost every year since then, for her performance, composition and her educational services to Jazz.

She has toured, recorded and performed with Julian Argüelles, the Perfect Houseplants, Kenny Wheeler and Stan Sulzmann, Tony Coe, Mark Lockheart, Dick Walter, Geoff Simkins, and the Anglo-Canadian Project. She has become an important presence on the UK jazz scene and at present composes for, and runs, the Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra; a band made up of the of cream of the UK’s highly talented musicians.

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Last minute booking will close 30 minutes before the start of concert to allow time to process payments.

MATTHEW FRIES & JOSH NELSON

SUNDAY MAY 30

9.00 PM PARIS / 8.00 PM LON / 3.00 PM NY / 12.00 PM LA

TICKET PRICE €10.00 / £10.00 / $13.00

Matthew Fries - piano  Josh Nelson - piano

Josh Nelson born and raised in Southern California. He is a pianist-composer-bandleader and has performed with some of the most respected names in jazz, including Kurt Elling, John Pizzarelli, Benny Golson, Sheila Jordan, John Clayton, George Mraz, Jeff Hamilton, Dave Koz, Joe Chambers and Peter Erskine.

Nelson toured with legendary vocalist Natalie Cole for six years and continues to tour with vocalists Gaby Moreno, Freda Payne, Alicia Olatuja, Sara Gazarek, accordionist Richard Galliano, saxophonist Tom Scott, multi-instrumentalist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and violinist Christian Howes. In 2006, Nelson was a semi-finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition.

Matthew Fries is highly regarded in the jazz world as both a soloist and accompanist. The winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, his debut album, Song for Today (TCB Music) was named a 2001 critics pick by Jazziz Magazine, and his continuing work with his collaborative trio, TRI-FI, “takes on the Jazz Trio challenge and delivers a ‘knock out’ punch” (Jazz Review). As a sideman his work has been described as “the best jazz accompaniment I’ve seen in a cabaret in years” (The New York Times), and “the crispest rhythm section imaginable” (The London Times).

Matthew lived in New York City for almost 25 years performing with many of the greatest jazz musicians. He maintains a busy teaching and touring schedule – touring frequently with his collaborative trio, TRI-FI, and with singer, Curtis Stigers, as a regular member of his band. He continues to perform with a diverse lineup of artists that has included Curtis Stigers, Stacey Kent, Ann Hampton Callaway, DeeDee Bridgewater, Vincent Herring, Steve Wilson, Joel Frahm, Steve LaSpina, Dave Samuels, Claudio Roditi, Terell Stafford, and many others.

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Last minute booking will close 30 minutes before the start of concert to allow time to process payments.