Art Themen – ‘New Directions’ Quintet
Art Themen's New Directions Quintet.
DEFERRED to 2021
Art Themen, saxophone and Jeremy Robson, poet present an unmissable evening of jazz and poetry.
Art formed this new band to showcase some of jazz's lesser known gems from composers such as Thelonious Monk, bringing musicality to material that you wouldn't normally hear. It reflects his desire for a fresh though accessible examination of this music and the additional firepower of compositions by Messrs Williams, Somogyi and Fishwick add further variety to the repertoire.
Art Themen, a previous winner in the tenor sax category of the British jazz awards, has toured the world fronting Stan Tracey's quartet for 20 years and has been featured with virtually everyone on the UK jazz scene. In addition he has played alongside American legends including Philly Joe Jones, George Coleman, Red Rodney, Al Haig, Charlie Rouse, Bud Shank, Nat Adderley, Arturo Sandoval, Sal Nistico, Scott Hamilton, Eric Alexander et al. Outside the jazz scene he has accompanied such diverse artists as Mick Jagger, George Harrison, Rod Stewart, Jack Bruce, Joe Cocker, Chuck Berry, Alexis Korner and, even Bing Crosby!
"One of a tiny handful of undeniably perfect jazz musicians." Dave Gelly. The Observer. "His ideas are eclectic in an unpredictable style that has outlasted the Coltrane clones of his generation." Jack Massarick. The London Evening Standard.
The band's stellar lineup includes pianist Gareth Williams, also a previous winner of the British jazz awards, and trumpeter Steve Fishwick, a member of Ronnie Scotts house band and teacher on the faculties of the Guildhall, Royal Academy, Leeds and Birmingham School music academies. Bassist Arnie Somogyi, also an academic teacher and member of the Ronnie Scott ensemble is a well known band leader and broadcaster in his own right. The charismatic drummer Winston Clifford is widely regarded as one of the finest percussionists in the UK and is the band's secret weapon in the guise of an engaging vocalist. The band has recently recorded a CD which will be released early in 2017.
Art celebrates his longtime association with distinguished poet Jeremy Robson, one of the featured author/poets in this year’s FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival in March 2020, who will read some of his jazz-related poetry on this occasion. Jeremy, famed for his poetry reading accompaniments to the ‘greats’ of the UK jazz scene, particularly in his Poetry and Jazz concerts with the late great composer/pianist Mike Garrick* at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and the recent 2 CD Argo re-issue of those concerts, will bring some poems from his new collection “The Heartless traffic’ (published February 2020) to this event.
Maureen Lipman: “Robson’s vision is both gentle and steely, and on top[ of his ability to touch one deeply is a marvellous, wry observation of the sweet, sour and savoury in life”
"A collective that might stand comparison with any in the wider world of jazz." - Peter Vacher. The Guardian
* Mike’s son Christian Garrick (jazz violin) appeared with our Honorary Patron Jacqui Dankworth in the recent JASG SERIES EIGHT).
... to join our JASG mailing list and we will tell you when tickets are available.