March, 2010

Pete Robbins (NYC, USA) - alto saxophone, compositions

Mikkel Ploug (DK) - guitar

Simon Jermyn (IRL) - bass guitar

Kevin Brow (CAN/DK) - drums

Pete Robbins (age 31) moved to New York in September, 2002, and immediately became “a welcome presence on the creative music scene.”   He has since performed or recorded with John Zorn, Mark Dresser, Craig Taborn, Ben Monder, Mario Pavone, and Kenny Wollesen, and has performed at festivals and clubs in the US, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.

Robbins’ leads “an ambitious ensemble that combines spacious avant-gardism with the melodic punch of rock” (NY Times).  His studio releases “Waits and Measures” (Playscape) and “Do The Hate Laugh Shimmy” (Fresh Sound/New Talent) were both named as top-10 jazz releases in 2006 and 2008, respectively; his fourth album as a bandleader is scheduled for release in May, 2010 on Robbins’ own Hate Laugh Music label, and a trio album with bassist Mario Pavone and drummer Tyshawn Sorey is also in the works for a 2010 release.

Robbins has been featured in New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Boston Phoenix, JazzTimes, JazzWise, Jazzman, Politikken, andNational Public Radio.  For his compositional achievements, Chamber Music America recently awarded Robbins with their prestigious “New Works: Creation and Presentation” grant, as well as their “New Works: Encore” award on behalf of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.  Robbins was also a 2009 guest panelist at the Brooklyn Arts Council.

Known for his passionate and driving approach to jazz that swings hard, 24-year-old drummer David Lyttle has been hailed as one of the most significant musicians to have emerged in Ireland in recent years.

He has performed professionally in Ireland, the US, Canada, Britain and Europe, with a wide variety of internationally acclaimed artists, including Greg Osby, David Liebman, JeanToussaint, Tommy Smith, Jaleel Shaw, Soweto Kinch, Jonathan Kreisberg and Louis Stewart. Touring with the David Lyttle Group for the second time is US trumpet great Terell Stafford, with hard-swinging original music by Lyttle and Stafford being featured. Also in the group is leading young Irish guitarist Mark McKnight, and the prominent Dublin residing Australian bassist Damian Evans.

New York trumpet ace Terell Stafford has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time” by piano legend McCoy Tyner. Known for being a gifted and versatile player with a voice all his own, Stafford combines lyricism and a deep love of melody with a spirited, adventurous edge. This uniquely expressive, well-defined musical talent allows Stafford the ability to dance in and around the rich trumpet tradition of his predecessors while making his own inroads.

Stafford has worked in the groups of McCoy Tyner, Bobby Watson, Benny Golson, Jon Faddis, Cedar Walton, Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath, Kenny Barron, Wycliffe Gordon and Matt Wilson. He has also performed with the Mingus Big Band, Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and is currently a member of the Grammy-nominated Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Clayton Brothers Quintet and Trumpet Summit, with Randy Brecker and Jon Faddis. Stafford appears on over forty albums as a sideman, including Diana Krall’s Grammy-nominated ‘From This Moment On’ (2006), and has released four albums as a leader, featuring musicians of the calibre of Mulgrew Miller, Steve Wilson, Dick Oatts and Derrick Hodge.

The press on David Lyttle:

“…notably assured technique, greased lightning reflexes and an unfailing sense of swing…a prolific composer too.” Jazzwise (UK)

“…a drummer of real talent.” - All About Jazz (USA)

“… such discretion and awareness…with a tonal sense that’s as refreshing as it is creative.” - The Herald (UK)

“…one of the busiest musicians on the island.” - The Sunday Tribune

“…a rapidly maturing talent, who is already highly accomplished both as a musician and as a composer.” - The Irish News

“…one of the most significant and interesting figures on the Belfast music scene…” - Hot Press

Julian Arguelles – Saxophones
Ronan Guilfoyle – Acoustic Bass Guitar
Jim Black – Drums

An international trio, featuring three of the leading contemporary jazz musicians of their respective countries -  British saxophonist Julian Arguelles, the Irish bassist Ronan Guilfoyle, and the American drummer Jim Black – will undertake a tour of the UK and Ireland in March 2010.

The saxophone trio has a long and important history in jazz and some of the most highly regarded live recordings in jazz have featured this format. Arguelles/Guilfoyle/Black continue this tradition while at the same time reflecting the vibrancy of contemporary jazz. An international trio, featuring three of the leading contemporary jazz musicians of their generation and respective countries -  British saxophonist Julian Arguelles, the Irish
bassist Ronan Guilfoyle, and the American drummer Jim Black – their new recording ‘Live in Dublin’ captures the excitement and ‘in the moment’ feel of live saxophone trio playing, and gives a taste of what is to come in their concert performances.

Playing a programme mixing original compositions and standards, the trio’s music features a free-wheeling spontaneity and powerful rhythmic drive, with each member of the trio showing an almost telepathic response to the playing of the others -  the music unfolds  seamlessly with a great sense of swing and much rhythmic intrigue.

‘This is a fun-filled gem through and through’

Downtown Music Gallery, New York  - reviewing ‘Live in Dublin (Auand 9009)

“It was intense, exhilarating and a credit to all concerned, with Black in particular little short of astonishing in his range of invention. If jazz is the sound of surprises, this was full of them”.

Irish Times

“Julian Arguelles, Ronan Guilfoyle and Jim Black produced a concert of enthralling and frequently breathtaking music. Black in particular was mesmerising, throwing spanner after spanner into the works from a seemingly limitless toolkit of ideas.”

Sunday Tribune