Theatre / Performance

Dave O'Higgins - Trish Clowes/Nikki Iles/Mike Outram - Mornington Lockett/Alex Hitchcock - 50th Anniversary

90 Lots Road

Sat 24 Oct · 20:30 · £26

Music

About this event

Highly regarded saxophonist Dave O'Higgins has worked with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Nancy Wilson. With 24 albums as leader to his credit, including ‘It’s Always 9:30 in Zog’ which received a British Jazz Award nomination, Dave has, unsurprisingly, also been nominated for ‘Best Tenor Saxophonist’. And if all that wasn’t enough, he is also an in-demand producer, most recently working on Matt Bianco’s recent albums. “O’Higgins…exceptional fluency...one of Britain’s finest musicians” Observer; “O’Higgins…world class” BBC Music Magazine A performer, teacher and composer, multi award winning musician Nikki Iles is widely regarded as one of the finest modern jazz pianists in Europe, whose fluent and creative playing has been heard with the likes of Kurt Elling, Kenny Wheeler, Claire Martin & Dave Holland. As well as an accompanist Nikki is also a well established bandleader, performing in a variety of settings from her trio to the Award-winning band "Printmakers" that she co-leads with vocalist Norma Winstone. A highly regarded composer and arranger she includes commissions from the likes of the UMO Jazz Orchestra Finland, the London Sinfonietta, the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. The list of her Awards is also truly impressive, including the BT British Jazz Award, the IAJE Award in America for services to Jazz, the prestigious Ivors Academy Gold Badge, the Ivor Novello Award for best large ensemble composition and, in 2022, a British Empire Medal for services to music. She has also worked prolifically in Hungary, Germany, Prague, Ireland and Colorado, culminating in the prestigious post as artist in residence with the great NDR radio big band in Hamburg. Described as “one of the most agile and original jugglers of improv and... composition”, Award-winning saxophonist/composer Trish Clowes has proven herself to be an exciting, world-class, musician of real creativity and skill. A former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, she received the British Composer Award (BASCA) in 2015 with notable performances including the Barbican, Toronto Jazz Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival (US), Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall, National Opera House (Ireland) and broadcasts for BBC 2 Proms Extra, BBC Radio 3 and Radio Bremen. With numerous critically acclaimed albums as leader to her name with her band "My Iris" or in collaboration with other musicians, Trish is also a highly respected composer, with a PhD in Musical Composition and commissions from the likes of the BBC Concert Orchestra, NDR Big Band (Germany), London Sinfonietta and many, many, more premier ensembles. Also featured with this band tonight will be the brilliant guitarist Mike Outram . Mike has toured worldwide, played on over a hundred albums for the likes of Universal, Sony, Candid and Blue Note records, appeared in a televised Prom from The Royal Albert Hall and performed internationally with Chick Corea's saxophonist Tim Garland. A professor at the Royal Academy of Music, he's also taught at Middlesex University, Trinity College of Music and the Guildhall, as well as writing a monthly column for “Guitarist” magazine. “Iles…A formidable UK jazz presence… intelligent, sharp and very musical” Guardian; “Clowes...bristles with uncommon genius” JazzDaGama; "Outram has been favorably compared to a restrained Allan Holdsworth. Tempering blistering fret-board histrionics with contemplative lyricism..." All About Jazz And completing the lineup this evening will be the band of the brilliant saxophonist and Club stalwart Mornington Lockett . Jazz saxophonist, composer and teacher Mornington Lockett toured the world with the Ronnie Scott Quintet in the 1990’s before working with a host of high profile International artists. An integral part for many years of legendary British pianist/composer Stan Tracey's bands, between 2000 and 2010 Mornington co-led the “New Jazz Couriers”, releasing four critically acclaimed albums and winning the 2002 British Jazz Award for Best Small Group. His fluent, creative and powerful post-bop playing is probably best known at the Club for over a decade of work here with the brilliant UK saxophonist, the late Peter King. Mornington’s Special Guest this evening will be the terrific saxophonist Alex Hitchcock . A two-time Ivor Novello award-nominated saxophonist and composer now splitting his time between London and New York, Alex Hitchcock’s impact on the jazz scene becomes more impressive with each passing year. Since emerging as leader he’s released four solo albums to critical acclaim, with the Guardian calling him a “virtuoso” while BBC Jazz World hailed him as “leading the charge…of new jazz music being created in the UK”. This is an especially significant set for these two wonderful players as this is the first time that Alex will have performed live with his former teacher and inspiration to play jazz saxophone…Mornington Lockett! Great stuff. "Saxophonist Mornington Lockett must be one of the most complete masters of the instrument alive today" The Observer; "Hitchcock…a sax virtuoso" Jazzwise