Saturday Live Bands
COCKTAIL BAR – LIVE BANDS
Get your dancing shoes on for Subtone’s lively resident band
‘THE CUGINIS’ – LIVE 60′s SKA, SOUL, ROCK N ROLL
Sat 14th April, Sat 5th May, Sat 19th May
Available for Bookings please call 07919542436
SAT 18TH FEB & SAT 7TH APRIL
DOM FRANKS STRAYHORNS QUARTET
Native Tongues Album Launch Tour 2012
StrayHorn quartet was formed in 2010 to play the original groove-driven compositions of Cheltenham-based saxophonist Dom Franks, a former student of Jazz Messenger Jean Toussaint, and winner of the Daily Telegraph Young Jazz Musician competition. The band honed its sound through appearances around the West – notably at the Cheltenham and Stroud Jazz Festivals – into a lean, but lyrical take on contemporary jazz.
StrayHorn?s sound is built from the supple funk-tinged rhythms of young Bristol-based drummer Matthew Jones (Phantom Limb), supplemented by in-demand acoustic bassist Will Harris and Cheltenham piano mainstay Alex Steele. With stylistic influences including Kenny Garret?s energetic post-bop, the harmonically adventurous sound of Robert Glasper and the Afrobeat of the Parisian Goutte-d?Or, where Dom lived for a time, StrayHorn?s sound is modern, but accessible jazz, with melodies that linger.
Dom Franks – alto and soprano saxophones
Alex Steele keyboards
Will Harris – acoustic bass
Matthew Jones (Phantom Limb) – drums
Listen to / buy the album here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/domfranksstrayhorn
Read a press preview of the tour here:
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Dom-blows-Little-Owl/story-14378872-detail/story.html
For further information and bookings, contact domfranks@gmail.com / 07770 690059
SAT 3RD MARCH & SAT 17TH MARCH
JAMES MORTON QUARTET
James Morton is one of the most promising saxophonists on the scene today.A major influence and mentor to James throughout his career has been the enigmatic Pee Wee Ellis and James remains a core member of Pee Wee Ellis’ - Still Black Still Proud, a tribute to James Brown which has headlined main stages at festivals across Europe.
Another mentor and undoubtable influence has been the inspirational Andy Sheppard. Since playing at numerous gigs with the quartet in Morton’s hometown of Bristol, he is now integral soloist in Sheppard’s Sax Massive.
In August 2010 James was recruited by The Herbaliser as a full member and continues to tour and record with the outfit extensively.
In 2010 James was also commissioned by Canary Wharf to collaborate with three other musicians in the form of Alex Wilson, Kathryn Tickell and Kishon Kahn to write a suite of music referencing a musical journey between the four compass points, a point for each artist. James’ compass point was west - “I wanted to write something big, fat and funky with a New Orleans street party feel”. The suite was performed on an orbital stage in Canada Square in Canary Wharf involving an 8 piece core band and youth project Kinetica Blocko. James worked closely with the South London based group in a workshop style environment and developed the song which was performed in its entirity by 26 musicians in a stunning display.
To date his talents appear on Pendulum’s platinum selling Drum’n'Bass album Hold Your Colour and he has performed with some of the foremost artists in the world including Raphael Saadiq, Kasabian, Fred Wesley, Tony Allen, Angelique Kidjo, The Mahotella Queens, Lillian Boutté, Beth Rowley, Clare Teal, Keith Tippett, Jason Rubello, Orphy Robinson, Jazz Jamaica, Snowboy and Tomorrow’s Warriors to name a few.
The debut album from James and his down home project James Morton’s Porkchop is an old skool funky jazzy affair, released on Fresh Ground Records in May 2010 to critical acclaim and signed by Munich based record label C.A.R.E Music Group in autumn 2010.
The band toured across the UK and Europe throughout the summer 2010 including launch shows in his home town at The Croft, Bristol, Pizza Express Jazz Club, London and the Coutance Jazz Festival and continued in to autumn including a show at The Barbican Centre at The London Jazz festival. During the summer the band also recorded a live session on Jazz F.M on the David Freeman show which was aired again on New years day as part of a best of 2010 show.
The intention on this album James says “is to eliminate the introspective and self-indulgent elements that some ‘jazz’ music can often adhere to, and bring the music back to the people……and jazz back to the dance floor”.
James’ forthcoming album builds on the concept of the first album and and features The Easy Access Horns (The Herbaliser), Pee Wee Ellis, Andy Sheppard and Alex Johanson (vocals).