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CONCERT JAZZ Events -
Chiltern Hundreds Area


GIG-8 Reprise

Mick Foster Quartet
Baritone Saxophonist

Fine technique and rich sonorous tone and sensitive delivery with an interesting after blow on a phrase
 - reminiscent of Ben Webster.

This Concert took place on Wed 15th February 2006 with an audience of 93 but we need more of your support if we are to re-book these fine musicians.

 

 

 

Mick plays and composes for his own band, "The Mick Foster Group" who have appeared at many venues including London’s Vortex jazz club and Blackheath Halls. Their debut CD "Changing Fortunes" was released on Black Box Music in 2000 and they have toured the UK supported by Jazz Services. In addition to composing for his band, Mick has written pieces for the London Jazz Orchestra and has composed a Saxophone Quartet.

Their debut CD 'Changing Fortunes' was released on the Black Box label in May 2000.  Mick also plays Clarinet, Sopranino Sax, Soprano Sax, Alto Sax, and Tenor Sax.

 The tone colours produced by this six piece band are consistently stimulating"
Dave Gelly, The Observer
 

 

Mick Foster- Bandleader, Composer, Teacher, Arranger
Originally from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has since worked extensively in the fields of jazz, commercial and classical music as a freelance saxophonist. He is a member of the Stan Sulzmann Big Band; the Michael Garrick Big Band which was recently featured on the BBC’s Jazz Brittania concert at the Barbican Hall, London; The London Jazz Orchestra, which has in recent years worked with Billy Cobham and Norma Winstone, Frank Griffith’s Nonet and the Back To Basie Orchestra. He has also worked with John Dankworth’s Generation Band and was a member of the Syd Lawrence Orchestra. Mick is active as a session musician and regularly deputises in London’s West End productions.. Ensembles include NYJO, Contemporary Dance Theatre, Pete Cater Big Band. 

Mick is a member of the acclaimed saxophone quartet "Quartz"; tours include Scotland and Ireland and the quartet has appeared at many festivals and venues which include St Johns Smith Square and London’s Purcell Room. Their CD "Faces" is on the Black Box label.  Mick is active in the field of musical education; in addition to running workshops he teaches saxophone and musicianship at Trinity College of Music, London, and has been invited as a guest lecturer to the Guildhall School of Music, London.

Reviews
"A very impressive record...this intelligent and well-crafted set of tunes should hold no fears for anyone even remotely in touch with modern improvised music: in fact it will be enjoyed by many who would normally rule themselves out from such a definition. Good music should be like that."
Keith Shadwick, Jazzwise

"Without doubt there is infinite capacity in some of our ‘home-grown’ musicians and this album is a true reflection of the best of contemporary music."
Jack Ashby, Jazz CD reviews.com

Eddie the Editor -
Mick's Quartet gave a very slick delivery of both Standards and Original compositions to demonstrate their prodigious talent assembled on the Stage.  The sonorous yet sensitive Baritone voice was refreshing as a lead instrument and reminded us of the great exponents such as Harry Carney and Gerry Mulligan to whom Mick paid Homage as the inventor of Cool jazz.  The audience were suitably enthralled and CD sales of Mick's latest album were brisk indeed - we thank him and his fellow Musicians for maintaining such a high standard for our modest fees.

Concert Programme - First set - Opening Number - MP3 615Kb
Straight no Chaser - Thelonious Sphere Monk - fine crisp drumming from Simon on an opening number
Deep Secret - original by Mick Foster
Weaver of Dreams  - Victor Young -
homage to Julian 'Cannonball' Adderley and John Coltrane
Sea Change -  displaying his prowess on Alto sax
I'll Remember April -
Don Raye, Gene DePaul & Pat Johnson

Feverish
- original by Mick Foster

Second Set
Well You Needn't -
Thelonious Sphere Monk
Moon Glimpses - Foster Original
Intimate Strangers - Foster Original
again using his Soprano Sax Voicing

East of the Sun (and West of the Moon) - Brookes Bowman
Where the Rain Falls - Foster Original
Bernie's Tune -
Bernie Miller Composition for Gerry Mulligan with a James Pearson 'Vibes' solo on this Keyboard
Caravan - Ellington and Tizol -
nice little romp to finish as an encore

Mick Foster Quartet

The Mick Foster Group
James Pearson - Piano, Gavin Scott  - Bass,  Simon Pearson - Drums,

James Pearson - Piano:  Born in 1970, James Pearson ( recently spearheading singer Jacqui Dankworth’s band; he also appeared with his own trio at Ronnie Scott's) is a Guildhall School of Music graduate,  conversant with both classical and jazz repertoire.  He has played with the Halle, BBC Concert and BBC Welsh National Orchestras as well as playing and arranging for the BBC Big Band.
Although inspired by many of the twentieth century’s jazz-piano greats, Pearson’s playing is distinctive and original enough to have drawn the following praise from Sir John Dankworth: ‘An exceptionally gifted artist … his masterful playing and imaginative work as a composer and arranger combine to make him head and shoulders above the rest of his contemporaries. I believe he shows signs of true greatness in the making.’
Pearson’s Diving Duck album The Best Things in Life, featuring Matthew Skelton on drums and Jeremy Brown on bass, elicited the following comments from Dave Gelly in the Observer: ‘The kind of jazz piano album anyone can enjoy.’ 
James is also a musical director and arranger for artists such as Ian Shaw & Sir John Dankworth.

Gavin Scott - Bass
 
Gavin studied on a scholarship at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston MA, and became the first recipient of the Quincy Jones Award for Musicianship in 1992. He has performed with artists as diverse as Billy Eckstine, The Trammps and Björn Again, with several Top of the Pops appearances, including Take That, Alex Party and Perfecto Allstarz. He has toured Europe and the USA, performing at many major festivals, opening for James Brown at V'98 and playing to a crowd of 100,000 at Belfast's Millenium celebrations.


Simon Pearson - Drums
Bandleader, Composer, Teacher
Having studied at Leeds College of Music and the Guildhall in London, Simon has become one of the most in-demand drummers on the London jazz and pop scene. Whether playing with pop groups Goya Dress and Spiritualised, contemporary composers Errolyn Wallen, Steve Martland and Jody Talbot or many jazz artists including Trevor Watts, he tempers a phenomenal technique with discrimination and a discerning musical approach.  His expert drumming keeps them - together. Simon also works with the Steve Martland Band.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mick Foster Website Page

Recordings - Changing Fortunes - Black Box Label

Tracks:

Another Journey, Deep Secret, Nocturne, Changing Fortunes, Feverish, When Your Face Came Rising, Waltz For A Lovely Wife, Intimate Strangers, Broken Promise, Where The Rain Falls

Listen to Extracts

 

 

Hi Eddie,  Just to say THANKS for a great gig last night!
We really enjoyed it, much more than anticipated, 4 great musicians,
also Mick's own compositions were superb!
Thanks again for bringing good jazz to the area....well worth the drive for us.
Regards, Julian.

Hi Eddie 
It was a great gig and a real find for me. Well worth the drive from Buckingham. I drove down to the Barbican on Monday night to see Brad Mehldau, paid £25 x 2 and enjoyed it less.
Congratulations.
Regards
Andrew

Eddie
My chums were very impressed with the event. Even my wife had grabbed a couple of women from her office to come to the do last evening.
Long may this continue.
Most impressed with the line up last night, especially keyboard, bass & drums. Mick Foster is obviously a very creative chap.
Tim


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Last modified: 18/02/2012