A few highlights of what I’ve been up to and what I’m getting involved in next (pub. Jan 2025)
Agbeko – I joined this band in 2022 and feel like both a newbie (not on any of the band’s released albums yet) and part of the family (they’re wonderful people). Look out for album coming out this year and various gigs around the UK festival scene this summer.
NQ Jazz Orchestra – led by Kyran Matthews, playing contemporary and late 20th century big band music. We’ve done two gigs at The Yard in Manchester and have thoroughly enjoyed playing music by band members Kyrana and Anna Chandler-King as well as music by Maria Schenider, Kenny Wheeler, Thad Jones and several other luminaries. Great to share a trumpet section with Owen Bryce, Aaron Wood, Steve Parry and Stan Lawrence.
Efpi All Star Orchestra – led by Ben Cottrell featuring a mouth-watering array of musicians that have been involved in Efpi records. All 15 members wrote pieces and we rehearsed, recorded (in Manchester) and performed them (at Sheffield Jazz) in November ’24.
Freelancing – as always, playing round and about the country with symphony orchestras and quite a bit with Manchester Camerata.
Duo – a very short and very quiet performance for Owain Roberts’s “Hush Sessions”. Lovely to play with my wife Gemma Bass.
Teaching – my regular trumpet teaching at University of Manchester, Junior RNCM, Xaverian College and Loreto college continues, with several private students too.
University of Manchester Composer’s Workshop – In Feb and May this year I’ll be teaming up with percussionist Harry Percy to play new music by postgraduate composers at the University of Manchester.
Baroque – getting more and more into playing the natural trumpet and its modern variation, the fingerhole trumpet and looking forward to more performances in March and April with Manchester Baroque and Baroque in the North.