Norwegian pianist and composer, Eyolf Dale (b.1985) is known
from both his solo work, successful collaborations with a great number of jazz
artists, and from renowned bands likeEyolf Dale's Wolf Valley ,Albatrosh ,Daniel Herskedal
,Hayden Powell Trio ,Trondheim Jazz Orchestra , and more. He is
active on the European jazz scene as a touring and frequently recorded artist,
and since his solo debut in 2011, Dale has established himself as one of the
leading pianists of his generation.
Both as a sideman and a solo performer, he has performed all
over Europe, as well as tours in the USA, Japan and China. Dale's solo work
shows the mature lyrical introspection that is often associated with Norwegian
jazz, but equally there is an explorative curiosity and restless free elements
that are becoming an emerging hallmark of the younger Nordic improvisers.
He was nominated for the Norwegian Grammy equivalent, the
Game Man Prize both in 2013 and 2016 for his solo albums. With the duo
Albatrosh, he was awarded "Young jazz musicians of the year 2008" in
the prestigious JazzIntro, and the duo was also awarded "Best Band" in
European Jazz Competition in 2010 (North Sea Jazz, Rotterdam)
Dale currently releases his solo work exclusively on Edition
Records.
"He reminds me of the young Django Bates, and the
impression Django made on me in the 1980s – great improv chops, strong
character as a player and a composer, evident love of the jazz tradition
without wanting to repeat the past, very English sense of humor. He’s the kind
of artist you always want to stay tuned in to, because you know he’s going to
keep on coming up with surprises." - John Fordham (The Guardian)
Elliot Galvin is one of the rising stars of UK jazz. A
superbly gifted composer and pianist, whose maverick imagination and magpie
like ability to blend a disparate world of influences into his own unique
musical vision has seen him compared to Django Bates although in truth he
sounds like no one except himself. From de-constructing standards to creating
his own mirco-tonal melodica, Galvin’s music is both playful and deadly
serious, drawing on a wide range of influences from Keith Jarrett to
Stravinsky, Ligeti, Deerhoof and the Beatles as well as the films of David
Lynch, the Dada movement and the literature of James Joyce. He was a founding
member of the Chaos Collective and a regular collaborator with Laura Jurd, he
also plays in a free improve duo with Mark Sanders.
Elliot is a prolific composer and has been comissioned by a
number of Ensembles, Dance Companies, Theatre Groups and Festivals including
the London Sinfonietta, Ligeti String Quartet, St. John Smith’s Square, The London
Jazz festival, The RESOLUTION! Dance Festival at The Place and the Theatre
Company Cut Tongues. He works regularly with multi-media and in 2014 put on a
multi-media installation piece at the Turner Contemporary Gallery, which
consisted of live performance, interactive sound sculptures and film. He also
runs a multi-disciplinary theatre-music ensemble called the Vanderbilts. But
his main artistic vehicle is the Elliot Galvin Trio.
The Elliot Galvin Trio
In 2014 The Elliot Galvin Trio were announced as the winners
of the European Young Jazz Artist of the Year Award in Germany. That same year
they released their debut album ‘Dreamland’ to rave reviews, with the Guardian
calling it “audaciously accomplished” ****, Jez Nelson (BBC Radio 3, Jazz on 3)
saying it was “Perhaps one of the strongest debuts that I’ve heard from a UK
artist in a long while… extremely bold and progressive” and The German Jazz
Magazine ‘JazzThing’ naming it as one of it’s albums of the year.
Born and raised in Southern California
pianist-composer-bandleader Josh Nelson has performed with some of the most
respected names in jazz, including Kurt Elling, John Pizzarelli, Benny Golson,
Sheila Jordan, John Clayton, George Mraz, Jeff Hamilton, Dave Koz, Joe Chambers
and Peter Erskine.
Nelson toured with legendary vocalist Natalie Cole for six
years and continues to tour with vocalists Gaby Moreno, Freda Payne, Alicia
Olatuja, Sara Gazarek, accordionist Richard Galliano, saxophonist Tom Scott,
multi-instrumentalist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and violinist Christian Howes. He
taught jazz for four years at Soka University and more recently at Cal State
University Northridge. In 2006, Nelson was a semi-finalist in the prestigious
Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition.
His debut album as a leader,2004’s Anticipation, garnered attention while his 2007 followup, Let it
Go, was hailed by Jazz Times, All About Jazz and Jazz Review as a
fully-realized breakthrough album. Nelson’s next album, 2009’s I Hear a
Rhapsody, had him re-imagining Jerry Goldsmith’s “Theme From Chinatown,” Jimmy
Van Heusen’s “Here’s That Rainy Day” and Elliott Smith’s “Everything Means
Nothing To Me” while contributing seven affecting originals.
With 2011’s sci-fi influenced Discoveries, Nelson introduced
his Discovery Project, an immersive multi-media presentation combining video,
performance art, light and art installations with his original music.
He followed with another ambitious Discovery Project in
2015’s Exploring Mars, which wedded evocative musical themes to spectacular
NASA/JPL video footage of the Red Planet.
Nelson’s latest, 2017’s The Sky Remains, is his love letter
to Los Angeles. The third in his Discovery Project series, it unearths hidden
gems and little-known stories about the composer’s hometown. From the lurid
tale behind benefactor and namesake of L.A.’s famous Griffith Park to the sad
transition of wondrous Pacific Ocean Park to an eyesore on the beach to the
forgotten, bittersweet story of Mack Robinson. A silver medal winner in the
1936 Berlin Olympics (coming in second to Jesse Owens), Mack was also the brother
of baseball legend Jackie Robinson and later became a hero in his own right
through his civic activism on behalf of the City of Angels. The Sky Remains
blends narrative and music in persuasive fashion. Throughout this ambitious
outing, Nelson and his talented crew of fellow Angelenos convey sentiment about
the city and its treasures while uncovering lost history and acknowledging a
few L.A. icons along the way. “I’m definitely in awe of what’s in this city and
its quiet history,” says the prolific composer. “Maybe it’s just a product of
having been born here, but I’m discovering new things and stories about it that
were just sitting right under my nose. And I’m hoping that people who hear
these stories might be interested in learning more about the fascinating
history of Los Angeles.
Acclaimed Saxophonist & Composer James Brandon Lewis has
been described as a Visionary Composer and Tenor saxophonist has received
accolades from the New York Times, NPR and Ebony Magazine, who hailed him as
one of the “ 7 Young players to Watch in today’s scene”. Lewis has been
endorsed by Jazz legend Saxophonist Sonny Rollins“ Promising young player with the potential
to do great things having listened to the Elders”. – Jazz Magazine (France).Lewis at the request of Rollins participated
in a tribute concert honoring the Jazz Legend sharing the stage with Jimmy
Heath, Ravi Coltrane, James Carter and many others.
Born In Buffalo, NY James Brandon Lewis began his pursuit of
music at the age of 9 and would begin his music studies at the Buffalo Academy
for the Visual And Performing Arts exposing him to Jazz Legends such as Dave
Brubeck, Doc Severinsen , Local Legends Carol Mclaughlin , and Charlie Parker
Alum the great pianist Al Tinney . James Brandon lewis holds a Bachelors Degree
from Howard University and a MFA from California Institute of the Arts .
To date James Brandon Lewis has released 4 albums as a
leader, 3 achieving critically acclaim. He has toured extensively world wide
with his own ensembles, as well as shared the stage, and recorded with amazing
musicians such as William Parker, Hamid Drake, Cooper Moore, Jamaaladeen Tacuma
, Rudy Royston , Gerald Cleaver ,Charles Gayle, Dave Douglas , Richard Davis , Weather report Alum
Alphonso Johnson , Ravi COltrane, James Carter, Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano and
many others . Lewis is also the Co-Founder of Heroes Are Gang Leaders a
collective of musicians and poets that keep a foot in the past,present, and
future.
James is deep in an intrepid artistic continuum that
explores identity and spirituality through challenging and awe-inspiring
concepts and epiphanic playing that melds formalistic technique, bold
exploration, and strains of gospel and blues. James Brandon Lewis presents a
rich dialogue with his audience that is both fiery and cerebral.
