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Empirical at Regents Park |
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Empirical, a brand new
young, hip and bold five-piece, featuring four former Tomorrow’s
Warriors stars will be playing on Sunday 30 July at Regent’s Park
Bandstand, London NW1 between 3 to 4pm and 4.30 to 5.30pm (Info: 020
7486 7905)Tickets are FREE
www.royalparks.org.uk Jay Phelps - trumpet Nathaniel Facey - alto sax John Escreet - piano Neil Charles - double bass Shane Forbes - drums Five jazz stars of the future – four of them recent graduates from Tomorrow’s Warriors (the organisation founded in 1992 by original Jazz Warriors double bassist Gary Crosby to nurture and develop talented young jazz musicians) – are now stepping forward on their own terms and with their own compositions. Performing with astonishing musical maturity, confidence and a cohesiveness derived from many years of playing together, Empirical is dedicated to maintaining the roots of traditional modern jazz but with a definite finger on the pulse of the contemporary world. Jay Phelps (trumpet) is a Vancouver-born Canadian who was tutored by some of that city’s top trumpeters including Brad Turner and Ray Kirkham (second principal trumpet, VSO). Jay performed for two years with the award-winning Surrey Youth Symphony Orchestra where he picked up a best soloist award. Jazz was his first love and at 15, he became the youngest artist to lead his own band at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, a feat he repeated the following year amidst much media attention. At 17 Jay moved to London determined to immerse himself in the London jazz scene and immediately attracted the notice of Gary Crosby who offered him dep work with Jazz Jamaica, Nu Troop and, in 2002, the opportunity to be a Tomorrow’s Warrior with friends Shane, Nathaniel and Neil. Citing Louis Armstrong, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown and Miles Davis as his main influences, Jay, a student at Trinity College of Music, is a featured member of Dennis Rollins’ Badbone & Co and has performed with Andrew Hill, Lemar, Charlotte Church, Hugh Masakela, Terry Walker, Ty, Eska, and Jazz Jamaica. Nathaniel Facey (alto sax) is influenced by the legendary Charlie Parker, Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman. Nathaniel was born in London in 1983 to Jamaican parents. With a degree from London’s Royal Academy of Music, Nathaniel, who began his music studies at the age of 14, has distinguished himself as a creative composer and a lyrical performer and has been tipped as a musician to watch. A former member of Tomorrow’s Warriors Nathaniel has also worked with Afrobeat star, Dele Sosemi, gospel artist Ron Kenoli, Jazz Jamaica All Stars, Billy Jenkins, Steve Watts, Soweto Kinch, Jean Toussaint, Alex Wilson and TJ Johnson. John Escreet (piano) is a native of Doncaster and currently a scholarship student at The Royal Academy of Music. John honed his ability at The Doncaster Youth Jazz Association which has spawned many acclaimed musicians including trombonist Dennis Rollins. Since his move to London, John has held the piano chair at NYJO, has been awarded the John Dankworth soloist award in the BBC Radio 2 Big Band Competition. The only one of the five not to have been a regular Tomorrow’s Warriors, though he often depped in the group, John also won the Worshipful Company of Musicians Bronze Medal award and was a national finalist in the Pizza Express Jazz Academy competition. A versatile artist John has performed with artists as varied as Steve Williamson, Dennis Rollins, Julian Siegel and Kyle Eastwoood. Neil Charles (double bass) is Birmingham born and raised, and grew up with many musical influences such as soul, jazz, hip hop and raga however his knowledge of classical bass provided him many performance opportunities and to develop his distinctive style. Neil studied under Chi Chi Nwandoku at Trinity College of Music and was mentored by Gary Crosby before being invited to become a Tomorrow’s Warrior in 2002. A family man with two young sons Neil cites bassist Jimmy Garrison, Bob Hurst, Ron Carter and Paul Chambers as his major influences. He has performed with Dennis Rollins’ Badbone & Co, former Tomorrow’s Warrior Soweto Kinch and HKB:FINN to name just a few. Shane Forbes (drums) received his first percussion lesson at the age of 12, performed throughout London with his school’s dance band at a very young age and even toured with them to the USA and Canada. He and childhood friend Nathanial Facey also formed a small combo with young pianist Arthur Lea which featured as support for the school band’s events. Formerly a student at the Centre For Young Musicians (CYM) in London where he learned a wide variety of percussion instruments, including the orchestral snare drum, bass drum, timpani, marimba and xylophone, Shane is currently studying at Trinity College of Music alongside band-mate Jay Phelps. During his tenure in Tomorrow’s Warriors Shane's intuitive creativity and driving, fluid execution provided an irresistible, synergetic energy for the other players to bounce off. The result was so awesome that Gary Crosby endorsed the combo as the best ‘crop of players’ the programme had produced – a view held by many in the jazz fraternity. Shane has also performed with Jean Toussaint, Billy Jenkins and Mike Carr. |