ALEX MERRITT & STEVE FISHWICK QUINTET
Fringe Jazz presents ALEX MERRITT & STEVE FISHWICK QUINTET Mind-Ear Ladder Album Tour at The BRISTOL MUSIC CLUB, 76 St Paul's Road, Clifton. Bristol BS8 1LP on Wednesday 27th April at 7PM. Tickets £16.
Alex Merritt - Tenor Saxophone
Steve Fishwick - Trumpet
John Turville - Piano
Tom Farmer - Double Bass
Matt Fishwick - Drums
DoorsOpen 7pm Performance Starts at 7.30pm
An all-star quintet made up of five of the most in demand musicians on the UK Jazz Scene on tour to promote their brilliant debut album "MIND-EAR LADDER" (Fresh Sound New Talent FSNT 631). The band is led by the superb tenor saxophonist Alex Merritt who has recently moved to Bristol and is already made quite an impact on the scene and co-led by the internationally renowned trumpeter Steve Fishwick. The rhythm section are all of equal pedigree, centred on the piano of John Turville,“World-class, exquisite and constantly inventive” - Jazz Journal. Bassist Tom Farmer is best known for his work with the award winning Empirical. Drummer Matt Fishwick is Steve's equally talented twin brother, and the two appear on many of the same recordings. This is the last but one date of the tour and the band have been receiving rave reviews for both their live performances as well as the outstanding album. Expect nuanced, sophisticated contemporary jazz originals. This gig is not to be missed.
"The writing is consistently intelligent, sophisticated and varied, very much within the jazz tradition but subtly pushing at its boundaries" - thejazzmann.com
ALEX MERRITT studied saxophone and composition at Birmingham Conservatoire, where his tutors included saxophonists Mike Williams, Julian Siegel and Jean Toussaint, pianist Hans Koller and composer Mike Gibbs. Following his graduation in 2009 he has established himself on the London jazz scene playing in a variety of jazz contexts with associates including trumpeter Steve Fishwick and pianist Sam Leak. He has also worked with vibraphonist Jim Hart, pianists Kit Downes and Elliot Sansom, bassist Calum Gourlay, drummers Jeff Williams, James Maddren and Lorraine Baker and fellow saxophonists Alex Garnett, George Crowley, Mike Williams and Mike Chillingworth. As an educator he has taught at Birmingham Conservatoire and at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.
STEVE FISHWICK is widely considered to be one of the best jazz trumpet players ever to come from the UK, and is rapidly gaining a global reputation thanks to his flawless technique, and his beautifully flowing, harmonically rich improvisations. He is one of an increasing number of trumpeters who have been heavily influenced by the melodic approach of the late great Kenny Dorham, a figure often overlooked (and undeservedly so) in the pantheon of Jazz Trumpet Legends. As well as “K.D.”, Steve cites Art Farmer, Miles Davis and Woody Shaw among his favourite players, but his style is very much his own. Trumpet great Wynton Marsalis recently said about him “Steve has his own style. He plays from the bottom to the top of the horn whilst maintaining the integrity of the chords. I can’t think of another trumpet player that can do what he does.” Legendary Jazz critic Ira Gitler had this to say ‘My question is where has Fishwick been hiding? Hip middle register melodious bebop, but when Steve lights his wick he becomes a flying fish, soaring above the waves, totally in control!’
Tickets are also available at TREBLEROCK Guitar Shop, 52 The Mall in Clifton Village.
FRINGE JAZZ every Wednesday at 7PM at The BRISTOL MUSIC CLUB, 76 St Paul's Road, Clifton. Bristol BS8 1LP
Fringe Jazz at The Bristol Music Club is run in association with TREBLEROCK Guitar Shop