Live Music – Bossabranco – Saturday 14th September

BOSSABRANCO – Doors open 7.30 pm – Concert from 8 pm.

Tickets £12 on the door, £10 online, £7 online concession (student/unwaged/income support)

Meeting through local jazz workshops and the Wells Jazz Collective, we’ve discovered a common love of latin jazz and especially Bossa Nova of the 1960s, so we’re bringing you our own take on some of  these Brazilian classics.

Tony [alto sax and flute]

Tony discovered jazz in his school days and started on alto sax in the early 1950s, adding flute soon after hearing Frank Wess’s 1955 Opus de funk. The jazz of Muggsy Spanier and Sydney Bechet was rudely blown away by the Charlie Parker revolution, the Stan Getz’s bossa recordings with Astrud Gilberto that first sparked his feel for this music.

Jonathan [acoustic guitar]

We particularly value Jonathan’s very special touch and impeccable rhythm – the very heart of bossa nova. Starting lessons on classical guitar (inspired by a John Williams recording) he much later came across Barney Kessel and became hooked on jazz.  More recently, the music of guitar greats Paulino Nogueira and Baden Powell  sparked off his keen interest in authentic Brazilian Bossa Nova

Sarah [vocals]

Sarah is well known around the area, has appeared frequently at the CIC and recently as the Sarah Griffiths Project. She is a truly accomplished performer in the true sense of the word, interpreting classic jazz and bossa nova tunes in her own unique way, spilling out all kinds of emotions that will surely connect you with each song.

Richard [guitar]

Brought up in a jazz mad household he has been playing guitar since 1970 . He has worked in education, played with Arcadia Jazz Band for 20+ years and has been fortunate to work alongside artists such as Kathy Stobart, John Critchenson, Rosemary Squires to name but a few. “Woodshedding’ with Tony Roberts for ten years has greatly helped him develop new musical ideas and techniques. He appears frequently at the CIC in different guises and most recently with The Sarah Griffiths Project.

Will Lang [bass]

Will’s jazz career started as a teenager in Bristol in the ‘80s, playing trumpet in the Juggernaut Big Band and going on to play electric bass in a quartet with Jake McMurchie (Get the Blessing) while at university in the early ‘90s. Moving to Taunton Will joined Tim Hill’s Big Noise street band where he is lead trumpet. As a bass player, he loves a challenging tune and enjoys the rhythmic challenges of bossa-nova.

Ben Modley [percussion]

A teacher of guitar and percussion, Ben gigs with his own trio, composes, and records with several artists. His interest in the guitar started at 14 when he picked up his grandfather’s fine Brazilian Giannini Guitar and with some help from his mother learnt the first few chords. At college he came across jazz and the music of Django Reinhardt, in a duo with a fellow classmate, studied and performing his music, but later awakened to bebop guitar players like Wes and Jo Pass. At  University he discovered the vibrant textures of Latin music, learned to play percussion and became obsessed with Brazilian music, in particular Joao Gilberto the father of Bossa Nova. He is now seriously studying the flute!