Dan Forshaw Quintet

Celebrating Blue Note

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Last Show: Friday 23 rd November 2018

PizzaExpress Live (Birmingham)

Blue Note records not only inspired generations of jazz musicians, they paved the way for the Hip-Hop revolution of the early 90s. Albert Lion and Francis Wolff recorded some of the greatest jazz musicians of all time and their legacy lives on, some 77 years since the album was born. Musicians such as John Coltrane, Horace Silver, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson all recorded on Blue Note, and it's there music you will hear as part of Celebrating Blue Note. Award-winning saxophonist Dan Forshaw leads his quintet with Graeme Flowers on trumpet, Chris Jerome on piano, Joel Humann bass and Derek Scurll on drums.

"Outstanding"

The Observer

Dan Forshaw is one of the most passionate and charismatic musicians on the British Jazz scene. Born in Blackpool, Lancashire, Dan studied in both London and New York and has played all over the world with many different ensembles ranging from jazz quartet’s to cathedral choirs. He is one of the UK’s leading experts on John Coltrane and has written a number of published articles on the music and theology of ‘Trane’.

Tim Price, Professor of saxophone in New York and a former teacher of Dan said, ‘'Forshaw has reached a strong level of musicality, depth and technique that very few players have….he is a breath of fresh air, hear him!’'

Dan grew up in the small Lancashire fishing town of Fleetwood. Opera star Alfie Boe lived a few doors away from Dan and music was a big part of Dan’s childhood. In his youth he performed for Royalty, U.S. President Bill Clinton and for the opening of Tony Blair’s first conference as Prime Minister! Dan was taught by Ray Wilkes, a legend on the Northern Jazz scene and a former member of Cedar Walton’s band in New York. Dan started picking up gigs aged 14 and by 16 Dan was on the road with the ‘Amazing Blues Brothers Soul Revue Tour.’

After meeting Branford Marsalis at the RNCM in April 2003, Branford invited Dan to study with him in the USA, which Dan did in March / April 2005. Whilst in New York, Dan was inspired by the many amazing musicians he heard & upon returning to England, he moved to London in the summer of 2005. Dan’s target was to return to New York, but meeting and marrying his wife Katy led to a move to Belfast in 2007. Dan was active on the small but thriving Irish Jazz Scene, until his move back to England in 2011.

Dan is now based in Cambridge where he teaches saxophone at the University of Cambridge and to students all over the world, (including Antarctica) through his award-winning website, Cambridge Saxophone.com. Dan still maintains an active performance schedule with regular tours, residences and his ‘Jazz Vespers’ project, that has seen Dan on PrimeTime BBC One, leading jazz events at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Ely Cathedral and the new home for Jazz Vespers in London, Methodist Central Hall, Westminster.

www.danforshaw.com

Dan Forshaw (saxophones)
Paul Stubbs (trumpet)
Rob Brockway (piano)
Joel Humann (bass)
Derek Scurll (drums)