Ed was a fixture in The Albert programme for many years but it’s been a while since we worked together. We are now remedying that. Ed first graced the Albert stage with the late great Dick Heckstall-Smith and returned many times as sideman or with his own groups including ‘Killer Shrimp’ with trumpeter Damon Brown.

Jones has been based in London for over 25 years, working initially with the formidable bands of saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith and drummer John Stevens. He formed his first group Ed Jones Quartet in 1987, featuring Geoff Williams on piano, Rob Statham on bass and Winston Clifford on drums. They were the first band to play at the old Jazz Cafe on Newington Green and Ed was a regular performer on the emerging Acid Jazz scene at clubs such as The Wag and Dingwalls. In 1991 he formed a new quartet with Jonathon Gee on piano, Wayne Batchelor on double bass and Brian Abrahams on drums. They recorded Pipers Tales in 1991, released on ASC in 1995.

From 1995-2004 his main ongoing 'solo' project was a quintet (featuring Byron Wallen on trumpet) with which he has recorded Out Here (ASC 1997). In 1997 Finnish Trumpeter Mika Myllari joined the band for the first of many collaborations.

His experience as a sideman reflects his diverse interests. Over the past decade he has performed with U.S jazz musicians George Benson, Dianne Reeves, Charles Earland, Horace Silver, Clifford Jarvis and Dr Lonnie Smith. In the UK he has appeared with District Six, Evan Parker, Jason Rebello, Orphy Robinson, Claire Martin, Don Weller, Tim Richard's Great Spirit, The Monk Liberation Front and Steve Plews' Ascension. As a session musician he has worked with, amongst others, Chaka Khan, Herbie Hancock (Headhunters), Aswad, Tina Turner, Carleen Anderson, Alison Moyet, Bootsy Collins, Kid Creole and Terry Callier, and has long-standing connections to jazz crossover projects US3 (1992-) and Incognito (1995-), having been a regular band member of both.

Ross Stanley is a pianist and organist who was born in 1982 in Frimley, England. Beginning piano at age 4, by a teenager, he was awarded an organ scholarship to Marlborough College; and completed a BMUS in classical and jazz piano at Guildhall in 2004. Since leaving, Ross’s musical skills have kept him in high demand, seeing him play with jazz names such as Will Vinson, Dennis Rollins, Guy Barker, Joel Frahm, Liane Carroll, Stan Sulzman, Steve Arguelles, John Paracelli, Bobby Wellins, Clark Tracey, as well as being a regular member of the Jim Mullen Organ Trio, the Mark McKnight Organ Quartet and the Jacqui Dankworth band and performing in many small and large ensembles – Nostalgia 77 Octet, The Heritage Orchestra. Ross has also toured with Steve Howe Trio, Deodato and has recorded for Goldie, US3, Trevor Horn and Simply Red among others.

Bassist Riaan Vosloo was known as one of the best younger generation players in London in his early playing days, but he has become recognised as a highly creative band leader and composer, nationwide. He came to live in Bristol for a while before moving to Oxford but Bristol has now drawn him back to live in our city once again. As well as occupying the Bass chair in the Nostalgia 77 Octet, Riaan Vosloo has worked with, among others, Keith Tippett, Matthew Bourne, Art Theman, Andy Shepherd, Spring Heel Jack, Liam Noble, Pee Wee Ellis and Iain Ballamy. Riaan was a founder member of The Electric Dr M (with Matthew Bourne) and plays in the Gary Boyle quartet with Mercury nominee Zoe Rahman.

Drummer Tim Giles is an award-winning musician. Living in London, he is known for his collaborations with saxophonist James Allsopp, producer Ben Lamdin and other leading lights of the UK jazz and improvised music scene. A musical prodigy, (winning a Telegraph Jazz Award for his childhood prowess), Tim started out backing jazz musicians at 16, that visited his home county of Suffolk. Whilst still in his teens, Tim was performing internationally with saxophonists Iain Ballamy and Stan Sulzmann.

Whilst studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Tim met saxophonist James Allsopp. The two musicians connected in their aims to blend improvisation with composed music, and in spring 2005 Allsopp and Giles formed Fraud. The breakthrough gig for Fraud came at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival (voted Best Gig 2006 by Jazzwise magazine).

Tim has had the opportunity to play with many great musicians in his career ranging from American jazz greats such as Art Farmer and Charles McPhearson to international improvising musicians such as Peter Brotzmann, Ingrid Jensen, Myra Melford and Ben Goldberg. He has worked with many celebrated players of the UK jazz scene such as Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone and Bobby Wellins; also playing on Jamie Cullum’s critically acclaimed album ‘Interlude’.

Tim is the Principal Lecturer in Jazz at Leeds College of Music and has also had the recent privilege of being included in the Royal Academy of Music honours list 2016, being made Associate of the Academy for his work in the field of jazz drumming.

In 2011 Ed Jones formed this acoustic contemporary jazz quartet releasing their first recording For Your Ears Only in late 2017. Catch them on this night of compelling jazz!

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