If you ever wanted to support the music, and what I try to do, this is the gig to show up for! Come and help me put on this outstanding gig.

I am very aware that this gig is also not on our normal evening of Sunday, switching to Friday, to be able to take this gig as part of only a few gigs in London, here in Bristol, France and Barcelona. I would normally not clash with the music that The Be-Bop Club does on their regular Friday slot, but this gig is too good not to do! So I’ve arranged with Andy Hague to co-present tonight’s gig with The Be-Bop Club. They are suspending their normal night, to join with me to put on the gig.

Bath Ales are sponsoring this event, enabling us to keep ticket prices at our normal level. We are also hoping to ship in a baby grand piano for the evening.

Guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg has been steadily building his name as one of the most compelling composer/performers in Jazz, combining timeless melodicism with forward thinking lines and textures. His style and approach has created a strong following of fans around the globe. He frequently tours worldwide and records with his own groups as well artists such as Dr. Lonnie Smith, who says of Kreisberg Jonathan is a creative guitarist who has been an integral member of my trio for many years. He is a passionate musician with great vision, and he is constantly in fiery pursuit of innovation.

Born in New York City, guitarist and composer Jonathan Kreisberg has fond memories of a childhood steeped in music. I was lucky to grow up in a household that had a great and wide-ranging record collection, he recalls, including Coltrane's My Favourite Things, John Williams playing the ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ and Cream's Disraeli Gears.

Jonathan started playing guitar at the age of ten in Miami. At 16 he was admitted to the New World School of the Arts, where his jazz studies took centre stage. Intensely dedicated to the instrument, he was featured in Guitar Player and Down Beat magazines while still in his teens. He won a scholarship to the University of Miami, where he held the guitar chair in the acclaimed Concert Jazz Band, touring Brazil and performing with Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, and Red Rodney. Upon graduation, Jonathan began playing straight ahead jazz gigs as well as a myriad of other projects. He performed 20th century works with the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas. He also performed extensively with the progressive rock group Third Wish, and formed the first incarnation of the Jonathan Kreisberg Trio. This electric based Trio released a CD and completed several U.S. East Coast tours, which included opening slots for George Benson and Steve Morse.

While still in his early 20's, he returned to his birthplace in NYC with his focus on cutting edge acoustic jazz. Since then, Jonathan has worked in the bands of many jazz greats including Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lee Konitz, Joe Locke, Stefano Dibatista, Ari Hoenig, Joel Frahm, Don Friedman, Greg Tardy, Donald Edwards, Jane Monheit, and Yosvany Terry. He has also led groups of various instrumentations featuring artists such as Bill Stewart, Larry Grenadier, and Scott Wendholt.

Jonathan has now recorded eight albums as a leader, including ONE, his recent all solo guitar CD, and Wave Upon Wave, his latest JKQ offering, which includes alto saxophone genius Will Vinson, pianist Kevin Hays, and the rhythm section team of Rick Rosato and Colin Stranahan and creates modern jazz that combines a respect for the tradition with instrumental virtuosity, modern soundscapes and influences from every corner of the world. When not on tour, Jonathan can be found at his steady Wednesday trio gigs at Bar Next Door in NYC, as well as at the Jazz Standard and Smalls Jazz Club.

At a time when jazz has been to the reaches of the musical universe and back, some would say that it's all been played before and we're currently at a point in the cyclical nature of this Art form when those lesser talents are merely rewriting the past. This is why innovation and individualism are so rare these days and why David Kikoski stands apart from the scores of pianists/keyboardists as well as composers.

Born in 1961 in Milltown, NJ, Dave was part of a musical family and given his first piano lessons at the age of six by his father. In his early teens he began working with jazz and rock groups and won The New Jersey Allstate Jazz Competition. After high school, Kikoski would head to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston where he earned a bachelor's degree in piano. While in Boston he had a steady trio gig and met Pat Matheny who sat in with Dave's trio. Later, in 1994) they would meet up again and record together on Roy Haynes' Te-Vou which also featured Christian McBride and Donald Harrison.

In 1984, the pianist decided to try his hand in New York where it didn't take long for him to establish himself. Roy Haynes would be the first to give Kikoski a break, leading to a productive association that lasts to this day. Dave's first professional recording session in 1986 was Randy Brecker's In the Idiom and featured him in great company with Joe Henderson, Ron Carter, and Al Foster. During his first few years on the New York scene the pianist networked with other musicians leading to a wealth or recording opportunities and touring the world with Roy Haynes, Randy Brecker, Bob Berg ,Red Rodney and many others.

In 1989 Dave recorded his first record as a leader. Presage featured a high-octane trio with Eddie Gomez and Al Foster. His second outing Persistent Dreams was produced by Walter Becker of Steely Dan fame featured a larger ensemble including Randy Brecker and Billy Hart.

During the 90s Dave kept busy recording and touring as a leader as well as a sideman with an enviable cast of jazz luminaries including John Scofield, Ravi Coltrane, Chris Potter, Dave Holland, Mike Stern, Chick Corea, Bill Stewart, Toots Thielemans, Tom Harrell, Gary Thomas, Marcus Miller, Michael Brecker, Pat Martino, Jack Dejohnette and many others. Since 1997, Kikoski has had a chance to further document his artistic growth in a series of releases for the “Criss Cross" label. The Maze featured Jeff "Tain" Watts and Seamus Blake.

In 2001 Roy Haynes invited Dave to join his all-star line-up including Dave Holland, Roy Hargrove, and Kenny Garrett to record and tour. David toured with his own Quintet in Japan and Russia as well as touring with The Brecker Brothers Acoustic Band. The next few years have been very busy with many different projects such as the Randy Brecker/ Bill Evans Soul Bop Band playing summer festivals in Europe. Kikoski played on the Mingus Big Band CD Live at the Jazz Standard, It won the 2011 Grammy Award, Best Large Jazz Ensemble. He has played on over 100 albums including 14 under his name.

David Kikoski continues to foster his individualistic voice while exploring a wide variety of opportunities both as a leader and sideman. He especially wants to emphasize his compositions, further develop opportunities to perform with his own groups, and write for films. An affecting modernist, Kikoski distils the best in jazz and popular music and infuses every song with attention-getting brilliance.

A native of Montreal, bassist Rick Rosato began performing at the age of 18. In 2010, he graduated from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City. In the fall of 2010, he led a three-month-long artist series at the Upstairs Jazz Club in Montreal, where he played original compositions and formed different groups featuring some of today’s most influential voices in jazz. He now performs internationally with groups such as Stranahan/Zaleski/Rosato, Jonathan Kreisberg, Ben Van Gelder, Gilad Heksleman, Shai Maestro, and Will Vinson. Rick has also performed with Ari Hoenig, Billy Hart, Aaron Parks, Aaron Goldberg, Tigran Hamasyan, Mike Moreno, Lage Lund, and Jeff Ballard. In the summer of 2014, Rick competed for the TD Jazz Award at the Montreal International Jazz Festival with his own trio and won the Galaxie Jazz Award for best composition with his original entitled New Untitled. He is currently living in New York City where he is actively performing and teaching.

Born in Denver Colorado, drummer and composer Colin Stranahan has always been surrounded by music. After receiving the prestigious National Foundation Advancement of the Arts Presidential Scholar award in 2005, he studied at the University of the Pacific for one year as a Brubeck Institute Fellow. Shortly thereafter, he attended the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Stranahan was also one of the winners of the 2012 Thelonious Monk Drum Competition. Now living in Brooklyn, New York, Colin is among the most sought-after drummers in the world working with such artists as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jonathan Kreisberg, Fred Hersch, Terence Blanchard, Dave Kikoski, Kevin Hays, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and many others. He is part of a collective trio featuring some of the most talented and praised young musicians in New York City: The Stranahan/Zaleski/Rosato Trio. Stranahan currently holds adjunct teaching positions at the Aarhus Royal Academy of Music, and London’s Royal Academy of Music, where he teaches both private lessons, and ensemble teaching.

A sensitive and precise drummer, he moves around his left-handed kit with aplomb, his warm haze of cymbals punctuated by a crackling snare. Whether playing with Kurt Rosenwinkel or his collaborative trio, Stranahan has established himself as a force to be reckoned with behind the kit. While Stranahan may be best known for his work in hard-grooving, post-bop settings, there is another side to his musical personality, a side that is impressionistic and mysterious.

jonathankreisberg.com

This gig is sponsored by Bath Ales
and is presented in association with The Be-Bop Club