Brennie Richards|
Bands Brennie is available in various musical combinations: Quartet: with piano, bass and drums - possibly adding trumpet or saxophone Trio: with bass and guitar or piano Duo: with guitarist or pianist "BrennieZinha" Brazilian jazz combo (up to 7 piece) for functions and partying! Musicians' Biogs: The Trio on the album "HighWire": Pete White - piano Pete White grew up the musical town of Hastings in East Sussex, a self taught pianist who discovered jazz playing with bebop alto saxophonist Pete Burden in his teens with other local jazz alumni Jack Peach (drums), Roger Carey (bass) and Trumpet/Flugel players Del Turner and Tony Cameron). Pete spent several years touring and playing in Canada and Europe and dines out on the story that in 1968 he was nominated for jazz soloist award at 1st Festival National Du Jazz Universitaire in Paris – except that the (2nd) French Revolution started that day and of course overshadowed this "great" event!! Undaunted, Pete returned to the UK and continued playing, writing and arranging. Pete has played with some 'legends' in his time - Kenny Wheeler, Peter King, Dick Heckstall Smith, Stan Robinson, Spike Wells, and Don Weller. His recent collaborations also include bands led by bassist Terry Pack, tenor sax players Stan Robinson and Rob Leake and alto sax players Pete Burden and Amy Leake. Pete has recently finished his book of “All Possible Scales” - which is currently under offer of publication. Terry Pack – double bass Terry began playing electric bass at 15 and then moved to contrabass. He has vast experience playing and recording in many music genres from rock and country to jazz and pop. Eclectic credits include Grahame Bonnet, Kim Wilde, Tom Robinson, KC and the Sunshine Band and Blue Mink vocalist, Madeleine Bell as well as Bonnie Tyler, Claire Hamill and Chris Thompson and a 25 year tenure with blues singer and harmonica player Johnny Mars with whom he still tours every summer in Europe. Jazz credits include Liane Carroll, Ian Skidmore, Peter King, Art Themen, Julian Siegal, Ian Price and Phil Hudson. Terry has recently recorded an album of original tunes on Symbol Records called “What Happens Now?” Sam Glasson- drums Sam was awarded a BA in Music from Brunel University and has been principal percussionist with the Brighton Youth Orchestra with whom he toured Europe. He now specialises in jazz and latin drumming and Afro Cuban percussion and timbales and is much in demand playing regularly with latin outfits Bazeado, Sambossa, Los Mofious and Deep Mamboo and jazz groups led by Lawrence Jones, Mike McCoy and Terry Seabrook. He currently also teaches for the Brighton & Hove Music Service and the Centre of Contemporary Music in Brighton. The Guest Soloists on the album "HighWire" Paul Christmas - trumpet Paul studied music at Trinity College, London and the Guildhall School, London jazz course. He spent 5 years playing in Monte Carlo with the resident orchestra playing with the many visiting star performers including Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Donna Summer and Burt Bacharach. Paul currently teaches music and in higher education in Essex and gigs and tours with many British jazz players including Matt Wates, Paul Jones and Rick Astley. Stan Robinson – tenor saxophone Stan is one of the great tenor saxophone players in this country today – acclaimed by fellow musicians and jazz pundits alike as a wonderful virtuoso performer. Stan’s long and impressive career started at Manchester’s Club 43 and at the age of 23 he made a name for himself in London as a prodigious young talent appearing at Ronnie Scott’s Club in the 60’s. He has worked with the Phil Seamen Quintet, Tubby Hayes’ Big Band, John Burch’s Octet, Long John Baldry, Sandy Brown, Humphrey Lyttelton, Don Rendell and the BBC Radio Orchestra and has toured the US Tour with Maynard Ferguson. He has also toured with King Curtis and Aretha Franklin, worked and recorded with the Francy Boland Big Band, accompanied various US musicians visiting the UK including Dizzy Gillespie, Andy Williams and Tony Bennett. He worked in Ian Henry’s Quartet and made two tours of the US with the Charlie Watts’ Orchestra. Stan has worked extensively on the UK jazz scene with his own quartets over the years and still regularly plays at Ronnie Scott’s Club. Stan has also recently released his CD “Ourselves” featuring Geoff Castle on Piano. Other musicians I regularly work with: Andy Williams - guitar Andy
first picked up the guitar at 13 and by the age of 18 had embarked
on a serious musical career. He
started working in local jazz bands and joined an established
function band playing in Tony MacDonnell - drums Tony
was the first drummer to graduate from the Jazz & Light Music
course at Leeds College of Music and then went on to complete a post
graduate teaching course at Hull University, teaching in Humberside
and North Yorks in classrooms and as a peripatetic drum and
percussion teacher. Tony
has worked on TV, Radio and studio recording, touring and rep
theatres, in corporate and private functions and with major British
pop artists. He is currently playing for theatre shows and functions
and small group jazz with, among others, the Mike Hatchard Trio,
Brennie Richards Jazz Quartet and Rob and Simon Webster - percussionist Simon Webster has a unique range of percussion skills, fluent in African, South American and Middle Eastern rhythms in addition to most popular western styles. His versatility and experience make him an ideal performer and writer. He was recognised as one of the top performers in his field in France, where he lived and worked as a professional musician before recently moving back to the UK. This versatility sees him playing with such diverse artists as Rolf Harris, Hassan Erraji from Morocco and Abdullah Chhadeh from Syria. With the latter, he has travelled extensively and has played at major festivals in both Europe and North America including WOMAD in both Spain and the UK (Reading). His work has continued and developed in London where Simon has established himself as a leader in the field of world music percussion and drums. For bookings of duo, quartet or BrennieZinha please contact me at: Tel: 07743 709147
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