Jean Toussaint Quartet at Bristol Beacon

Since Jean Toussaint left Art Blakey's 'Jazz Messengers' in 1986 he hasn't looked back. Nor has he spent a career trying to repeat the past.
The experiences gained in that world-class hothouse have enabled him to push forward and embrace challenging and often high-profile musical collaborations in many different jazz styles.

With him in the Jazz Messengers were; Terence Blanchard, Mulgrew Miller and others. While in New York, Jean also worked with Gil Evans, McCoy Tyner and Wynton Marsalis. In 1987 he left Blakey to come to England for a few months. He stayed....

Jean has since toured with many visiting Americans including Max Roach, Cedar Walton and David Murray as well as with his own bands....

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Since Jean Toussaint left Art Blakey's 'Jazz Messengers' in 1986 he hasn't looked back. Nor has he spent a career trying to repeat the past.
The experiences gained in that world-class hothouse have enabled him to push forward and embrace challenging and often high-profile musical collaborations in many different jazz styles.

With him in the Jazz Messengers were; Terence Blanchard, Mulgrew Miller and others. While in New York, Jean also worked with Gil Evans, McCoy Tyner and Wynton Marsalis. In 1987 he left Blakey to come to England for a few months. He stayed....

Jean has since toured with many visiting Americans including Max Roach, Cedar Walton and David Murray as well as with his own bands.
In the UK his collaboration work includes Julian Joseph, Jason Rebello, Orphy Robinson, Bheki Mseleku and many others.

Toussaint is also an experienced jazz educator, teaching at The Guildhall, Trinity College and Birmingham Conservatoire, as well the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Jean's NEW Quartet plays swinging, surging straight-ahead contemporary jazz with a strong emphasis on melody.

"Art Blakey used to say 'it doesn't matter how complex you want to play, as long as you swing and play from the heart' then he'd cite the great John Coltrane as an example. I owe it all to the great Art Blakey and I'll be a Jazz Messenger for life." Jean Toussaint

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