Medland/wheatcroft/leak Quintet at Live At Zédel

For Live at Zedels French Festival 2020, five of the UK’s top Jazz and Manouche musicians come together in homages to the band of Parisian Jazz legends Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli.

The show features young rising star Violinist Tobie Medland, British Guitar legend John Wheatcroft and internationally renowned Pianist Sam Leak. They are joined by the impenetrable rhythm section of Cornelius Corkery (Rhythm Guitar) and Simon Read (Double Bass).

They will perform some of the Django and Stephane's best loved compositions as well as Jazz standards of the era, and a selection of some of the modern repertoire....

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For Live at Zedels French Festival 2020, five of the UK’s top Jazz and Manouche musicians come together in homages to the band of Parisian Jazz legends Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli.

The show features young rising star Violinist Tobie Medland, British Guitar legend John Wheatcroft and internationally renowned Pianist Sam Leak. They are joined by the impenetrable rhythm section of Cornelius Corkery (Rhythm Guitar) and Simon Read (Double Bass).

They will perform some of the Django and Stephane's best loved compositions as well as Jazz standards of the era, and a selection of some of the modern repertoire.

Django and Stephane’s Quintette du Hot Club de France provided the iconic soundtrack to Jazz age Paris. To this day they remain two of the most influential and loved figures in European music history.

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Tobie Medland:
Initially trained in composition from the Royal College of Music Junior Department and University of Leeds, young Violinist Tobie is rapidly becoming a recognised figure on the UK Jazz Manouche scene. This has led him to release several recordings with his French/American cross over Jazz quartet, and tour Eastern Europe with members of the Hot Club of Belgrade, as well as perform prolifically across the UK. Tobie is currently curator of the Gypsy Jazz Festival of London 2020 and principal Violinist of the Huddersfield Bach Collegium for their 2019-2020 season.

John Wheatcroft:
John leads a busy double life as an artist and educator. He has performed with artists as diverse as Billy Cobham (Miles Davis), Alex Acuña, John Williams and Frank Gambale (Chick Corea), as well as toured the world with both Carl Palmer (ELP) and John Jorgenson (Elton John/Hellecasters). John is a regular contributor to Guitar Techniques UK, along with contributing numerous lessons for Guitarist UK, Guitar Part (France) and Guitar World (USA). He is also head of Guitar at BIMM London and a visiting lecturer for the University of West London (London College of Music) and Chester University. Recently John released his debut acoustic album, Ensemble Futur, to critical acclaim.

Sam Leak:
Described by JazzFM’s Helen Mayhew as “one of the brightest stars in the Jazz piano galaxy,” Sam’s eponymous 2011 debut album was listed in MOJO Magazine as one of the “top ten international releases of the year.” The 2013 follow up, “Places,” was described by the Guardians John Fordham as “surefooted creativity…way beyond respectful expertise,” and by BBC Music Magazine’s Daniel Spicer as “assured and sophisticated acoustic jazz with deep roots in the tradition, that knows exactly what it’s trying to do – and succeeds.” Self-professed fan Jamie Cullum introduced Leak’s cohort as “the heavyweights of the British Jazz scene,” in his regular BBC broadcast. In 2018 Leak released “Adrift,” a duet with New York’s Dan Tepfer, a long-time collaborator of legendary saxophonist Lee Konitz.

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Ticket: £20
Music start: 21.15hrs
Run time: 85 minutes, including short interval.

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