London-born, US-based bass player and record producer Janek Gwizdala is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after jazz bassists of our time. Janek has been on the international music scene for over twenty years, touring as a band leader and working as a musical director or sideman with some of the most respected names in the industry. These include Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, Carlos Santana, Hiram Bullock, John Mayer, Airto Moreira, Chuck Loeb, Peter Erskine, Flora Purim, Pat Metheny, Eric Marienthal, Billy Cobham, Chad Wackerman, Bob James, John Patitucci, Rick Margitza, Bob Mintzer, Bob Reynolds, Mitch Forman, Bob Sheppard, Mark Turner, Tosin Abasi, Aaron Parks, Marcus Miller, Jojo Mayer, Paul Shafer, Delta Goodrem, Adam Rogers, Gregoire Maret, Clarence Penn, Gretchen Parlato, Horacio El Negro Hernandez, Donny McCaslin, Lenny Castro, Kazumi Watanabe, Brandon Fields, Mark Guiliana, Ronny Jordan, Luis Conte, Dennis Chambers, Lionel Loueke, Kenny Werner, Eric Harland, Steve Smith, Vital Information, Benny Greb, Kenwood Dennard, and Wayne Krantz. As a recording artist, Janek has released twelve albums as a band leader; as an author, has published thirteen critically acclaimed books; and has toured the world extensively as both a musician and a lecturer & clinician at the world’s leading educational establishments. In addition to live appearances with The Janek Gwizdala Trio, which includes pianist Tom Cawley (Peter Gabriel, Trudy Kerr, Acoustic Ladyland) and drummer Cliff Almond (Patti Labelle, Chris Potter, Michel Camilo, Tito Puente, Wayne Krantz, Eddie Palmieri, Chuck Loeb, Tom Scott, Michael Brecker), Janek will be performing internationally in projects with Bob Reynolds and Steve Smith throughout the rest of 2023. Janek will undoubtedly have a stellar year in 2024, appearing at the world's leading festivals and clubs, both with his own projects and alongside other celebrated artists. Early booking is advised!

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Joe Locke is widely considered to be one of the major voices of his instrument. He has performed and recorded with a diverse range of notable musicians, including Grover Washington Jr, Raul Midón, Kenny Barron, Eddie Henderson, Cecil Taylor, Dianne Reeves, Eddie Palmieri, Ron Carter, Bobby Hutcherson, The Beastie Boys, the Münster Symphony Orchestra, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the Orchestra da Camera della Sardegna and the Lincoln, Nebraska Symphony. Long known to be a soloist capable of stunning physical power and broad emotional range, it was not until the last decades that he emerged as the composer, bandleader and conceptualist that he is considered today. This is in no small part due to his solo projects since the beginning of the 2000s: ‘Four Walls of Freedom’, the EarShot award-winning ‘Live in Seattle’ with its 2012 successor ‘Signing’, and the chamber trio release ‘VIA’ can be attributed to the talents of Locke’s exceptional collaborators and to the leader’s musical philosophy which is to honor tradition while keeping both feet planted in the present and future. The foundation of Locke’s vast spectrum is his immense stylistic versatility and ability to create artistic depth in a variety of contexts, having performed in an array of projects from symphonic recordings and poetry-inspired suites, to jazz radio chart-topping blues and ballads collections and high-energy, rock-like fusion. His newest release, ‘Makram’, is a deeply emotive work and focuses largely on original music, with classics by Cole Porter and Billy Strayhorn bookending the recording, celebrating Locke’s unique ability to marry the complex with the familiar. Locke is a six-time recipient of the Jazz Journalists Association’s Mallet Instrumentalist of the Year Award, has received two Earshot Golden Ear Awards for Concert of the Year and the 2013 Hot House NYC Jazz Awards for Best Vibes Player, and keeps topping critics and readers polls. He holds the title of Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy Of Music (Hon ARAM), London, and is an active clinician and educator in the United States and in Europe. In 2016 Joe was honoured with induction into the Music Hall of Fame of his hometown Rochester, NY. Joe will tour Europe in 2024, supporting the release of Makram, his latest album featuring a selection of new compositions and a return to his celebrated quartet with pianist Jim Ridl, bassist Lorin Cohen, and drummer Samvel Sarkisyan.

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'Patrick Hayes' Crusaders,' a band featuring some of the UK's finest session musicians, is a tribute to the legendary 1970s horn-led Houston Jazz-Funk group The Crusaders. The Crusaders trombone/tenor sax frontline became their trademark, mixing R&B and Memphis soul elements with hard bop, they were international jazz festival stars, appearing at many of the world's celebrated jazz events over their 50+ years in the business. Patrick Hayes' Crusaders cover all eras of the band's history, from the early Jazz Crusaders material to the Street Life years of the 1980s. Since their formation in 2019, the band has performed at venues and festivals all over the UK and abroad, and they are regulars at London's Ronnie Scott's. Members of the band have performed and recorded with Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Hans Zimmer, Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Sting, and many others. Patrick Hayes is a well-known multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger in a variety of musical genres on the London music scene. Over the years, he has performed, recorded, or arranged for a diverse range of commercial artists, including Chaka Khan, Christina Aguilera, Sir Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Paul Carrack, Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Phil Ramone, The O'Jays, Hamish Stuart, The Lighthouse Family, and James Taylor Quartet, as well as jazz artists Snarky Puppy, Curtis Stigers, Gregory Porter, Gerard Presencer, Dave Douglas, Nestor Saxophonist Jonny Griffiths joins Patrick in the Crusader’s front line and together they are part of the top UK horn section Triple H Horns – famous for working with Chaka Khan, Christina Aguilera, Chromeo, Disciples, Tayla Parx/Harloe, A-Trak, Dave Taylor: Switch/Sarah Ruba (Diary Records), FKJ, Sir Tom Jones and many others.

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Celebrated international artists also booking through Funkgurus Artist Management. Grainger - The Grainger brothers have become one of the most sought-after and respected rhythm sections in the world. (Whitney Houston, Acoustic Alchemy, Kim Waters, Peaches & Herb, Lonnie Liston Smith, Pockets, Earth Wind & Fire, Santana, John Schofield, Bill Evans, Mike Stern, Robben Ford.) Kim Waters - Chart-Topping Saxophonist Kim Waters is heralded as “Simply one of the planet’s best saxophonists” by JazzTimes Magazine. The prolific chart-topping saxophonist, composer and producer has enjoyed a career for three decades and has reigned as one of the premier architects of Urban Smooth and Contemporary Jazz. Reach for It - is a celebration of a master musician George Duke. Impeccable ensemble musicianship combines with Brazilian vibes, friendly funk and some very groovy jazz. Featuring heavyweight UK session players Carl Hudson, Winston Blissett (Massive Attack), Karlos Edwards, Geoff Dunn and guest vocalists such as Imaani from Incognito. Nim Sadot Pays homage to his roots in his newest project - a hypnotic sonic tapestry that blends traditional influences with a forward-looking and contemporary approach. Originally from Israel, Nim has played with some of the top names in the jazz world including Harvey Mason (USA), Marlene (Japan,CBS,SONY), Snow Boy (UK), Makoto Kuriya (Japan) and Tony Lakatos. Tamil Rogeon is a violinist and composer, whose work traverses classical, jazz and electronic traditions. His soaring 2020 modal jazz record, Son of Nyx, was album of the week on Jazz FM UK and PBS FM and featured on BBC6. The record was praised in Jazzwise, for its ‘sumptuous string arrangements and celestial vocal choir’ and described as “deep, modal jazz with a gloriously cosmic vibe". Tamil returns in 2024 with Wave Theory, joining forces with Son of Nyx friends and new collaborators, including celebrated trumpeter and label-mate Audrey Powne Listeners can expect the same modal experiments, driving percussion and cosmic synths of Son of Nyx as well as new and exhilarating experiments in electric string instrumentation.

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Paul Booth is an award-winning, leading solo saxophonist, composer and first-call sideman for numerous major contemporary music artists. He currently performs his own music with a number of different groups and in 2004, released his first solo album, ‘It’s Happening’, which was followed by the albums ‘No Looking Back’ (2007), ‘Pathways’ (2009), ‘Trilateral’ (2011), 'Patchwork Project' (2015) and ’Travel Sketches’ (2019), all of which were extremely well received. Paul’s ability to blend into any musical environment coupled with his talents as a multi-instrumentalist has led to him being regularly chosen to perform and record with many well-known artists, including; The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, The Allman Brothers Band, Bonnie Raitt, Chaka Khan, Kylie Minogue, Jamiroquai, Gregory Porter, and Barry Manilow, to name but a few. Additionally, Paul is known for his work with Incognito, Brand New Heavies, The BBC Big Band, the Michael Janisch Quintet and the Ryan Quigley Quintet. He has held the lead tenor sax position for the worldwide smash hit show, Riverdance, and has been a key member of the Steve Winwood band from 2005 until now. With his new album, entitled ‘44’ coming out in spring 2002 and an incredible 1.6M hits on his previous record, Paul Booth is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and talented saxophonists of his generation. Paul can appear with;- The Paul Booth Quartet The Paul Booth Quintet/Octet. Patchwork Project – 6-piece world music group TRYPL - Superb horn section based band featuring Ryan Quigley & Trevor Mires Bansangu Orchestra - World music big band Organ Trio - with Ross Stanley and Andrew Bain.

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Singer/Songwriter Ola Onabulé, is one of the finest vocalists and contemporary artists of our time, and as a performer, he has gained worldwide critical acclaim as a singer, songwriter and producer, With an enviable career as an international touring performer. Ola’s meticulous attention to detail in his arrangements and production as well as the support from Sennheiser/Neumann have contributed to the manifestation of an impressive catalogue of recordings. So embodies the artistic – and entrepreneurial – philosophy of Onabulé, Ola is a rugged individualist, a deeply soulful musician who has absorbed the surround sound of his youth – jazz, world, Soul and Pop – and incorporated key elements into his distinctive style. Ola is direct and passionate, confident in his ability to sell a song with conviction. This should surprise no one. Onabulé’s performance history is vast. A host of winning projects with small groups and the big bands and orchestras of his songs with Cologne (WDR), Stuttgart (SWR), Frankfurt (HRBB), Denmark (DRBB), and other prestigious aggregates animate his resume, as do the concert halls and international festivals that routinely invite him to perform – Montreal, Vancouver, San Sebastian, Washington, Istanbul, San Sebastian, Umbria, and London among them and concert halls worldwide. Ola’s reach is global and he has emerged as a musician’s musician, possessing a range and aptitude that place him on that shortlist of special artist, vocalist and entertainer. Ola’s three-and-a-half octave baritone, the powerful emotions he conveys with it, and his elegant appearance connect with audiences around the world. Whether in person or on record, Onabulé gives his all, which includes a thoughtful interpretation of his experiences and the world around him. Onabulé’s new album, Proof of Life, produced and recorded by Ola at Casa Del Funk Studios and co-written with renowned guitarist NICOLAS MEIER will be released in May 2025. Meier’s versatility and musical fluency extends well beyond that, so much so, that his considerable talents drew the attention of rock guitar legend, Jeff Beck, who made Nicolas a mainstay in The Jeff Beck Group — carrying him on two world tours during the course of the last several years.) The project will tour internationally as a quartet/quintet during 2025. PROOF OF LIFE is Mixed and mastered by renowned US producer George Whitty and will release with International PR and marketing support from hubtone PR in New York and Crossover media for Europe. Distribution will be through Orchard Sony.

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Exceptional pianist/composer and long-term Kyle Eastwood Band member Andrew McCormack has built a diverse international career with many appearances at major festivals and concert halls all over the globe. His latest trio album, 'Terra Firma,' was released in October 2022, with highly successful follow-up UK and Europe tours in 2023. The first single received a positive response, with over 150k streams in the first month alone, and Jazz FM's Dinner Jazz show naming 'Fragile' their track of the week. A new album entitled 'Luminosity' will be released in Spring 2025.  Andrew has toured, recorded and collaborated with an impressive array of internationally established musicians, including Randy Brecker, Quincy Jones, Jamie Cullum, Jean Toussaint, Jason Yarde and most recently Kyle Eastwood, which has seen him contribute to the scores and orchestrations of several Clint Eastwood films. As a leader, his debut album Telescope in 2005 received universal acclaim and earned him a BBC jazz award for rising star the following year, with the pianist later returning to the trio format with a series of critically acclaimed albums including Live In London in 2012 and First Light in 2014. The latter includes a New York rhythm section as evidence of his three-year stay in the city. The pianist teamed up with composer/saxophonist Jason Yarde to form the McCormack & Yarde Duo with their first album release together, MY DUO in 2009. The duo has since gone on to firmly establish itself with international tours and further album releases that have garnered widespread critical recognition for their developments in the genre. Places And Other Spaces was released in 2011 and they followed up in 2013 to feature the Elysian String Quartet on the eclectic, Juntos. In 2020, he released SOLO to across-the-board 4/5 star reviews, adding another strength to his already diverse portfolio. Using a mixture of originals, standard and not-so-standard repertoire, the pianist demonstrates his compelling ideas, composing, and thrilling performances in the stripped-down intimate setting of solo piano. Andrew McCormack has consistently demonstrated a compelling setting for his musical ideas, a platform for virtuosic improvisation, and a constant revivifying and adaptive embodiment of the jazz tradition. Award-winning UK saxophonist Denys Baptiste joined Andrew's trio as a special guest for a series of live shows in 2023, recapturing some of the magic of Denys' epic "Let Freedom Ring" project and his ‘Be where you are’ album, which won two of the UK music industry's most prestigious awards in 1999: a Mercury Music Prize Award for An Album Of The Year plus the MOBO Award for Best Jazz Act. Andrew will perform a run of shows with his trio in 2024/25 with Kyle Eastwood as special guest and a UK/European tour in 2025 to support his new album entitled Luminosity.

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Linn recording artist Claire Martin has to worldwide critical acclaim, established herself as a tour de force on the UK jazz scene gaining many awards, including winning the British Jazz Awards eight times during her career which spans over three decades. In 2018 she was the proud recipient of the BASCA Gold Badge Award for her contribution to jazz. Claire became a professional singer at 19 and two years later realised her dream of singing at Ronnie Scott’s legendary jazz club in London Soho. Signed to the prestigious Glasgow based Linn Records in 1990, Claire has since released 18 CDs with the label, collaborating with musical luminaries including Martin Taylor, John Martyn, Stephane Grappelli, Kenny Barron, Richard Rodney Bennett and Jim Mullen on many of these recordings. Claire has performed worldwide with her trio and, until his death in 2012, worked extensively with the celebrated composer and pianist Sir Richard Rodney Bennett in a cabaret duo setting both in England and the US where they played to sell-out houses at venues including the prestigious Algonquin Hotel in New York City. Claire will release her new album ‘I Watch You Sleep’ which is a collaboration with the American conductor and pianist Scott Dunn and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in March 2023. On this they pay homage to their dear friend Sir Richard by recording his songs alongside songs that Richard loved to perform. Claire will also be performing with her trio of Rob Barron on piano, Jeremy Brown on bass and Mark Taylor on drums recreating the songs from the album and touring the UK throughout the year. Claire appears as a featured soloist with the Halle Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the RTE Concert Orchestra, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, the BBC Big Band and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Claire co-presented BBC Radio 3’s flagship jazz program ‘Jazz Line Up’ from 2000 to 2017 and interviewed many of her musical heroes such as Pat Metheny and the late Michael Brecker. At the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2011 Claire was delighted to be awarded an OBE for her Services to Jazz. Claire was thrilled to win both the 2009 and 2010 ‘Best Vocalist’ category at the British Jazz Awards and toured extensively throughout the UK, Scandinavia, Russia and China, appearing with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and her world-class trio. Claire’s live projects for 2025 include;- The continuation of her 2024 tour of Europe with her accomplished Swedish trio, led by the exceptional pianist and arranger Martin Sjöstedt, for their latest collaborative endeavor - 'Almost in Your Arms' (Stunt Records). Uppsala-born pianist/arranger Martin Sjöstedt leads the trio comprising bassist Niklas Fernqvist and drummer Daniel Fredriksson. Sjöstedt, one of Sweden’s most gifted and talked about jazz musicians, has created imaginative new arrangements of contemporary material exclusively for this exciting project. iG4 is a new intergenerational band of four of the UK's finest jazz talent sharing their love of great songs and composers. Vocalist Claire Martin OBE joins multi-award-winning pianist and composer Nikki Iles, much-in-demand saxophonist Karen Sharp, and rising star bassist Ewan Hastie, who won the BBC's Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2022. Brand new arrangements written for this project by Nikki will shine a light on classic repertoire from Tom Waits to Burch Bacharach, Anthony Newly, and Joni Mitchell, as well as stylish reworkings from the great writers of the American songbook, including Cole Porter and Johnny Mandel. Claire also continues to team up with the legendary Scottish guitarist Jim Mullen for an intimate night of great American songbook classics and other lesser-known gems. Joined by in-demand bassist Adam King offering a swinging and soulful night of classic songs celebrating songwriters from Cole Porter to Donald Fagan. Claire's Duo with Ian Shaw - 'A Century Of Song' brings these two award-winning jazz singers together after their initial meeting over 25 years ago. Alongside their highly successful solo careers, they have forged a musical partnership that has performed from New York to Vietnam and celebrates a hundred years of popular song - from the songs of hope written during The First World War to the American Songbook and Beatles, Bowie and Joni Mitchell. With just Ian's piano as accompaniment, this will be a musical evening to be remembered for a long time.

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The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) is considered by many to be one of Europe’s foremost contemporary big bands. Founder/Director Tommy Smith established the SNJO in 1995 as a not-for-profit organisation with a crystal clear artistic vision and core values of versatility, discipline and expression. It should therefore come as no surprise that many of the leading lights in world jazz have enthusiastically shared the stage with the SNJO. People like Jazzmeia Horn, Cleo Laine, Jacqui Dankworth, John Scofield, Gary Burton, Bobby Watson, Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, Bill Evans, Mike Stern, Bob Mintzer, Keith Tippett, Branford Marsalis, Joe Locke and many more have all joined the orchestra to explore virtually every room in the house of the jazz. The SNJO repertoire has included re-imaginings of works by the great, the good and the gigantic, including Weather Report, Herman, Rich, Carter, Strayhorn, Goodman, Kenton, Basie, Gillespie, Mingus, Jaco, Corea, Monk, Metheny, Shorter, Miles and Coltrane. They have also recorded vivid interpretations of Mozart, Prokofiev, Piazzolla, Gershwin and Ellington to rave reviews and have built a growing library of original compositions underpinned by a deep understanding and appreciation of improvisation. The mission of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra is to cultivate and expand the community for orchestral jazz, through creative performance and education, inspiring and growing audiences, enhancing the reputation of jazz from Scotland on the world stage. Please get in touch below to learn more about booking opportunities for the following SNJO touring shows. Apr 2024 RSNO Collaboration - RHAPSODY IN BLUE with Makoto Ozone Sep 2024 Kurt Elling Swings The Classics Nov 2024 New Perspectives of Ellingtonia (new commissions) Jan 2025 Discovering The Genius of Dundee’s Jimmy Duechar Mar 2025 ‘21 SPICES’ featuring Indian Percussionist Trilok Gurtu

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MOBO and Mercury award-winning UK saxophonist Denys Baptiste has a colossal talent - based on a powerful technique and an ability to improvise fluently and effortlessly across a wide range of musical styles. From the moment he joined the London jazz circuit, Denys displayed extraordinary talent, energy and commitment. Spotted by veteran Jazz Warriors double bassist, Gary Crosby at the bassist’s regular Tomorrow’s Warriors jam sessions, Denys was immediately invited to join Crosby’s new band, Nu Troop. Since then, Denys has soared in his development as a soloist and bandleader, earning enormous respect from his peers. Over the years, Denys has evolved into what Time Magazine describes as “the icon of British jazz”, with a most distinctive and immediately recognisable sound. A much sought-after soloist, Denys has played/recorded with some of the biggest names in jazz and other genres including McCoy Tyner, Andrew Hill, Ernest Ranglin, Bheki Mseleku, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Michael Bowie, Courtney Pine, Manu Dibango, Gary Crosby, Steve Williamson, Julian Joseph, Jason Rebello, Martin Taylor, Lonnie Plaxico, Ralph Moore, Billy Higgins, Jerry Dammers, Sean Oliver, Jean Carne, Marlena Shaw, Noel McCoy, Juliet Roberts, Incognito, Jazz Jamaica, and others of distinction. Denys is also an enormously talented composer/arranger, whose brilliant compositions have already earned him immense critical acclaim. Be Where You Are – his 1999 debut album on independent jazz label, Dune Records – earned him a Mercury Music Prize for An Album Of The Year and a MOBO award for Best Jazz Act. He followed this in 2001 with his second album, Alternating Currents (Dune Records DUNECD05) also receiving great critical acclaim. 2003 saw the release of his third, and perhaps most ambitious, recording/touring project to date: Commissioned by the Cheltenham Jazz Festival/Jerwood Foundation ‘Let Freedom Ring!’ is an inspirational, uplifting suite combining contemporary jazz, gospel, blues and was nominated for Best Album and Best New Work in the BBC Jazz Awards, for Best Jazz Act in the MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Awards, and Best Album in the UK Parliamentary Jazz Awards. Denys’ current touring projects include;- - Late Trane – a powerful and commanding new reimagining and reworking of ten carefully chosen compositions from John Coltrane’s late music (from 1963 - 1967) with a fresh and modern new interpretation. - A special tribute to American legend Joe Henderson’s Blue Note albums featuring Byron Wallen, Bruno Heinen, Larry Bartley and Winston Clifford. - Triumvirate sees Denys team up with Larry Bartley and Cassius Cobbson as they take quality songs of the recent past and reinterpret them in trio format to ‘present familiar material in an unfamiliar way’. The arrangements are fluid improvised pieces that from such diverse artists as Gnarls Barkley, Cindy Lauper, Bill Withers and many others. 2023 saw Denys join The Andrew McCormack Trio as a special guest for a series of live shows, recapturing some of the magic of Denys' epic "Let Freedom Ring" project and his ‘Be where you are’ albums.

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Bassist Reggie Washington was a key participant in the Modern Jazz revolution of the ’80s and ’90s. He became known touring, recording, and performing with Steve Coleman, Branford Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Chico Hamilton, Oliver Lake, Cassandra Wilson, Don Byron, Jean-Paul Bourelly, Lester Bowie, and Ronald Shannon Jackson. In 2005, Reggie began successfully touring with his own bands. They were a mix of American & European musicians such as Ravi Coltrane, Gene Lake, Stéphane Galland, Jef Lee Johnson, Erwin Vann, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, E.J Strickland, Jozef Dumoulin, Skoota Warner, Matthew Garrison, Marcus Strickland, Jason Lindner, Poogie Bell, and Ronny Drayton. A versatile, 360-degree musician, Reggie plays Jazz, Funk, R&B, Blues, World, and Experimental music with a natural and contagious energy. His bass lines are both sophisticated and explicit. He is diligent in his work and enjoys mixing people of different cultures as a way to enhance music by learning from others and sharing ideas. 
 Reggie is currently touring with Archie Shepp, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, The Headhunters, Alex Tassel, Dana Leong, Hervé Samb, Brian Jackson’s New Midnight Band “Tribute to Gil Scott Heron”, Rokia Traoré, Randy Brecker, Stanley Jordan, and gospel diva Liz McComb. Reggie Washington is available for workshops/masterclasses and private lessons all over the world. He will discuss styles and techniques to small or medium size groups and also perform pieces from his repertoire for students to observe and analyze. This kind of intensive educational exchange is always an interesting and rewarding experience for musicians and students alike.

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On arrival by critics as the toughest and most creative group of his career, Tommy Smith’s KARMA sees the brilliant Scottish saxophonist lead a band of virtuosic musicians on a deeply grooving acid jazz adventure that draws on influences from around the world. Comprising Tommy Smith on tenor and soprano saxophones and Shakuhachi flute, mega-talented pianist and keyboardist Peter Johnstone, six-string bass guitar sensation Kevin Glasgow and jet-powered drummer Alyn Cosker, KARMA presents the music of gobsmacking energy and superb inventiveness. Writing for these musicians has given Smith a new edge. KARMA’S ten brand new compositions, while acknowledging past masters including Weather Report and Michael Brecker, drive forward concisely and urgently into the urban club culture of the current age with occasional pauses in a chill-out zone that evokes Smith’s native Scottish landscapes and Japanese meditation rites. This is invigorating music of high quality presented with authoritative skill and boundless vitality and imagination by musicians playing at a creative peak, a truly KARMIC experience. Tommy Smith OBE is one of the world’s leading saxophonists. A presence on the global jazz scene since his teenage years, when he toured internationally with vibes virtuoso Gary Burton’s Whiz Kids quintet, Smith has gone on to record with the definitive jazz label, Blue Note and work with myriad jazz greats, including Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorius, Dame Cleo Laine, John Scofield, Randy Brecker, Jack DeJohnette, Arild Andersen, Dizzy Gillespie and Trilok Gurtu to name but a few.

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The Miguel Gorodi Quintet features some of the most distinctive voices on the UK jazz scene. With a growing repertoire of originals by Gorodi and jazz compositions by Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Andrew Hill, Woody Shaw, Dizzy Gillespie & Eric Dolphy, their live performances pack a punch and allow space for each musician to excel. Featuring Nathaniel Facey on Saxophone, Alcyona Mick on Piano, Calum Gourlay on Bass & James Maddren on drums, the band recently played to a sold-out crowd at London’s Vortex and plan to tour the UK and Europe in 2025. Signed to Ubuntu Music, Gorodi has been a sideman and soloist at sessions throughout Europe including, Scandinavia and Russia. As an in-demand trumpeter, his versatility has seen him work across many styles of music with projects and musicians such as Ian Shaw, Jamie Callum, BBC Big Band, Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra, Barry Green Sextet, SEED Ensemble, Yazz Ahmed, Femi Temowo, Kansas Smitty’s House Band, London City Big Band, Hackney Colliery Band, The Ticklers, Riot Jazz and many others. Nathaniel Facey, one of the UK’s most impressive saxophonists, has worked with Jack DeJohnette and Jason Moran, and is a founding member of the multi-award-winning group Empirical. Described by MOJO as 'an unusual powerhouse of a talent', Alcyona Mick is a London-based pianist and composer, recently nominated for a Parliamentary Jazz Instrumentalist award and has performed internationally for many years. As well as co-leading a duo with saxophonist Tori Freestone, Alcyona currently works with a wide array of artists and bands including the London Jazz Orchestra, Natacha Atlas, Randolph Matthews, Brigitte Beraha Lucid Dreamers, Josephine Davies, Perfect Stranger, the Casimir Connection, Kate Shortt, Paul Clarvis/Stuart Hall trio, Zeroclassikal and many others. London-based double bassist and composer Calum Gourlay is known for his deep warm tone and has become a mainstay on the London jazz scene while performing with the Kit Downes Trio, The Tommy Smith Group, Will Vinson, The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra featuring Joe Lovano and John Scofield. Calum also works with Kurt Elling, Martin Speake, Martin Kershaw and Sheila Jordan. Currently one of Europe’s first-call drummers, James Maddren has shared the stage with many artists and ensembles including Gwilym Simcock, Kit Downes Trio, Jacob Collier, Marc Copland/Stan Sulzmann Quartet, The Mark McKnight Organ Quartet featuring Seamus Blake. Funkgurus are delighted to represent the Miguel Gorodi Quintet Internationally.

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Tommy Smith, OBE is one of the world’s leading saxophonists.  A presence on the global jazz scene since his teenage years, when he toured internationally with vibes virtuoso Gary Burton’s Whiz Kids quintet, Smith has gone on to record with the definitive jazz label, Blue Note and work with myriad jazz greats, including Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorius, Dame Cleo Laine, John Scofield, Randy Brecker, Jack DeJohnette, Arild Andersen, Dizzy Gillespie and Trilok Gurtu to name but a few. Since leaving Berklee College of Music, an experience that shaped his affirmative approach to jazz, he has recorded over thirty solo albums for Blue Note, Linn, ECM and his own Spartacus Record label, toured 50+ countries and performed with many influential figures in modern twentieth-century jazz.  Tommy’s current live projects include spectacular solo acoustic concerts in churches and cathedrals, where he performs a repertoire of jazz ballads, folk tunes, classical themes and Gregorian chants, combined with lively conversation with the audience. His KARMA project with keyboardist Steve Hamilton, six-string bass guitar sensation Kevin Glasgow and jet-powered drummer Alyn Cosker will be back in action for 2024. His excellent duos with pianists Gwilym Simcock, Pete Johnstone and Makoto Ozone, whom Tommy first met as members of Gary Burton’s quartet in the 1980s, perform at festivals worldwide and his Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) is available for larger festivals and events both at home and abroad. Tommy is also available as part of a trio with Norwegian bassist Arild Andersen and drummer Thomas Strønen, which has performed at a number of international festivals, including the North Sea Jazz Festival. Although he is primarily a jazz composer, noted for assertive large-scale pieces such as Torah, World of the Gods, Spirit of Light and Beauty and the Beast, Smith’s work has frequently taken him into other spheres such as classical composition and poetry. He released his symphonic work Modern Jacobite, recorded in Glasgow with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and worked extensively with Glasgow’s inaugural poet laureate, Edwin Morgan to create 55 works of poetry and music. Tommy is founder of the SNJO and Head of Jazz and Professor at Scotland’s Royal Conservatoire. In 2019, he received an Order of the British Empire from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh and in addition to his BBC Heart of Jazz Award, he received two Parliamentary Jazz Awards, and nine Scottish Jazz Awards.

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Throughout an international career starting in the late 1980’s, Grammy-winning saxophonist Tim Garland has become known as a unique polymath in the UK’s music scene. His first break as a saxophonist was joining Ronnie Scott's band at age 23. Later he was to join Chick Corea as a regular member of several globe-trotting projects over a seventeen-year period including The Vigil. Playing tenor and soprano saxes, bass clarinet, and flute, he also won a Grammy for his symphonic orchestrations on Corea’s “The New Crystal Silence” album from 2007. Garland has fulfilled commissions from several of the world's top orchestras, including a double concerto from the LSO, a piano concerto for Gwilym Simcock from The Royal Northern Sinfonia, with whom he went on to record three CDs, a cello and sax concerto from the CBSO, and a sax concerto from the BBC Concert Orchestra. His concert works continue to celebrate the fertile ground between modern composition and jazz. His creative arranging skills have won much praise from such diverse artists as Jean Luc Ponty, John Patitucci, The Royal Holloway and Westminster Choirs, the Catalan National Cobla Group, the LPO, the London Session Orchestra, NYJO as well as Chick Corea. His work is often inspired by, but not limited to, the jazz idiom, whilst his celebrated virtuosity as a saxophonist maintains his position as one of the UK’s most unique and authentic jazz voices. In 2016 he premiered “Re: Focus” (a reimagining of the Getz /Sauter project of 1962 ‘Focus’) to a full house at London’s Wigmore Hall, which in 2020 has been released for public purchase. “Luca’s Winter”, a 100-minute work for big band, was performed at Manchester’s Royal Northern College Of Music (where he held an international post as a research fellow) in which he acted as conductor and narrator. As a band leader and co-leader, he is responsible for much of the output of the groups; Lammas, The Underground Orchestra, Storms / Nocturnes (feat. Joe Locke and Geoffrey Keezer), Acoustic Triangle, the last few years of Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, and Lighthouse, (feat; Gwilym Simcock and Asaf Sirkis). He has won awards and nominations from The Parliamentary Jazz Awards, The Worshipful Company Of Musicians, BASCA’s British Composer Awards, and won CD of the year in 2016 from Jazzwise for his album ONE.

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Born in Israel, Asaf started his professional career as a drummer in the late 80's and played with some of Israel's Jazz luminaries such at Harold Rubin and Alber Beger. A few years after the recording of his first solo album 'One Step Closer' Asaf relocated to the Netherlands, France and finally settled in London around 1999 where he soon became one of the most active Jazz drummers around. During that time Asaf became a founder member of Gilad Atzmon's ‘Orient House Ensemble’ and started his long-time collaborations with renowned saxophonist Tim Garland and pianist Gwilym Simcock. Asaf has been leading his own bands and projects such as 'Asaf Sirkis & the Inner Noise' and since 2016, Asaf has been collaborating and performing with artists such as Makus Reuter, Gary Husband, Dave Holland, Jacob Collier, Tim Garland, Gwilym Simcock, Larry Coryell, Jeff Berlin, John Abercrombie, Bob Sheppard, Norman Watt-Roy (off the Blockheads), Wilco Johnson, Robert Wyatt, Natacha Atlas, Dave Liebman, David Binney, pianist John Taylor, Norma Winstone, Kenny Wheeler, Andy Sheppard and many more. Asaf enjoys a variety of educational work; private lessons, lectures, workshops, seminars, and online teaching as well as being a principal lecturer at the Leeds College of Music and Trinity Laban College of Music (London). In the last decade, he has been studying the art of Konnakol - the South Indian Vocal percussion under master mridangamist Paramasamy Kirupakaran and various other teachers. Asaf has found an easy and clear, step-by-step method of teaching this complex art in a Western context helping many students and professionals overcome rhythmic challenges and develop a strong awareness for rhythm. What is Konnakol? Konnakol - the South Indian vocal-percussion system is a 5000-year-old rhythmic language. It is one of the most effective, direct, and quick ways to understand, internalize, and master rhythm. Konnakol opens a door to another dimension in rhythmic thinking. This amazing technique uses a natural and clear approach to the perception of subdivisions. It will greatly improve physical-mental focus and coordination for any instrumentalist or singer. The rhythmic concept of Konnakol exercises can be practiced anywhere and anytime with or without an instrument: whether you`re touring with your band, traveling by bus or train, or sitting on a bench in the park. “Listening to Asaf at work, two things are immediately obvious: passion and commitment. Blessed with technical skills that are disarmingly under-played, his Middle-Eastern sensibility balances the potentially volcanic with the meditative and reflective. A master of creative surprise, it’s on the edge of your seat listening when Asaf’s in town.” Bill Bruford“ Asaf Sirkis endorses: Istanbul Agop cymbals / Vic Firth sticks / Remo drum heads / Protection Racket cases

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Legendary multi-Grammy and Emmy award-winning bassist Robert Hurst has a career spanning more than 30 years. He has played a key role in the music of artists including Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, Harry Connick Jr., Terence Blanchard, Tony Williams, Nicholas Payton, Sting, Carl Allen, and the legendary Pharaoh Sanders. Currently on stage with Ravi Coltrane, Orrin Evans, Chris Davis, and Diana Krall, Robert is also a highly respected and well-recognized composer, having produced seven acclaimed albums as a leader as well as composing for and appearing on over 30 major motion film and video soundtracks, including “Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen” and “Good Night and Good Luck.” You may also recognize Robert Hurst as the inaugural bassist in the house band of “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno for eight seasons, from 1992 to 1999. In late 2024, Robert's 'BeBob' Records will release an archival studio recording of the "This That and the Third" project with Robert, Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, and Jeff "Tain" Watts. To continue this project, 30 years on, Robert returns to the studio to record new music with the quartet, adding renowned pianist Orrin Evans, with the album set for release in early 2025 and touring the USA and Europe soon after. As a recording musician and producer, Robert has contributed as a performer and/or producer on over 250 diverse and critically acclaimed recordings. A select group of these productions have garnered seven GRAMMY® Awards, several RIAA ® certified-Multi-Platinum and Gold recordings, while his own seven recordings as a Bandleader have all generated Top Ten and Five Star recognition around the Globe. In addition to his work as a performer, Robert is also a highly respected and well-recognized composer, having produced seven acclaimed albums as a leader as well as composing the original music scores for several films, including: “The Wood”- MTV/Paramount Productions, “Brown Sugar”- Fox Films. Hurst appears on over 30 Major Motion Film & Video Soundtracks and has featured solos and performances captured on Blockbusters: “Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen,” and “Good Night, and Good Luck,” the soundtrack featuring Dianne Reeves. You may also recognize Robert Hurst as the inaugural bassist in the house band of “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno for eight seasons, from 1992 to 1999. His work in performing, directing, arranging, and composing on the NBC program was highlighted with four EMMY® Awards in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1999. Universally recognized as an authoritative presence in today's industry, Robert's reach of influence has led to his position on the ISIM Advisory Council and since 2002, serving on the Board of Directors for The John and Alice Coltrane Foundation. As an educator, Robert currently holds the position of Associate Professor of Music, with Tenure, and the Director of Small Jazz Ensembles in the Department of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance in Ann Arbor. Keen to maintain agency of his recorded music and with a strong desire to curate music of the next generation, Robert established his own label, BeBob Records, which will be fully launched internationally in 2024. Not only serving as a vehicle for his current recording projects, in the summer of this year, BeBob Records will release a number of archival recordings, including among others, a trio album, featuring Elvin Jones and Kenny Kirkland. Robert also has a number of recordings featuring new music for his current projects in production and set for release over the next 12 months. Robert's current projects include "Black Current Jam," an eclectic project at the intersection of jazz and beyond, a Duo and Trio project featuring pianist Ian Finkelstein and drummer Karriem Riggins, continuing the D3 tradition that featured the late iconic pianist Geri Allen. In late 2024, BeBob Records will release an archival studio recording of the 'This That and the Third' project featuring Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, and Jeff "Tain" Watts. To continue this project, 30 years on, Robert returns to the studio to record new music with this quartet adding in Orrin Evans with the album set for release in early 2025. This Quartet will be touring the USA and Europe in 2025.

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iG4 is a new intergenerational band of 4 of the UK's finest jazz talent sharing their love of great songs and composers. Vocalist Claire Martin OBE joins multi-award-winning pianist and composer Nikki Iles, much-in-demand saxophonist Karen Sharp and rising star bassist Ewan Hastie who won the BBC's Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2022. Brand new arrangements written for this project by Nikki will shine a light on classic repertoire from Tom Waits to Burch Bacharach, Anthony Newly and Joni Mitchell as well as stylish reworkings from the great writers of the American songbook including Cole Porter and Johnny Mandel. Linn recording artist Claire Martin has to worldwide critical acclaim established herself as a tour de force on the UK jazz scene gaining many awards, including winning the British Jazz Awards eight times during her career which spans over three decades. In 2018 she was the proud recipient of the BASCA Gold Badge Award for her contribution to jazz. Nikki's recent work has taken her across the world as a member of the Julian Arguelles Octet, The Kenny Wheeler Big Band, Claire Martin and “The North “, a Scandinavian/Anglo/Canadian collaboration featuring Percy Pursglove and Anders Morgensen. With a parallel career as a widely respected teacher in composition and arranging, Nikki is a Professor at the Royal Academy of Music. A prominent figure on the UK Jazz scene since 2000, Karen is well known and admired for her melodic, full-toned saxophone playing, winning the British Jazz Awards for best tenor saxophonist on numerous occasions. She has worked alongside musicians such as John and Jacqui Dankworth, Ken Peplowski, Alan Barnes, Tina May, Nikki Iles, Esther Miller, Jeremy Pelt, Howard Alden, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Scott Robinson and Harry Allen. Ewan Hastie is a multi-award-winning bassist and composer, already making his mark on the UK music scene. Just recently graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland receiving a Bachelor of Music degree in jazz, he won the coveted BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2022 title Since moving to Glasgow and more recently London, he has played professionally with a number of the top musicians from all over the country keeping him busy on UK’s thriving jazz scene. Together the quartet are available for appearances at festivals and clubs across the UK and Europe.

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