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DAVE JONES - compositions / acoustic and electric basses

After graduating from Newcastle College of Arts and Technology Dave toured and recorded with Eurojazz , the European Community Youth Jazz Orchestra and since then Dave's freelance playing has covered most aspects of performing and recording both in the jazz and pop fields to theatre and television . Over the last few years Dave has performed with The Steve Waterman Quartet , John Etheridge , Carl Orr , Bobby Worth Quartet , Christian Garrick , Jacqui Hicks , Julian Stringle , Julian Siegal , Jim Mullen , Gilad Atzmon , Alison Bentley , Ingrid Laubrock , Janette Mason , Phil Robson , Bill Bruford , Dave O'Higgins and David Gordon Trio etc .
He has performed with The Theo Travis Quartet and done many gigs with The B.B.C. Radio Big Band . He plays and records with The Mick Foster Group featuring Jaqui Dankworth , The Pete Callard Quartet , Alison Bentley , and has recorded two albums with The Pete Cater Big Band which has won the big band category in the P.O. British jazz awards . He has also played with visiting American artists Harry Allen , Joe Temperley , Scott Hamilton , George Maseo , Peter Appleyard , Steve Hobbs , Marlene VerPlanck and Penelope Tobin .
In his former capacity as Director of Hackney Youth Jazz Orchestra , Dave accompanied Wynton Marsalis while on a series of workshops and has since taught at Brunel University , the London College of Music and Richmond Adult and Community College where he currently heads the music department while teaching bass and taking a number of jazz workshops in the Saturday Jazz School.










PETE CALLARD - guitar

Pete graduated " outstanding musician of his Year " from the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles in 1991 . After returning to England he became an important member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra for a number of years , worked with Portugese artist Fernando Tordo as musical director and formed his own quartet . A widely respected educator , Pete now teaches at the Academy of Contemporary Music and contributes monthly to Total Guitar magazine . He has become a very busy freelance player from jazz to theatre to studio work . He taught this year at the Bath International Guitar Festival where his group , The Pete Callard Quartet , also performed .









SIMON PEARSON - drums / percussion

Simon graduated from Leeds College of Music in 1990 and from the Guildhall School of Music in 1991 and began a freelance career that has covered many diverse areas . Always in demand on the London jazz scene he has worked extensively with Trevor Watts and the Steve Martland Band . His work in the pop field has included Goya Dress , Spiritualized and Jimi Tenor and other work includes the London Symphony Orchestra .












BEN CASTLE - tenor and soprano saxophones

Ben started his playing early achieving distinction on clarinet at the age of thirteen . Encouraged by his father , the musician and entertainer Roy Castle , Ben was soon playing in many bands and after leaving school he studied at the Guildhall School of Music . Now Ben's freelance playing covers a very broad spectrum from orchestras , big bands , pop and rock groups to the jazz scene . He has performed and recorded with many people including Stan Tracey , Alan Barnes , Don Weller , Matt Wates , Clark Tracey , Mark Nightingale , Humphrey Littleton , Laurence Cottle , Bobby Worth , Michael Garrick plus Echoes of Ellington and the B.B.C. Big Band . Ben leads and writes for his own group and 2000 saw the release of their first recording " Four From The Madding Crowd " . He was voted rising star in the British Jazz Awards 2001, and was nominated for a BBC jazz award. He has lead his quartet at Ronnie Scotts and you can catch up on Ben's schedule at his web-site www.bencastle.com










MEREDITH WHITE - piano and keyboards

Meredith came from her native New Zealand after receiving a scholarship to study at The Royal Academy of Music and subsequently she studied jazz at the Guildhall School of Music . These classical and jazz influences reflect in her style and she can be heard leading her own trio and working with artists such as Victoria Newton ,Francoise Mandavy , Claire Hirst , Alison Bentley , Gill Manly and the Crissy Lee Big Band . An active teacher , Meredith works as an examiner and arranger for The Associated Board jazz syllabus .





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