DINOSAUR + Ben Creighton Griffiths + Alex Hitchcock & Will Barry

Presented by: Cambridge Jazz Festival

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0	CAMBRIDGE: Clare Jazz at Clare Cellars
P	Saturday 26th November, 2016
N	7:45pm

Event information

Saturday 26th Nov.
Doors open 7:45 pm

8:00-9:00pm Ben Creighton-Griffiths
9:15- 10:45pm Dinosaur
11:00pm- 00:00am Alex Hitchcock & Will Barry


DINOSAUR

'Jurd stretched critics and musicians' repertoire of superlatives with this sophisticated and technically awesome session - on memorable originals with folk and contemporary-classical connections, delivered with the assurance of a budding trumpet-improv original.' ★★★★ John Fordham, The Guardian
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Laura Jurd is a London-based, award-winning trumpet player and composer, currently a BBC New Generation Artist for 2015-2017. An active improviser playing regularly in the UK and more recently in Europe, Laura specialises in writing for hand-picked musicians in her own projects and ensembles.

Her band Dinosaur has performed throughout the UK and Europe including performances at Berlin Jazz Festival, Jazz Sur Son 31 in Toulouse, 12 Points in Dublin and Jazzahead in Bremen. In 2015 Laura receieved the Parliamentary Jazz Award for 'Instrumentalist of the Year' and in the past has been shortlisted for a BASCA British Composer Award, received the Dankworth Prize for Jazz Composition and Worshipful Company of Musician's Young Jazz Musician of the Year award.
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Their new album 'Together, As One' will be released on September 2016.

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Benjamin Creighton-Griffiths

Benjamin made his international debut in 2004 when as a 7 year old he came second in the Under 18 class of the 1er Concours International de Harpe in Nantes, France. In 2006 he won the Under 13 solo harp at the Wales International Harp Festival and in 2008 (11 years old) won the Under 16 class at Concours de harpe Lily Laskine, in Paris. His prize was a Salvi Concert Harp.

Since then he has been earning himself an enviable international reputation performing in Brazil (2010, 2011, 2012), Canada (2011), The Caribbean (2013), Croatia (2013), The Czech Republic (2014), France (2008, 2010), Hungary (2010), Italy (2009), Netherlands (2008, 2011, 2013) & Spain (2010, 2013, 2016).

Closer to home Ben has performed as a soloist at The Edinburgh International Harp Festival, Wales International Harp Festival, The Summer Harp Festival, Monmouth Festival, Ludlow Festival, Trinity Harp Festival, The Derbyshire Harp Festival, The Cardiff Camac Harp Weekend, The East Anglia Harp Festival, Harp on Wight, Glasbury Arts Harp Summer School and The Vale Jazz Festival.

Benjamin is the Principal Harp of Concert Orchestra de Cymru and Orchestra West and he has performed as a concerto soloist with The Welsh Sinfonia, Welsh Concert Orchestra, Orchestra West, Llandenny Strings, Cardiff Philharmonic, Chandos Symphony Orchestra, les Alizés and the orchestra of Le Garde Républicaine. He has also performed with numerous choirs as both a soloist and accompanist.
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Benjamin has worked with many of charities over his career. In Particular he is an Official Ambassador for George Thomas Hospice Care, The British Heart Foundation Cymru and St. John Cymru Wales. On 1st March 2010 he performed at Clarence House for HRH the Prince of Wales at a reception for George Thomas.

Whilst continuing his classical work, Ben is now in increasing demand for his jazz performances, working as both a soloist and with bands, singers, and other artists. His jazz repertoire covers all genres, including Swing, Latin, Funk, Electronic and Fusion, Gypsy, and more. For the last two years he has been teaching a series of very successful 'Introduction to Improvisation' workshops as both one off events and at Harp Festivals worldwide, aiming to encourage harpists of all ages and abilities into the world of jazz.

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Alex Hitchcock/Will Barry Duo

Alex Hitchcock/Will Barry Duo Graduates of the prestigious postgraduate jazz programme at the Royal Academy of Music, pianist Will Barry and saxophonist Alex Hitchcock share a musical history that goes back over ten years. Between them, they have played as sidemen with many legendary figures from the UK jazz scene and beyond, including Jasper Hoiby, Laurence Cottle, Soweto Kinch, Perico Sambeat, and Clark Tracey, as well as playing together in their newly-formed quintet.

In this new duo format, they explore each other's original compositions as well as other repertoire ranging from Hermeto Pascoal to Lennie Tristano.

Will Barry (piano):
'sensitive and fluid - a beautiful sound' - Chucho Valdes
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Alex Hitchcock (tenor saxophone):
'...effectively mixed a traditional tenor-ballad warmth with a brisk contemporary attack' - John Fordham, The Guardian
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'A fantastic young talent' - Helen Mayhew, Jazz FM

'Incredible young lion of the tenor sax' - Gareth Lockrane

'One to watch in 2016' - Jazzwise