North Wales Jazz continues its 2016 programme of events at the Royal British Legion in Llay on Tuesday, February 16 with the guitar and vibraphone-led Shades of Shearing, a four-piece outfit that pays homage to the sophisticated style and sound of the classic George Shearing Quintet.
When guitarists Trefor Owen and Andy Hulme first performed as a duo, audiences and Shearing fans alike were won over by the sound of two guitars so closely capturing the signature Shearing sound.
For Shades of Shearing they have added the mellow tones of vibes player Vic Blackwell to create the even more authentic close harmony sounds of the legendary George Shearing Quintet.
As well as their appearances for North Wales Jazz, this first-class band comes to Llay British Legion following several notable performances including dates at the renowned Swansea Jazzland and a sell-out concert at Brecon International Jazz Festival.
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Vic Blackwell’s first instrument was the classical piano, which he began to play at the age of six, changing to the vibes at 16 after seeing a performance by the legendary Lionel Hampton.
Before heading north, he was a regular on the London jazz scene and a highlight of this period was a gig at Ronnie Scott’s famous club in Soho.
Influenced by Lester Young, Errol Garner, Charlie Parker and Gerry Mulligan, Vic Blackwell is now a favourite player at Merseyside jazz clubs and with North Wales music lovers.
Trefor Owen, the band’s leader and Wales’s premier jazz guitarist, has toured the UK with such American guitar greats as Mundell Lowe and Randy Johnston and performed extensively in the USA, appearing in San Francisco and LA, at the Classic American Guitar Show, New York and the prestigious Jazz Cafe, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC.
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Fellow guitarist Andy Hulme, who has delivered accomplished performances alongside Trefor and American jazz legends at North Wales International Jazz Guitar Festivals, is also a member of the acclaimed jazz groups BBQ and the Brownfield Byrne Hot Six.
Completing the line-up of Shades of Shearing is Ed Harrison, a hugely accomplished and melodic double bass player and a familiar face to North Wales Jazz audiences, and to audiences throughout the north west of England.
The music starts at 8.30pm and admission is £6.50, concessions £5.50, school children £3. Further information is available on 01745 812260 and at www.northwalesjazz.org.uk.
