“My musical background stems from the church”, says Brown. “Mum was the choir director and church organist for many years and taught me general music theory, the Hammond organ, piano and encouraged me to learn the guitar too – which I also played at church. I am currently the church organist.”
“I started out listening to my sister’s Elvis Presley records,” says O’Higgins. “Then at school, when I had the opportunity to learn an instrument, I decided that I wanted to play the loudest instrument there was, so I borrowed the school trumpet and had a go on that. I remember it used to smell horrible when I got it out of the case.”
“The violin that I have right now,” says Puente, holding a well-used instrument with a striking patina, “is the same violin that provided food for three generations. This violin is part of my family and I will never let it go; it’s priceless”. Puente grew up in Santiago de Cuba. “My grandfather,” he says, “was a carpenter who used to work for a rich family who bought a violin for their child. But the boy showed no interest, so they offered it to my grandfather. My father was given the violin and...
Burgess’ first musical performance was hardly an auspicious occasion. “When I was seven – I think, I was entered into a piano competition and I was so nervous, that I refused to go on stage!” Stage fright is clearly no longer an issue, as Burgess is currently being kept very busy building up the bass lines with Ronnie Scott’s house band, Tom Cawley’s Curios, pianist John Law and songstress Gwyneth Herbert.
“Well, dad played guitar,” says Outram. “He was left handed and I used to pick up his guitar in secret and play it upside down. I figured everything out by ear. Eventually of course, he discovered I was playing his guitar and so then he bought me one.”
"I guess our house was like a creative hub,” says Kinch. “I grew up being surrounded by lots of musicians, poets and visual artists.”
“So you want to know about my saxophones,” says Laubrock, her rich dulcet tones characterised by a clear Munster lilt. Growing up in a musical family, “my mother and father were both music teachers”, certainly helps to put you on the musical track.
“Fretless bass seemed like a natural transition, having spent 10 years playing the violin,” says Statham, whose long aquiline fingers delicately and precisely pick out the pitch on the high patina of the rosewood slab.
“I love ivory keys”, says Rahman. “I really like the pianos that really inspire you and give you something back and make you play in a completely different way as to how you were expecting and give you the freedom to create in the moment – it’s not necessarily their make or their age.”
