Theon Cross and Shirley Tetteh join Courtney Pine for Inner City Ensemble
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Following the announcement that multi-award winning saxophonist and composer Courtney Pine will lead the Inner City Ensemble touring project in February 2018 as part of the ongoing Jazz Directors series – the line-up for the band will now include many rising stars of the UK scene.
These include Sons of Kemet tuba player Theon Cross (above centre), Birmingham-based composer/keyboardist David Austin Grey and Maisha/Nérija guitarist Shirley Tetteh (above left).
The band will also include newcomers such as trombonist Nathan Cross, NYJO affiliated Chelsea Carmichael on baritone saxophone/clarinet, Tomorrows Warriors Female Collective drummer Romarna Campbell (above right) and bassist Alex Davis, who was the first winner of the Richard Turner Jazz Fund Award at the Royal Academy of Music. The newly assembled ensemble will play material written by Pine and will include tuba, trombone, clarinet, piano, drums, trumpet, guitar, double bass, and saxophones.
Previous musicians involved have included US stars Terence Blanchard and Chris Potter, while this year saw Pine collaborator and Mercury Prize nominated pianist Zoe Rahman lead a specially convened group of young emerging musicians from the north of England.
The Jazz Directors Series is a two-year residency and touring project which brings together emerging UK professional jazz musicians with an internationally revered Jazz Director. Each edition comprises of a four-day residency produced by Brighter Sound and a corresponding tour of live concerts produced by Band on the Wall in collaboration with local regional promoters. The musicians for the Inner City Ensemble will be announced soon and will play music written by Pine for the project.
Courtney Pine and Inner City Ensemble dates are: Band on the Wall, Manchester (22 Feb); Brudenell Social Club, Leeds (23 Feb); The Grand, Clitheroe (24 Feb) and Grand Theatre, Lancaster (25 Feb).
– Mike Flynn
Tickets are now on sale at www.bandonthewall.org