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Gemma Boyd

Gemma Boyd Radio

General Info

  • Genre: Blues / Classical / Jazz

    Location Brighton, London & Paris, France, London and South East, Un

    Profile Views: 11859

    Last Login: 9/13/2012

    Member Since 1/23/2009

    Website gemmaboyd.com

    Type of Label Unsigned

  • Bio

    In school assembly one day, a teacher asked us if any of us would be interested in playing the double bass. At the time, I didn't have a clue what this was, and thought it was a big drum. I was intrigued, and so volunteered: It was love at first sight! It was so huge, and I liked it because it was different. In spite of the double bass being my third instrument, I took to it like a duck to water, and with the help of my teacher, Jean Graham, I achieved my Grade 8 (classical). At this time, I played with Walsall Youth Orchestra and Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra. Throughout my time at university, I did paid pit orchestra work with Chichester Amateur Operatic Society, and played on 'The Merry Widow' with Littlehampton Players Operatic Society. I've performed in big choral works such as Verdi's 'Requiem' at Chichester Cathedral. More recently, apart from a stint with the Lewes Concert Orchestra, playing in John Rutter's 'Birthday Madrigals' with Brighton Chamber Choir as part of the 2008 Brighton Festival, in the orchestra for Simon Gray and Carole Todd's 2009 'Music Theatre 2000' production of 'The Mikado' at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, and in the pit orchestra for Brighton Theatre Group's stunnung production of 'Beauty And The Beast' (conducted by Simon Gray) at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, June 2010, I've concentrated on jazz since moving to Brighton & Hove about nine years ago: I became a member of Brighton Jazz Co-op, and things grew from there...I play in a successful 1930s and '40s swing jazz and blues five-piece band called The Priory Street Stardusters (featuring myself on double bass, Piers Clark on guitar, Annie Schutt on vocals, Daniel Rehahn on trombone and John Pargeter on alto / tenor saxophones and clarinet) which has been going for approximately four years, and have done a lot of duo gigs with Mike-the-Mic, who is a unique guitarist and singer (including being the support band for Earl Okin). My time on the jazz course at Chichester College, brought me into contact with the amazingly talented pianist / vocalist, Ann Odell, who I gigged with and learnt loads from. I teach double bass, and try to use my skills as a jazz / classical pianist and violinist whenever possible. I'm keen to do more community-based work, and am planning to put on a fundraising concert in aid of Survivor's Network. I enjoy playing with the Sussex Jazz Orchestra big band, Southwick Opera ('The Merry Widow', The Magic Flute' and 'Titanic - The Musical', conducted and directed by Simon Gray), Straight No Chaser big band, Bass, Bone & Blue (with Piers Clark on guitar and Daniel Rehahn on trombone), The Pete Godfrey and Pals Trio (with Pete Godfrey on piano and Roy Leith on tenor saxophone), The Vintage Hot Five - an authentic 1920s and '30s jazz quintet (featuring Andy Woon on trumpet, Johnny Muxlow on drums and George Levy on clarinet), The Brighton Jazz Apples / Remember April bossa nova band (with Matt Wall on guitar, Ela Southgate on vocals and Robin Watt and Roy Gee on saxophone), The Tom Creed Trio, playing classic bebop, swingers and Creed's compositions (with Tom Creed on soprano, alto and tenor saxophones and clarinet and Diego Parada on guitar), The Gemma Boyd Trio (with Piers Clark on guitar and George N. Paterson on trumpet and vocals), The Swing Thing (a guitar and double bass duo featuring myself and Matt Wall on guitar), Just Friends Trio (Norman Evans on tenor saxophone and Terry Whitney on piano), Early-Bird Special, playing western swing and cowboy jazz, lead by Piers Clark on steel guitar and vocals, Tangerine Swing Duo (with Nils Solberg on guitar and vocals) and towards the end of 2009, I did a four-month stint with Classycool: a classical / experimental string ensemble based at Covent Garden Courtyard in London. In September 2010, I embarked on a trip to Paris, France, with my double bass, where I played my bowed solo set outside the Pompidou Centre, busked with my trombonist friend, Daniel Rehahn on the terraces of two cafes in Abbessess, Montmartre; 'Le Nouveau Carillon' and 'Le Saint Jean', and on a bridge over the Seine near Notre Dame. I participated in a jam session at 'Autour De Midi...Et Minuit', Rue Lepic, Montmartre, headed by the fabulous Laurent Epstein Trio, and improvised a double bass duet version of 'Autumn Leaves' with Riccardo Del Fra (Chet Baker's double bass player), at CNSMDP (the Paris Conservatoire), where Riccardo teaches. Other Brighton-based jazz musicians I play with include Dave Lacey (drums), Limon Perez (congas / drums), Renee Ansell (vocals), Charlotte Glasson (reeds and violin), Frank Taylor (guitar), Sam Arts (guitar), Cath Couper (piano), and Jo Hunter (trumpet). I am experienced in playing reggae, funk, gypsy swing, singer-songwriter material, bluegrass and country music. I work as a volunteer at the National Jazz Archive in Loughton, Essex, and composing and arranging are also things I want to do more of. I am able to put bands of musicians together to tailor for hirers' needs eg/ trios, duos...Please contact me if you would like to book me or the bands I play with, for gigs, lessons, concerts or recording sessions.

  • Members

  • Influences

    Jimmy Blanton, Paul Chambers, Billie Holiday, k.d. lang, John Tams, Nat 'King' Cole Trio, Blossom Dearie, Ann Odell, Ray Brown, Milt Hinton, Stephane Grappelli, David Gray, Slam Stewart, Annie Lennox...

  • Sounds Like

    Myself, a bit like Paul Chambers, and all of the acoustic jazz double bassists of the early 1900s.

Stream

  1. Gemma Boyd

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  2. Gemma Boyd

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  3. Gemma Boyd

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  4. Gemma Boyd

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  5. Gemma Boyd

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Videos

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Comments

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  • WOLFESTMUSIC

    Le WOLFEST est à la recherche de groupes pour jouer à Paris à LA MACHINE DU MOULIN ROUGE, L’ALHAMBRA, LE CABARET SAUVAGE et LE BATACLAN, et à Lille au SPLENDID !!!! Tu as toujours rêvé que ton groupe soit choisi pour jouer dans les meilleures salles françaises ? Grâce au WOLFEST, c’est enfin possible ! Suite au succès sans précédent de la première édition du WOLFEST en Espagne, le festival, créé pour et par des musiciens, débarque en France ! Le WOLFEST est déjà considéré comme un tremplin incontournable et l’un des plus influents pour les groupes émergents. Le WOLFEST commence sa sélection pour l’édition française qui va débuter dès mars 2012. Tout d’abord, Wolfest et les musiciens signent un contrat d’engagement sur chaque évènement ! De plus, évitant les interminables étapes de sélection, la philosophie du WOLFEST est simple : Un concert WOLFEST à assurer durant lequel un jury professionnel récompensera le meilleur groupe en lui offrant la possibilité de jouer par la suite sur une salle, habituellement inaccessible aux groupes amateurs, pour un évènement phare: LES WOLFEST GOLD CHALLENGE ! Un deuxième groupe sera aussi élu par vote du public, et gagnera un ampli Orange ! Sur Paris, les concerts WOLFEST se dérouleront à La Machine du Moulin Rouge, au Cabaret Sauvage et à l’Alhambra et les WOLFEST GOLD CHALLENGE auront lieu au Bataclan ! Sur Lille, les concerts WOLFEST se dérouleront au Splendid dans un premier temps et pour les WOLFEST GOLD CHALLENGE, le lieu se confirmera dans les semaines qui arrivent ! Les WOLFEST GOLD CHALLENGE seront l’occasion de récompenser à nouveau, par un jury de professionnels, le meilleur groupe de la soirée! Celui-ci remportera un prix de 3000€ ! Le second groupe, élu par vote du public, sera pris en charge par WOLFEST pour aller jouer dans une salle partenaire WOLFEST en Italie ou en Espagne !! Mais le WOLFEST ne s’arrête pas là ! Il t’offre aussi la possibilité de participer aux évènements PROMO NIGHTS. Les PROMO NIGHTS sont la meilleure façon de faire la promo de ton groupe. L’événement est couvert par une campagne promotionnelle massive dans plusieurs médias partenaires mais aussi par les nombreuses personnes influentes de l’industrie musicale (éditeurs, producteurs, distributeurs, etc…) présentes chaque soir. Un CD Compilation, comprenant les meilleurs morceaux de chaque groupe participant, y sera distribué gracieusement au public et aux professionnels et, en plus, le jury récompensera le meilleur groupe de la soirée en lui permettant de jouer dans une des salles les plus importantes d’une autre ville française, et ainsi de toucher un nouveau public ! Indépendamment des résultats chaque soir, le WOLFEST remet à tous les groupes participants un jeu de photographies professionnelles et une vidéo Haute Définition de leur prestation sur scène en souvenir de ce qui sera, sans nul doute, une soirée inoubliable ! Donne la chance à ton groupe de vivre une aventure extraordinaire !!! Visite notre site internet, inscris-toi et participe !!! http://www.wolfestmusic.com/fr-index.php Et si tu n’habites ni Paris ni Lille, inscris-toi quand même ! Dès que nous aurons suffisamment d'inscrits dans une même ville, on y lancera le Festival ! Merci de faire tourner l'info !

    10 months ago
  • Tim Cheatle

      

    1 year ago
  • Angel

    Thank you Gemma I hope your Christmas was great as well. Wish you a happy and successful New year, hoping wherever you go, brings you great success. please! keep in touch take care.

    2 years ago
  • Angel

    Hi Gemma, wishing you a Happy Holiday with your love ones and friends.

    2 years ago
  • The Hot Club of Bellevi…

    High Five!

    2 years ago
  • Angel

    Hi Gemma, just dropping by to say hello and wishing you a great weekend. Hope you are doing great with your music and doing a lot of gigs. Take care friend.

    3 years ago
  • Angel

    Hi Gemma, just want to thank you for your comments, always well taken. Hope everything is well with you. Hopefully you are able to conquer anything that gets in your way. I know you are waiting for the weather to warm up. Hopefully in the spring more gigs will turn up for you, and for all those other musicians, who are also expecting some kind of change in the weather. This weather has surely hurt a lot of business throughout the United States and elsewhere. I have friends who have had gigs cancelled for at least 2 months. So keep your fingers cross it should only get better. Take care my friend and have a great week always Angel.  

    3 years ago
  • Angel

    Just stopping by to wish you well and congratulate you on your new gigs. Stay safe and may you continue doing well with your music. 

    3 years ago
  • Angel

    Hi Gemma, hope you are doing great and so is your music. Thank you for posting your comment and thinking about my recovery. I am recovering very fast and very well. I am now walking without any support and the pain is getting better. You have a great week. Take care Angel 

    3 years ago
  • Riccardo Del Fra

    Bonsoir Gemma,

    nice to meet you.
    Thanks for your message and your gentle words.
    Looking forward to hearing you playing and meeting you again.
    Warm regards from Paris,
    Riccardo 

    3 years ago

Bio

In school assembly one day, a teacher asked if anyone would be interested in playing the double bass. At the time, Gemma didn't have a clue what this was, and thought it was a big drum. She was intrigued, and so volunteered: It was love at first sight! It was so huge, and Gemma liked it because it was different. In spite of the double bass being her third instrument, Gemma took to it like a duck to water, and with the help of her teacher, Jean Graham, she achieved her Grade 8 (classical). At this time, she played with the Walsall Youth Orchestra and the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra. Throughout her time at university, Gemma did paid pit orchestra work with the Chichester Amateur Operatic Society and played on 'The Merry Widow' with the Littlehampton Player's Operatic Society. She also performed in choral works such as Verdi's 'Requiem' at Chichester Cathedral. Gemma has done concerts with Lewes Concert Orchestra and played in John Rutter's 'Birthday Madrigals' with Brighton Chamber Choir as part of the 2008 Brighton Festival. With Music Theatre 2000, Gemma has played in the orchestra for Simon Gray and Carole Todd's 2009 production of 'The Mikado' at the Barn Theatre, Southwick, and participated in a concert performance of Verdi's opera, 'Il Trovatore' headed by the Italian soprano, Irene Cerbonicini and conducted by Simon Gray, as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival in May 2011. She also played in the pit orchestra for Brighton Theatre Group's stunning production of 'Beauty And The Beast' (conducted by Simon Gray) at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, in June 2010. During her time in Brighton & Hove, Gemma became a member of the Brighton Jazz Co-op and things grew from there: She played in a successful 1930s and '40s swing jazz and blues five-piece band called The Priory Street Stardusters (featuring herself on double bass, Piers Clark on guitar, Annie Schutt on vocals, Daniel Rehahn on trombone and John Pargeter on alto and tenor saxophones and clarinet) which gigged at local farmers' markets, pubs, jazz clubs and private functions for five years, and she performed on a lot of duo gigs with Mike the Mic who is a unique guitarist and vocalist (including being the support band for Earl Okin). In July 2011, she had the pleasure of playing with the Art Themen Quartet at the 27th Birmingham International Jazz & Blues Festival. Gemma's time on the jazz course at Chichester College brought her into contact with the amazingly talented pianist / vocalist Ann Odell, who she gigged with and learnt loads from. She's enjoyed playing with the Sussex Jazz Orchestra big band, Southwick Opera ('The Merry Widow,' 'The Magic Flute,' 'Titanic - The Musical' and 'Die Fledermaus,' conducted and directed by Simon Gray), Straight No Chaser big band, Bass, Bone & Blue (with Piers Clark on guitar and Daniel Rehahn on trombone), The University of Sussex Symphony Orchestra, The Pete Godfrey and Pals Trio (with Pete Godfrey on piano and Roy Leith on tenor saxophone), The Brighton Jazz Apples / Remember April bossa nova band (with Matt Wall on guitar, Ela Southgate on vocals and Robin Watt and Roy Gee on saxophone), Just Friends Trio (with Terry Whitney on piano and Norman Evans on tenor saxophone), Gemma's Jazz (with Piers Clark on guitar and George N. Paterson on trumpet and vocals), The Swing Thing duo (with Matt Wall on guitar), The Vintage Hot Five 1920s and '30s jazz quintet (with Andy Woon on trumpet, Johnny Muxlow on drums and George Levy on clarinet), The Tom Creed Trio, playing classic bebop, swingers and Creed's compositions (with Diego Parada on guitar and Tom Creed on soprano, alto and tenor saxophones and clarinet), Early-Bird Special western swing and cowboy jazz band, (lead by Piers Clark on steel guitar and vocals), Tangerine Swing Duo (with Nils Solberg on guitar and vocals), Bass & Bone duo (with Daniel Rehahn on trombone), and towards the end of 2009, she studied songwriting with internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter, Heidi Berry, and played for four months with Classycool (a classical / experimental string ensemble) based at Covent Garden Courtyard in London. September 2010 saw Gemma embark on a trip to Paris, France, with her double bass, where she played her bowed solo set outside the Pompidou Centre, busked with her trombonist friend, Daniel Rehahn on the terraces of two cafes in Abbesses, Montmartre; Le Nouveau Carillon and Le Saint Jean, and on a bridge over the Seine near Notre Dame. She participated in a jam session at Autour De Midi...Et Minuit, rue Lepic, Montmartre, headed by the fabulous Laurent Epstein Trio, and improvised a double bass duet version of 'Autumn Leaves' with Riccardo Del Fra (Chet Baker's double bass player) at CNSMDP (the Paris Conservatoire), where Riccardo teaches. Gemma returned to Paris in March 2011 for a month, where she appeared as a member of songwriter, Richard Lewis's band at a gig at Les Disquaires, Bastille, and performed her solo set at Chez Adel, rue de la Grange-aux-Belles. Here at Chez Adel, she met Norwegian guitarist, Eirik Zahl and Scottish violinist, Peter Conua. They formed a trio, and earnt good money playing klesma, Russian, Scottish and Irish folk, gypsy jazz, polka, latin and jazz standards on the terraces of Montmartre and on the Paris métro; picking up gigs along the way at Corcoran's Irish pub and Kakoo Bar in Montmartre, plus a 2011 hotel residency for four months at Les Etangs de Corot, rue de Versailles, Ville-d'Avray. Gemma did concerts at Chez Adel with Mateo (auteur, compositeur and interprète), chanteuse-accordéoniste, Clara Moreau and guitarist and singer, Claudio Zaretti. She also played at jam sessions at La Miroiterie artists' squat, rue Ménilmontant, with trumpeter, Hermon Mehari of the amazing contemporary jazz trio, Diverse, from Kansas City, USA, and at Hôtel d'Aubusson, rue Dauphine, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, with a jazz quartet headed by pianist-composer, Christian Brenner. In the autumn of 2011 Gemma gigged at Chez Adel, Paris, once more, with Mateo, Claudio Zaretti, jazz pianist Bernard Trillat, and pop and French song singer, Chloe and band. Whilst busking her bowed solo double bass set at Place des Abbesses, Gemma met tenor saxophonist, Laurent Carrier, who she played with for great pleasure and good money, in Montmartre. Louis Royer also welcomed Gemma as one of the members of his band, Cortezia, as their contrebassiste substitut. Some of the highlights of her three-month February 2012 trip to Paris, included playing at Caveau de la Huchette with the George Washingmachine Quartet, getting a set of some of the more unusual jazz standards together, with pianist Bernard Trillat, and playing on the terraces of Montmartre and at Place des Vosges, in a duo with violinist, Peter Conua. Gemma has developed and extensively performed her bowed solo double bass set, which includes singing and playing simultaneously. Her first official performance of this set was at 'Poetry In The Park,' Coronation Gardens, Leyton, in August 2011, organised by Paul McGrane of the Poetry Society, London. She performed this solo set for older people at Oakfield Lodge in Ilford, Essex, in January 2012, and since the summer of 2012, plays solo violin and piano accordion sets of French Canadian reels, Shetland reels, and traditional Scots and Irish Hornpipe music all around London. She participated in American jazz 'bebop' pianist and educator, Barry Harris's harmony, improvisation and vocal workshops in London (August 2012), attended the Musicians' Union workshop, 'An Introduction To Working In The Community Music Sector' (September 2012), attended the 'Marketing Yourself' and 'Diversifying Your Portfolio' workshops, run by the Federation of Entertainment Unions Training (October 2012 and February 2013), and completed 'The Write Stuff' 2012; a weeklong intensive workshop run by Jazzwise and Serious geared towards the art of writing about jazz (November 2012). Gemma's first major gig in London took place at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in January 2013, where she played double bass with 'The 12.12.12. Underground Orchestra Challenge.' In February 2013, Gemma returned to Paris, where she performed her 'folk and jazz standards' solo violin set on the terraces of Montmartre, at Chez Adel, and at Le Zèbre dans le Patio with jazz pianist, Bernard Trillat. Reggae, funk, folk, gypsy swing, bluegrass, singer-songwriter material and country music are all styles of music that Gemma has experience in playing. Gemma is able to put bands of musicians together to tailor for hirers' needs: Please contact her via this website to book her or the bands she plays with for gigs, lessons, concerts or recording sessions.

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