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Pianist and composer Julie Sassoon is classically trained on piano and violin. She graduated in music and visual arts from Lancaster University in 1988, winning the university prize for piano performance, and later completed postgraduate studies in jazz piano and Indian violin at Leeds College of Music.
Julie formed the trio Azilut! in 2000 with Bart van Helsdingen, (twice nominated Best Jazz Drummer in the Netherlands ) and Lothar Ohlmeier (tenor and soprano saxophone, bass clarinet). They released their album To The Power Of Three in 2001 on the Babel Label. Azilut! have performed at major venues and festivals throughout the UK and Europe , receiving outstanding reviews.
She has been a key member of ensembles including Inside Colours a dynamic duo with Lothar Ohlmeier; Piano Circus , the international contemporary music ensemble for six pianos; Martha Lewis's Caf Aman with Antonio Forcione and Frank Tontoh; a duo with accordionist Karen Street and the quartet Freefall with Tom Arthurs, Milo Fell and Lothar Ohlmeier.
Julie has performed her music throughout UK, Europe, the Baltic States and USA, at venues including Queen Elizabeth Hall; Royal Festival Hall; Barbican; BIMhouse, Amsterdam; Vilnius Concert Hall; Royal Northern College of Music Concert Hall; Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho; The Jazz Caf, Camden; Djanogly Recital Hall, Nottingham; Guildhall, Bath International Music Festival; University of Pennsylvania.
She has also performed with Stan Sulzman, Ingrid Laubrock, Dylan Bates, Nikki Isles and Mike Walker. As a visual artist Julie has exhibited her paintings in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Berlin.
Julie has recorded a solo piano album entitled New Life on the Babel Label. Released in July 2006.
Acclaim for Azilut! and Julie Sassoon:
"A solo performance by any of these exceptional musicians would have an audience spellbound; together, they seemed capable of miracles" 5* James Griffiths, The Guardian
"Julie Sassoon, a pianist of astonishing resources, applies a concentrated beam of intelligence to everything she does . .. an earnest, brilliantly gifted player." Mike Butler, JazzUK
About "New Life"
"Sassoon's capacity to sustain interest without resorting to licks, tricks or slickness of any kind is remarkable. Its more as if an essence has been distilled to the point where sound becomes a sensory trigger for all kinds of memories, thoughts and feelings. Beautifully produced, played and executed and most of all, music of rare beauty.
Jazzwise**** Duncan Heining
"What is unquestionable is the emotional commitment of Sassoon's performance, in which raw instinct and trained musicality combine to create something new, and it feels like the most natural thing in the world."
JazzUK
"A mesmeric solo performer"
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