Charlie Christian, Wes, Jim Hall, Bill Frisell, Sco, Metheney, Emily Remler, Jimi Hendrix, Grant Geen, Joe Pass, George Benson, Jimmy Bruno, Kenny Burrell, Mike Walker, Mike Outram, John Parricelli... amongst others.
'Jazz'
Bird, Miles, Coltrane, Monk, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Cannonball Adderly, Duke Ellington, Kenny Wheeler, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Elvin, Ron Carter, Charles Mingus, Paul Motion, Joe Lovano, Brad Mehldau, Charlie Haden, Dave Holland, Arild Anderson, Martin Speake, Django Bates, Juilian Arguelles, Steve Berry, Nikki Iles...
Others
Bach, Mozart, Debussy, Ravel, Pavement, Tortoise, Regina Spektor, Maximo Park ('mon the Park), Radiohead...
Lancashire, the Cheviots, Edinburgh at night, badgers, penguins, ostriches, Sarah.
I grew up in Newcastle on a diet of Led Zepplin, Clapton, Rory Gallegher, Beach Boys, SRV, Hendrix, Free etc. thanks to my parent's vinyl collection. I picked up a guitar and played the things I liked. I was in the band mr evil breakfast, which was really fun.
Then I headed to Sheffield where I met a bass player called Sarah who introduced me to Miles, Wes, Coltrane, Monk, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins and many others (thanks!). Sheffield is an ace place. Sheffield Jazz put on workshops where, amongst others, Chris Walker (guitar) and Pete Lyons (sax) got me started (thanks!). During that time I played with several excellent Sheffield-based musicians including Hanna Brady, Jez Matthews and Nautilus – the funk band!.
Next came stops in Leeds then Edinburgh, Reading. From March '09 I'll be in Den Haag, Netherlands.
I've been lucky enough to attend some inspirational summer schools and have been to Glamorgan and Burnley (which included guitar workshops from some of excellent UK guitarists - Mike Outram, Mike Walker, John Parricelli, Dave Cliff and Stuart McCallum - along with many other excellent musicians).
The tunes up at the minute are there because they are the only decent recordings I have of me playing. Hopefully I'll make some more soon.
I'm Co Hosting The Dave Charles radio show this sunday (1st Nov) 102.3hfm from 19.00GMT, never co hosted a whole show before and a little nervous, so if you could listen in and show some support it would really appreciated x
Hi Neil Good to hear from you - hope you're reunited with your guitar soon.
"Bondin'" is indeed the Sheffield version based on a phrase of Freddie Hubbard and recorded Live at the Lescar - complete with The Wall of the Sound on piano (I've edited out his solo!) Best Andrew
Hey Neil, nice to hear from you....Reading?? Good heavens thats a long way, hope you're getting great people to play with....In all senses of the word! Orrabest, Kate
hello Neil, glad you can make the gig. Its at the Old Station, in swindon. thanks, for the offer of staying at yours, yes please I will. look forward to seeing you and sarah cheers, olie
No...i just cant like your photo...theres something morbid about it!!Yeah, barcelona is cool and im trying still to get the gigs in but its not so easy!!What you doing in reading?You playing much there?
Hi Neil and thanks for the request. Tasty playing on your tracks!
Weirdly, I spent 10 years in Sheffield (great place) playing and learning Jazz with the self same people, and went to school and worked for a time in Reading!(not such a great..)
Hey Neil, how you doing? Still in Aberdeen? Doing any jamming? I'm ill so off the scene for a while, so won't see you probably, but all the best!
Kate x
Hey Neil, nice to see you at the gig last night. Thanks for coming along and sitting in - I enjoyed your playing. Never got the chance to tell you about the other jazzy stuff going on in Aberdeen. See you again soon I hope,
Orrabest
Kate
Hello Neil, thanks for the comments.
Don't think I'll make it to Burnley this year, but cheers for the offer. Be great to see you if you're ever down south with some time to spare!
Olie
x
Thanks for dropping by! It'd be nice to meet up some time - Hannah says lots of nice things about you! In fact, she's going to write the next bit:
Hi Neil!!!! i tried to ring you and send a message a few weeks ago -what is happening? what is going on in your world? job? playing? how's sarah?? my mob no is the same - gis a ring - loads to catch up on xxxx
Hi Neil, thanks for the req. Yeah there's a pretty good jazz scene in Aberdeen. Beans on thursdays, fridays and saturdays, Kef late night on a thurs. Sunday lunchtimes at the Lemon Tree. It goes on... Come along to one of my gigs on a Friday at Beans when you get here and sit in! And we'll point you in the right directions!
Regards, Kate
