Formed in early 2006 after a series of informal jam sessions at a house in Manchester, the Magic Hat have gone on to excite audiences throughout the UK.
The band endeavor to play wherever they can and have been seen recently in Edinburgh, London, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff, Nottingham, North Wales and Stratford Upon Avon. Their debut album 'This Conversation is Over' is out now available from www.jellymouldjazz.net
"The Magic Hat Ensemble have built a solid name for themselves as a cracking live unit around the UK. Offering a youthful and often irreverent take on standards asserted through incredibly tight rhythmic playing and cheeky metric modulations the result is pulsating post bop given a refreshing boot up the behind. Led by Steve Chadwick on cornet with pianist Andrzej Baranek, guitarist Tony Ormesher, bassist Nick Blacka and drummer Rob Turner this is a dynamic and hugely listenable band worth catching live" - Jazzwise
"Magic Hat is a very tight unit with a dynamic approach and a totally appealing sound. A gem of a band, and quite rare with its stimulating nature, in our sometimes staid or over self-conscious home-grown UK jazz scene. They present an exciting, upbeat programme of very original, quirky and sometimes even hilarious re-arrangements of standards, as well as some neat originals. Great individual playing and a very cool ensemble sound indeed!" - Bill Kyle (The Jazz Bar)
'An extremely well-rehearsed band with an invigorating and unusual take on the repertoire, ably led by Steve Chadwick's gorgeous tone and precise articulation.' - Stuart Johnson (Zeferellis)
"Magic Hat was the most outstanding new band to appear at Stratford Jazz this year. They impressed with their new take on jazz standards coupled with stimulating tunes of their own. A tight, energetic and swinging band that is clearly going places." - Roy Stevens (Stratford Jazz)
"The Magic Hat Ensemble was a perfect opener for our 09 'Jazz on a Winter's Weekend'. Innovative, with tight and intriguing head arrangements of some well known standards and good soloing all round. Tony Ormesher's guitar work was particularly impressive on 'Darn That Dream'. A large proportion of the sell out crowd were not from the North West where the band is best known and we got lots of complimentary and 'who-are-they' comments after the gig." - Geoff Mathews (Southport Melodic Jazz Society)
“…it’s the spontaneity of the live show which makes this band special.” - Oundle Chronicle
Hi Chadders - great music, nice poster - good luck with the tour superstar! We're in Wigan tonight by the way . .but you'll be elsewhere! Bill (Boogie)
