Jazz at Progress | John Law’s Re-Creations | Buy tickets
Friday 5 January | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £16.00 (£14.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee
Sam Crockatt saxophones, John Law piano/keyboards, James Agg bass, Billy Weir drums/percussion
Re-Creations is John Law’s latest project, featuring well known tunes from the worlds of jazz and pop. It features Parliamentary Jazz Award winner saxophonist Sam Crockatt and a stunning new group of young musicians. Alongside classic jazz standards the quartet plays unique and interesting arrangements of tunes by the Beatles, Sting, Radiohead, Adele and Daft Punk. There’s a baroque version of ‘Summertime’ next to a funky version of ‘In The Summertime’! John Law has created a band which plays highly accessible melodic music and recognised tunes in extremely creative and interactive arrangements, simple and complex, with an emphasis on spontaneous interaction in a group of highly versatile young musicians.
Since early beginnings as a classical child prodigy, then classical concert pianist later changing to jazz, contemporary composition and creative music, John Law has gained a richly deserved reputation as one of Europe’s leading jazz pianist/composers. Sam Crockatt on saxophones is himself a bandleader and composer, who has performed and recorded with Gwilym Simcock and Kit Downes, and is above all a really melodic improviser. James Agg, already full to the brim with amazing talent, perfect ears and a brilliant double bass technique, is also one of the most important melodic voices in the group, while simultaneously holding down much of the rhythm. Billy Weir is one of the new breed of young drummers who are at home in all the rhythmic complexities of today’s contemporary jazz, while also taking pleasure in the joy of a simple, driving and wonderfully supportive groove.
‘An under-recognised giant of British modern jazz/new music piano.’ Downtown Music Gallery, New York
‘One of the UK’s most imaginative and versatile jazz pianists.’ International Piano Magazine