International Jazz Day: Zoe Gilby w. Special Guest: Tony Kofi
Tonight we celebrate International Jazz Day with a band featuring not one but two Award winning musicians! Winner of the Parliamentary Jazz Awards' "Jazz Vocalist of the Year" Zoe Gilby is a vocalist and songwriter who is making a serious impression on the UK scene. This evening she will be performing material from her album ‘Aurora’ (a tribute to trumpet player and composer Tom Harrell with lyrics by Zoe), her Carmen McRae-inspired lyrical interpretations of Thelonious Monk compositions plus some of her own excellent original songs. Zoe’s Special Guest tonight is the multi-Award-winning saxophonist Tony Kofi, who first came to prominence in the 1990’s with the likes of The Jazz Warriors and Courtney Pine. The first UK musician to be featured in the iconic US band the World Saxophone Quartet his awards include the 2005 Parliamentary Jazz Award, BBC Radio 3 Album of the Year and the BBC Jazz Award.
“Aurora” represents another impressive offering from Gilby…it sounds perfectly natural and organic” Jazz Mann; “Kofi…a great musician” The Arts Desk; “Kofi…passionate… superb… heartfelt” Guardian
Photo of Zoe Gilby by Ken Drew; Photo of Tony Kofi by Tatiana Gorilovsky