Israel Varela ft. Quentin Collins & Andrew McCormack
Originally from Tijuana, Mexico, the multi-Award-winning drummer, singer and composer Israel Varela has over the last 15 years established himself as a versatile and widely respected presence on the International music scene. These days based in Europe he includes work with a dizzying array of diverse world class musicians, including the likes of Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Diego Amador, Richard Bona, OSEM Symphony Orchestra and Yo-Yo Ma! Describing the night as a "cross-sectional portrait of the modern jazz mainstream" the programme will include original music from Israel's last ten albums including his latest, “Frida en Silencio” and “Musica Pintada’. The band features top UK trumpeter Quentin Collins and pianist Andrew McCormack (both highly regarded artists in the their own right who also are members of Kyle Eastwood's band), along with bassist Mirko Scarcia (Nigel Price) and, to add another dimension to the show, tap dancer Avalon Rathgeb.
"Collins...England's top...trumpet master...breathtaking" HMV Magazine; “McCormack…an extraordinary British pianist” BBC Radio 2