Jonathan Gee Quintet ft Denys Baptiste & Special Guests
WITH OFER & IRIS PORTUGALI, LARRY BARTLEY
The award-winning pianist/singer Jonathan Gee is a long established and respected bandleader and sought-after sideman who includes work with the likes of Joe Lovano, Mark Murphy & Benny Golson. Tonight he will be bringing to the Club his quintet featuring the Award-winning saxophonist Denys Baptiste (McCoy Tyner, Manu Dibango, Julian Joseph) and the highly respected bass player Larry Bartley (Courtney Pine). Completing the quintet will be Jon’s two special guests, Ofer Portugaly-piano/keyboard and Iris Portugaly-drums/vocals who between them have worked with the likes of Sheila Jordan, Kevin Mahogany, Dave Liebman, Avishai Cohen and Frank Gambale. The music will be an eclectic mix of material by Chick Corea and Paul Simon, along with reworked jazz standards and originals. In addition, Iris will also sing several Brazilian songs from the drum chair (which is terrific..!), while Jon will sing as well as play together with Ofer, with one on piano and the other on keyboard at the same time. This promises to be both a highly musical and fun gig from five enormously experienced and skilled musicians.
"Gee...his breathlessly sparkling originality shines through" Jazzwise; "Denys Baptiste…icon of British jazz" Time Magazine; “Baptiste…colossal talent” AllAboutJazz; “Ofer & Iris Portugaly…Elegant, exciting, rich in musical highlights” Vesty
Photo of Jonathan Gee by Ron Milsom