Jonathan Gee Quintet ft Jari Perkiomaki & Denys Baptiste
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 and Claire Martin. He has performed in groups comprised of leading musicians from France, Finland and Italy and his New York trio packed out Dizzy’s at Lincoln Center. Tonight he is appearing with his quintet featuring multi-Award winning saxophonist Denys Baptiste (McCoy Tyner, Incognito, Courtney Pine) alongside their special Award-winning guest from Finland, the alto sax star Jari Perkiomaki (Reggie Workman, Billy Cobham). Jari began his musical career in the late 1970s and has since played extensively in Finland and throughout Europe, in 2005 receiving the biggest jazz award in Finland, the Yrjö Award. He was the first Finnish Doctor of Music in the field of jazz, going on to become Vice-Rector of the Sibelius Academy and Rector of the University of the Arts, Helsinki. Tonight the band, also featuring Mikele Montolli-double bass and Tristan Maillot-drums, will be playing selections from Peter Gabriel, Wayne Shorter and Spandau Ballet plus original compositions from Jonathan and Jari and to ground it all, some Thelonious Monk. And if that wasn’t enough, Jonathan will be singing a tune or two from his latest vocal album The Lions Revisited!
"Gee...his breathlessly sparkling originality shines through" Jazzwise; "Denys Baptiste…icon of British jazz" Time Magazine; “Perkiomaki…his experience, talent and continuous curiosity to discover make him a true influencer in jazz both in Finland and internationally” Jazz Finland
Photo of Jonathan Gee by Ron Milsom