GARETH LOCKRANE'S GROOVEYARD
Winner of the Best European Jazz Group award in the 2003 Granada Jazz Festival, GARETH LOCKRANE'S GROOVEYARD is the result of a collaboration between 2008 Downbeat Rising Star on Flute GARETH LOCKRANE and tenor saxophonist ALEX GARNETT, fusing an explosive blend of contemporary jazz, funk,gospel,rock and hard bop to create a true 21st century hammond combo! The band plays all original material composed by Gareth. The rest of the band comprises some of the Uk jazz scene's top musicians - MIKE OUTRAM on guitar,ROSS STANLEY on Hammond organ and NICK SMALLEY on drums. Between them the band have recorded and performed with; Bheki Mseleku, Incognito, Carleen Anderson, Cinematic Orchestra, Heritage Orchestra, Natalie Williams, Martin Taylor, The Bays, Steve Howe, Herbie Mann, The James Taylor Quartet, Gwilym Simcock, Jim Mullen and many others. Grooveyard's well received 2 cds "Put The Cat Out" and "Roots" are soon to be followed up with a soon-to-be-completed new album, which will be their best yet.
JAZZWISE MAGAZINE REVIEW FOR "PUT THE CAT OUT" **** From the opening rapid-fire tenor sax/flute octave doublings of the title track it's immediately apparent that this recording is something very special indeed. Winner of the 'Best Jazz Group of Europe' award at the 2003 Granada Jazz Festival, there is a deliciously dark and grainy quality to Grooveyard's music, much of it down to the alchemical reaction of Pete Whittaker's Hammond organ against Outram's guitar. Lockrane's flute work is exceptional, combining a relaxed fluidity on the one hand with an acute adventurousness on the other. Garnett's big tone, rich timbre and rhythmic incisiveness (and great soloing on Lock-Up!) invariably serves to send the band into overdrive. Outram's performance gives yet another indication as to why he is in such demand at the moment, whether it's his rock-solid time and on-the-money comping, versatility across a range of settings, or his subtly expressive soloing. (4 stars) Peter Quinn - Jazzwise Magazine
Put the Cat Out is a burning set by Grooveyard, a group of young veterans of British jazz led by flautist Gareth Lockrane and saxophonist Alex Garnett. As the name suggests, this is a hard-swinging band who know how to get low-down and funky when required.
The accomplished and articulate playing of Lockrane reveals why many feel he is a new star on his instrument. Tenor saxophonist Garnett, who also doubles here on baritone, is developing an interesting and individual voice, and guitarist Mike Outram is in blistering form throughout.
Gareth's writing and arranging skills are also ably demonstrated in a well crafted bunch of Lockrane originals which allow each player to make telling contributions. The groove in Grooveyard comes from the rhythm section of organist Pete Whittaker and drummer Tom Gordon who take the tradition towards the transition wi9th power and sensitivity.
A great debut.
Jim Mullen. June 2003
"the formidable Lockrane...a stunning display of sharp-accented runs, earthy whoops and constantly refreshed melodic ideas" John Fordham,The Guardian
"Lockrane is an exceptional soloist with an improvisatory confidence that's quite startling” Peter Vacher,Jazzwise
"...the flute, an instrument which has still not achieved a firm foothold in jazz. If the brilliant playing of Gareth Lockrane is anything to go by, that state of affairs may change...” Dave Gelly,The ObserverTHE PLAYERS
MIKE OUTRAM (guitar) - Mike Outram was born in Manchester and first became involved with music at age 5 playing the violin. At 14 he started playing the guitar and initially took lessons from classical guitarist Martin Roberts and guitarist Pete Bocking. After school he studied at Leigh College Music Centre with Steve Willingham, Steve Berry, Gary Boyle and Mike Walker. He also gained experience playing with many groups on the Manchester music scene. He moved to London in 1998 and has worked with Herbie Mann, Carleen Anderson, Dave O'Higgins, Cinematic Orchestra, Martin Speake, M.J. Cole, Nikki Iles, Jacqui Dankworth, Stan Sulzmann, Photek, Asaf Sirkis, Harvey Brough, Tim Whitehead, John Halliwell, Gwyneth Herbert and has played with guitarists Martin Taylor, Jim Mullen and John Etheridge. He has toured internationally, recorded over 50 cds for Universal, Sony, Candid records and others and won the 'Best Group in Europe' award with Grooveyard in Spain.
Mike is also Guitar Professor at Trinity College of Music, The Royal Academy of Music and Thames Valley University. He has also taught for the Glamorgan and Burnley summer schools and has given numerous workshops and clinics internationally.
Recently activities include; a European tour with soul-funk legend Carleen Anderson, performances with Rolling Stones saxophonist Tim Ries, recording with Theo Travis and Robert Fripp and playing at the Sao Paulo Film Festival, Brazil, for composer Laura Rossi.
ROSS STANLEY (hammond organ) - After spending his younger years as a classical pianist and organ scholar at Marlborough College,Ross was then invited to study at several renowned institutions including Trinity College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in the USA. He decided to stay in London, however, and completed his undergraduate course in classical and jazz piano at Guildhall in 2004. Since leaving, Ross' exceptional musical skills have kept him in high demand, seeing him play with jazz names such as Jamie Cullum, Liane Carroll and Stan Sulzmann, as well as being a regular member of the Jim Mullen Organ Trio, the Jacqui Dankworth Band, the Guy Barker Big Band and the Steve Howe Trio. He has recorded for the likes of Simply Red, Goldie, US3 and Trevor Horn. Ross also plays in several large ensembles - Nostalgia 77 Octet, The Heritage Orchestra - and numerous small groups, most recently his own organ trio performed to a packed Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club. He also has a Hammond endorsement.
NICK SMALLEY (drums) - Nick began playing drums at the age of 14 yrs whilst living in the Manchester area and was soon performing regularly in public with several local bands. His musical styles developed over this period ranging from rock, funk and blues to Latin percussion and jazz.Following his successful graduation from Leeds College of Music in 2002 he remained within the Leeds area maintaining a busy performance schedule as a professional musician whilst also teaching percussion.
In April 2005 he moved down to the London area where he has continued to combine performing professionally with tuition. Some of his recent work has involved gigs at the Pizza Express in Soho,606 club,the Vortex ,Koko and Ronnie Scotts. He has also performed on several televison music shows with singer songwriter Richard Hawley.He has played on a number of soundtrack sessions for the BBC playing drums and ethnic percussion for the travel series starring Michael Palin and more recently Steven Fry. During his time in London he has had the opportunity to gig in several other countries including playing the main stage at the Roskilde festival in Denmark,Moscow,Japan and Athens.
He has played with many prominent jazz musicians over the years including Phil Robson, Guy Barker, Tina May, Alan Barnes, Bruce Adams, Julian Joseph, Lynne Arialle, Malcolm Creese, Andy Scott, Jim Hart and Renato D'Aiello to name a few.ALEX GARNETT (tenor saxophone) - Son of acclaimed British sax player Willie Garnett, Alex also started learning the sax at an early age. As one of the most exciting young tenor players in Europe, Alex Garnett is one of the most in-demand of UK session players, perhaps best known on the jazz scene for his superb work with Ray Gelato’s Giants, but can equally well be found in settings that cover the best of blues,jazz and popular music, playing with Chaka Khan, Paul Weller, Buddy Guy,Van Morrison, Guy Barker, Gerard Presencer, Humphrey Lyttleton, Dave Cliff, Ruby Turner, Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson and Albert King amongst others.
GARETH LOCKRANE (flutes) - Gareth plays flute, alto and bass flutes and piccolo and has been based in London since the mid-90's, when he moved down from Stoke on Trent to study at London's Royal Academy of Music. As well as Grooveyard, he's currently focusing on his septet and big band as well,both of which regularly gig around the UK and London jazz scene. He recently completed his MA in film composing at the National Film&Television School. He was a member of the late great Bheki Mseleku's last group for the last 3 years of his life, and has also performed or recorded with Incognito,The James Taylor Quartet, Sirius B, The Bays, Heritage Orchestra, Tom Richards Jazz Orchestra,Hans Koller and bands led by Phil Donkin, Dan Stern, Kate Williams,Paul Booth, Jon Opstad, Nia Lynn, Georgia Mancio, Natalie Williams and Gwilym Simcock. He was a finalist in the Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2000 and he's led the group Grooveyard with saxophonist Alex Garnett since 2002, which won Best European Jazz Group in 2003 in the Granada Jazz Festival. He was recently Rising Star on Flute in 2008's US Downbeat Critics Poll.
INDIVIDUAL REVIEWS -
"the formidable Lockrane...a stunning display of sharp-accented runs, earthy whoops and constantly refreshed melodic ideas"
John Fordham,The Guardian"Lockrane is an exceptional soloist with an improvisatory confidence that's quite startling”
Peter Vacher, Jazzwise
"...the flute, an instrument which has still not achieved a firm foothold in jazz. If the brilliant playing of Gareth Lockrane is anything to go by, that state of affairs may change...” Dave Gelly,The Observer
“..Flute phenomenon!...”
Jack Massarick, London Evening Standard
“a new star on his instrument”
Jim Mullen'Outram is a guitarist with world-class credentials' - The Guardian
'Mike Outram is without doubt the most talented guitarist of his generation' - Steve Rubie - 606 Club
'Bear witness to the rocket–science guitar that is Mike Outram' - Tom Barlow, Dazed & Confused
'Mention must be made of the facility possessed by guitarist Mike Outram - his effortless choruses and creative impulses were also noteworthy, logically developed and often lyrical even when playing prestissimo' - The Times, Sri Lanka
'Mike Outram's electric guitar work was fascinating' - Swanage Jazz Festival Review
'One of the British guitar finds of recent years' - John Fordham - The Guardian
'a super-sensitive accompanist and a profound soloist' - Birmingham Evening Post"Alex Garnett is one of Great Britain's most accomplished post-bop musicians" Allaboutjazz
