The Gerry Mulligan Tribute Band

The repertoire consists of Gerry Mulligan, Bob Brookmeyer,
Thad Jones & their contemporaries including original material

Andy Panayi on Baritone, Tenor, Flute

Mark Nightingale - Trombone & Valve Trombone
Mark has worked alongside some of the worlds greatest jazz musicians including Lee Konitz, Clark Terry, James Morrison, Louis Bellson and George Shearing. Mark is also one of the country's top session musicians and has won the British Jazz Award for Best Trombonist in 1994/96/98.

Mark is a Worshipful Company of Musicians Jazz Medal winner and has recorded with Clark Terry, Ray Brown, Alan Barnes, John Dankworth, Cleo Laine and others. Mark has also worked with Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Sting, Henry Mancini, Claire Martin, Madonna, Luciano Pavarotti, Stan Tracey, John Dankworth & Cleo Laine, Colin Towns, The LSSO, Kenny Wheeler etc.

Simon Woolf - Bass
Simon's distinguished career has included stints with Bobby Wellins, Bill Le Sage, Dave Cliff and John Critchinson. As well as working with Andy's quartet and his own quintet, he is a regular member of bands led by Pete Jacobson and Geoff Simkins. Simon has worked alongside numerous International artists including Ruby Braff, Weslia Whitfield, Scott Hamilton and Louis Bellson.

His recordings include a trio album with Harry Allen & Howard Alden, Steve Melling, Andy Panayi and Geoff Simkins/Dave Cliff quintet. Simon also composes and has three originals on Andy's CD including the title track Blown Away. He also plays piano, teaches jazz bass at Trinity & the Royal College of Music, and is a regular contributor to the Doublebassist magazine.

Steve Brown - Drums
Steve is one of the most sought after drummers in the country. After studying in America, Steve toured the States with Harry Allen and was invited to perform at The Cornerstone Jazz Club in New York.


Winner of the British Jazz Awards up & coming Jazz Musician & Drums Award and The Worshipful Company of Musicians Jazz Medal, he was also a finalist in the European Jazz competition. Steve has played with such greats as Art Farmer, Charles McPherson, Scott Hamilton, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Mundell Lowe, Irene Reed and Carol Kidd. His CD credits include David Newton, Dave Cliff & Geoff Simkins, Stacey Kent, Alan Barnes, Albert Bover, Matt Wates and Jim Tomlinson.

BAND BIOGRAPHY 25/09/05

FEATURING NO LESS THAN THREE WORSHIPFUL CO. OF MUSICIANS JAZZ MEDAL WINNERS

It all started back in 1994 when a mutual friend of Mark Nightingale’s & myself suggested that it would be great to hear us playing in our own jazz band (we had already worked together in the commercial side of the business). I had just been asked to do a week at Ronnie Scotts’ Club and was considering what line-up to use so this led me to approach Mark to see how he would feel doing a gig at Ronnies’ with a newly formed band. He liked the idea and so we met up with several recordings of music we were keen to try. As Ronnies wanted me to use a quartet, I immediately thought of adding bass & drums with me on saxes & flute, and Mark on the trombone. We both liked the music of Gerry Mulligan (who ran pianoless ensembles for most of his carrier) and his contemporaries and resolved to do twelve tunes each so we had enough material for our first week at Ronnies. We have continued to work at the club over the past 10 years and did a live recording on their label back in 1996. As pianoless groups have no harmonic backings, I had to find a bassist that had a great ear, play melodic solos and could also lay down a bass line that always defined the chord sequence. I could think of only one player to fit the bill and so Simon Woolf joined us. Finally, I wanted a swinging, driving drummer who could also be more delicate when needed. Mark Taylor fitted the bill very nicely. Unfortunately, Mark decided to go to the States but I found a fantastic replacement in the form of Steve Brown, what a player. We have steadily been increasing our repertoire of Mulligan, Brookmeyer etc. as well as originals by Mark Simon & myself and have almost a hundred songs in our pad. As the Mulligan songs are very tuneful and not too modern, they have always gone down very well with audiences which is why we go out either as a Mulligan Tribute gig or under my own name. At present, we have 2 CD’s out with this line-up (with Mark Taylor on Drums) "Blown Away" & "Whooeeee!". We have a new CD of the Quartet (with Steve Brown on Drums) which will be released on Woodville Records at the beginning of January 2006.

     
     
       
      © Alp Music 2003