Party: Jay Phelps

Party: Jay Phelps

A fiery, swinging and very exciting quartet quartet led by a former Tomorrow's Warrior and Empirical star

Jay Phelps trumpet , Rick Simpson piano, Mark Lewandowski bass, Shane Forbes drums.

Trumpeter Jay Phelps is from Vancouver, Canada. He has a warm and projecting tone, influenced by Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis. Tonight will include music to be included in his second album, - out this winter.

Jay played with ‘Jazz Jamaica’ and ‘Tomorrow’s Warriors’. He later co-led his own group ‘Empirical’, while also appearing with Courney Pine, Ray Brown, John Dankworth, Dennis Rollins, Amy Winehouse and others.. ‘Empirical’ was a sell-out when it came to Fleece Jazz in 2007 In 2012, Jay guested with Wynton Marsalis' ‘Jazz at Linclon Centre Orchestra’ for Marsalis’ 'Congo Square'. Later that summer ‘Jay Phelps Big Band’ had two sell out nights at Ronnie Scott’s.

Rick Simpson piano is well established on the London scene. He is currently in ‘Klammer’. In 2008 he won a Yamaha Scholarship Prize for Outstanding Jazz Musicians. Mark Lewandowski bass from Nottingham, first appeared at the Fleece in 2013,as a dep with Saxophone Giants. He brought the review comment “The truly excellent bassist on this gig that will stand in the memory”. Shane Forbes drums, from Lewisham, was also a member of both ‘Young Warriors’ and ‘Empirical’. In 2009 Shane was the winner of the Worshipful Company of Musicians award.