Results for "Simon Purcell"

Simon Purcell

Simon Purcell is probably best known as Head of Jazz at Trinity-Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and member of the Pop and Jazz Steering Group for the Association of European Conservatoires. Since the mid 1980s, Simon has performed both as leader and sideman, appearing with amongst others – Red Rodney, Kenny Wheeler, Eddie Henderson, Stan Sulzman, Jean Toussaint and Julian Arguelles. His current quintet features Julian Siegel, Chris Batchelor and Gene Calderazzo. From a musical family. His parents were classical musicians, his father having performed with a number of London Orchestras, while his grandfather, clarinettist Paddy Purcell, was a listed in Who’s Who as a member of Henry Wood’s Orchestra during the 1920s. He began playing the French horn at 8, and received a thorough classical musical education at school, playing in orchestras, wind-bands, singing in a chapel choir, learning a discipline that he has come to value. In his teens, Simon fumbled through boogie-woogie and various attempts at jazz as relief from hours of long notes on the French-horn, and by the time he left Trinity College of Music in 1980, he was dividing his time between classical music and jazz (only having received instruction in the former). While at college of Music, Simon formed a band with saxophonist Martin Speake, mainly playing bebop, and later jazz-fusion in the group This Side Up

Simon Purcell: Red Circle

By Simon Purcell

Label: Whirlwind Recordings
Released: 2014
Track listing: 1. Spirit Level; 2. Red Circle - Enchantress; 3. Minos; 4.Answers for Job; 5. Pandora; 6. Dark Night; 7. Ithaca; 8.Maestros and Musos; 9. Ithaca (vocal version - bonus track)

Simon Purcell: Red Circle

by Phil Barnes
November 11, 2014

The title of this debut CD by UK Pianist Simon Purcell, Red Circle, is rich in metaphor and layered meanings. Does it for example refer to the belief amongst practitioners of ritual magic that a marked out circle can contain energy in a sacred space or sometimes offer a form of magical protection--surely a metaphor for ...

Whirlwind Recordings Announces Upcoming Releases

March 3, 2014

Whirlwind Recordings announces its bumper-crop of upcoming releases for 2014, featuring an eclectic mix of standout albums from known and up-and-coming artists based in NYC, London and beyond. Here's a snapshot: March 11, 2104: Leave the Door Open by Joel Harrison & Anupam Shobhakar. A brand new collaboration featuring cutting edge western improvisation, roots music and ...