28th July 2013: Announcing the debut album from drummer and composer Ollie Howell, ‘Sutures and Stitches’ + feature in Rhythm Magazine + Ronnie Scotts live dates supporting Jimmy Cobb + Fall Launch Tour Dates
Whirlwind Recordings is pleased to announce:
The debut album from Ollie Howell
Featuring:
Ollie Howell – Drums, Compositions
Duncan Eagles – Tenor Saxophone
Mark Perry – Trumpet
Matt Robinson – Piano
Max Luthert – Double Bass
Release Date: September 23, 2013
“An unbelievable drummer. So creative I couldn’t believe it. This kid really is a 360-degree beautiful young cat that I believe has what it takes to make a life out of music.”
– Quincy Jones
Sutures and Stitches is the debut solo album from the multi-award winning drummer, composer and bandleader Ollie Howell, a remarkable young man who has overcome some of life’s biggest obstacles and used these events to compose a program of inspired music. Currently based in London, and already establishing a name for himself both in the UK and abroad, Ollie’s main focus as a composer and bandleader has been his own quintet, who were recently awarded the prestigious Peter Whittingham Development Award in 2012, administered by the Musician’s Benevolent Fund.
Howell’s debut chronicles a life changing and defining period of his life that had both dramatic highs (including the befriending and mentorship of Quincy Jones and of the legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb) and also dramatic lows. In 2009, Ollie was suddenly diagnosed with a brain malformation, which resulted in a series of mandatory neurosurgeries, the latest being in April 2012. The scars from Ollie’s surgeries (and their sutures and stitches) stand as reminders, not of his pain and anguish during that time, but of his recovery and determination to heal and forge something positive from this traumatic ordeal. Along with a full recovery, one of the big positives from Ollie’s life-changing experience has resulted in Sutures and Stitches. The music Ollie wrote for this album (some of which written from his hospital bed) would probably never have been born, were it not for his incredible journey throughout these past few years. Indeed, this album is much more than your typical debut, and stands as a shining testament of how passionate and inspired music can be born from the most dire of circumstances.
Recorded in London by Derek Nash and mixed and mastered by our in-house sound guru, the New York-based, 4-time Grammy nominee Tyler McDiarmid, the album boasts a pristine sound quality and a superb collection of original compositions that also take some big inspiration from the diverse sounds springing from the contemporary London and NYC jazz scenes, a strong dedication to melodic and memorable themes, driving grooves and features some of the brightest emerging stars on the UK scene. It’s truly an amazing story, and we at Whirlwind Recordings are delighted to help in sharing this powerful and inspiring statement from Ollie with the world.
Ollie was also featured in the latest edition of Rhythm Magazine with a nice shout out about his album, and you can catch him and his band playing music from his debut at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club opening for the legendary Jimmy Cobb this 2nd and 3rd August (Fri and Sat).
We’re also looking forward to Ollie’s big release tour this fall (yep, this young man has it all going on!), check the dates here, and for more detailed information, visit www.olliehowell.co.uk
04 Oct 2013
Bradford, UK
Bradford Jazz Club
06 Oct 2013
Lowestoft, UK
Milestones Jazz Club
09 Oct 2013
Sheffield, UK
Jazz At The Lescar
10 Oct 2013
London, UK
King’s Place – OFFICIAL CD RELEASE PARTY
at the Whirlwind Festival
17 Oct 2013
Dorking, UK
Watermill Jazz Club
18 Oct 2013
Bristol, UK
Bebop Club
20 Oct 2013
Southampton, UK
Southampton Modern Jazz Club
22 Oct 2013
Birmingham, UK
Spotted Dog
25 Oct 2013
Colchester, UK
Fleece Jazz
28 Oct 2013
London, UK
Jazz In The Round @ The Cockpit
29 Oct 2013
Cardiff, UK
Dempseys Jazz Club
13 Nov 2013
Lincoln, UK
Terry O’ Toole Theatre, Lincoln
21 Nov 2013
Poole, UK
Poole Sound Cellar
24 Nov 2013
Newcastle, UK
Splinter Jazz
25 Nov 2013
Leeds, UK
Sela Bar (OH Quartet)
26 Nov 2013
Liverpool, UK
Parr Jazz (STUDIO2)
03 Dec 2013
London, UK
606 Jazz Club