21st June 2016: Simon Purcell Quintet ft. Chris Batchelor, Julian Siegal, Steve Watts and Gene Calderazzo at The Vortex, 25th June 2016.

Pianist, composer and educator Simon Purcell, currently the Head of Jazz at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Dance and Music in London, will present his new Quintet project at The Vortex on Saturday June 25th 2016 (more info and tickets).

With a line-up comprising Simon Purcell – piano, Chris Batchelor – trumpet, Julian Siegel – tenor and soprano saxophones, Gene Calderazzo – drums and Steve Watts – bass, the Quintet builds on the success of debut release Red Circle.

Originally known for his hard-bop group “Jazz Train” during the 1980’s, Simon has performed throughout the UK and parts of Europe, both as leader and sideman, appearing with amongst others – Red Rodney, Kenny Wheeler, Eddie Henderson, Stan Sulzmann, Jean Tousaint, Valerie Ponomarev, Dale Barlow, Julian Arguelles, Bobby Shew, Conrad Erwig and Steve Williamson.

Here’s an extract from an All About Jazz review of the album which describes the intention and approach of Red Circle:

“The overall feel of the album is of that period between modal jazz of the late 1950s/early 1960s and the jazz-rock fusion experiments of the latter part of the 1960s. Fans of say Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock will find much to enjoy—for example the way that Purcell’s piano picks its way through the solo on “Red Circle—Enchantress” over Calderazzo’s cymbal work has echoes of “Maiden Voyage.” While there are these reverberations of the past, they never overwhelm the music which is without exception well played, interesting compositions. The way that Purcell interacts with both Siegel and Batchelor on the appropriately brooding “Answers for Job” is excellent as is the mesmeric piano line he feeds between contributions as if reflecting thoughts on the challenges posed to Job by the other soloists. “