
Gerry
Mulligan Tribute Band
FEATURING NO LESS THAN THREE WORSHIPFUL CO. OF MUSICIANS JAZZ MEDAL WINNERS
The Gerry Mulligan Tribute Band 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- British Jazz Award for Best
Trombonist in 1994/96/98.
Simon Woolf - Bass Simon's distinguished career has included stints with
Bobby Wellins &John Critchinson.
Steve Brown - Drums Steve is Winner of the British Jazz Awards up & coming
Jazz Musician & Drums Award
In Andy Panayi's own words -
"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
. 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. "