About this Event
Bar 7:30 pm / music 8:30 pm
Essentially Ellington feat. Tony Kofi and Marco Marzola Quartet (MMQ)!
Marco Marzola says: “it is a privilege to be playing at Jazz Café POSK with my band. We will be commemorating the life of Duke Ellington, one of the greatest jazz composers, transcending all centuries. 29th of April is his birthday. He would have 125 years old. That is why, we are counting on you, to honour his life. Join us on 4th of May to celebrate his legacy!”
“Is a very dynamic and unique cutting-edge ensemble of musicians. Is a power packed experience of emotions and excitements based on a large, revisited repertoire of the two legendary composers Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn”.
Line up:
Tony Kofi – alto & soprano saxophones
Marco Marzola – double bass
Nico Menci – piano
Alfonso Vitale – drums
April 29this Duke Ellington 125th Birthday! Celebrating the Music of Ellington & Strayhorn!
Two of the greatest jazz composers were Duke Ellington (1899-1974) and Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967). The nature of the collaboration between the Duke and Strays remained a mystery to audiences, record buyers and critics. Who composed what? This famous question has been debated over decades between critics, musicologists and fans. In a 1962 interview, Duke Ellington said, “Strayhorn lives the life that I would love to live. You know, he is the pure artist”.
Tony Kofi - is a British Jazz multi-instrumentalist born of Ghanaian parents, a player of the alto, baritone and soprano saxophones.
Winner of Best Instrumentalist at the 2008 BBC Jazz Awards, Tony Kofi’s playing career began when he chanced upon a series of jazz workshops, run in Leicester by Nick Hislam. He won a scholarship at the legendary Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying with musical luminaries such as Andy Magee, Ernie Watts, and Billy Pierce, The Tony Kofi Quartet’s 2004 album of Thelonious Monk compositions, Plays Monk, won the Jazz Parliamentary award and the BBC Jazz award for best ensemble and best album. Having ‘cut his teeth’ in the “Jazz Warriors” of the early 90’s, award-winning saxophonist Tony Kofi has gone on to establish himself as a musician, teacher and composer of some authority.
As well as performing and recording with Gary Crosby’s “Nu-Troop” and “Jazz Jamaica”, Tony’s playing has also been a feature of many bands and artists he has worked/recorded with include “US-3” The World Saxophone Quartet, Courtney Pine, Donald Byrd, Eddie Henderson, David Murray, Sam Rivers, Andrew Hill, Abdullah Ibrahim, Macy Gray, Julian Joseph, Harry Connick JR, Byron Wallen, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Ornette Coleman, Dr Lonnie Smith…..
Marco Marzola – bass (original and strong sound) Ongoing collaboration with Musicians of the International jazz scene across Europe at Jazz Festivals and Jazz Clubs. His artistic training began at the conservatory of Ferrara (Italy). Captured by Jazz at an early age, he moved to New York in 1982 where he studied with Barry Harris and Buster Williams. He became interested in Ethnic Music, Blues and Pop. Alongside his work as sideman, he started several projects as a band leader featuring International acclaimed guests such as Ed Cherry, Steve Turre, Sherman Irby, Akua Dixon, Darrell Green, Dion Parson. As a testimony to these collaborations, there are now several Albums available online.
He shared the stage and recorded with the most representative Musicians of the international jazz scene around Europe and United States such as: Betty Carter, Jimmy Lovelace, Tommy Tarantine, Jimmy Owens, Paul Jeffrey, Craig Handy, Harold Land, George Cables, Steve Turre, Tommy Campbell, John Hics, Tony Scott, Bruce Forman, Jimmy Cobb, Dion Parson, John Clark, Sherman Irby, Chuck McPherson, James Zollar, Darrell Green, Jesse Davis, Akua Dixon, James Hurt, Ed Cherry, Stacy Dillard, Bruce Williams, Jerome Jennings, Art Hirahara, Camille Thurman, Giulio Capiozzo, Flavio Boltro, Stefano Bollani, Fabrizio Bosso and many other.
Nico Menci - piano (one of Italy’s top pianists): sharing the stage and recording with: Elliot Zigmund, Steve Ellington, Patrick Clahar, Sam Most, Jimmy Lovelace, Slide Hampton, Eric Alexander, Eddie Henderson, Steve Turre, Bruce Williams, Chuck McPherson, Ray Mantilla, Scott Hamilton, Jaimeo Brown, Sherman Irby, Darrell Green, James Zollar, Akua Dixon, Jesse Davis, Dion Parson. Steve Grossman, Vincent Harring, Buster Williams, Lenny White etc...
Alfonso Vitale – drums (a multitalented prodigy drummer) was born in 1991 in Messina, Italy. He started playing the drums at the age of three and became a regular fixture at local jazz club ‘La Sosta’, sitting in with visiting veteran stars like Bobby Watson, Kenny Barron, Buster Williams, Steve Swallow and others. In 2013 he graduated from the Conservatoire A. Corelli with a degree in classical percussions.
Soon after moving to the UK, he became a regular sideman and found a comfortable footing on the London jazz scene playing among others with Tony Kofi, Jay Phelps, Alan Barnes, Trevor Watkis. In 2016 Alfonso took a three-month sabbatical in New York City, honing and extending his skills as an exponent of his stylistic passion in the style of the old jazz masters. More recently Alfonso returned from a tour between UK and France, playing in the quintet of one of the great jazz legends Eddie Gomez.
www.marcomarzola.com
www.tonykofimusic.com
Media patronage: Londynek.net
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Polish Social and Cultural Association POSK, 238-246 King Street, London, United Kingdom
GBP 15.00