Jazz at the Vaults - Simon Spillett (Sax)
“Straight-ahead, high energy jazz is his line and he does it with aplomb” The Guardian
St James' Wine Vaults
MENUSimon Spillett has played with saxophonists Peter King and Alan Skidmore, trumpeters Janusz Carmello and Steve Waterman, trombonists Campbell Burnap and Don Lusher, guitarist John Etheridge and vocalist Tina May.
In 2004 Spillett played a quartet gig at the 606 Club in London with drummer Steve Brown and shortly afterwards formed his own quartet featuring pianist Mike Gorman, bassist Andrew Cleyndert and drummer Martin Drew, from the Oscar Peterson trio.
This group rapidly attracted attention on the UK jazz circuit and within eighteen months Spillett had risen to prominence as one of the most promising young English jazz players. The quartet, with John Critchinson replacing Gorman, was soon a popular attraction at UK jazz venues and festivals.
He has also worked with English jazz players including Sir John Dankworth, Alan Barnes, Danny Moss, Bobby Wellins, Jack Parnell, Gwylim Simcock, Jim Mullen, Clark Tracey and Tony Kinsey. In 2007 he joined the Ronnie Scott's Jazz Orchestra. At this point Simon was often said to recall the work of Tubby Hayes. His appearances drew heavily on Hayes' repertoire and approach, the effect heightened by endorsment from ex-Hayes players including drummers Allan Ganley, Tony Levin and Spike Wells and he has recently published a biography of Tuby Hayes’ Life, “The Long Shadow of the Little Giant”.
In the year 2020 he launched of a project very close to Simon’s heart, his own Big Band made up of some of Britain’s finest players.
AWARDS:
In 2007 Simon won the BBC Jazz Award for Rising Star, accepting his award from actor Michael Brandon on BBC Radio 2 and 3 and appearing with the BBC Big Band directed by Guy Barker.
The same year Simon was also nominated in the Rising Star category of the British Jazz Awards. In 2008, Sienna Red was nominated as the best album in the BBC Jazz Awards. He was also nominated in the tenor saxophone category of the British Jazz Awards.
In 2009, Sienna Red won the critics' poll for Best Jazz Album of 2008/9 in Jazz Journal International.
Simon also won the tenor saxophone category of the British Jazz Awards organised by BIG BEAR MUSIC.
Doors 8:00pm
