ESSENTIALLY ELLINGTON & STRAYHORN

Essentially Ellington & Strayhorn

“CELEBRATING the MUSIC of ELLINGTON & STRAYHORN”

If You’d Like to Book the Band, Please don’t hesitate to contact us

“MMQ” Featuring: Tony Kofi

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 Famous Composers Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn.

Tony Kofi [alto saxophone]
a British Jazz multi-instrumentalist born of Ghanaian parents, a player of the Alto, Baritone, Soprano, Tenor saxophones and flute. 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]
Ongoing collaboration with Musicians of the International jazz scene across Europe at Jazz Festivals and Jazz Clubs.
He shared the stage and recorded with the most representative Musicians of the INTERNATIONAL JAZZ SCENEaround 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).
He has many collaborations with big names on the international Jazz Scene, recording albums and giving concerts at Jazz Festivals and Jazz Clubs across Europe 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, Kush Abadey etc……

Alfonso Vitale [drums]
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 with tenor saxophonist Renato D’Aiello at Ronnie Scott’s Acoustic Jazz Lounge 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 months sabbatical in the Big Apple, 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.

“Jazz is a Good Barometer of Freedom”

(Duke Ellington)

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.”

For more information and booking inquiries please don’t hesitate to contact us

CHARISMATIC PRODUCTION Contacts:
For Info: production@charismaticproduction.com
For Booking: booking@charismaticproduction.com