Jonathan Gee Duo
Tuesday 8 March 2022 8pm
Pianist and singer Jonathan Gee is with us as a duo with double bassist Marcus Vergette at Fougou Jazz, Torbay.
A regular visitor to Devon, Jonathan’s resume includes leading his bands at New York’s Lincoln Centre, Rome Festival, Pori Festival, Baku Festival, Ronnie Scotts etc ; and releasing 11 albums. Most recently he has released an album ‘Reimagining The Beatles’ with Ohisashiburi featuring Italian star Gaetano Partipilo and an archive trio album from Rome with GeeGalloMinetto. Jazz legends he has worked with include Pharoah Sanders, Art Farmer, and Joe Lovano. Recent collaborators include Benet Mclean, Cleveland Watkiss and Mike Westbrook.
Marcus, as well as being an internationally acclaimed sculptor, has exhibited inThe Venice Guggenheim for instance, has worked with many of the UK’s top jazz musicians including Mike Westbrook, Jean Toussaint, Steve Buckley and Don Weller.
The instrumental repertoire will be drawn from Gee and Vergette originals, Thelonious Monk, Stevie Wonder, and others…. the songs will include lockdown classics such as Don’t Get Around Much Anymore and The Nearness of You, but also tracks from his soon to be released vocal album including a vocalise version of Miles Davis Boplicity, a take on the Joao Gilberto version of Agua Di Marco, and original songs co-written with Kate Westbrook and playwright Alan Franks.
Mike Collins after reviewing the two albums mentioned above said
‘ Equally at home burning up on a dense original as rendering a classic ballad, what catches this listener’s ear about Jonathan Gee’s playing is a restless energy and never too distant instinct to trace a fluid, unexpected, melodic line. These two recordings are a welcome reminder of the distinctive character and range of his playing. ‘