BIOGRAPHIES:

TREVOR WATTS AND THE CELEBRATION BAND
Trevor Watts (Leader/Composer/alto & sop saxes), Rob Leake (Ten & sop),
Amy Metcalf (Ten sax), Marcus Cummins (Alto & sop saxes),
Jamie Harris (perc), Roger Carey (Bass Gtr), Geoff Sapsford (Gtr),
Giampaolo Scatozza (Drums).
 
Trevor Watts has travelled the World many times with his MOIRE MUSIC GROUP and DRUM ORCHESTRA over the last 20 years, and always has been found at the forefront of the development of new ideas, such as when the description "World Music" was first used, he was already there. This new project called the CELEBRATION BAND is the latest development from all the experience gained within MOIRE and the other groups he's been involved with, and also the many collaborations around the World with indigenous musicians from such as TEATRO NEGRO DE BARLOVENTO (a black group from Venezuela), SUDANESE traditional musicians in Sudan, African musicians in Africa, musicians from the Caribbean and also with INDIAN & BURMESE musicians in all the host countries along with many others from elsewhere in the World.
The music of the Celebration Band mainly features very accomplished young musicians from the U.K. scene, and incorporates WORLD/FOLK and JAZZ elements within the overall structure. Good soloing, great melodies, interesting compositions and with a unique rhythmic approach.
The latest CD from this group on ARC 010 "Trevor Watts and the Celebration Band" captures the groups style well. Contemporary sounding, but with a strong acknowledgement to the past.
We hope you will be interested in sharing with us our wonderfully developed sense of community and love of music and celebration of life!

Trevor Watts - TrevorWatts.WhistlingMule.com

  Born in York, England; composer/arranger/alto & sop saxes/piano/percussion. Trevor Watts' family moved to Halifax in Yorkshire when he was 6 months old, and that is where he was brought up.

Trevor is a completely self taught musician, and his early inspirations came from his fathers love of Jazz, and the large collection of 78's that his father brought back after living in Canada and visiting the States on many occasions in the 1920's.

When Trevor moved to Hastings in 1980 he began taking more of an interest in composition. He then formed the first 10 piece Moire Music Group in order to play these compositions. The first performances were in 1982 at the Roundhouse in London, and Bracknell Jazz Festival, and caused quite a stir at the time. Original members included Lol Coxhill, Veryan Weston, Nana Tsiboe, Mamadi Kamara, Liam Genockey and Larry Stabbins amongst others. Larry went on to form the group Working Week. To keep his improvising side going Trevor formed the original Trevor Watts Drum Orchestra at the same time (1982), which included Nana Tsiboe and Mamadi Kamara on African Percussion, Liam Genockey, Ernest Mothle from S Africa on bass as well as Peter Knight (Violin) and Watts. It was always Trevors desire to include the African rhythmic element within the improvised musical form, and it was this group that first achieved that.

He has now formed a new group that is more closely associated with the compositional side of the original Moire Music project. It is called Trevor Watts and the Celebration Band and is a new 8 piece ensemble (4 saxes/guitar/bass guitar/percussion/drums), and again is causing quite a stir. The band recorded a new CD on Watts own ARC label called Trevor Watts and the Celebration Band (ARC 010) and is now playing many concerts and festivals.

Geoffrey Sapsford

  began his musical career in Leicester in 1975 playing guitar in local bands and had recorded and released with local record labels.

In 1986 he moved to London and joined a band who were originally signed to Stiff Records, later moving to Polydor. He toured and recorded for a number of years.

In 1990 he began to study at London Guildhall University and Gained a 1st class (honours) BSc degree in Music Technology, specialising in piano, in 1993. He went on to tour with a major recording artist as her personal piano tuner/technician during 1994, touring Europe, Canada and the USA.

He continues to work with pianos and moved to Hastings in 1999 where he is plays in a variety of styles of band, including - The Celebration Band.

Marcus Cummins

  Studied saxophone at Leeds City College of Music and Dartington College of Arts . Jazz and improvised music have been his main areas of interest and involvement . He has played extensively in solo and group situations.

His recent projects include The Trevor Watts Celebration Band and The Rosie Brown Group .

Marcus lives in London, England.

Jamie Harris

  was born in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in 1973. He formerly trained in music at Chichester Tech College(1991/92) where he met Marcus Cummins and was introduced by him to Trevor Watts music . Moving to Hastings as a singer, Jamie founded the cult Jazz rock group 'Susan' with other core members bass player Joe Cooper and Guitarist Felix Frey . The group recorded an EP with Drummer Liam Gennocky and for a short time played successfully around London and the South East some times using percussionist Nana Tsiboe.

In Autumn 1999 He was one of the lead vocalists at the first performance of new blues musical  'Angel Face ', which was written by Randy Williams and Felix Frey. It was performed at London's Conway Hall .

Since 2000 Jamie has been a founder member of The Celebration Band switching from vocals to percussion. He has found playing Trevor Watts's music enriching both personally and musically . The challenge is not just to accurately portray Trevor's‚ vision but to nurture and grow the music further with each performance without changing what is essential .

Rob Leake

  I began my career in Newcastle where I played with various jazz and pop groups in the area.

I then moved to Leeds to study at the college of music where I gained a degree in Jazz Studies. From there I made it to London where I survived as a free lance player with such groups as Merengada, a salsa and merengue 10 piece, ‘Millennium’ Greek Wedding Band and the ’World Jazz’ group Oriele.

I have recently settled in Hastings where The Trevor Watts Celebration Band is based and continue to work on a variety of projects in the UK.

Amy Leake

  started to learn clarinet at the age 12.  She was inspired to learn saxophone after attending a Trevor Watts gig in 1988.  She spent another year learning clarinet before getting hold of an alto, soon joining a youth big band and local rock/folk groups.  

In 1990 she took up tenor sax.   After school she studied with Bobby Wellins at Chichester College 1994- 95,  then gained a B.A. hons in Jazz Studies at Leeds College of Music.  

In 1998 she moved to London and began gigging and teaching sax and clarinet.  

In 2001 moved to Hastings,  gigging in London and the South-East with jazz groups,  big bands and function bands.

Giampaolo Scatozza

   was born in Rome on Nov 19th 1971 and lived there until 24, when he moved to London. Since then he has made his home in tufnell Park, North London.

G.S graitated towards the drums at an early age. he aquired his first drum set at the age of 12 . Different people along the way gave him encouragement , early in Rome he took some lessons with the great Peter Erskine and Trilok Gurtu ."My family just encouraged me to be happy ,to really do what i wanted to do". In Rome he attended the Uni dell Musica and studied privately with Derek wilson and Horacio hernandez.

Giampoalo has worked with Tony Moore, Paul Young , Misha Paris , Dez'ree, Ruby Turner ,Vina Nova and Baca loca among others. He has been active within the Moire Music Group over the last year as well as The Celebration Band.

Roger Carey

  Began recording and gigging around England in the mid 1970s in various rock bands. later he branched into mainstream and improvised jazz.

Roger has worked for many years with singer and pianist Liane Carroll , recording several CDs and touring with Trumpeter Dave Holdsworth and blues legend Long john Baldry. He and Liane still play selected jazz gigs together, some times in a trio with guitarist John Etheridge.

Roger has also worked with singer Jacqueline Dankworth in her band Field Of Blue , touring the UK and Ireland over a two year period.

Roger ran a successful small scale jazz venue in Hastings at The Street Bar for 8 years. Where national and internationally known names came to play every week. He joined the Celebration Band in 2001, playing on their debut album.

He continues to freelance with a variety of performers .