Gerard Cousins

This summer has been busy time for Gerard who, as well as touring the
UK and Saudi Arabia has been busy preparing and recording a new CD
of Welsh music soon to be released. He will perform some of these new
unique arrangements of traditional Welsh folksongs at tonight’s concert
as well as some classics from the guitar repertoire.

Gerard Cousins’ expressive performances hold audiences spellbound.
He transports his listeners with his evocative playing, from silence to
the quietest sweetest sounds, or mimicking the sounds of nature, the
wind and the sea, a whole range of emotions pour forth from his guitar
as if he is truly singing through those strings.  His interpretations,
compositions and arrangements all show an un-compromising artist
unafraid to push the boundaries of so called ‘classical music’ whilst
constantly maintaining a joyful communication with whomever makes the
effort to listen.

"Gerard really exploits the classical guitar's sonority to full effect
and truly establishes himself as one of the rising young British
classical guitarists around today."
Classical Guitar News

Guitar magic...he has a beautiful touch"
Frank Hennesey, Celtic Heartbeat Show, BBC Radio Wales

"beautiful playing and subtle phrasing"
Musical Opinion

Martin Byatt & Dominic Grant

The Duo:
Martin Byatt is a versatile and experienced guitarist who is comfortable with a variety of musical styles – anything from Eric Clapton, The Eagles and U2 to the Buena Vista Social Club, Bossa Nova and Ragtime classics. Together with Dominic Grant – a guitarist well known on the London Jazz scene for his brilliant rhythmic work with top singers and bands – they form a guitar duo that encompasses popular music in all its various forms. Using electro-acoustic nylon and steel string guitars they deliver an entertaining and exciting recital.

Martin Byatt is a Scottish exile who has made London his home, having taught and performed in the capital since 1980. He has had several original works published, including four graded pieces for Chanterelle’s Modern Times series. He has been the founder member of various ensembles, most notably The Janimar Trio ( Guitar/Flute/Mandolin ) and Zaramba ( two Guitars and Percussion ). In 1996 he arranged and performed the music for the prize-winning Radio 3 production of “The Sea Urchins” by Sharman MacDonald ( mother of Keira Knightley ). His solo CD New Horizon comprises original material and arrangements of classic rock tunes by Dire Straits, Steely Dan and others. He was deputy for two of the guitarists in the hit musical Zorro at the Garrick Theatre. He has performed with Dominic Grant extensively over the past ten years.

Dominic Grant has worked extensively on the West Coast of America, particularly in Los Angeles and Las Vegas with various bands playing variety of musical styles Jazz, Latin, Pop. Toured for 2 years with the Gary Pucket Band. Concert and club work with famous jazz musicians: Albert Tootie Heath, Bill Henderson, Herman Reily, Phil Upchurch. Band work with Soca Tremor (with Phil Chen and Robert Greenwich), Joe Higgs, Pato Banton, Stranger Cole,, Macaw, Rebel Rockers. Session works include: Native’s album “No Boundary”, Harry Belafonte “Christmas Album”, commercial and soundtracks. Before moving to America in 1981, Dominic worked with his father “Cy Grant” on radio and cabaret, led his own band “Out to Lunch”, played one year at the Park Lane Hilton with resident band, and played the London pub circuit with Latin jazz bands Night Flight and Manyana. Since returning to London in 1995, he has done session works, performed as a Solo resident guitarist at many top London’s Hotels And clubs, various Band and Duo work in Europe mainly with Eduardo Niebla,Martin Byatt, Kathy Wilson, Nina Ferro, Victoria Newton, Kelly Dickson, Karen Lane, Elsa Chapman, Liz Cass, lance Ellington, Monique, Natalie Williams & Inner Swing as well as keeping busy in London’s club and function circuit. He has also released a new CD with his world jazz group “Festivo”.

Ben Kearsley

Ben Kearsley was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He began classical guitar with Norman Qinney and later with Ian Smith.

Ben graduated from the Birmingham Conservatoire in 1998 with a BMus ( Hons ) After living in La Paz, Bolivia and Madrid, Spain Ben returned to live in the U.K In 2004 Ben undertook his first tour – 20 concerts in Scotland.

2005 40 date U.K tour and debut c.d ‘SUNBURST’ : 2006 40 date U.K tour and ‘KOYUNBABA’ c.d : 2007 40 date U.K tour and ‘SAKURA’ c.d : 2008 40 date U.K tour and ‘MILWAUKEE’ c.d

In 2008 Ben was signed to Shore Sounds Music record label.

Ben has also been teaching guitar for 11 years, teaching for Fife Council, Conservatoiro De La Paz, Loretto School, Mansfield School of Music and Edinburgh University.

Concordia

Dennis Cooke and Nick Hartley are (or should be!) familiar names to audiences at Ealing. For almost twenty years now they have been performing as the Duo Concordia. Both had much previous experience of ensemble playing, notably: Nick with Biberian's Omega Players; and Dennis with Ian Cross, giving performances that included television and radio. Recently they have played for various events in the South of England.

Their programmes have always included a mix of standard duo repertoire and their own transcriptions, which tend to push at the limits of the combination's possibilities, at one time stretching this with requinto and ten-string. For this concert they play music from Bach to Rodrigo with two standard guitars.

TenStringFever

Violinist Jane Miller and guitarist Terry Spooner formed TenStringFever in the late summer of 2005, although both musicians had played together in various ensembles prior to that time. They have since been performing gigs and concerts in various venues in the UK.

Between them they encompass a very wide musical spectrum, as can be heard in their live performances and on ‘Jigs and Jazz’, their debut album (issued November 2007).

In June they have been recording their second album ‘Chase the Sun’ which will include several of their own pieces as well music by Piazzolla, Morricone, Villa-Lobos and Reinhardt/Grappelly. This should be available this Autumn.

Their playing has been influenced by their vast number of performances in different fields of music. The unusual combination of guitar and violin combined with the range of music played by the duo (in their own arrangements) produces a highly individualistic sound.

This concert will include music by Villa-Lobos, Bach, Schubert, Kleynjans, Morricone, Piazzolla & Ellington.

More details, pictures, live dates, history, and album tracks can be found on their website www.tenstringfever.com