Brooklyn-based drunmer Devi Gray

Welsh Bassist Huw Vaughan Williams has put together dates in London and Cardiff when he will be working in a trio with saxophonist George Crowley and Brooklyn-based drummer Devin Gray, who is playing in the UK for the first time.

Huw has performed with Jim Black, Michael Blake, Jason Rebello, Neil Yates and long time mentor Huw Warren, and – with his band HON including Laura Jurd – has recently issued a debut album.

Huw explains the background to the gigs at Dempseys in Cardiff on March 22nd and The Vortex on March 24th: I have been aware of Devin Gray’s music for a few years and ever since getting hold of his CD, I’ve been a big fan. Devin has his feet in both the improv and creative jazz scenes in New York, which informs his very unique language on the drums, fast becoming one of the ‘main guys’ on the scene.

He has released two album under his own name on Chris Speed’s label Skirl records, with bands featuring, Dirigo Rataplan (with Ellery Eskellin, Michael Formanek and Dave Ballou) and Relative Resonance (featuring Chris Speed, Kris Davis and Chris Tordini) as well as having performance credits with David Liebman, Tony Malaby, Ingrid Jensen, Dave Burrell, Nate Wooley, Stephan Crump, George Garzone, Drew Gress as well as many more.

George Crowley is known as one of the leading names on the London creative jazz scene, as well as putting on a fantastic programme of gigs on at The Oxford and The Con. I haven’t had much chance to play with him outside informal sessions in people’s front rooms, but I am very excited to be sharing a stage with him. George has one of my favourite saxophone sounds as well as having a lot of fire behind each note he plays, I am very excited about making music with him.

From having listened to both Devin and George’s music, I think this will be a great match and I feel very lucky to be standing in the middle of them and taking part in this musical conversation. To add to the musical excitement, this will be Devin’s first trip to the UK, worth coming to see him now in an intimate setting…before he hits the big time!

LINKS: VORTEX BOOKINGS
Dempseys website
Devin Gray’s website