Jazz Mass

Scott Stroman’s Jazz Mass is a unique suite for choir and jazz sextet. Originally written to celebrate the anniversary of London’s Jazz Vespers series, it was expanded into a full concert suite that has been performed throughout Britain and in Germany, Switzerland, italy, Spain, and Sweden. It’s five movements (Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei) last 40 minutes and provide inspiring frameworks for the jazz soloists and is equally at home in jazz concerts, choral concerts, church services, and jazz clubs. Scott Stroman has directed all performances of the Jazz Mass up to the present time. Eclectic Voices have recorded and performed the piece extensively, both with the jazz soloists below (preferred) and with other musicians. In addition, the Jazz Mass has been performed by various choirs, both with the band below and with others. Jazz Mass was released on 33 Records in September 2007. www.33jazz.com. Band biogs: Scott Stroman (director) is a uniquely broad musician, active in jazz, classical, and world music. He is a conductor of orchestras and choirs, a noted composer, a singer and trombonist, and a renowned educator. He has written numerous works for orchestra, choir, jazz orchestra, jazz ensembles, songs, and music for children and directs Eclectic Voices, the OPUS 20 String Ensemble, and the London Jazz Orchestra, and the Renga and Hit Squad ensembles for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He is a popular guest conductor of orchestras and choirs. Amongst others he has worked with Herbie Hancock, Youssou N’Dour, Dizzy Gillespie, and played with Cennet Jönsson in Billy Cobham’s North by NorthWest and the Stroman/Jönsson Project. Cennet Jönsson (soprano saxophone) is one of Sweden’s top modern saxophonists, playing with Billy Cobham’s North by NorthWest and co-leading with Scott Stroman, the Stroman/Jönsson Project. He has worked with Michael Brecker and David Liebman, leads the groups Ten Pieces, Double Standards, and The Cennet Jönsson Quartet and is featured soloist with the (Swedish) Tolvan Big Band. Stan Sulzmann (tenor saxophone) is one of the most highly respected musicians in the UK today, admired by musicians and audiences for his instantly recognisable sound, and boundless creative imagination. Sulzmann’s career stretches back to the 1960’s, since when as part of a uniquely talented crop of British musicians, he has played with Graham Collier, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Gordon Beck, Gil Evans, and Michael Brecker. He is much in demand as a guest solist throughout Europe as well as leading his own groups. Henry Lowther (trumpet and flugelhorn) was one of the first musicians on the British jazz scene to experiment with total free improvisation, notably with Jack Bruce, Lyn Dobson and John Hiseman, and his lyrical sound is instantly recognizable. Over the last thirty years Henry has played regularly with, Gordon Beck, Michael Garrick, Graham Collier, Mike Gibbs, Pete King, Loose Tubes, John Surman, John Taylor, Stan Tracey, Kenny Wheeler, and the London Jazz Orchestra. In the last few years Henry has become increasingly interested in composition and formed his own band, Still Waters. Peter Saberton (piano) came to note was recording and working with Don Rendell, and in the late 70s performed at London’s Ronnie Scott's with Victor Feldman, Mark Murphy, George Coleman and others. He composes and arranges for the BBC Radio Big Band and the London Jazz Orchestra, and currently plays with Harry Beckett, John Taylor, Tim Whitehead, Mike Westbrook, Tim Wells, Steve Arguelles, Dick Pearce and Henry Lowther. Alec Dankworth (bass), is one of England’s most popular bassists. He has recorded and toured extensively with John Dankworth and Cleo Laine, violinist Nigel Kennedy, Dave Brubeck, and Abdullah Ibrahim and has played with Mose Allison, Clark Terry, Mel Tormé, Anita O'Day, Peter King, Alan Barnes, David-Jean Baptiste, Martin Taylor, and many others. He also co-leads a fourteen piece band with his father - the Alec and John Dankworth Generation Band, and his own band. Paul Clarvis (drums, percussion) is a specialist in traditional drumming from around the world. He is a unique percussionist in jazz, world, and classical music, performing and recording with musicians as diverse as Leonard Bernstein, John Dankworth, Harrison Birtwistle and all manner of jazz, world, pop, and classical musicians. A popular studio as well as live performer, he has recorded with Paul McCartney, Elton John, Richard Thompson, John Adams, Andy Sheppard, Elvis Costello, Mark Anthony Turnage, Michel Legrand, Gordon Beck, Michael Nyman, John Harle and Bryan Ferry. Eclectic Voices is an acclaimed 40-voice amateur choir that challenges preconceived musical boundaries. Founded in 1991 by director Scott Stroman, they regularly perform a wide range of musical repertoire: classical, contemporary, ethnic and world music, gospel, spirituals and jazz. They have performed at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Festival Hall (with the London Philharmonic Orchestra), Purcell Room, Barbican Centre, Sadler’s Wells, Vortex Jazz Club, Bath Festival (with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment) and many other venues in Britain and Europe as well as at their London bases of Christ Church, Highbury and St. James’ Piccadilly. They have performed with jazz musicians including Kenny Wheeler, Cennet Jönsson, Stan Sulzmann, Cleveland Watkiss, and Bobby Wellins and African, folk and traditional as well as classical musicians. Eclectic Voices (www.eclecticvoices.org.uk) have released 5 CDs ranging from Stroman’s Jazz Mass, Song of the Spirit, and Canticle of the Nativity to Britten’s Ceremony of Carols and several Gospel music recordings with New York singer/pianist L.D.Frazier.