Special album launch show to celebrate the release of “Beautiful Love” by the great improvisor and jazz vocalist, Maggie Nicols, and pianist / arranger maestro Geoff Eales, on ‘33’ Records. For this show they'll be joined by Ashley John Long on double bass and Sophie Alloway on drums.

Maggie Nicols needs little introduction to OTO audiences, she is simply one the worlds leading improvising vocalists. Maggie started singing standards in the early sixties with the late, great pioneer of bebop, pianist Dennis Rose. Since the late 1960’s Maggie has been at the forefront of the international free music scene. Her work has involved collaborations with many artists and groups including the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Irene Schweizer, Centipede and Julie Tippetts. in 1977, with musician/composer Lindsay Cooper, she formed the remarkable Feminist Improvising Group. She continues performing and recording challenging and beautiful work, in music and theatre, either in collaborations with a wide range of artists as well as solo.

Geoff Eales is a renowned jazz pianist, improviser, composer and arranger. His long career has been both diverse and illustrious. In 1981 he was awarded a PhD in classical music at Cardiff University. He is an ex-member of the BBC Big Band and, as a session musician, has worked with the many of the world’s most prominent artists such as Henry Mancini, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Dame Shirley Bassey. As a leader he has 15 critically-acclaimed jazz albums to his name.

Ashley John Long is an award-winning virtuoso double bass player and composer. He is active in a diverse range of styles including jazz, free improvisation, early and contemporary chamber music, and as a soloist. He has performed and recorded internationally with many of the UK’s leading musicians and has premiered numerous works for solo double bass.

Sophie Alloway is a highly sought-after drummer on the London jazz and session scene. She has performed with a huge variety of artists such as Jason Rebello, Mornington Lockett, Yazz Ahmed Laurence Cottle and rapper Roots Manuva. Sophie is a member of the fusion band Lydian Collective and the Geoff Eales Trio. She recently played drums for the finalists at the BBC Young Jazz Musicians Awards at the Queen Elizabeth Hall which was broadcast for BBC TV.

"I have known Maggie since the late 1960’s and have long understood her desire to record an album of ‘standard’ material.  Since launching ‘33’ in the 1980’s it’s also been an ambition of mine to fulfil this wish." – Paul Jolly – Producer for ’33 Records’