Tuesday 31 March 2015, 8pm
Great saxophonost Paul Dunmall returns to OTO alongside drummer Tony Bianco ahead of their 2CD release, Homage to Coltrane, which was recorded live at OTO in 2013. Paul Dunmall's massive sound on saxophone and melodic sensibility has always demonstrated the influence of John Coltrane on his playing and he makes this debt even more explicit in this duo with drummer Tony Bianco whose own rolling, polyrhythmic excursions and free-time explorations are descended from both Elvin Jones and Rashied Ali. Joining them in the quartet are saxophonist Howard Cottle and Olie Brice on doube bass. Sunship is one of Coltranes greatest albums – the Paul Dunmall Quartet pays tribute to it and brings it into the 21st century.
“A robust and heavy hitting performer who has gone on to concentrate largely on free improvisation without sacrificing a rigorous melodic logic, a sparing lyricism and the technique to drop in on bebop occasionally.” – John Fordham, The Guardian
For 30 years Paul has carved out a reputation for himself and is now widely recognized as one of the most uncompromising and talented reed players on the International jazz/improvised music scene. Whether playing in Small or large groups, his musical sensitivity and imagination, combined with a powerful sound, make him one of the most distinctive improvisers playing today. He has performed with Alice Coltrane, Johnny Guitar Watson, Danny Thompson, LJCO, Mujician, Henry Grimes/Andrew Cyrille and a duo with Chris Corsano.
Tony Bianco grew up in New York City where he experienced the greats of jazz first hand - Mingus, Tony Williams, Elvin Jones - and fell in love with the music. In the early 90s he relocated to Berlin and got involved in the free scene there and playing with Alexander Von Schlippenbach, Aki Takase, Gerd Dudek and Reggie Workman. In the mid 90s he moved to London and hooked up with Paul Dunmall, Loz Speyer, Elton Dean, Dave Liebman, Paul Rutherford and many more.
Olie Brice is a double bassist, improviser and composer. Raised in London and Jerusalem, he now lives by the sea in Hastings.
Olie Brice leads and composes for two groups, a trio (with Tom Challenger & Will Glaser) and an Octet (with Alex Bonney, Kim Macari, Jason Yarde, Rachel Musson, George Crowley, Cath Roberts & Johnny Hunter). Both of these groups were featured on the critically acclaimed double album ‘Fire Hills’. Previously Brice lead a quintet – “one of the most interesting and satisfying bands on the current UK scene” – which released two albums, ‘Immune to Clockwork’ and ‘Day After Day’. He has also composed a piece for improvising string quartet, ‘From the Mouths of Lions’, which will be released in 2024.
Brice is a committed free improviser, who has performed, toured and recorded with many of the leading names in the music. Frequent collaborators include Mark Sanders, Paul Dunmall, Rachel Musson, Tobias Delius, Cath Roberts and Luis Vicente, and he has also appeared with the likes of Evan Parker, Tony Malaby, John Butcher, Ingrid Laubrock, Ken Vandermark, Eddie Prevost and Louis Moholo. He is part of several ongoing improvising ensembles including Somersaults (with Tobias Delius & Mark Sanders) and The Acrylic Rib (with Albert Cirera & Nicolas Field).
Brice is also in demand as a bass player in creative ensembles led by many artists, including Dee Byrne’s Outlines and Out Front (Nick Malcolm’s quintet playing the music of Andrew Hill and Booker Little). He regularly performs at venues and festivals across Europe. Brice has been the recipient of Arts Council England funding multiple times and in 2021 received a composition commission from Jazz South.
“Brice makes the entire body of his bass sing. He has the ability to deliver a fractal line that is as purposeful as any by the great jazz bassists, but to do so within an entirely abstract setting” - Brian Morton, Point of Departure
Howard Cottle has played with, Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath, The Jazz Warriors, Slide Hampton, John Hicks, Harry Beckett, Kenny Wheeler, Evan Parker, Paul Dunmall, and has also played and Studied with Steve Grossman.
