Chasing Reality
(ACT MUSIC)
"Easily
his best outing to date" (Jazz wise). Multi-award winning Gerard Presencer
is known as much for his jazz playing as his work with the likes of Sting,
Us3, Radiohead, Charlie Watts and Tina Turner. For his first release on ACT,
he plays trumpet and flugelhorn, using a hand-picked band including Joe Locke
on vibes and Geoff Keezer on Fender Rhodes and Moog in original music commissioned
for Birmingham Jazz. He proves himself to be "a virtuoso improviser with spontaneity,
freshness of phrasing and rhythmic astuteness" (The Guardian).
Gerard Presencer is universally recognized as one of the best trumpet / flugelhorn
players in his field. He was first noticed on the world stage at the age of
18, for his work with Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, who he continues
to work with; writing, producing and playing. However he is probably best
known for his solo work on the 3 million selling album by US3, Hand on the
Torch on Bluenote. It is Gerard's' trumpet that is featured so heavily on
the big hit of that CD, Cantaloop.
On the British Jazz scene, Gerard has won the trumpet category of the British
Jazz Awards 4 times, most recently in 2002.
He has recorded with Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and vibraphonist Joe Locke
alongside with Bob Berg. Gerard has always played many diverse forms of music.
He has recently completed work on a film score with Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead.
He has played and written for many others, including Jamiroquai, Ray Charles,
Robbie Williams, Joni Mitchell and James Brown.Gerard collaborated on an unplugged
project, culminating with a duo performance of Roxanne on the BBC's Top of
the Pops with Sting.
As an improviser, Gerard has been called upon to improvise in many different
situations. He has also been an active composer, writing for large and small
ensembles in different genres. Gerard has two previous albums available on
Linn Records (UK):Platypus and The Optimist. "Chasing Reality" marks his debut
as ACT recording artist. Gerard is Professor of Jazz and Popular Music at
the Hochschule für Musik, Hanns Eisler, Berlin and Director of the Jazz Department
at the Royal Academy of Music, London.
Gerard
Presencer - trumpet & flugelhorn
Geoffrey Keezer - Fender Rhodes piano & Moog
Joe Locke - vibraphone
Adam Goldsmith & John Parricelli - guitars
Jeremy Brown - accoustic & electric bass
Tommy Wadlow - accoustic piano
Chris Dagley – drums
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