BRIGHTON JAZZ FESTIVAL: Tony Kofi & NYJO presents Monk at Town Hall + Julian Nicholas Band
Tony Kofi & NYJO Present: The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall
About the programme
One of the most recorded jazz composers of all time, Thelonious Monk needs no introduction. Making numerous contributions to the standards cannon, ‘Straight No Chaser’, ‘Round Midnight’, ‘Blue Monk', to name a few, it’s hard to overstate Monk’s importance to jazz history. A formative influence on Bebop, Monk's unorthodox approach to composition and improvisation with its characteristic dissonances, angular melodic twists, switched key releases, percussive stabs and abrupt, dramatic use of silence remains thrilling for performers and audiences alike. Recording volumes for Blue Note & Columbia Records, his list of collaborators is a who’s who of jazz iconoclasts: Art Blakey, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins. The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall is his seminal large ensemble recording, released in 1959. Under the direction of Tony Kofi, NYJO celebrates this groundbreaking work.
About Tony Kofi
Multi-instrumentalist, Tony Kofi is a UK Jazz icon. A player of the Alto, Baritone, Soprano,Tenor saxophones and flute; the award-winning artist has established himself as a totemic presence in British jazz as a musician, a composer, and educator. Known for his fluent and fiery hard-bop style, Tony remains one of the most in-demand players in the country. For those unfamiliar, you may have heard Tony’s contributions to a ream of projects alongside, The World Saxophone Quartet, Courtney Pine, Donald Byrd, Eddie Henderson, The David Murray Big Band, Sam Rivers Rivbe Big Band, Andrew Hill Big Band, Abdullah Ibrahim, Macy Gray, Julian Joseph Big Band, Harry Connick JR, Byron Wallen's Indigo, Jamaaladeen Tacuma's Coltrane Configurations and Ornette Coleman. He currently leads his own bands including the Tony Kofi Quartet, Tony Kofi Sphinx Trio, Future Passed Trio, and is also the co-founder of the Monk Liberation Front. ‘The music of Thelonious Sphere Monk is like a journey into the past, present and future all at the same time’ - Tony Kofi
About NYJO
NYJO exists to empower young jazz musicians and inspire audiences across the UK, through engaging participation projects and impactful live performances. Founded in 1965, NYJO has grown from a single jazz orchestra to a multifaceted organisation that is committed to supporting and developing musicians of all styles and standards. Whether you want to become the next emerging artist or simply play for fun – they’re here for it. Throughout all its activities, NYJO are actively seeking to create a dialogue between the established and the experimental; the past and the present; with captivating experiences that bring people together.