Alessio Menconi / Nigel Price Quartet
Details
TIME: 8.00 – 11.00 pm
TICKETS: £12
PERSONNEL
Nigel Price – guitar
Alessio Menconi – guitar
Mikele Montolli – bass
Jamie Murray – drums
[Alessio] “Best Soloist” – Gran Prix du Jazz
[Nigel] “Best guitarist” – British Jazz Awards
The internationally renowned and respected Italian maestro Alessio Menconi teams up with UK award winning Nigel Price to present a night of exciting guitar led jazz. With support from the incendiary Joel Barford on drums and the virtuosic Mikele Montolli on double bass this promises to be a memorable night.
Expect echoes of Pat Martino, Wes Montgomery & Joe Pass as the band take on material made famous by the giants, as well as a few original compositions. Not to be missed!
Alessio Menconi is one of the most impressive jazz guitarists you will ever hear. In March of 2022 the multi award winning maestro and ex side man for Billy Cobham, Paolo Conte and Jimmy Cobb played a short tour of the UK with fellow guitarist and kindred spirit Nigel Price, ably supported by the incredible young drummer Joel Barford and the up and coming double bassist Louis Stringer. The band would rip through a set of well chosen standards with startling energy and virtuosity. The two guitarists’ styles slotted together perfectly and they spurred each other on to greater heights. It really was a night to remember!
The tour produced a live album which got a 4star JazzWise review and was so successful they have teamed up again for another tour.
Alessio Menconi
born in Genoa, he approaches music at the age of 8 studying drums, which he leaves two years later to devote himself to the study of the guitar as a self-taught. At 16. he undertakes his professional activity and, considered a prodigy, he very soon begins to be called by the best Italian and foreign musicians. In 1992 he took part in the competition “Gran Prix du Jazz” in which the “AICS” award. Later in 1993 he participated in the most prestigious national jazz guitar competition: “Eddie Lang ” winning the 1st prize (Best young Italian jazz guitarist) In the following years, there are countless collaborations with the greatest Italian and international artists. From 1995 he begins to play in various formations of the drummer Billy cobham and from 1995 to 2004 collaborates with Paolo Conte, playing on various world tours in the most important theaters and festivals in the world and recording four CDs. In 2000 he was selected a Paris from the ONJ (orchester national du jazz) In 2003 he participated as single Italian to a compilation dedicated to Jimi Hendrix (“Voodoo crossing”) in the company of Robben Ford, Steve Lukather, Hiram Bullock, Larry Coryell and many others. He has participated in numerous TV broadcast and various scores of films and theatrical performances. In 2009 Alessio Menconi was awarded the “Jazz Lighthouse Award” to career. In 2012 it was included as single Italian in a compilation attached to “La Stampa” intolated “The greatest guitarists in the world” and in 2014 his cd “Sketches of Miles” was featured on “Jazz It” among the 100 best jazz records of the year.
It’s teaching with chair of jazz guitar at “N. Paganini” conservatory di GenoVa . He has also taught in the past in the conservatories of La Spezia, Cuneo and Livorno.
He has performed concerts in theaters and jazz festivals in over 40 countries and has recorded over 50 records.
Nigel Price
Over a career spanning more than 25 years, award winning jazz guitarist Nigel Price has become widely acknowledged as one of the hardest working musicians in the business.
Musically, his blend of flowing bebop lines, deep blues sensibility and his mastery of chording continue to delight audiences and fellow musicians alike. His career highlights include a support show for Gladys Knight at The Royal Albert Hall and an appearance on Van Morrison’s recent album Keep Me Singing.
Starting his professional career in his early 20s, Nigel toured Europe with various reggae and funk bands before settling on a solo guitar career and turning his attention to jazz. Citing early influences as Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Nigel honed his craft by attending gigs and sitting in with the players of the time.
Nigel has played on more than 50 albums including 5 as a leader, spent ten years with acid jazz outfit The Filthy Six, was a member of James Taylor’s band for 3 years (with whom he recorded 5 albums) and performed with the legendary David Axelrod. He has also taught at The International Guitar Foundation at King’s Place, London.
He has worked tirelessly to organise his own tours (including a 56 date tour in late 2016) and has picked up a Parliamentary Jazz Award (Best Jazz Ensemble, 2010), a nomination for a British Jazz Award (Best Guitarist, 2014) and a British Jazz Award (Best Guitarist, 2016) along the way.
Nigel is a regular performer at London’s Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club where he has made more than 500 appearances. He released his fifth Organ Trio Album