Line-up:
Will Vinson – Alto saxophone
Tom Cawley – Piano
TBA – Double bass
James Maddren – Drum kit
About
Originally from London, Alto Saxophonist/Composer Will Vinson moved to New York City in 1999 and has remained there ever since. Since his arrival, he has performed, toured and/or recorded with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ari Hoenig, Linda May Han Oh, Chris Potter, Kurt Elling, Lage Lund, Aaron Parks, and many others.
Will has an international reputation as a leader and sideman. All About Jazz New York describes Will as playing “with a relentless force”. Thomas Michelsen of Denmark’s Politiken, hails this “very exciting saxophonist” with a “beautiful, softly modulating tone”, and John Fordham of The Guardian described a “superb solo of rugged leathery sounds turning into mellifluous high notes” with “secure control and storming energy”. Time Out London calls will an “exciting young altoist with a lethal approach to writing and soloing”.
Will has 8 albums as a sideman, soon to be 9, with the release of his first CD of solo improvisations. His most recent was Four Four Forty One, his epic ode to the heroes of the contemporary piano. His releases have variously been described as “impressive” and “coolly restrained” (New York Times), “marvelous” and “challeng[ing] the notion of how jazz is defined in this era.”(Down Beat, which also described Will as one of his instrument’s “most muscular practitioners”), and “exhilarating, cascading… outstanding” (Jazz Times)
Will has appeared with his own group and as a sideman in over 50 countries, and his experience is not limited to Jazz, having performed with Rufus Wainwright, Sean Lennon, Beth Orton and others in the pop world.
Will’s saxophone playing is executed with incredible power and dramatic sensitivity, and is characterized by his imposing sound and technique; influenced by saxophonists from Cannonball to Chris Potter, he nevertheless brings his own unique approach to every performance. Will’s writing, and the playing of his colleagues, combines a great respect for the century-long jazz tradition with explorations into the rhythmic, harmonic and melodic realms of contemporary forms.
Tom Cawley is one of the UK’s leading jazz pianists. He has performed worldwide – in major clubs, venues and festivals – with some of the country’s leading artists, most notably Peter Gabriel, with whom he has also recorded two albums and a live DVD. As an artist in his own right he has performed, recorded and broadcast extensively over the last ten years.
As well as an award-winning pianist, Cawley is also a composer, bandleader and educator. His group, Curios, won Best Band the 2008 BBC Jazz Awards, and their three albums have been hugely critically acclaimed – described as “extraordinary” in MOJO, “spellbinding”in The Independent, “fantastic” in Time Out and “a shining light for British jazz” in Musician magazine. They have performed at the Barbican, the Royal Festival Hall, Ronnie Scott’s and at all of the UK’s major jazz festivals, as well as in Europe (most notably at North Sea Jazz).
As a freelance jazz piano player, Tom regularly leads the house band at Ronnie Scott’s club, and he is also a professor of jazz piano at the Royal Academy of Music.
COVID INFORMATION FOR AUDIENCE MEMBERS – PLEASE READ
Welcome to the Vortex. Although the government has relaxed its Covid restrictions the Vortex continues to operate measures to protect users of the premises.
Please note the following:
- We ask you not to attend gigs if you have or think you may have any Covid-19 symptoms. If you can’t make a gig because you have to self-isolate then just get in touch by filling out this form and we’ll give you a voucher for another gig.
- If you would like to sit by friends who have bought separate tickets, please email the club with details and we will make every effort to accommodate.
- We are cashless. We only accept cards for purchases at the bar (except American Express).
- We ask that everyone wears a mask when moving around inside the building.
- Automatic hand sanitiser stations are provided at various places within the building.
- Full details of the measures that we are taking to prevent transmission of Covid are set out in our risk assessment and management plan which can be found on our website.