Zoltan Sagi
(Reeds)
Born in Hungary, Zoltan attended the Guildhall School of Music, London and Warwick University.
He has made numerous C.D's and has also appeared with such names as Earl Warren, Benny Waters, Kenny Davern, Bob Wilber, Humphrey Lyttleton, Roy Williams, Bruce Turner, Marty Grosz, Digby Fairweather, Duncan Swift, Alan Barnes etc.
He has worked extensively both in this country and abroad and his experience spans New Orleans jazz to jazz fusion.
Past bands have included Harlem and The Charleston Chasers. He is currently also with an extremely fine swing group Swing Syndicate , and the mainstream band 'Spicy Jazz'.
As a composer Zoltan has written soundtracks for such clients as Cadburys, Samsung U.K., Powergen, Severn Trent.
Gary has been a member ofTAD NEWTON'S JAZZ FRIENDSsince 1998. |
Gary Wood
(Trumpet/Flugel Horn/Vocals)
Gary started playing cornet at the age of 8 with his local brass band, however it wasn't until he left school that he took a real interest in music. He quickly developed a taste for jazz and joined his first band in October 1986.
Soon Gary was performing with many local bands and by 1990 appeared at jazz festivals in the UK and Europe.
He has worked with bands in a variety of Jazz and latin styles and has performed alongside many top UK jazz names such as Alan Barnes, John Dankworth and Roy Williams.
Gary has been a member ofTAD NEWTON'S JAZZ FRIENDSsince 2001. |
Mike Graver
(Piano)
Mike's influences include Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans and British pianist and composer, Brian Dee. Brian commented “Since I have known Mike, there’s been a continuous development in his playing and I feel he is now very much his own man musically”.
Since 1989, Mike has been a valued and respected member of the acclaimedTAD NEWTON'S JAZZ FRIENDS, in which his elegant piano contributions have won him a host of admirers on the national and international jazz scene. He has played with Tad's band at major venues such as The Barbican, The Derngate Theatre, The 100 Club, Ronnie Scott’s and at numerous jazz festivals including Guernsey, Upton-upon-Severn, Teignmouth and the Isle of Bute, Scotland.
Tad sums up Mike’s attitude to playing jazz piano, saying: “His repertoire, improvisation presentation, professionalism, musicality and enthusiasm reflect an elegance in jazz that is laudable”.
Mike has performed with many of the leading British jazz stars, including Digby Fairweather, Roy Williams, Alan Barnes, Pete Allen, Campbell Burnap and John Barnes.
John commented: “I’ve done quite a few gigs with Mike over the years and it’s always been a pleasure to play with him and Tad’s band. I carry a selection of chords for tunes and he always plays them to perfection. Keep it up, I say”.
Mike has broadcast on BBC Radio, appeared on TV and has made a number of recordings in his own right, as well as contributing toTAD NEWTON'S JAZZ FRIENDSand Richard Leach’s 7 Stars of Jazz CDs.
Dave Lipson
(Guitar) |
Tomas Pedersen
(Double Bass)
Tomas started playing double-bass in 1971 when he started studying classical bass in Denmark. After only one year of hard practice he joined the Danish Radio Youth Symphony Orchestra.
At this point his interest in Jazz grew and he began playing in Jazz Clubs all over Denmark and Scandinavia with leading Danish bands. In 1977 he went to sea playing onboard cruise ships – travelling all over the world, playing shows, jazz and light classical music.
At this time Tomas had the opportunity to accompany several several great Jazz artists such as Mel Thorme, Joe Williams, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan. Tomas moved to England in 1991 and soon got busy playing a great variety of music from Big Band, Traditional Jazz, Swing, Mainstream, Pop, Rock to Blues and Soul.
Tomas has been associated withTAD NEWTON'S JAZZ FRIENDSsince 1996.
In his time in England Tomas has fortunate enough to work with many great British Jazz musicians such as Bill LeSage, Allan Barnes Roger Nobes, Bobby Ore, Jim Douglas, Keith Smith, Martin Litton, Trevor Whiting, Bobby Worth, Jimmy Hastings and many more.
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Graham Scriven
(Drums)
Graham has been withTAD NEWTON'S JAZZ FRIENDSsince 1999, prior to which Graham played many different styles of Jazz and Swing and has been fortunate enough to perform with some of the world’s top musicians; Barney Kessell, Charlie Byrd, Herb Ellis, Al Grey, Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Warren Vaché, Peanuts Hucko, Teddy Edwards, Harold Ashby, Bob Wilber, Major Holley, etc., and in Canada with Pete Appleyard, Jeff Healey, Climax Jazz Band…
He also performed with many of the stalwarts of the British Jazz scene, namely; Humphrey Lyttleton, Bruce Turner, Tommy Whittle, Kenny Baker, Kenny Ball, Freddie Randall, Monty Sunshine, Chris Barber, Roy Williams, John Barnes, Al Gay, Stan Grieg, Harry Beckett, Alan Barnes, Keith Smith, Mike Kemp, Jim Douglas, Bruce Boardman, Brian Dee, Alan Elsdon, Don Lusher, Benny Green, Neville Dickie, Duncan Swift, Tommy Burton, Keith Nicholls, Martin Litton, the Gresty/White Bands, Dick Charlesworth, Chez Chesterman, Campbell Burnap, etc. He has also backed many famous entertainers and singers such as Tommy Trinder, Frankie Vaughan, Roy Castle, Georgie Fame, Clinton Ford, Adelaide Hall, Elaine Delmar, Maxine Daniels, Rusty Taylor and Beryl Bryden.
His time with the Pete Allen jazz Band took Graham across Europe and North America on several occasions, playing at such venues as the Sacramento Jazz Festival.
As well as performing in and recording live music, Graham spent many years presenting radio programmes for the BBC, Horizon, Capital, Chiltern and local radio - during the course of which he was fortunate enough to interview some world renowned performers. He has now instigated his own Milton Keynes jazz archives, which has evolved through the enormous amount of recordings that he has produced and presented during a busy lifetime in music. |
