Accordionist Karen Street’s latest project ‘Streetworks’ will be playing at the Jazz Café in Bridport Arts Centre on Friday 3rd October. The band features the amazingly creative talent of guitarist Mike Outram, Will Harris who is fast becoming the South West’s most in-demand bassist and honey-toned saxophonist Andy Tweed. The music is melodic, influenced not only by jazz but with strong leanings to both Central European and South American styles, especially the tango.
The accordion is a truly amazing instrument with many colours and much to offer the jazz world. Karen continues to be in the vanguard of those accordionists giving the accordion a fresh voice in jazz.
Karen Street has produced three CDs under her own name all receiving very enthusiastic reviews. She has played alongside renowned UK musicians Mike Westbrook, Martin Taylor, Stan Sulzman and Tina May; other credits include Grace Jones, Martha Wainwright, Ute Lemper and Sir Willard White.
Mike Outram is one of the UK’s foremost guitarists who is sought after as an improviser and for his ability to contribute a unique voice to any musical ensemble. He has toured internationally and appeared on over a hundred CDs for Universal, Sony, Candid, Blue Note records and others. He has been praised as ‘world-class’ by The Guardian.
Andy Tweed is one of the most accomplished saxophonists inhabiting that ground between contemporary classical and jazz making him the perfect choice for this project. A former member of highly successful saxophone quartet, Saxtet, who toured extensively throughout the world, he now plays with the Venn saxophone quartet based in Bristol and the Flotilla ensemble in London. His work with Mike Westbrook includes “The Village Band“ and most recently “The Serpent Hit” and he has also played with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
Will Harris has established himself as one of the most in-demand double bassists in the South West, having played with the likes of Bobby Wellins, Alan Barnes, Tina May and Anita Wardell. He is also a member of Emily Wright’s Moonlight Saving Time who have had sell out concerts at Brecon, Oxford and Cheltenham Jazz Festivals.
Karen Street has that rare ability to create really memorable tunes. Couple this with her skill as an arranger and the results are compositions that audiences really engage with, that are sometimes intimate and often witty. “Musicians who have given the accordion a genuine voice are rare, but Karen Street is undoubtedly among them” Jazz UK
Friday 3 October 8pm
Bridport Arts Centre, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NR
Box Office 01308 424204 £10
