Melodic Contemporary Jazz from Bristol

Squeezing into the intimate space of the Bridport Arts Centre Jazz Café on 13 May will be the Bristol European Jazz Ensemble, a visceral and grooving contemporary jazz quintet made up of the finest players based in Europe’s recent Green Capital, Bristol. They include lyrical French alto sax player Julien Alenda, much-in-demand Italian bassist Pasquale Votino ,Tony Williams-esque Italian drummer Paolo Adamo and international German guitarist Knud Stuwe. They band is led by Swiss/English trumpeter and composer David Mowat who draws from Miles Davis, the Far and the Middle East and many stops in between for his ‘exceptional tunes’ (MU magazine).

Since their formation in 2013 BEJE have played across the UK, including Birmingham Symphony Hall Jazzlines and a collaboration with Dutch jazz singer Anne Chris who met David at Europe’s premier jazz event, JazzAhead in Bremen, Germany in 2015. ‘The energy of the collective, the fluency of the players are all immediately evident’ says influential jazz blogger Mike Collins.

David Mowat composer, band leader, trumpeter, part Swiss and part English, played in street bands in the 1980s when esteemd trombonist and band leader Gail Thompson gave him some early gigs. In Bristol from 1989 he played in Keith Tippett’s Seedbed Orchestra, local bands (including Kevin Figes) and then set up The Timshel Quintet with singer Sammy Hurden, saxophonist Harrison Smith and drummer Brian Abrahams before going to Nepal for international development work. Returning in 1999 he co-founded the East Bristol Jazz Club, gigged in Europe with the Bollywood Brass Band, wrote and produced a community musical ‘King Cotton’ (featuring harpist Johnny Mars and trombonist Dennis Rollins), collaborating with Alphonse Touna (of world music band Helele) in what Venue magazine called a ‘text book example of how to combine schools with professional musicians’. A founder member of The Klezmernauts in the 1990s he’s developed klezmer in the ‘Chai For Two’ Ensemble with Knud Stuwe.

Pasquale Votino recently arrived in Bristol from Italy where he obtained a classic diploma in double bass at Conservatorio Nicola Sala in Benevento. His maestro was Rino Zurzolo and he took workshops with jazz greats Jerry Bergonzi, Buster Williams, Benny Golson and Enrico Pierannuzzi. His edgy swinging and committed playing was honed from four years playing every night on ocean liners, making him the hottest bass player in town, often seen with James Morton and Andy Sheppard.

Julien Alenda was born in Normandy, France in 1985. He started learning clarinet at 8, but soon moved to alto saxophone and started to play jazz in local clubs. After graduating from the conservatoire in Toulouse in 2008, he spent one year in San Diego, US where he had the great opportunity to study with alto sax master Charles McPherson. In 2009, he played and recorded original songs in Brazil with local musicians. His travel experience continued the following year, aboard a cruise ship where he played in the jazz band, before moving to Bristol in 2012. His playing is influenced by his love for Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Garrett and Dexter Gordon among others.

Paolo Adamo was born in Gubbio (Umbria, Italy) in 1992. He received his first drum kit aged five and quickly learned the grooves of drummer Phil Collins. He has been playing professionally since he was fourteen all around the country, and playing in festivals in Europe, taking part in the Mouscron ‘Jazz Puzzle’ in Belgium for six consecutive years. He reckons his style is more influenced now by Frank Zappa’s drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and Mark Guiliana (drummer on David Bowie’s final album). His BEJE band mates hear Tony Williams in his playing. In Bristol since 2012 he’s been busy in several other bands including Mankala, Arketta, and the Jazz Mates.

Knud Stuwe, guitarist and composer, is from Hamburg and has an MA in Music for Film, TV and Theatre. For over ten years part of the successful duo ‘Chai For Two’ with David, Knud is much in demand as a versatile guitarist with singers, African musicians (Baraka band), theatre (Instant Wit) and is currently working with librettist Karen Hayes on a chamber opera. He studied jazz guitar with Mike Walker in Manchester and is particularly fond of Thelonious Monk. His latest band, ‘Mr Dowland’s Midnight’ includes Simon Leach on oud, and saxophonist Jake McMurchie.

‘A broad spectrum of musical styles, genres and flavours – each one executed with flawless precision and absolute passion’ Prema Arts Centre Director Gordon Scott.