Tim Garland - Jeremy Stacey/Paul Stacey/Jason Rebello - 50th Anniversary

INTRO WRITTEN BY STEVE RUBIE: The 1980’s were in many ways a turning point in how jazz was perceived and more importantly how it was approached by the young musicians who were coming through at that time.

Up until then music had been very “siloed”, so the rock musicians hated jazz, the jazz musicians hated pop music, the folk musicians hated anything electric, the trad jazz musicians hated the be-bop players and the classical musicians hated everything not classical! Lol.

But a new phenomenon was turning things around, the rise of the University and Music College-based formal degree courses.

Young musicians were just starting to appear who had been trained to play and improvise, but without any specific style being forced on them.

So they were starting to see music as just that, something you played rather than a box you played in.

And the old Club became very much the testing ground for many of these enormously talented young musicians, some from colleges, some not.

So suddenly we had drummers who were not only great jazz players but were equally happy playing Crossover groove or even rock.

Similarly piano players who would play in a swing big band one night, a jazz standards band the next and a pop influenced band on keyboard the next, guitarists who were great swing jazz players but were equally adept at playing contemporary European-influenced jazz.

It was exciting and the music coming out of the regular late night jam sessions was frequently unplanned and trail blazing (and occasionally very loud).

The bands this evening comprise a number of those musicians who cut their teeth at the old Club and went on to establish themselves as serious musicians in their own right, influencing a whole generation of younger musicians in the process.

They have all continued to perform at the Club in various band configurations and are very much part of the musical DNA of what we try to do here.One of the UK's leading jazz musicians, the Multi-award-winning saxophonist Tim Garland has, over the last 25 years, garnered a formidable international reputation not only as a jazz improviser of fluency, power and grace but also as a composer and arranger of remarkable clarity and breadth.

Tim formed his first group in 1990, however it was in the late 90's when he was asked by the iconic US pianist Chick Corea to join his band, an association that lasted for almost two decades, that Tim really cemented his reputation as a world-class performer.

As well as work with Chick he also spent over four years with Bill Bruford’s Earthworks and has been an important force with groups such as Storms/Nocturnes, Acoustic Triangle and his own award winning Lighthouse Project.

Voted "Musician of the Year" in the 2006 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, as a composer he has also received commissions from the likes of the LSO, BBC Concert Orchestra and The Royal Northern Sinfonia.

In 2009 he won a Grammy for his part in creating Chick Corea's "The New Crystal Silence" and for almost 10 years he was composer-in-residence at Newcastle University’s International Centre for Music Studies. "Garland…his level of genius is rare" Chick CoreaFollowing Tim’s quartet will be one of the quintessential 606 Club bands, The Stacey Brothers featuring Jason Rebello.

A powerful and highly impressive drummer Jeremy Stacey’s CV is vast.

The regular drummer with American icon Sheryl Crow for over 7 years, he toured the world (twice!) with his friend Noel Gallagher’s “High Flying Birds” before becoming one of the featured drummers with the iconic band King Crimson.

One of the most respected drummers of his generation, Jeremy’s involvement in any gig always guarantees it to be both exciting and of the very highest musical calibre.

An impressive guitarist Paul Stacey has shown his versatility from early on in his career when he combined work with the likes of jazz artists Claire Martin and Bobby Wellins with appearances in Oasis.

Over the years his guitar playing has been heard with the likes of Tom Jones, the Black Crowes, Chris Robinson and the Finn Brothers as well as a 25 year association with Noel Gallagher, both as a musician and producer.

A well-respected and busy producer/performer this master guitarist is considered to be one of the UK's leading musicians.

A multi-award winner and ferociously talented musician, Jason Rebello has been at the forefront of the international music scene for over 30 years.

His extraordinary ability is highlighted by the fact that he was already an established performer by the age of 21, being described by Jazz FM as “[one of] the most gifted and fluent pianists to emerge in Britain [today]”.

And as well as his own groove/crossover music he also found time to work with the likes of Wayne Shorter, Gary Burton, Branford Marsalis, Carleen Anderson and Omar.

However, it was in 1998 when he was invited to replace the late Kenny Kirkland in Sting’s band that Jason found international fame, touring the world with Sting for more than six years before moving to the band of guitar legend Jeff Beck.

Lately working and recording with another outstanding British musician, saxophonist Tim Garland (with whom he will also be featured this evening), Jason’s remarkable technique and fiery creativity have earned him the accolade of one of the UK’s finest jazz pianists.“Jeremy Stacey…a fine…drummer with an infectious feel.

His gigs are...invariably enlivened by…top class guests” Time Out; “Paul Stacey’s…brilliant guitar work” Concertlivewire; “Jason Rebello is probably one of the finest…jazz musicians this country has produced.” Jazz: The Modern Resurgence