Music: Manuals of Fire meet Andy Hague

Manuals of Fire is an organ trio fronted by John-Paul Gard who have for a number of years played a monthly Sunday residency at The Old Fish Market. Similar to last week’s presentation in which the band was formed following a meeting between saxophonists Ben and Dan at a jam session, tonight’s gig has arisen following an occasion on which trumpeter Andy Hague dropped into the Old Fish Market and was invited up to play with Manuals of Fire. Musical sparks flew, and everyone agreed it would be fun to do it again for a whole gig. The music will be mainly jazz standards and well-known Blue Note style classics.

Organist John-Paul Gard is based in Bristol but is another of our players with a national reputation who spends a lot of his time working out of the city. JP started playing organ at a young age, and is one of the few exponents to have mastered the foot pedals rather than just playing bass lines with the left hand – his amazing coordination is quite something to see and hear. As well as playing in many instrumental line-ups JP also works with acclaimed vocalist Becki Biggins and has performed on over 40 CDs with various artists.

Guitarist Dan Waldman is well known both in Bristol and London, where he has presented his own band at Ronnie Scott’s. He spent several years living in New York and has returned to the USA several times. In 2020 he released Sources and Angles, his debut recording as leader, recorded in Brooklyn and featuring international saxophone star (and former Bristol University student) Will Vinson.

Drummer Toby Perrett has been working with JP for many years, and also promotes the jazz gigs at the Old Fish Market. He plays in several other bands including Hippo, who played a main stage concert at the 2024 Bristol Jazz Festival. “Brilliant new band from Bristol” – Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2.

Guest trumpeter Andy Hague is well known in Bristol as promoter of the Be-Bop Club and tutor for Bristol Jazz Workshops. In 2019 Andy played for the first time with legendary UK jazz composer Mike Westbrook as part of his Uncommon Orchestra, and post-Covid the band has appeared at Cheltenham and Cambridge Jazz Festivals, the Rossini Festival in Lugo, Italy and Ronnie Scott’s 2022 and 2023.