Jazz: Joe Bradford – Tribute to JJ Johnson

Joe Bradford assembles a quintet of some of Bristol’s finest players to pay homage to JJ Johnson, the most influential jazz trombonist in history. Expect high tempo bebop, weaving melodies, and learn about the role of the trombone in the bebop lineage. The group will play a selection of JJ’s works, hoping to bring to life the intensity of JJ at the height of his career in the early 60’s.

Trombonist Joe Bradford is a familiar face on the Bristol scene. Having grown up playing in local big bands, Joe studied in the USA for a year, under the tutelage of Steve Davis (Art Blakey, Chick Corea), and other greats. Since then Joe returned to Bristol as a professional player. You may have seen him playing with the Tammy Payne Quintet, the Jonny Bruce Organ Sextet, the Dockside Latin Orchestra or Soma Soma, and he is now also running a popular series of jazz workshops.

Saxophonist Greg Sterland is a graduate of the Royal Welsh College and has played at the club several times before both as a band leader and as part of the Jonny Bruce Organ Quartet. He cites a wide range of influences including Lester Young, Lars Gullin, Warne Marsh and Joe Lovano and is renowned for his adventurous but melodic style of improvisation.

Pianist Dorian Childs-Prophet is a graduate of Birmingham Conservatoire who is active in Bristol’s new wave of jazz/club crossover bands, performing in Dundundun and Zoobers alongside vibraphonist Harriet Riley. He last appeared at the club backing French trumpeter daoud.

Chris Jones is a double and electric bassist who has become a mainstay of the Bristol music scene in many genres. Chris studied jazz at the University of Exeter and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where he had the privilege of studying and playing with some great musicians such as John Taylor, Stan Sulzmann, Mark Hodgson and Dave Holland.

Drummer Paolo Adamo grew up in a tiny village in the southern Italian region of Molise. He attended the Thelonious Monk Jazz Academy of Campobasso for nine years, and for six years participated in Jazz Puzzle, an annual seminar in Belgium where he played with musicians from all over Europe, and which helped inform his decision at age 19 to relocate to Bristol to pursue a career in music.