Fleece Jazz

A prize-winning classical prodigy on piano, John Law turned away from classical piano studies to pursue jazz and improvised music when he was 23, and has been involved in, and acclaimed for, a wide variety of contemporary jazz and classical projects ever since - from solo piano concerts and albums, trio and quartet tours and recordings, to large scale works for his semi-classical ensemble Cornucopia.

Formed in 2016, as a counterfoil to John's group Congregation (which mixed contemporary jazz with electronics and backing tracks), Re-Creations began life as a fun project, with the aim of playing many different tunes from different musical genres. The fact that audiences almost always knew the songs, meant the group’s material was at the same time very accessible. Gradually, classical pieces have started appearing in the repertoire, including a version of the Kyrie from Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle and Satie’s Gymnopédie.

This quartet’s repertoire includes jazz classics by Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis and George Gershwin, plus tunes from pop/rock/indie bands such as Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder and Radiohead.

Parliamentary Jazz Award-winning saxophonist, Sam Crockatt, hails from a musical family, first playing clarinet as a child to accompany his pianist father. Later switching to the saxophone, Sam studied at the Royal Academy of Music under tutors including Martin Speake, Julian Siegel and Tim Garland and then began to play regularly with musicians such as Gwilym Simcock and Julian Arguelles. Citing John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins and Lee Konitz among his influences, his ability to marry his understanding of past masters with contemporary styles keeps him constantly in demand.

The quartet also features Danish bass player Henrik Jensen who came to London in 1997 to study electric bass at The Musicians' Institute before switching to the double bass and studying at the Royal Academy. He has worked all over the world from the Blue Note in Tokyo to concert halls in Moscow while keeping busy on the London jazz scene. Drummer Alex Goodyear was last here at Fleece Jazz with Jon Lloyd in March; he brought a delicate touch to his drumkit that was a wonder to behold as he used the whole kit in a gentle and yet expressive way. He studied Jazz Drums at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama under the tutelage of Martin France and James Maddren.

Blending jazz, pop, and classical genres, this promises to be an evening of jazz entertainment.

“Melodic contemporary jazz with a strong rhythmic pulse and some strikingly memorable and original tunes” – Sandy Brown Jazz

“. . . so full of joy that it can renew your faith not just in jazz, but music itself” – Independent on Sunday

• John Law - Piano
• Sam Crockatt - Saxophone
• Henrik Jensen - Double Bass
• Alex Goodyear - Drums 

Fleece Jazz is an independent, non-profit association run by a voluntary committee who have been providing modern and contemporary jazz for 28 years. They book talented musicians and jazz bands from the UK and beyond to perform at Stoke by Nayland Resort, providing the perfect backdrop for these cherished and popular events.

Fleece Jazz events are generally held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month.