RECORD OF THE WEEK 6 - 12 Sept THE ELLIOTT HENSHAW BAND: WHO’D HAVE GUEST?

THE ELLIOTT HENSHAW BAND: WHO’D HAVE GUEST? (UBU0090)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of accomplished drummer Elliott Henshaw for the release of his album, Who’d Have Guest?, on 27th August 2021.

Elliott has been an in-demand drummer for many years now, working with artists and bands that include Shirley Bassey, John Lord and Roger Glover (Deep Purple), Paul Anka, Michael Ball, Tony Christie, Leo Sayer, David Benoit, Russell Watson, Tony Hadley, The BBC Big Band, The Drifters, Gwen Dickie, Georgie Fame, Bob Mintzer, Mike Stern, Eric Marienthal, Beverley Knight and Phil Collins. He has played in over 20 West End shows that include Lion King, Come from Away, Dear Evan Hansen and Bat Out Of Hell. Alongside his own band, Elliott co-runs the 18-piece band Spice Fusion with Simon Niblock, who together have released two albums to date--Trying Too Hard and Trying Hard 2.

“Being heavily influenced by the likes of Dave Grusin, The Yellowjackets, Al Jarreau and David Sanborn”, explains Elliott, “I wanted to release music that celebrates the importance of strong melody combined with solid groove. Every member of the band is encouraged to stretch out and be creative within these parameters. ‘Who’d Have Guest’ features original compositions that showcase horn sections, string sections and, as the album title suggests, some very special guests. It has been 10 years in the making due to everyone’s work schedules but for me it has been worth the wait. Producing an album that allowed me to make music not only with my friends, but my heroes as well has been a joy from start to finish.”

The core members of The Elliott Henshaw Band are some of the busiest musicians on the UK scene--Bass player Andrew McKinney (James Taylor Quartet/Jarvis Cocker), keys player Matt Steele (Brand New Heavies/Jersey Street), guitarist James Pusey (Beverley Knight/Paloma Faith) and saxophonist Simon Willescroft (Duran Duran/Joss Stone).

Elliott continues, “The idea behind this project was to take my existing 5-piece band and include different guest appearances on each track. The guests vary from a horn section featuring the likes of Tom Walsh, Simon Niblock and Chris Traves, vocalists such as Miranda Wilford and Noel Sullivan, or jazz heavyweights such as Gwilym Simcock, Bob Mintzer and Dave Weckl. I wanted to celebrate music and musicians that have inspired me over the years whilst at the same time document where I am creatively at this point in my life.”

Concerning his new relationship with Ubuntu Music, Elliott shares his thoughts: “I was first introduced to Martin Hummel by my good friends Matt Steele and Quentin Collins. After our first conversation I knew straight away that I wanted to work with him and his label, Ubuntu Music. Martin has an abundance of passion and commitment to music combined with a great respect for the musicians. He has been so helpful with his guidance and advice, all of which comes from a wealth of experience in the industry. I am very much looking forward to what I hope will be a long relationship with Martin and Ubuntu.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, adds his perspective: “I’d been aware of Elliott for some time and, through mutual acquaintances, we had the opportunity to meet. Elliott kindly shared his project with me and the rest is history. I was floored by the richness and the depth of the music, all of which is firmly anchored in seductive melodies. Having Gwilym Simcock, Bob Mintzer and Dave Weckl appear on the album, along with other such standouts, is the icing on a very delicious cake. It’s great to welcome Elliott to the Ubuntu Music Family.”

REVIEW: The Elliott Henshaw Band - Who'd Have Guest?

USA’s jazziz magazine writes, “it is Elliott’s turn in the limelight and a unique opportunity to showcase his distinctive talent.”

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Elliott Henshaw is a drummer in demand and very much established as a ‘go to’ musician for multiple interesting and successful projects He is a revered collaborator with artists and bands including Shirley Bassey, John Lord and Roger Glover (Deep Purple), Paul Anka, Michael Ball, Tony Christie, Leo Sayer, David Benoit, Russell Watson, Tony Hadley, The BBC Big Band, The Drifters, Gwen Dickie, Georgie Fame, Bob Mintzer, Mike Stern, Eric Marienthal, Beverley Knight, Phil Collins and many more Now with Who’d Have Guest , it is Elliott’s turn in the limelight and a unique opportunity to showcase his distinctive talent.

Out Now

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VISIT ARTIST'S WEBSITE

Personnel

Core Band
Elliott Henshaw - Drums & Percussion
Andrew McKinney - Bass
Matt Steele - Keys
James Pusey - Guitar
Simon Willescroft - Sax

Guest Appearances:
Drums – Dave Weckl (track 11)
Bass – Simon Goulding (track 11)
Piano – Gwilym Simcock (track 3) Richard Beadle (track 8)
Hammond Organ – Chris Traves (tracks 7, 6)
Guitar – John Wheatcroft (track1) Mike Outram (track 6) Tommy Emmerton (track 7) Simon Lind (track 9) Mark Cox (track 10)
Vocals – Miranda Wilford (track 4) Noel Sullivan (track 7)
Trumpet – Tom Walsh (track 1, 3, 4, 5, 7) Bryan Corbett (track 2)
Trombone – Chris Traves (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7)
Sax – Bob Mintzer (track 1) Simon Niblock (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7) Fiona Asbury (track 5) Sammy Mayne (track 5) Chris Aldridge (tracks 1, 3, 5)
Percussion – Chris Traves (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7)
Strings – Pete Billington (tracks 1, 3, 5, 10) Mel Wickens (tracks 1, 3, 5, 10) Pete Whitfield (track 8)

Track Listing

  1. 1. Tea & Toast

  2. 2. Direct Input

  3. 3. Along Came Milly

  4. 4. Monte Carlo

  5. 5. JP

  6. 6. Hiding To Nothing

  7. 7. Faithless

  8. 8. You Are

  9. 9. Trying Too Hard

  10. 10. Red Beret

  11. 11. Scotty The Brave

REVIEW: Jersey Street 'Love Rising Up'

Macedonia’s The Funky Astronaut writes, “a great jazz album by a band from Manchester.”

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We are witnessing that in the second half of the previous decade the British jazz scene experienced a real explosion, jazz went into the “mainstream” on the one hand, and Shabaka Hutchings, Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Joe Armon-Jones became rock stars. Despite this jazz revolution, most bands have remained under the radar of a wider audience, fortunately the "underground" label on their backs does not bother them in their desire to create great music.

One such band is certainly Jersey Street, a band from Manchester founded at the end of the last decade of the previous century, whose work in that period could be subsumed under electronic music, to be transformed from a "house" band through a transitional electro soul period into a real organic jazz band reminiscent in style of “The Brand New Heavies”. Last night I had the privilege of listening to their as yet unreleased album "Love Rising Up" which seems to me to be the final metamorphosis of the band where they made a complete departure from "dance" music and created an achievement for which they found inspiration in the works of Roy Ayers and Betty Davis.

Almost the entire album is characterized by an accentuated string section that gives the song "Love Will Be Our Guide" an almost Philly soul / disco touch, while the song "Carnival" gives a retro "cinematic" charm. "The Way We Are" is a "dancefloor" jazz-funk song carried by the horn section, while the flute in the last third of the song gives it a special flair. However, in my humble opinion, the most impressive songs are those in the jazz style, "Nightingale", "Love Rising Up", and especially "No One Can Take Your Place", which, it seems to me, carries a special emotion, in which singer Dawn Zee it simply shines, while the drums are a story unto themselves. “Love Rising Up” is sure to be a treat for all jazz fans and one of the “must have” albums of 2020. To remind you, the album will be released on September 25 and will be released by the record company "Ubuntu Music".