Colin Steele and David Milligan

Jazz duo head to the Highlands to hit the high notes

Colin Steele & Dave Milligan
The Stables, Cromarty, The Black Isle
Sunday 13th November, 4:00pm

“Steele’s lyrical trumpet work bristled with invention, by turns rich and warm or sharp-edged and plangent as the music demanded, while Milligan's constantly imaginative pianism, rich in harmonic colour and rhythmic momentum beneath his melodic creations, again demonstrated what a fully developed player he is.”
***** THE SCOTSMAN

Trumpeter and composer Colin Steele has been described as the Sibelius of Scotland. His music is a joyous celebration of Scottish melody and rhythm, liberated and enhanced by the spirit, sophistication and technique of jazz. His recordings and concerts are warm, life affirming, and thrilling in their effect. He disarms the most hardened jazz fan with the power and beauty of his music and his playing speaks strongly to audiences of all musical tastes. (Even those who insist they don’t like jazz!)

For those who love the work of his Quintet and Stramash, this concert is a rare treat; Dave Milligan has been part of Steele’s original music projects for over 10 years as a sideman and arranger, and the two have been playing together for over 15 years. Milligan is regarded as one of Scotland’s most individual jazz pianists, notably for his unique ability to flavour his music with Scottish folk and Celtic influences without losing the element of creative originality that makes his improvisations so engrossing. Together they have produced award-winning albums and performed throughout Europe to critical acclaim. They started playing together in the 1990’s, and went on to collaborate on a wide variety of projects, including: Midnight Blue Band, Melting Pot, Colin Steele Quintet, Stramash, The Unusual Suspects, Bachue, The Edinburgh Festival Jazz Orchestra and ‘A Funny Valentine’ – a theatre show about the life and music of Chet Baker.

Now, for the first time, Steele & Milligan appear in an intimate duo setting in the beautiful setting of The Stables, Cromarty in the Black Isle. Unmissable.

HOW TO BOOK
Tickets are £10 / £8 & £3 for children, and are available from:
Cromarty Arts Trust, Ardyne, Bank Street, Cromarty, The Black Isle IV11 8YE
Tel: 01381 600354

INTRODUCING THE MUSICIANS

COLIN STEELE, TRUMPET
Since the release of his debut album Twilight Dreams in 2002, Colin Steele’s highly original and melodic Scottish folk-influenced jazz has won just about every UK jazz plaudit there is; from BBC Jazz CD of the Year and Jazz Review international CD of the Year (for his album ‘The Journey Home’) to CD of the year accolades in The Guardian, Observer, Independent and The New Statesman. Steele’s compositions are inspired by Scottish and Irish folk music, but are firmly rooted in the jazz tradition. Colin took up the trumpet in 1980 and joined his first jazz group the John Rae Collective at the age of 19 (which included Brian Kellock and Phil Bancroft). He then went on to work with Tommy Smith, Tom Bancroft Orchestra and pop band Hue and Cry. Between 1990 and 1996 he travelled Europe extensively, living in France, then London, then Italy. On his return to Scotland in 1997 he established the phenomenally successful live music club Midnight Blue, which ran for three years and attracted over 40,000 people during this time. Around this time he also began composing, forming his first quintet back in 2000.

DAVE MILLIGAN, PIANO
Dave Milligan, born and raised in the Scottish Borders, is a pianist whose musical imagination flows freely between jazz improvisation and the traditional airs and dance meters of his native Scotland. In a varied career spanning nearly 20 years, Dave has performed throughout Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and Asia. Many will know him from his earlier work in mainstream jazz with leading figures such as Carol Kidd, Scott Hamilton and Art Farmer, but in more recent years his interest in traditional & folk music has inspired a unique crossover piano style which has featured most prominently in the critically-acclaimed Bachué, with harpist and singer Corrina Hewat, in the duo with concertina virtuoso Simon Thoumire, as a core member of the Catriona Macdonald band, and in the 22-piece folk orchestra The Unusual Suspects, which he and Hewat masterminded. Folk music also has a strong presence in Milligan’s work in the jazz scene; mainly in his highly acclaimed trio with bassist Tom Lyne and drummer Tom Bancroft, but also in his crucial role as pianist and arranger for award-winning trumpeter Colin Steele’s Quintet and 10-piece Stramash. The essence of Dave’s own music however, continues to be improvisation and a fascination for juxtaposing styles has earned him an enviable reputation as one of the UK’s most individual voices.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Caroline Hewat, Arts Development Manager for Cromarty Arts Trust
info@cromartyartstrust.org.uk
Tel: 01381 600354

Dave Milligan
dave@davemilligan.co.uk
Tel: 07702 073077