The Fergus Quill Trio + Billy Goulding Quartet
Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds.
This event is for 18 and over - No refunds will be issued for under 18s.
More information about The Fergus Quill Trio + Billy Goulding Quartet tickets
This event is for 18 and over - No refunds will be issued for under 18s.
After a long period away from the gig scene due to band member's busy commitments to other musical projects, The Fergus Quill Trio are returning for a live show in Leeds at Hyde Park Book Club on February 16th with a brand new sound. This time, they're exploring the organ jazz trio format but with a difference. The obvious influence of modern jazz organ legend Jimmy Smith is here but funneled through the prism of Leeds LS6 wonkiness.
The trio will be presenting new compositions, which they plan to record this year for their third album, and will be joined by special guests in the evening. As always, the trio are : Fergus Quill - bass (and tuba for this gig), Nico Widdowson - keys (and B3 Hammond organ for this gig), Theo Goss - drums.
Fergus has been fascinated by the organ sound since he was a child and was obsessed with the music of soul organ legend Booker T. Jones and his band The MGs. As he progressed to playing jazz, Fergus discovered the classic modern jazz organ sound and the musicians championing it - Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Brother Jack McDuff, Larry Young. As Leeds' number one Sun Ra fan, Fergus has always appreciated the cosmic jazz legend's organ playing on such albums as "Church Organ" (a 1948 recording of him playing jazz standards on an actual church organ), and "Excelsior Mill" (a 1980s live recording featuring Sun Ra solo playing a Wurlitzer organ).
Tonight, the trio will present a night of organ led jazz music but not as we know it.....come prepared for something a little bit off-kilter, Fergus Quill style.
Fergus Quill is one of Leeds' best known jazz/experimental music artists. Musician, composer, arranger, bandleader. Arriving in Leeds around 2015 to study at Leeds College Of Music, he quickly established himself on the local scene as a member of the Tight Lines music collective, playing with their lead band Skwid Ink. At the same time, he was also a member of NYJO, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. In 2019, he began releasing original music and reimagined works by others under his own name.
Since 2019, he has released six albums under his name via various line-ups.
Fergus Quill's Electric Noise Ensemble (self-release 2019 - cassette)
"Zoop Zoop" - The Fergus Quill Trio (Tight Lines Records 2020 - digital)
"Blamo!" - The Fergus Quill Trio (Tight Lines Records 2022 - digital)
Ferg's Imaginary Big Band (Tight Lines Records Feb 2023 - digital/vinyl)
"Up Yours! Fergus Quill Plays Xero Slingsby" (Nov 2023 - digital)
"Live At Lancaster Jazz Festival" Ferg's Imaginary Big Band (Dec 2024 - digital/vinyl)
In the last few years, Fergus has won awards as a musician and composer, including the Musicians Company/Tina May Award 2022 for best young musician, and the Peter Whittington/Help Musicians Jazz Award 2023 for Ferg's Imaginary Big Band.
The Fergus Quill Trio also features original band members Nico Widdowson (piano/keys) and drummer Theo Goss. Both are longtime members of Ferg's Imaginary Big Band and have been at the centre of the Leeds jazz scene for almost a decade now in various bands. Nico, now living in London, has been running his own jazz trio for several years as well as Mabgate (originally the Mabgate Organ Trio), and in 2024, he also won the Musicians Company/Tina May Award for best young musician. Drummer Theo Goss is a member of Ghanaian singer/musician K.O.G's band and tours the UK/Europe with the artist. He recently appeared on "Later With Jools Holland" on BBC2 with K.O.G and is also a longtime member of Leeds bands Slow Lorris and the Ben Haskins Quartet.
Support tonight comes from the next generation of rising Leeds jazz stars and features one of the busiest drummers in the current buzzing Leeds DIY/alt-jazz scene. Billy Goulding plays drums with bands like Nova.sol, Afrodesia, Nathaniel Taberner Quartet and the Charlie Folland Quintet. He's now striking out on his own and leading a band under his own name....the Billy Goulding Quartet. They play fiery post-bop/modal/spiritual jazz inspired by past and present greats such as John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders and Kamasi Washington. Billy is joined onstage by Conrad Clenton - sax, Umer Sair - piano, and Sean Blake - double bass.
Doors 7.30pm. Billy Goulding Quartet 8pm. Fergus Quill Trio & Guests 9pm. Live music over 10.30pm. Curfew 11pm.