Gareth Williams - piano Iain Ballamy - sax

This stunning duo of two world class musicians, saxophonist Iain Ballamy and pianist Gareth Williams will literally dazzle listeners with their original compositions and harmonically sophisticated new takes on jazz standards. They display a level of empathy and virtuosity rarely heard having shared their musical journey for over 25 years. Sparky interaction and energy guarantee their performances to be exciting and memorable bu never predictable.

Iain Ballamy was featured as one of the world's all-time greats in BBC Music Magazine's "100 Jazz Legends". The Guardian described him as "one of the world's distinctive saxophone voices"

He discovered saxophone in 1978 with three lessons and his first professional gig was in 1980. He played Ronnie Scotts as Iain Ballamy Quartet at age 20. He was a founding member of Loose Tubes in 1984. First recording with Billy Jenkins in 1985, his first solo album, Balloon Man, was released in 1988. Clive Davis' review in The Times described it as "possibly the most assured session so far by any player of his generation"

During his career he has performed or recorded with a wide range of musicians including Gil Evans, Hermeto Pascoal, New York Composers Orchestra, Carla Bley, Dewey Redman, George Coleman, London Sinfonietta, Françios Jeanneau, Daniel Humair, Mike Gibbs, Randy Weston, Karnataka College of Percussion, Sax Assault, Jazz Train, Freebop, Nishat Khan, R.A.Ramamani, T.A.S. Mani, Clare Martin, Human Chain, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Tom Robinson, Charlie Watts Orchestra, Jeremy Stacey, Randy Weston, Joanna MacGregor, Delightful Precipice, Bill Bruford, Django Bates, Mark Wingfield, Jane Chapman, Bryan Ferry, Everything But The Girl, Food, Food for Quartet, Loose Tubes, Oxcentrics, Ian Shaw, Slim Gaillard, Ultramarine (band), Ashley Slater, Hungry Ants, Ronnie Scott, Gordon Beck, Britten Sinfonia, and Gay Dad.

Pianist Gareth Williams has been a somewhat quiet presence on the UK jazz scene. Often working as a sideman, he has perfected the technique of making others sound good. When he does step into the spotlight with his own projects and recordings it often wondered why we don’t hear a lot more about this unassuming but consummate musician.

Between 1994 and 1999 Gareth worked as pianist/MD for internationally acclaimed jazz singer Clair Martin (several times winner of the British Jazz Singer of the Year Awards). He was also involved in arranging her music, writing original compositions for her band, singing and playing guitar. He appears with her on 'Offbeat' (Linn Records, UK/Honest, US) as well as 'Make this City Ours' (Linn records, UK/Honest, US) which was recorded in New York and stayed at Number One for three weeks in the Gavin Radio Play Charts.

Gareth has also worked with many international jazz greats, including Art Farmer, George Coleman and James Moody, plus top British musicians such as Martin Taylor and Tim Garland.

Gareth Williams

Tickets & tour dates

June