Music is my life!
I have done a lot of travelling all over the world, including 3 years in The Merchant Navy. Because of this I have studied different cultures, which has influenced my music.
My influences are Duke Ellington, Dizzie Gilespie, Lois Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald,
I particularly liked the Jazz Funk era with artists, like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Grover Washington, Roy Ayres.
I was also a big fan of Hugo Montenegro and his Orchestra and theme music.
I play guitar, sax, bit of piano, and have recently taken up flute, however I spend more time lately writing, which I enjoy more than gigging, because I feel I can express myself more and has led me to further my knowledge of music technology, hence I am working with Cubase which I am using for all my arranging and recording.

Music Bio

I became interested in music at the age of 14, and started learning to play the guitar, I played in several Rock'n'Roll bands, then later became interested in Jazz, and started studying Jazz guitar.

At the age of 24, I took up sax and studied jazz and harmony with Brian Everington in East London.

After 3 years tuition with Brian Everington, I became very interested in Afro Jazz and joined Ginger Johnson and his African Drummers based in Hampstead at the Iroko Club.

Worked in Africa for a while playing with an all-English band, Mike Scott Septet. A top Jazz band in Africa doing tours and shows.

I've always been interested in writing and arranging and wrote" "Eastern Paradise" whilst I was in Africa playing with Mike Scott, and kept a recording of it.

Later when I returned to the UK, I moved to Bristol after hearing about the active Jazz scene here. I became very involved in the Bristol Jazz Scene and played with several small bands and big bands playing guitar and sax, I played with The Jim Reville Septet doing gigs and shows around Bristol.

I have always been an active member of the East Bristol Jazz Club and played with The King Cotton Big Band, formed out of the players, doing gigs in Bristol and the South West including St.Georges in Bristol.

Several years ago I had an idea for a Dance version of "Eastern Paradise," made an arrangement of it, and had it recorded at The Coach House Studios in Bristol, where Portishead, Massive Attack, And Danni Monogue recorded.

Entered both versions in Musicaid Song Competition in 2007 and both versions achieved good ratings, the Dance version-achieving runner up.

Last year I entered both versions into the UK Song writing Competition and once again they both achieved good ratings with the Dance version achieving Semi-Finalist

This year I decided to get more actively involved in writing and arranging as there were several compositions that I had written, but left on the shelf, as they needed to be arranged and recorded, plus I had an idea to write a song about the current recession, so I purchased a music sequencing software,Cubase, and started studying music technology and began working with my new song which is called "We're Practically Broke"

I got such good feedback from people about this song, that I decided to spend a lot of time with it and get it really polished.

I got Will Grealish singer/songwriter from The East Bristol Jazz Club to sing the vocal, and sent it to The UK Songwriting Competition. Unfortunately it wasn't completely finished when I sent it in as it was close to closing date, and it still got to the semi-finals.

I sent it to Bristol Community Radio, bcfm, and it was played on a Jazz and Blues show hosted by Michael Clark for four consecutive weeks.

Monday July 11th 8.00pm-9.00pm,
Monday July 18th 8.00pm-9.00pm
Monday July 25th 8.00pm-9.00pm
Monday Aug. 1st. 8.00pm-9.00pm

Pod casts for all these broadcasts can be heard on bcfm.org.uk

Thank-you for your interest and listening to my music, hopefully enjoy, and all feed -back very welcome.

Jeff Powell




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