Jazz afficinados are invited to a special one-off concert at the King’s School in Macclesfield on Friday, October 14, featuring two of the north west’s leading jazz ensembles.
The charity concert in aid of the Maggie’s Cancer Centre in The Christie in Manchester features both the Steve Plews and Dan Whieldon trios and enthusiasts will be able to hear both standards from Theolonius Monk, Duke Ellington and their contemporaries plus some of the brilliant local composers original work.
Dan Whieldon, a piano tutor at King’s, studied classical piano at the Birmingham Conservatoire before going to Belgium to study jazz at the Royal Conservatoire, Brussels. In July 2008 he won the Nottingham National Jazz Piano Competition and has since performed in prestigious venues nationwide and overseas.
Steve Plews is a former King’s pupil who teaches music technology to King’s Sixth Form students. Steve, the son of renowned local doctor Bill Plews, trained as a classical pianist but jazz always influenced his playing.
He has developed a career as both a jazz pianist and classical composer, and has released four well-received CDs under his own name and contributed to three compilations of Contemporary British Music.
As well as his skills as a composer and musician Steve is a champion of new music. He set up his studio and label ASC Records to promote artists in both contemporary classical and jazz.
Both the Dan Whieldon and Steve Plews trios have recently released CDs on the ASC label to great acclaim.
Both leaders are delighted by their rapidly increasing popularity on the Japanese jazz scene and plans for a 2017 Autumn Tour are underway.
King’s Director of Music Ian Crawford said: “King’s has a long tradition of arranging occasional concerts by professional musicians in order to raise funds for charity and this concert offers a one-off opportunity to hear some of the north west’s very finest jazz musicians performing standards and original material live.”
Refreshments will be available from our fully licensed bar. Tickets cost £7 and can be purchased immediately from the reception at King’s school 01625 260000.