‘Jacques Loussier may have done it first but David Rees-Williams does it better

‘It’s every festival organiser’s nightmare,’ said Mike Gordon, Director of Scarborough Jazz Festival, when  announcing that, because of illness, Jacques Loussier is unable to play at this year’s event.

‘We wish him a speedy recovery,’ said Mike. ‘It’s been a big blow as all our programmes, posters and T-shirts have been printed.  However, I can guarantee that our audience will be dazzled by his replacement, the David Rees-Williams Trio, which specialises in placing classical themes in the context of the jazz piano trio.  David will demonstrate his amazing virtuosity and jazz improvisation on the Spa’s Bosendorfer grand piano and also on the Hammond organ.  And what a coup for Scarborough -  BBC’s distinguished Radio 3 programme, ‘Jazz Line Up’ will be recording David’s performance and broadcasting it nationally.  The BBC will also be recording Gilad Atzman with the Orient Express and the Tommy Evans Orchestra.’

‘David Rees-Williams has received widespread enthusiastic critical acclaim.  I think the following samples say it all.’

• David Rees-Williams’ rendition of Purcell’s ‘When I am laid in earth’ literally stole my breath….I have been reduced to a groupie….David played a magical set of syncopated Stanford, Bach and the ethereal Purcell…the trio far outstrips anything achieved by Jacques Loussier or the Swingles. They are on another plane and deserve huge recognition.  Jon Snow, Evening Standard
• David Rees-Williams’ excellent trio breathes new life into work by composers who were themselves improvisers…..the disc is a delight.  The Independent
• With breath-taking technique and mesmerizing sensitivity this trio gelled like no other.  Works of the past were brought alive and developed in ways that would have been the envy of the original composers . . . . Handel, Tchaikovsky, Wesley, Ravel, Buxtehude, Scarlatti and Purcell.  While marvelling as David dashed Handel’s runs across the keyboard, sudden familiar strains of recent popular melodies would rise above.   In the Tchaikovsky there were liquid jazz chords and outbreaks of strong melodic material and Ravel’s music readily branched into Gershwin . . . beauty permeated Bach’s A minor double violin concerto and Scarlatti’s feverish runs were enlivened with quirky jazz turns.  After such a fascinating evening it’s easy to see why The David Rees-Williams Trio is regularly featured on BBC Radio 3.  Local Secrets

• .. an accomplished pianist whose repertoire contains some of the most gracefully eloquent themes ever composed…he’s clearly an impassioned collector of great tunes, wherever the source.

Radio 3’s ‘Late Junction’ has rapidly propelled David Rees-Williams to much the same spot as Jacques Loussier occupied 40-odd years ago  The Guardian

• Rees-Williams can cast a Bach prelude in exotic colours, but he and his colleagues are equally at home with Scarlatti, Grieg and Cesar Franck - they deserve a wider audience among jazz fans and classical diehards.   Clive Davis, Sunday Times
• Jacques Loussier may have done it first but David Rees-Williams does it better. This trio continually presents us with startlingly new perspectives on old compositions, without making fun of the composers. They capture the romanticism of Grieg as well as the implicit lyricism of Bach and the playfulness of Mozart.  Music Week
• Channel 4’s Jon Snow put David Rees-Williams’ ‘When I am Laid in Earth’ by Purcell at no.5 in his list ‘103 Reasons to Love Life.   Sunday Times

The 2011 Scarborough Jazz Festival takes place on 23-25 September at Scarborough Spa.  Tickets and further information are available from the Box Office (01723 357869) or at www.scarboroughjazzfestival.co.uk