Wayne Matthews Trio featuring Benet McLean

Presented by: Kenilworth Jazz Club

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0	KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
P	Monday 3rd June, 2024
N	7:30pm

Event information

The Wayne Matthews Trio have been playing together for over 12 years under various guises such as the Mike Sole Trio and Status trio which attributes to their residency at the Donkey in Leicester.

They recently played at the B:Music Symphony Hall with special guest – Violinist Benet Mclean, have played various festivals including the Northampton Music Festival and For the Love of Jazz Festival in Leicester and backed many artists including Esther Bennett, Ray Butcher and Elle J.

Displaying a rich tapestry of styles reflected by their influences, the trio play straight ahead, bebop, contemporary jazz alongside latin, funk, hip hop fusion styles.

Wayne Matthews – Bass Guitarist

Coventry born Wayne Matthews is a predominantly self-taught electric and acoustic fretless bassist coming from both a Classical and Gospel music background who studied at The Leeds College of Music, taking a Classical Degree primarily on the Viola with jazz elements whilst also playing Electric and Double Bass in various College ensembles and bands.

Wayne has had lessons from Steve Thomas Cook, Robin Mullarkey (Zero Seven, Jacob Collier), Gary Willis, Mike Walker and is mentored by Laurence Cottle.

His musical influences are far reaching from Bach and Hindemith to Folk, Gospel, Jazz, Soul, Funk, Reggae and World Music which has been reflected in his multi-faceted performances in the UK and Internationally including the West End- The Tina Tuner Show, Jack and The Beanstalk (Hammersmith Lyric), Once on This Island (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) TV (Fuji Rock), radio, gospel, orchestral (Limelight Orchestra), big bands (Crash Collective, Fat Chops, Jazz Colossus and Swingshift10), folk ensembles, singer-songwriter, jazz, latin, soul and reggae.

He is currently part of two exciting projects with a top UK Trumpeter Bryan Corbett (Instrumental Groove Unit) which features Luke Harris – drummer for The Brand New Heavies, and Peggy’s Skylight proprietor Paul Deets on the Fender Rhodes and also Derby based vocalist Helen Gayle and mutil-keyboardist Matt Ratcliffe’s – Latin Voices.

He runs a weekly Jazz Jam Session in Leamington Spa (Jazz Jam Wednesdays), which is in its 9th year and is involved with Jazz jams at the Donkey in Leicester plus Nottingham and Northampton.
He is also involved with school ensembles, teaches at Nexus ICA and Coventry University including private students and from 2015-2022 had been involved in developing young artists with 2Funky Project Live in Leicester.
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He is Inspired by bassists such as James Jamerson, Anthony Jackson, Jaco Pastourious, John Patitucci, Ray Brown, Christian McBride, Richard Bona, Sam Sims, Fred Hammond, Andrew Gouche, Gary Willis, Laurence Cottle, Robin Mullarkey, Freddie Thompson, Rocco Prestia and far too many to mention!

His CV includes the likes of Bob Mintzer, Jim Mullen, Toni Kofi, Alan Barnes, Dave O'Higgins, Simon Spillett, Benet McLean, Soweto Kinch, Damon Brown, Bruce Adams, Omar, Junior Giscombe, Michelle John (The Voice Finalist), Patrick Alan, Xhosa Cole, Art Themen, Alex Clarke, Clark Tracey, Mornington Lockett, The British Collective, The Brothers of Soul, Marcus Joseph, Esther Bennett, Lily Diors, Del Camino, LSK (Nightmares on Wax, Faithless) and many more.

He has supported Marcus Miller, Terri Lynne Carrington, Aswad, Dennis Rollins and the Selecter.

He is joined by Mike Sole on Keys and Dave Anderson the drums.

Mike Sole - Keys

Mike Sole has been involved with music from a very early age, training as an RSCM Bishops and Provosts chorister, later studying the Pipe Organ. Mike has been involved with Jazz music around the country and also in Europe for many years, performing as a solo pianist or as part of a band. His music has been heard live on the radio and listened to across the globe through many of his collaborations.

David Anderson - Drums

Has been playing drums professionally for over 30 years and during this time has toured extensively around the UK, Europe and also performed in New York, Washington and Los Angeles in USA.
Working mainly as a freelance musician, He plays a wide range of styles including orchestral and brass band, pop, soul, blues, reggae and jazz.
He has taught drums in schools and colleges and also facilitated music workshops throughout the UK.
Over the years he has been a member of and performed with a number of bands and artists, most notably Diesel Park West, various members of The Specials, Laurel Aitken, The Pioneers, Ray Lewis (The Drifters), The Foundations,
The Four Tops, American Blues guitarist Sherman Robertson and Sally Barker.
(BBC The Voice 2014 runner up).
At present he is a member of The South (latest incarnation of The Beautiful South), Horace Panter’s (The Specials) Uptown Ska Collective and The King Brasstards.

Benet McLean - Violin

“Benet McLean pushes the boundaries of the violin in jazz with unparalleled modernism.”
— Julian Joseph
Violinist and pianist Benet McLean is one of the most highly regarded contemporary musicians in British jazz. His musical depth and exploration of the boundaries between musical genres make him a unique and constantly evolving artist. Inspired in his teens by the great bebop artists of the 1940s, Benet's playing today reflects his early inspirations while also embracing many other musical influences.
Previously known best for his outstanding piano playing, Benet has released several critically acclaimed albums on piano. However in recent years, he has returned to the violin, fast emerging as a dynamic and innovative jazz violinist. His debut solo album on violin, Green Park, was released in November 2023 and has been met by praise from both critics and radio alike.
A gifted composer and arranger, live work with his own band focuses on violin-infused high-energy grooves interspersed with lyrical ballads, often augmented with pedals and effects, with exciting performances that showcase the breadth of his innovative violin style. Collaborations have included heading up the string quartet on Partikel’s acclaimed String Theory album and working on string sections with producer Troy Miller on albums by Laura Mvula and Mahalia. His violin playing is also featured on several other albums including Pyramid by Dan Goldman’s ElecTrio, Counteraction by Partikel, and the debut solo albums of trumpeter Andy Davies (Rise Of The Spider Monkey) and keyboardist Benjamin Croft (10 Reasons To...). He has also performed on violin with artists outside of jazz including Nightmares on Wax.
Benet has been playing music since the age of 3 years old when he first persuaded his parents to buy him a violin, and he undertook several years of classical training before turning his attentions to jazz. Some of the many other artists Benet has played or toured with, both in jazz and other fields, include Omar, Soweto Kinch, Binker Golding, Daniel Casimir, Julian Joseph, Steve Williamson, Orphy Robinson, Jean Toussaint, Cleveland Watkiss, TY, Roachford, Jay Phelps, Tommy Smith, Sir Simon Rattle, Kevin Haynes (see album Ori Ire), Maxi Jazz (Faithless) and Loose Tubes.
Benet also teaches and is a professor of jazz violin at the London Performing Academy of Music (LPMAM).

“...When listening to Benet McLean it is readily apparent that his is an important jazz violin voice up there with Ponty, Debski and Urbaniak. I am particularly happy because Benet reckons that when he was a kid my playing across the genres was of some encouragement to him. Now is an exciting time because from the chrysalis of his modern jazz mastery an inspirational and completely original style is emerging. Check it!”
— Nigel Kennedy