Chris Hodgkins and his Band

Chris Hodgkins And His Band

Chris Hodgkins And His Band have been described as a mature mainstream band drawing its inspiration from the 50´s but with up-to-date arrangements, original tunes, ideas and influences. The line-up: Max Brittain (guitar), Charlotte Glasson (Saxes,flute, saw, penny whistles), Diane McLoughlin, (saxes), Alison Rayner (double bass) Cheryl Alleyne (drums) and Chris Hodgkins (trumpet).

Cheryl Alleyne studied jazz and classical music at the College of Arts & Technology in Newcastle upon Tyne. On returning to London she worked with Loose Tubes, The Jazz Warriors, The Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra and toured the world extensively with hip-hop/rap group Us3

Cheryl won places to study music in the United States at Berklee College of Music, The Manhattan School of Music and the New School of Jazz and although unsuccessful in finding funding to take up any of those positions, she went on to live, teach and play music in the USA and was also the show band drummer for 9 months on the Renaissance Eight and Golden Princess cruise liners, which travelled to South America and the Bahamas respectively. More recently Cheryl worked with the Courtney Pine Quartet at the Mermaid Theatre in a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of ‘Desert Island Discs’ with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Cheryl is a SONOR and SABIAN endorsee.

Bass player and composer Alison Rayner has been playing jazz and other contemporary music since the mid-70s. She spent five years in the 80s with critically acclaimed jazz/Latin group The Guest Stars, touring all major international jazz venues and festivals and recording three albums. She currently leads ARQ, her contemporary jazz quintet, described as ‘a beautifully integrated band’ **** by Dave Gelly in the Observer; ARQ have built a substantial and wide-ranging audience over the past three years of touring. Their recent second album ‘A Magic Life’ has had national and international radio play, with outstanding reviews in the jazz and national press:

‘Spirited, eloquent and graceful’ *** The Guardian

‘A gorgeous album, synthesising mood, melody and the interplay between musicians totally at home with each other.’ **** Jazzwis

Rayner also performs and records with, amongst others, Deirdre Cartwright’s Groups, trumpeter Chris Hodgkins’ quartet and vocalists Carol Grimes and Zoe Lewis.

She has co-run Blow the Fuse Records & Blow the Fuse Jazz Club in London since 1989, performing with artists such as American jazz guitar legend Tal Farlow, New York jazz poet Jayne Cortez, Denardo Coleman, Peter King and John Etheridge.

Rayner teaches on jazz summer schools in the UK and abroad; composes for and examines for an international music exam board and is an endorsee for Picato Innovation double bass strings.

Max Brittain’s inventive and sensitive guitar playing has accompanied a diverse range of musical greats including the late Humphrey Lyttelton, Ronnie Scott, Cleo Laine, Georgie Fame, Herb Ellis, Charlie Byrd, Barney Kessell, and Marion Montgomery, as well as the National Symphony Orchestra. In 1990 he was invited to establish the electric guitar faculty at Eton College, and is now senior visiting teacher of this department.  Max Brittain Photos courtesy of Chris Taylor LRPS

 

Charlotte Glasson is an award winning multi-instrumentalist and composer playing saxophones, flutes, violin, percussion and even the saw. She likes mixing up music from around the world and blending it to fit under the jazz umbrella. She runs her own band which has released 6 CD’s and have played Ronnie Scotts, and many festivals including the London Jazz Festival. As a session musician she has worked with Oasis, Nick Cave, The Divine Comedy, James Blackshaw, Jah Wobble and Julian Lloyd Webber and performed all over the world including Sydney Opera House with The Lost and Found Orchestra, BB Kings in New York with ’Three Friends play music of Gentle Giant, Main Concert hall in Bangkok with Claire Martin, and had was a featured artiste in a film ‘JazzLive at The Crypt’ alongside Tony Kofi. More info at www.charlotteglasson.com

Diane McLoughlin is well known on the London jazz scene as a saxophone player and composer. After studying jazz performance and  composition at the Guildhall School of Music, she wrote for, and directed, her own 17-piece jazz orchestra Giant Steppes. In addition to this, Diane led the quirky Di’s New Outfit, which blended improvised music with European cabaret styles. She also composed for her own contemporary jazz quartet, co-created Zdravets with piano and accordion player Kim Burton, and the Boogie Wonderland Big Band. At present she is writing for and playing in her own jazz ensembles