Ben Lee Quintet at Hidden Rooms, Cambridge
First gig of the NextGen series featuring a superb opener with the Ben Lee Quintet. The BEN LEE QUINTET plays eclectic music drawing on wide ranging influences from rock and funk through to experimental music and more. Featuring Chris Young on alto sax, RIchard Foote on trombone, David Ferris on organ, Euan Palmer on drums and Ben Lee on guitar, this band has its debut album out on Stoney Lane Records, coupled with a nationwide tour in 2017.
‘For me the most eye catching soloist was Lee who played with power, precision and astonishing technical prowess as he explored the conventional range of his instrument and beyond…’
Ian Mann – The Jazz Mann
‘… all that skill, plus a hugely eclectic range of influences and a great dollop of wit and good humour, and which on top of all that sounds thoroughly original… it’s a real treat.’
The Jazz Breakfast
His beguiling quintet explore the many sounds and combinations of its unorthodox line-up, featuring guitar, alto sax, trombone, organ and drums, creating an album full of punchy horn lines, groove, invention and no lack of warmth and technical prowess.
Originally from Devon, Ben studied jazz guitar at Birmingham Conservatoire, but his great number of varied influences spread above and beyond the musical and academic worlds, and are at the core of his writing and personality running through the album. The jaunty Kickin’ The Chicken takes inspiration from his time in Malawi, drawing on the music of heroes Montgomery and Sonny Rollins, whilst the opening Folk Theme was written with strong reflections on dystopian novels, and the conflict and coexistence between two nation states. First Contact is Ben’s tribute to his love of sci-fi – the tale of man’s first communication with extra terrestrial life, whereas the guitar-led ballad Hygge (featuring the trio of Lee, David Ferris’ organ and drummer Euan Palmer) was composed following Ben’s 2014 adventure in Denmark, taking its title from the Danish word describing the feeling of cosyness shared with other people.
The title track In The Tree describes the simple pleasure of nature and climbing a tree, ever higher, until the branches run out!
Read More‘For me the most eye catching soloist was Lee who played with power, precision and astonishing technical prowess as he explored the conventional range of his instrument and beyond…’
Ian Mann – The Jazz Mann
‘… all that skill, plus a hugely eclectic range of influences and a great dollop of wit and good humour, and which on top of all that sounds thoroughly original… it’s a real treat.’
The Jazz Breakfast
His beguiling quintet explore the many sounds and combinations of its unorthodox line-up, featuring guitar, alto sax, trombone, organ and drums, creating an album full of punchy horn lines, groove, invention and no lack of warmth and technical prowess.
Originally from Devon, Ben studied jazz guitar at Birmingham Conservatoire, but his great number of varied influences spread above and beyond the musical and academic worlds, and are at the core of his writing and personality running through the album. The jaunty Kickin’ The Chicken takes inspiration from his time in Malawi, drawing on the music of heroes Montgomery and Sonny Rollins, whilst the opening Folk Theme was written with strong reflections on dystopian novels, and the conflict and coexistence between two nation states. First Contact is Ben’s tribute to his love of sci-fi – the tale of man’s first communication with extra terrestrial life, whereas the guitar-led ballad Hygge (featuring the trio of Lee, David Ferris’ organ and drummer Euan Palmer) was composed following Ben’s 2014 adventure in Denmark, taking its title from the Danish word describing the feeling of cosyness shared with other people.
The title track In The Tree describes the simple pleasure of nature and climbing a tree, ever higher, until the branches run out!
