Jason Rebello
‘An Evening with Jason Rebello, and life in the Music Industry’
Friday March 1st The Assembly Hall
Celebrated British jazz pianist Jason Rebello was labelled a veteran by critics at 19 and
over the next decade won most of the major jazz music awards. Classically trained but
inspired by Herbie Hancock, he came to the attention of one of the founders of jazz fusion,
Wayne Shorter, and impressed by his musical fluency and style, Shorter produced his No 1
debut album ‘A Clearer View’ in October 1990 .
By 1992 Jason’s musical talent and endearing personality enabled him to feature in a wide
range of media projects including ‘Artrageous’ on BBC 2, which Janet Street‐Porter invited
him to present. Jason then chose to produce his second album Keeping Time, and he
invited a wealth of his musical friends to feature, including soul diva Jocelyn
Brown and Marianne Jean‐Baptiste.
"..It is a brave, open & lyrical record which sees Rebello, now 23, cast his net wider than
the Herbie Hancock inspired jazz‐fusion which characterised his debut”
(Ekow Eshun OBSERVER 1993)
Jason undertook a gruelling schedule promoting his own band across the UK and Europe
as well as appearing with notable artistes including Bud Shank, Wayne Shorter, Gary
Burton, Branford Marsallis, Tommy Smith, Jean Toussaint, Desree, Mica Paris, Carleen
Anderson and Omar. He also performed several classical concerts with the Nice Symphony
Orchestra and the Halle Orchestra.
Jason playing keyboards with Jeff Beck at a recent concert at the Bristol Colston Hall
‘Make It Real’, July 1994, is Jason’s best‐selling album to date, and is a heady mix of jazz,
latin, soul and hip‐hop featuring the vocal talents of Maysa Leak, Joy Rose and Cleveland
Watkiss and Faithless rapper Maxi Jazz. Also, an inspirational reworking of Gerswin’s
‘Summertime’ received much radio play and was voted a KISS Classic by KISS Radio.
Following a sold out UK tour and European festival dates, The British Council also
sponsored Jason on a tour of Brazil, and the musical partnering of Jason with Joy Rose
produced a further album of just piano and voice. In 1999 Jason travelled to New York to
record ‘Next Time Round’ with his trio featuring Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts and talented British
bassist Orlando Le Fleming. The album was a return to acoustic jazz.
"...No one has ever doubted that Rebello is possessed of a great pianistic gift ‐ His great
technical strengths, delicacy of touch, fluency of execution, a burnished, pellucid tone had
been easily and naturally harnessed in the service of a lyrical immediately attractive
melody imbued with an affecting, faintly melancholic earnestness"
Chris Parker, ‘The Times’ 1999.
Following the untimely death in 1998 of piano legend and personal hero Kenny Kirkland,
Jason was invited by ‘Sting’ to take his seat in the band. Jason recorded with ‘Sting’ on
his Grammy winning album Brand New Day 1999 and Sacred Love 2003. He also toured
the world as part of Sting’s band for 6 years and on the night of September 11 2001, Jason
recorded the live DVD and CD ‘All this Time’ at Sting’s home in Tuscany.
It was through an introduction from Sting that Jason met guitar legend Jeff Beck. Beck was
looking for a new keyboard player to follow Jan Hammer. He was keen to recruit Jason,
whose keyboard skills and musical versatility complemented Beck’s love to improvise and
experiment in the world of fusion.
Jason once again toured the world as part of Beck’s band for 6 years, and was introduced
to the world of Rock music. He worked together with Beck on his 2010 album Emotion and
Commotion and co‐wrote the single Hammerhead which won a Grammy for Best Rock
Instrumental Performance and was voted a Rock Classic by Planet Rock Radio.
Technique, diversity and adaptability have enabled Jason to work with artists across the
musical spectrum such as Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Pee Wee Ellis, Joss Stone, Madeline
Peyroux, Manu Katche and recently Charlene Soraia. In 2007 Jason inspired by family life
in Bath embarked on the Jazz Rainbow project. Created as through a love of teaching and
a belief that expression through music is an important part of a child's development,
Jason has worked nationally to promote learning through musical workshops in schools.
The project resulted in ‘Jazz Rainbow’ November 2007, which is a charming reinvention of
much loved children's tunes the whole family could enjoy.
Jason with friends.
As can be seen from the previous picture (!), Jason continues to teach, lecturing at various
schools and music colleges including The Guildhall School of Music and Bath Spa
University. He also helped to set up the Jazz Factory at the Wiltshire Music. We are
extremely fortunate that Jason has agreed to come and lecture at Monkton, as he has
fitted us into a busy schedule, as he works on his new album in sunny Combe Down with
his family where he now has his own studio.
Jason playing in various rock and jazz concerts
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