Wye Valley Jazz
This is an exciting new professional four piece jazz combo which offers a rich variety of musical textures and styles. We are performing our own distinctive arrangements of jazz standards and music from other genres. The line up is as follows:
Lyndon Eatough-Smith (Band Leader) - piano, electric violin, clarinet, keyboard
Catherine O'Rourke - piano, flute, alto sax, tenor sax
Born on the Isle of Man, Catherine showed an early interest in music. She began playing the piano at eight and the flute at eleven. Whilst at Grammar School she accompanied in concerts and local pantomimes, played in School and Youth Orchestras and sang in the Youth Choir. Since then she has taught music in Lancashire and Herefordshire and has organised and performed in many concerts both in school and in the local community. She has conducted the Ad Hoc Choir in Clun for eighteen years and co-conducts the Northern Bell Orchestra (5 octaves of hand bells with 30 ringers) which is a contrast to Tanglin, a local four-in-hand trio of hand bell players that she performs with, directs and arranges music for. Catherine loves a wide range of musical genres especially jazz.
Catherine Murray-Gilling - vocals
With a deep love of singing, Catherine found her voice at an early age, from church to classroom and stage. She studied Theatre Arts & Education at Strawberry Hill, London University, is an Equity member and has worked in performance, writing, teaching and directing. She is currently working as a freelance artistic director and is co-director of the Hereford River Carnival. Additionally she is co-director of Fugue Visions, a collaborative arts company which is currently working on the Magna Carta Song Story.
Dave Provis - vocals, electric bass
Dave Provis has been singing throughout his life. He joined his first semi-professional band at the age of fourteen as singer-drummer and dropped the drums two years later to be lead vocalist in a Beatles/Stones cover band, honing harmonies. He sang with a jazz band at university and then got into folk music in London. On moving West he became singer/guitarist in a rock band and for the last decade, as well as playing bass in a steel band, he has been the singer in a soul band, employing a jazzy vocal technique.
Geoffrey Soar - vocals, electric bass (associate member)
Geoffrey has a particular
interest in and experience of jazz. He has worked as a band leader, musical
director, conductor, arranger and teacher. He has worked for many years on the
QE2, in London theatres and in broadcasting.
Wye Valley Jazz is available to provide music for a wide range of functions such as wedding receptions, private house parties, garden parties and celebratory events. To enquire about booking the band please telephone 07585 920088 or complete the contact form on this website.
Photograph taken by Ellie Burd
