The Kyle Eastwood Quintet

Kyle is Clint’s son, but first and foremost a talented jazz bass player and composer of music for movies, among which GranTorino, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima and Invictus.

He is the author of nine albums, the last of which, Eastwood Symphonic, is a symphonic spin-off on Clint cult movie themes.

After the release in 1998 of his very first record as a group leader, From There to Here, resolutely anchoring his references in the golden age of orchestral 1950s jazz, Kyle Eastwood spent most of the years during the first decade after the new millenium constantly pushing back the frontiers of his musical universe. With a growing list of albums that are just as eclectic as they are refined, he stated with great elegance and know-how the extent of his musical tastes, flirting successively with cool and sophisticated electro-jazz, a resolutely groovy and smooth type of jazz, reminiscent of the sound of the seventies, all the way to arty, chic and urban, subtly crossbred manifestos.

Enriched by this scholarly exploration of the trends of contemporary globalized pop music, Kyle Eastwood seems to have found his own path, a return to a more direct, lyrical and melodious type of jazz. The album Songs from the Château, recorded in 2011, inaugurates this new phase in his career, reflecting his quest for a relationship to tradition that is now both reasserted and renewed.

Heading a brand-new quintet made up of talented young British musicians, perfectly attuned to his new musical choices, the bass player sets here the groundwork for a music that is both melodious and full of swing, both simple in its form and refined in its expression.

Chris Higginbottom

A core member of the Kyle Eastwood Band for over a decade, Chris Higginbottom is one of the UK’s most in-demand drummers. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, he is also a member of the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars and has released two albums under his own name.

Now based in London, Chris previously spent eight years in New York, performing with leading jazz artists including Mark Murphy and Seamus Blake. He can also be heard on recent releases by Van Morrison.

Brandon Allen

Originally from Perth, Western Australia, saxophonist Brandon Allen relocated to London in 2000 and has since established himself as a major presence on the UK jazz scene. He has performed across a wide range of genres with high-profile artists including Eric Clapton, Paloma Faith, Beverley Knight, Jools Holland and Neil Diamond.

He co-leads OMAR + QCBA alongside UK soul artist Omar Lyefook, touring internationally, and leads several of his own projects including the Brandon Allen Quartet and Groove Band. In addition to performing, he is a Jazz Professor at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Widely acclaimed by critics, Allen is regarded as one of the most exciting tenor saxophonists in Britain today.

Andrew McCormack

Pianist and composer Andrew McCormack has built a wide-ranging international career, performing at major venues and festivals worldwide. His debut album Telescope (2005) earned him the BBC Jazz Award for Rising Star, and he has since released a series of critically acclaimed recordings including Live in London and First Light.

His 2022 release Terra Firma, featuring a new trio, received widespread praise and led to extensive touring across the UK and Europe, including sold-out performances at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and Duc des Lombards. McCormack also collaborates closely with saxophonist Jason Yarde, with whom he has toured internationally.

Beyond performance, he has composed for ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra and worked as an orchestrator on films by Clint Eastwood, including Flags of Our Fathers and Changeling. A long-time collaborator with the Kyle Eastwood Band, McCormack is also an acclaimed solo artist, known for his expressive improvisation and compositional depth.

Quentin Collins

Trumpeter Quentin Collins is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading jazz and commercial players, with a career spanning over two decades. He has performed and recorded with an extraordinary range of artists including Prince, Alicia Keys, Mark Ronson, Gregory Porter and Basement Jaxx, with whom he toured internationally.

His debut album If Not Now, Then When? was named Jazz Album of the Year, while his 2019 release Road Warriorreceived widespread acclaim, including five stars from BBC Music Magazine. A long-standing member of the Kyle Eastwood Band since 2011, Collins has featured prominently as a performer, composer and arranger on multiple albums and global tours.

He co-leads QCBA with Brandon Allen and is also the co-founder and Artistic Director of Ubuntu Music, where he has produced and supported emerging jazz talent. Alongside his performing career, Collins is an experienced educator, having taught internationally and mentored students at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Set Time is 75 minutes.

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