Gerard Presencer

Gerard Presencer
Background information
Born (1972-09-12) 12 September 1972
Watford, Hertfordshire, England
Genres Jazz, Contemporary Classical Music, Studio Musician
Occupation(s) Performer, Bandleader, Educator
Instruments Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Years active 1987–present

Gerard Presencer (born 12 September 1972) is an English jazz trumpeter. He currently lives in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Biography

Presencer showed his first interest in what was to become his chosen instrument, the trumpet, at nine. Presencer attributes his early determination to become a trumpeter on hearing Roy Eldridge's solo from a Jazz at the Philharmonic live date. Presencer has also cited among others Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Wheeler, Woody Shaw and Clifford Brown as early influences.[1]

At the age of eleven, he became the youngest trumpeter with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. At the age of 18, Presencer began playing with pianist Stan Tracey, in his big band, octet, septet and in duo playing a live concert at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall, later released on the Blue Note label.

Presencer continued to work with British musicians such as Peter King, John Dankworth, John Taylor, Ronnie Scott, Norma Winstone and Mike Gibbs, as well as with international musicians, including Johnny Griffin, Chris Potter, Mark Turner, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Randy Brecker, Red Rodney, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, John Abercrombie and Bob Berg.[2] He is a member of Charlie Watts' various jazz groups, with which he has recorded five albums, and was a featured soloist on US3's Cantaloop (Blue Note's biggest-selling release of the 1990s). He has also released three albums as leader.

In January 2010, Presencer played as a soloist with the Danish Radio Big Band for the opening of the Danish National Concert Hall. Later the same year he became a regular member of the big band and moved to Copenhagen.[3]

Other genre

In recent years, Presencer has collaborated frequently with contemporary classical composer Siobhan Lamb, as an improvising soloist within a classical landscape. Two albums were released in 2012 by the Naxos label Proprius: Meditations and The Nightingale and the Rose.

As a session musician, Presencer has recorded with Sting, Jamiroquai, Zero 7, James Brown, Ray Charles, Joni Mitchell, Jonny Greenwood.[2]

Gerard Presencer is the featured soloist on the 2011 BAFTA Award winning score of computer game L.A. Noire, also featuring Mark Turner, John Taylor, David Freidman, Jeff Ballard and Larry Grenadeir.

Teaching

As a jazz educationalist, Presencer was the Head of the Jazz Department at the Royal Academy of Music from 1999 until 2010 and is current Head of the Brass Department at The Jazz Institute, Berlin. He has given workshops in European Jazz Conservatories (including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Copenhagen).

In 2015 Gerard's book addressing the technical requirements of trumpet playing in improvised music is released by publishers Warwick Music.

Discography

As leader/co-leader
As sideman

References

  1. ↑ "Gerard Presencer". Linn Records. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  2. 1 2 "Home - B.H. Hopper Management". Hopper-management.com. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  3. ↑ "Engelsk stjernetrompetist i DR Big Bandet". DR. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
  4. ↑ Tony Coe. "Dreams: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  5. ↑ "Play Gershwin: Love Walked In: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  6. ↑ "Mnbb & Anders Larson (Feat. Gerard Presencer): Mnbb & Anders Larson: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-09-05.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, February 29, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.