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BMus(Hons),
double bass E-mail jonny@jazzberries.co.uk
D.O.B. Oct.1972 Professional
Experience:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Teaching
(bass & voice) / Workshops / Management: ● Artistic
Director of The Latin American Roadshow at BAC 2003 (transferred to Riverside
Studios 2005); Manager for 4 bands, inc.Ruthie Culver ● Dartington
International Summer School as
course director or tutor on various courses since 1996, including:
Salsa Course, Director (since 2006);
Argentinean Tango (since 1998);
Rock Shop (assistant, 1999);
Film Music (2008); Baroque
Orchestra (1996-2000) ● Wigmore
Hall – electro-acoustic/looping/free
impro workshop & concert, 2008 ● “Jonny Gee’s Montuno” Salsa
music workshops in 2008, at St.John’s College, ● “Jaaazzmatic” workshops –
primary & secondary school introductions to jazz & playing the main
jazz instruments ● “Foursticks” primary school
music & impro workshops (since 2006) with Chris Brannick of Ensemble Bash ● Double bass teacher & jazz
combo coach: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Education: Sept 1995 – July 1997 ● Post-graduate Bass Studies
(modern & baroque) with Chi-chi
Nwanoku, O.B.E. ● Post-graduate Jazz Studies
with Simon Woolf & Alec Dankworth Sept 1991 – July 1994 Royal Holloway, University of & ● B.Mus.degree
(performance course) ● Double bass teacher: Mette Hanskov
(principal bass, Danish Royal Opera)
Sept 1985 - July 1990 ● A-levels
in Maths, Physics & Music; A/O-level French; GCSE German. ● Double bass teacher: Pete Moore (Bournemouth
Sinfonietta/West End shows) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Biography:
He
loves getting his teeth into virtually everything from world, chamber &
baroque music right through to jazz, electronics, salsa & tango-nuevo
(with La Mariposa Tango from Buenos Aires).
Jonny appeared in the “Bass” episode of Howard Goodall’s How Music
Works on Channel 4 and has played on many CDs, film
& TV soundtracks and broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 & 4. He directs Dartington International Summer
School’s salsa music course with members of his latin group Montuno
& runs party band The Jazzberries
(who played for Elton John at his White Tie & Tiara Ball) and, with Cuban
band Bombele Orquestra, Jonny was in “fundamental” control (bad bassist pun)
of the Guinness World Record synchronized dance-stretch by 17,500 women and
500 topless men – all sporting bras – at the Breast Cancer Moonwalk in
2007. He
has performed at all the top concert venues in To
still the music in his head Jonny practises Tai Chi & is a keen
freediver, currently in training for an underwater performance of John Cage’s
avant-garde masterpiece 4’33” transcribed for submerged double bass – on a single breath of
air! www.myspace.com/jonnygeedoublebass
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Press Quotes: “I was very impressed with your high
level of preparation and total commitment. Your playing was both sensitive and robust and you got exactly
right the mixture of slightly disturbing and completely exuberant. ” Stephen McNeff – Composer (letter
following World Premier of his Piano Quintet in 2006)
Hey Jonny, It was so nice having such a lovely bassist come in. professionals in they have tried to change everything and tried
to almost lead the section. However I felt much more comfortable with you
sitting behind me, so cheers!!” Phil Donnelly (principal
double bass, English Schools Symphony Orchestra, 2008) “Backed by British expert Jonny Gee on double bass they made some
wonderful music. Brilliancies
came and went so fast that there was hardly time to applaud until the end.” Jack Massarik, Evening Standard In Summerhayes' comic theatrical Mosquito Splat, bassist Jonny Gee is amusingly distracted by a nuisance insect before it meets its death on his instrument ...rendered with unbuttoned passion and brilliance.” The
Strad (on ZUM
at The Purcell Room, South Bank Centre)
“Backed by the animated and eclectic Jonny Gee on
bass they gelled musically, all the while exchanging grins and smiles of sheer
pleasure and reflecting the blatant fun they were having.” Saul
Minaee (review of Tcha Limberger gypsy swing concert at
Le Quecumbar) “Hi Jonny, I just wanted to say how
much we enjoyed working with you at Dartington last week. It was a great deal of fun and we
(Sarah and I) both learnt a lot. Thank You!” Anna (Salsa Course participant, Dartington International Summer School)
“Bassist Jonny Gee sparred deftly around the soloists”
BBC (on Gypsy Tango Pasión at _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |