Jason Rebello at Jazz Hastings

One of the leading figures in British jazz, world-renowned pianist Jason Rebello, will be gracing the Jazz Hastings stage on Tuesday 13 September. Julian Norridge reports.

Jason Rebello, who will be performing with his trio at Jazz Hastings’ September session, was classically trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, but in the late 1980s, inspired by the likes of Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner, he moved into the world of jazz. In 1990 he produced his No 1 debut album A Clearer View, which was produced by Weather Report saxophonist Wayne Shorter.

By the time he was 24 in 1993, Rebello already had three critically acclaimed albums under his belt, which led one critic to declare, “In terms of sheer ability and potential, Jason is probably the finest young jazz musician this country has produced”.

In the late 1990s Jason travelled to New York to record Next Time Round with his trio featuring Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts and talented British bassist Orlando Le Fleming, who will be playing with him again at Jazz Hastings. The album was a return to acoustic jazz.

“Great pianistic gift”

The Times review said: “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 has been easily and naturally harnessed in the service of a lyrical immediately attractive melody imbued with an affecting, faintly melancholic earnestness.”

In 1998 Jason became Sting’s keyboard player, touring the world and recording with Sting’s band for six years. Through an introduction from Sting, he then met guitar legend Jeff Beck, who was looking for a new keyboard player. Jason spent the next six years touring and recording with Beck’s band, while still finding time to work with artists such as Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Pee Wee Ellis, Joss Stone and Madeleine Peyroux.

In 2013, Jason decided he wanted to re-establish himself as a solo jazz artist, He has since released several critically acclaimed albums, one of which, Held (2016), won best new CD in the British Jazz Awards.

He’ll be playing for this session with bass player Orlando Fleming, who has recently returned to the UK after two highly successful decades based in New York. On drums will be Jeremy Stacey, one of the go-to session drummers who has performed with a stream of top artists from rock and jazz.

Jason Rebello Trio Jazz Hastings, Tuesday 13 September, East Hastings Sea Angling Association (on the Stade behind the lifeboat station). Doors open 7.45pm for 8.30 start, tickets £15 on the door.

An experienced teacher, between 3 and 5pm on the day of the concert Jason will be conducting a workshop at East Hastings Sea Angling Association for musical all-comers  with a £15 entry fee.

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