EUGENE
PORTMAN
An incredible jazz pianist, Eugene was classically trained and and won many music festivals and competitions but he really wanted to learn how to improvise and become a jazz pianist like his heroes Erroll Garner, Dudley Moore and Oscar Peterson. Eugene's diverse background has enabled him to become a highly skilled and accomplished performer who is much in demand throughout the UK both as a soloist and as an ensemble player. He can provide a type of music that is intricate, exciting, and yet easy to listen to.
Eugene has played at many top London venues such as The Cafe Royal, Quaglinos, The 100 Club, The Royal Festival Hall, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, Jamie's Bar, and Mustard's Bistro. He has provided first class entertainment for thousands of weddings, private parties, trade shows and other events
SHEILA DANIELS
Sheila Daniels had a background where music was foremost. She loved singing as a child , inspired from an early age by the Hollywood Musicals of the 40’s & 50’s. She now travels throughout the UK delivering some of the greatest jazz and swing standards from Hoagy Carmichael, George and Ira Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Rodgers and Hart and many other major songwriters of the Great American Songbook. Sheila has also been influenced by many great female performers such as Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Judy Garland and more recently Anita Wardell, and Nina Ferro. Sheila has performed at many top London venues including The Royal Festival Hall, The Limelight Club, The Borderline and The Fortune Theatre.
MIKE PORTER WARD
Michael Porter-Ward has been a professional musician for many years, he plays both the double bass and the bass guitar. He has been involved in many genres of music and has worked with many bands, from light orchestras to heavy rock and ranging from duos, trios, quartets, 6 piece jazz bands to big bands.
His forte and passion is jazz and has played with some wonderful musicians, including: Harry Connick Jn, Scott Hamilton, Bobby Scott, Jim Mullen and Acker Bilk to name a few.
DAVE TRIGWELL
Brilliant drummer with an interesting and varied background. He was a member of the 'Leanne Carroll Trio' - which was the first act to be signed to Jazz FM records. Appearances at Ronnie Scotts followed. He later joined a trio with Gary Potter and Herbie Flowers and produced two CDs before joining the Terry Callier Uk touring band featuring Jim Mullen on guitar, Bosco De Oliveira on percussion and Mark Edwards on piano.
David's Jazz festival circuit involved playing at such venues as Montreux jazz, Vienna Opera 'House, North Sea Jazz Festival and Glastonbury etc. He also toured Japan twice and produced CDs on the Polygram jazz label, Verve.
OLLIE WESTON
Ollie Weston is professor of Jazz Saxophone at the Guildhall School of Music, where he currently runs the jazz workshop and jazz MA courses for their junior school. As well as writing for his own quartet, his performance experience includes: The London Jazz Orchestra, NYJO, Back to Basie Band, Sax Appeal, Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Island Records, Edwyn Collins, Jamie Cullum and Amy Winehouse.
MEET THE SUGAR BAND.......
"Hi Sheila.........
Thank you for performing at the Dinner – I must say that everyone has commented on the standard of the band (more so than we have had before).
Kind Regards, Kirsty"
ITIC Gala Dinner at Rhodes House in Oxford. May 2009.
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CASEY GREENE
Originally from Sydney, Australia. Casey Greene now lives and works in the U.K. and is based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. A unique talent and a skilled multi-instrumentalist, Casey is able to sight read and improvise across many musical styles and genres. He cites his main musical influences as classical flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal, Jazz saxophonists John Coltrane and Dexter Gordon and Latin players David Sanchez and Maraca.
"A remarkable ability not only on tenor, alto and soprano sax but also on flute..." Ian Mann - The Jazz Mann
"
Greene's flute playing is stunning. He creates sounds and textures that come straight out of the Amazon, then soars up with clarity and focus... "The Flute Society of NSW
GARY EVANS
A superb jazz drummer, Gary hails from Exeter in Devon and started playing at age 8. He studied at the Exeter School of Music, Musicians Institute, London and the Guildhall School of Music. He went on to complete a number of Summer Season, Theatre and Cruise contracts, and has worked with the highly regarded Nick Ross Orchestra and The Pete Canter Trio.
