Richie Barshay's 'Roundtable'

Featuring Michael Janisch (bass) and JimHart (vibes) With US saxophonists Daniel Blake and Petr Cancura

Roundtable Bio: Percussionist Richie Barshay, most noted as a member of the Herbie Hancock Quartet since 2003, arrives in the UK to present his “Roundtable,” a special collaboration between some of the jazz world’s most exciting, inventive, and in-demand rising stars from both London and New York. This “Big Smoke meets the Big Apple” project features the much sought after and versatile US Bassist Michael Janisch, who currently resides in London, along side one of the most creative multiinstrumentalists the UK has ever produced, Jim Hart on vibraphones. Rounding out the table is two of Richie’s regular sparring partners from New York City, multiaward winning saxophonists and composers Daniel Blake and Petr Cancura. Together, they present a blend of contemporary jazz meets world music, drawing strongly from their knowledge of the Jazz, Afro-Latin and Indian genres. For more information, please click on the following link-- www.richiebarshay.com.

Percussionist Richie Barshay, most noted as a member of the Herbie Hancock Quartet since 2003, has established himself as a prominent musical voice of his generation. Regarded as "a player to watch" by JazzTimes magazine, he maintains a busy international touring schedule with some of today's top artists including Hancock, the Klezmatics, and many others. In September of 2004, he was named an American Musical Envoy by the U.S. State Department, along with the renowned Latin-Jazz ensemble, Insight. Richie began playing Jazz and Afro- Latin music during his youth and has expanded his focus to Indian rhythmic concepts and tabla, inspiring his 2005 recording debut "Homework", and the launching of his new band, The Richie Barshay Project. What the Critics are saying about Richie Barshay and his music: "…Barshay, a teenaged drummer from Connecticut [age 19 at date of print]…is the reincarnation of TonyWilliams when he joinedMiles Davis's band in the '60s." -Eugene Holley Jr., JazzUSA.com "He is one of those players who just needs to breathe on his drum kit to set up a rhythm. His light touch, incorporating tablas, electronic percussion and crisp-sounding cymbals, ensured that there was always an interesting pulse." - Rob Adams, The Herald "All the right stuff, so we have hope...continues to impress us all with his swing andmusicality. " - Bob Brookmeyer "percussion prodigy " - Kimberly O'Haver, The Moscow Times "...a show-stopping drummer." - OwenMcNally, The Hartford Courant "...young drumphenom" -JimNewsom, PortfolioWeekly, Norfolk, Virginia (Richie w/ the Herbie Hancock Group, Paris)

Jim Hart (playing vibes in RBR) is one of Europe’s most exciting multi-instrumentalists. Originally from Cornwall, UK, he began playing drums and piano at age four and soon furthered this to include tuned and orchestral percussion. Two years at Chetham's school of Music saw him reach the finals of the '96 BBC Young Musician of the year competition and receive the John Dankworth award for most promising musician in the BBC Big Band competition. He went on to study at the Guildhall school of Music and Drama in London. From 2001 to ‘03 Jim was the regular drummer for The National Youth Jazz Orchestra giving him the opportunity to work with the likes of Phil Woods, John Dankworth and Cleo Laine, among others. One of the most in demand musicians on the London scene on drums, vibes and piano, he now plays regularly with Martin Drew's New Jazz Couriers, The Christian Brewer Quintet, The Matt Wates sextet, and the Quentin Collins Quartet, to name just a few, as well as leading two groups of his own. He has also played with Shaun Escoffery, The Herbaliser, Franco Ambrosetti, The Heritage Orchestra, Airto Moreira and many more. Jim was the winner of the 2006 British Jazz award for 'Rising star' and also won the 2006 Worshipful company of musicians Bronze medal. He has recently been seen touring extensively across the UK, playing the music from his latest album “Emergence” with his impressive band Gemini, on Loop Collective Records. Since arriving in London from his native USA 18 months ago,

Michael Janisch has rapidly established himself as one of the leading and most versatile acoustic/electric bass players on the scene. As well as earning a degree as a full scholarship recipient from the famed Berklee College of Music, he has had the opportunity to study privately/institutionally with some of the world’s top bassists, including Ray Brown, Christian McBride, Abraham Laboriel, Bertrum Turetzsky, and Dave Santorro, etc. Described as a “muscular, fluent jazz player with an irresistible pulse and virtuosic soloing technique,” JazzWise, he includes the likes of internationally renowned jazz visionaries such as Joe Lovano, Roy Hargrove, Hal Crook, Dianna Reeves, George Garzone, Shirley Horn, Clark Terry, etc., on an impressive resume, which also includes gigs at the Blue Note, Hollywood Bowl, Marciac, North Sea, Singapore, Umbria, and Monterey Jazz Festivals, etc. Some prominent UK based jazz artists Michael has had the fortune to work with include Tommy Smith, Jason Rebello, Gerard Precenser, Jean Toussant, Phil Robson, Jim Mullen, Dennis Rollins, Tim Garland, Julian Joseph, Soweto Kinch among many others. Currently, he’s based in London, and spends his time playing all styles of music from classical (“his bowing is a delight” The Guardian) to soul between the USA, UK, and Europe, with many of the up and coming as well as established musicians of his generation. Michael, still in his twenties, has been featured on almost two-dozen recordings of varying musical genres, and has toured in nearly thirty countries. He also does studio work, has appeared as a bassist on major television shows (The Tonight Show, The Michael Parkinson Show, etc.) and has played inmusic videos. He endorses Innovation brand bass strings.

Daniel Blake, at the age of 25, has already established himself as a positive force in many areas of creative music. Having recently relocated to Brooklyn, NY in September 2006, he has made waves in the New York City press for his recent winning of the “John Lennon Songwriting Contest’s Grand Prize.” This award further recognized Blake’s recently released “Party Suite,” which also garnered much critical acclaim and an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer’s Award. Daniel has most recently performed as a saxophonist at famous New York venues such as The Blue Note, Sweet Rhythm, Rose Live Music, and Tonic, among others. Blake’s versatility and eclectic interests have allowed him to develop a career as a performer, produce premiers of his original chamber compositions, and engage the larger community of jazz musicians by co-founding the Boston Jazz Collective. This organization developed an approach to community developing through promoting its members’ music both online and through large-scale concerts at major Boston-area venues. Blake hopes to continue this important work in New York City. In addition to leading his own groups, Daniel is very in demand as a sideman, and performs regularly with the Richie Barshay Trio, The Sofia Koutsovitis Group, and Leo Genovese’s Chromatic Gauchos, etc. Blake also serves as Adjunct Lecturer at the Conservatory at Brooklyn College, where he is pursuing a Master of Music Composition. He has studied with Steve Lacy, Danilo Perez, Bob Brookmeyer, and currently studies composition with Jason Eckardt and Tania Leon. As a graceful saxophonist, imaginative improviser and forward thinking bandleader,

Petr Cancura is emerging as one of the finest multiinstrumentalists and voices on the scene today. Born in the Czech Republic and relocating to Ottawa, Canada by the age of ten, Cancura currently resides in New York City. He earned a Masters degree from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and during this time he led many successful groups and projects, such as an artistic residency with Boston’s prestigious Modern Improvised Music (MIM) Society. Heralded for his musical personality full of warmth and originality, Cancura is much sought after as a sideman, and has recorded and performed with Danilo Perez, Bob Moses, Kathleen Edwards, John Lockwood, Joe Maneri, Cecil McBee, and the Juno Award-Winning Mighty Popo. He has been described as a saxophonist who has "the right touch to take them [the band] to a better place," Charmin Dee, Swingin Montreal, and currently plays across genres with musicians fromall over the world.