EFG LONDON JAZZ FEST & BOPFEST: ALEX BRYSON PIANO TRIO

Rounding off the piano trio thread running through BopFest, Alex Bryson is a dynamic young pianist and rising star on the UK jazz scene who has spent several years living in NYC and thriving as a musician on the scene there. He has recently returned to his native UK to establish himself as one of the leading lights of his generation, attracting attention for his uncompromising approach, creating fresh interest in the 1950s school of swinging bop piano, and becoming particularly noted for his command of the block-chord style of playing.

His trio is rooted in the tradition, playing Bryson's own originals, arrangements of standards and reviving compositions from the books of Tommy Flanagan, Walter Davis, and Ray Bryant. They have recently recorded their first album, which is due to be released later this year. The lineup features young, up and coming Irish bassist Darren McCarthy and the highly acclaimed Matt Fishwick on drums whose credits include recording dates with the great Cedar Walton and bassist George Mraz.

Alex has a strong background as a classical pianist, studying with Yonty Solomon and Philip Fowke. While living in New York he attended Mannes College, The New School (Nina Svetlanova), the Aaron Copeland School of Music (Mory Ritt), and studied with Barry Harris, Jeb Patton, Michael Weiss, Antonio Hart and Dennis Mackrel. He worked with Grant Stewart and Chris Cheek, and as a member of the Marie-Claire Giraud Quintet alongside Dwayne Clemons, Murray Wall and Luke Decker. In his career to date in the US he has appeared at Arturo’s, The Metropolitan Room, The Garage, Cleopatra’s Needle, The Shrine, The Cotton Club, The Flatiron Room and at Blues Alley in Washington DC.