Chris Garrick

Groups

Firewire Ensemble
Quartet
Chris Garrick & John Etheridge duo
Jutta's Party Band
Homage to Grappelli
Chris Garrick & Dave Gordon duo
for more info on or to engage any of the above email info@chrisgarrick.com
other projects

Firewire Ensemble

Chris Garrick violin
Tom Hooper drums
Dave Gordon piano
Neil Craig tabla & percussion
Ole Rasmussen double bass
Eddie Hession accordion

Performing expansive thematic instrumental music - comprising Dave Gordon "...the hand-span of a bat...", Tom Hooper "explosive...demented", Danish dude Ole Rasmussen "unimpeachable", accordion champion of Great Britain Eddie Hession and from Perth, Western Australia, tabla maestro Neil Craig - the Firewire Ensemble "Sounds totally 21st century & swings like a hotel roof in a hurricane".

concert reviews

Quartet

Chris Garrick violin
Dave Gordon piano
Ole Rasmussen double bass
Tom Hooper drums

The original melting vat and multicore of bigger ensembles (Secret Light Show, firewire) the CGQ has performed everywhere from Durham Prison to Buckingham Palace to the 606 Club. Incepted in 1991 after the initiative of pianist/composer Pete James. Jon Noyce was first bass man then Jeremy Brown from '92 until 2000. Dave Gordon turned full-time in '98.

Dynamics range ppppp to fffff, whilst it's fun & fire that reign..."the players demonstrate an ensemble that reflects the best chamber music, but has a rock band's sense of drama".

concert reviews

Chris Garrick & John Etheridge duo

An association now measuring some 27 years (Chris was 8 at the outset). The last ten has seen their musical partnership blossom with John's Grappelli tribute 'Sweet Chorus'. The duo is a more recent departure and one in which they revel. Where it is predominantly a case of runk & thunk all night long with 'Sweet Chorus', it is free-wheeling and spontaeneous interplay that prevail in the duo format. At the Dimming of the Day sees their long-awaited first waxing.

"Superb interplay - gorgeous stuff - the duo of Chris Garrick and John Etheridge stunned with its range, dynamism, flexibility and spirit of adventure. Covering ground from Reinhardt - Grappelli to modern multi-layered texturing these two musicians weave a colourful tapestry of brilliant sounds." The Times

Jutta's Party Band

Chris Garrick violins
Pete Oxley guitar
Dave Gordon piano
Ollie Hayhurst double bass
Russ Morgan drums

Sexy new outfit Jutta's Party Band has already caused a stir in Goring-On-Thames having been described as 'quite definitely slightly weird' by one critic there. JPB is a happy accident which came about when five fellas pitched-up to play a one-off for the birthday party of Oxford-based German award-winning maker of fine bows, Jutta Walcher. JPB perform a fascinating mix of originals and contemporary standards, coloured and contoured by their widely diverse combined backgrounds: Dave Gordon is a trained logician and top baroque harpsichordist; Pete Oxley a double gold medal winner at the Paris bow making competition, Chris Garrick an amateur mycologist and classic Citroen enthusiast! Russ Morgan is a professional masseur and Ollie Hayhurst is simply one of the finest most in-demand bass men about.

concert reviews

Homage to Grappelli

Chris Garrick violin
John Horler piano
Alec Dankworth double bass
Alan Ganley drums

The immortal Frenchman is remembered and celebrated by Chris Garrick with music drawn from Stephane Grappelli's well-known partnerships with George Shearing and Django Reinhardt, in a new ensemble which came to life through Chris's work with John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine.

"Garrick plays marvellously bringing his own stamp to Grappelli's relaxed lyricism, without losing the maestro's sense of vibrancy... " Guardian

Chris Garrick & Dave Gordon duo

Stripped down to the two main protagonists from the Quartet and Firewire Ensemble allows these improvising fanatics to fertilise their imaginations and impulses in the tender and intimate duo format. Repetoire may range anywhere from W C Handy to Walton to Gordon but the music is always delivered on time with the freshest ingredients.