TenStringFever

Violinist Jane Miller and guitarist Terry Spooner formed TenStringFever in the late summer of 2005, although both musicians had played together in various ensembles prior to that time. They have since been performing gigs and concerts in various venues in the UK.

Between them they encompass a very wide musical spectrum, as can be heard in their live performances and on ‘Jigs and Jazz’, their debut album (issued November 2007).

In June they have been recording their second album ‘Chase the Sun’ which will include several of their own pieces as well music by Piazzolla, Morricone, Villa-Lobos and Reinhardt/Grappelly. This should be available this Autumn.

Their playing has been influenced by their vast number of performances in different fields of music. The unusual combination of guitar and violin combined with the range of music played by the duo (in their own arrangements) produces a highly individualistic sound.

This concert will include music by Villa-Lobos, Bach, Schubert, Kleynjans, Morricone, Piazzolla & Ellington.

More details, pictures, live dates, history, and album tracks can be found on their website www.tenstringfever.com

Gerard Cousins & Yusof B'layachi

The B'layachi - Cousins Duo.

Described as “Inspired Improv” by Time Out, The B’Layachi – Cousins Duo formed during the warm summer nights of 2006. The two friends, both accomplished in their own styles came together to record a series of spontaneous improvisations inspired by their recent repeated listenings to works by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Steve Reich and Debussy. The Gathering of Opposites... Discovering the incredible variety of tones afforded by their differing instruments - Gerard Cousins and Yusuf B'layachi found this novel combination both evoked and collided the diverse worlds of music from which they were inspired. The metallic sounds of the steel strung provided a raw edge to contrast with the softer, more refined tones of the Spanish classical guitar.

Gerard Cousins.

Gerard Cousins’ expressive performances focus on sheer beauty of sound balanced with musical insight. His performances on TV and Radio have established his reputation as “one of Wales’s leading guitarists” (Western Mail) and at his Purcell Room debut, Musical Opinion noted his "beautiful playing and subtle phrasing".

An international prizewinner, Gerard has performed throughout Europe and from Turkmenistan to Peru where he was called a "Star of the Six Strings" (El Peruano). His CD’s have been described as ‘Guitar Magic’ (BBC Radio) and have been featured on Classic FM.
Gerard Cousins is also a keen composer and arranger. His compositions have been performed
by various ensembles in Europe and his film music has been broadcast on S4C and at Art
festivals around the world. His arrangements seek to expand the repertoire of the guitar and range from Baroque harpsichord compositions to contemporary minimalist piano scores.
Recent performances have included a tour of Saudi Arabia and participation in ‘The Rain Emperor’ – a theatrical performance event which was Critic’s Choice in Time Out.

Yusuf B’layachi.

The story goes that Yusuf B'layachi was born in a cave to his English mother and Berber father near the Atlas Mountains in southern Morocco. He took to the guitar at an early age after seeing his grandfather playing the Oud and quickly learnt the acoustic guitar and then also the bass, electric, and classical guitar. But it is his unique finger-picking style on the steel strung acoustic that Yusuf is most expressive and at one with. Yusuf's father took the family to the UK where he entrusted the Jazz guitarist Hugh Turner to teach his son. It was a formative time for the young teenager as Yusuf interpreted the sounds of the Jazz greats such as Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and Miles Davis. It would be some 10 years before these influences would resurface again combined with the Middle Eastern and Classical worlds when Yusuf formed the 'B'layachi - Cousins Duo'. Yusuf continues to write music, ever fascinated with the crossing of stylistic boundaries. He has written many compositions for the guitar and to broaden his musical language is being tutored by Walter Fabeck the London based composer and pianist.

Tonight’s concert will be a first half of solo guitar by Gerard Cousins and for the second half he will be joined by acoustic guitarist Yusuf B’Layachi. The programme will include some old favourites and new compositions and arrangements by the performers.

Carl Herring

Carl Herring is one of the leading British guitarists of his generation. Graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in 2003 with first class honours Carl has rapidly built up an international career, giving performances throughout the UK and in Cuba, Sri Lanka, Scandinavia and Europe. Whilst studying at the Royal Academy of Music Carl won the highly coveted Julian Bream Prize and the prestigious Ivor Mairants Award.

Carl very much enjoys to perform with ensembles as well as his own solo work most notably Carl is regularly found performing with master of flamenco guitar, Eduardo Neibla. Carl’s first album, Azure, which was recorded in 2004 featured music by Rodrigo, Lennox Berkeley, Bach, Turina and Tippett, was received with critical acclaim.

Carl's second album, Burnt Sienna, released in 2008 featuring more of a taste of South America was also met with equal acclaim with excellent reviews in Gramophone, Classic FM and MUSO (Star CD) magazines. February 2009 saw the realisation and release of Carl’s brand new arrangement, with talented young tenor Kevin Kyle, of Robert Schumann’s Dichterliebe for guitar and voice.

Carl is very much looking forward to his performance with Ealing Guitar Society.

Hayley Savage

Hayley has received many premieres of her own works, which are mostly commissions and range from concerti and symphonic music to choral pieces. Hayley’s concerto English Fantasia for Guitar and String Orchestra, written for John Mills, has received many performances, in the UK, Scandinavia, the US and Canada, where it was broadcast on CBC Radio in 2002. Hayley has also composed music for Poet Laureate nominee U.A. Fanthorpe.

In 1999 Hayley won the Worshipful Company of Musicians Ivor Mairants Guitar Award, London and has since worked and performed in many countries including Scandinavia, the US, Canada, Europe and Africa. As a composer, she has recently been featured in a television documentary about the arts.

As well as performing in chamber music with the Emerald Ensemble, Bristol, Hayley is a member of the Appassionata Guitar Trio, who perform extensively both at home and abroad. They have just recently released their second album – Beyond Horizons - which explores music by English composers both past and present. This and their debut album – Let Go – have received glowing reviews.

After being commissioned to compose a new guitar duo for the Long Island Guitar festival’s special 15th anniversary celebrations, Hayley was asked to make a return visit in 2008 to perform some of her own new works which appear on her brand new album – Crossed Wires and Coloured Strings – which has since been endorsed by guitarist composer Andrew York and accepted by the record label Chandos to appear on their new download site.

Forthcoming projects include a concert with legendary guitarist Gordon Giltrap, a commission to compose a major work for the great jazz saxophonist Andy Shepherd accompanied by strings, percussion and the modern vocal group “The Juice” and also a natural history project involving school children – a huge underground cave and a performance of Hayley’s orchestral odyssey “Luna Nueva.”

“Whether it be a piece for orchestra, piano, guitar or whatever, any new composition by the highly talented English guitarist composer Hayley Savage is to be eagerly anticipated.”

Steve Marsh – Classical Guitar Magazine

Branco Stoysin Trio

Born in a university town Novi Sad, Yugoslavia, and entirely self-taught, Branco began playing guitar at the age of 15 and very soon found a love of jazz and Brazilian music, influenced by Joe Pass, Charlie Parker and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Soon, Branco was being featured at a number of jazz venues and festivals in his home country and appeared at the largest festival "The Days of Jazz in Novi Sad".

At 18 he prolifically starts composing sensual music of great beauty with Sunny dispositions and gathers 100’s of tunes till the present. He is largely inspired by the Sun, and influenced by Jazz, Yugoslav traditional folk, World, Brazilian and classical music. The interest in these compositions led to recordings for radio and TV Novi Sad. Following this Branco formed his "Sad Nova Trio" whose success led to numerous concerts and broadcasts on TV.

As an avid reader of the Sherlock Holmes series, he began to hanker after a different life and wider musical opportunities. In the early nineties he set off to England with little more than his guitar and has since become a fixture on the London and UK music scene, actively composing and performing solo, in various duos and with his new trio featuring the elegant Leslee Booth on 6 string contra bass and imaginative Buster Birch on percussion. Branco composes and plays sensual music of great beauty, coloured by many world influences.

Leslee Booth became a professional musician after studying at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles (USA). The south Indian (Chennai born) bassist’s subtle Indian nuances has lent support to some very big jazz and R&B artists, touring, recording and TV shows. Les is currently free lancing and involved in certain select projects. He currently plays a six string contra bass.

Buster Birch has performed in over 30 countries since finishing his musical studies in London and New York. He has a wealth of experience in many styles of music and is in great demand as a freelance percussionist for both live and studio work. He is a professor at Trinity College of Music, where he lectures in jazz history and also a visiting lecturer at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Petros Andreou & Stephen Dell

Petros Andreou.

Petros was born in 1960 in Cyprus, but since the age of 6 months has lived in the United Kingdom. Petros started learning the Classical Guitar at the age of 9 and then the Bouzouki at the age of 12. He started playing the Bouzouki professionally from the age of 15. He experimented with transcribing classical music for the Bouzouki and found an authentic sound. He has performed the Vivaldi guitar concerto adapted for Bouzouki and has given numerous recitals as a soloist performing classical transcriptions. He has also performed his own compositions. He has performed twice at the Purcell Room of the Royal Festival Hall in London with soprano singer Soumaya Deeb, and was then invited to perform at the Auditorium Al Bustan in Beirut Lebanon in 2005 which proved to be a great success. Petros currently teaches both the Classical Guitar and Bouzouki; and performs on both instruments.

Stephen Dell.
Stephen began learning the guitar at the age of 8, his fast progress helped by a series of tutor books his father Chris had just written, which utilised a new method of teaching music using colour.Having attended around 200 concerts and taken part in dozens of guitar workshops hosted by his father during the 70’s and early 80’s at the Old Malthouse Music Society in Hertfordshire, Stephen realised that although he loved the guitar very much, he would never have the drive and determination to become a professional player, as he soon realised the many hours of assiduous practise it involved. Growing up reading the somewhat ruthless concert reviews within the pages of Guitar magazine also contributed to this feeling!
Tonight's programme will hopefully please those who enjoy a varied and eclectic mix of quality music, from 16th & 17th century rock’n’rollers Dowland and Bach, to a more contemporary romance by Debussy and one of Joplin's ragtimes.

David Rogers

Recently termed, ‘a prominent guitarist,’ by the New York Times, David Rogers fuses classical, jazz, early, and world music elements into powerful, moving and virtuosic performances based on both original compositions and traditional repertoire.
The Washington Post has praised his ‘astonishingly florid’ solo improvisational passage work. He has been called a 'modern master of the classical guitar' by 20th Century Guitar. Classics today.com has praised his ‘first rate instrumental artistry,’ and the Lute Society of America Quarterly has called his technique ‘formidable.’

He is an endorsing artist for GHS Strings and his music has been featured in major guitar magazines such as Fingerstyle Guitar in the United States and Akustic Gitarre, in Germany. David is also the guitarist for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and a music faculty member at Southern Oregon University. He is lead guitarist and lutenist with the Terra Nova Consort, and made his European debut at the Tage Alter und Neuer Musik Regensburg 2000 Festival with the ensemble.

His performances have been broadcast on American National Public Radio and Bayrische Rundfunk, including both the nationally syndicated Performance Today (live performance/interview in Washington D.C. NPR studio 4A) and Harmonia programs. Mr. Rogers has recorded for Dorian, Callisto and Focus Recordings. He has given recitals and conducted master classes throughout North America, including performances and classes at the San Francisco Conservatory and the University of Southern California and The Interlochen National Arts Camp.

David has studied historical plucked strings with Hopkinson Smith and Eugen Dombois at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland; with Thomas Binkley at Indiana University; and with Lyle Nordstrom at Oakland University. He has studied guitar with Joseph Fava at Wayne State University.

Francisco Antonio

Francisco Antonio has established a reputation as one of the finest concert solo flamenco guitarists in the UK and has performed extensively throughout the country.His recital work - in which he plays his own compositions within strict flamenco frameworks - demonstrates the unique harmonic and technical approach required in the mastery and performance of what is one of the most expressive, exciting and evocative musical instruments - The Flamenco Guitar.Tonight he will play a selection of flamenco styles including Soleá, Taranta, Bulería, Granaina etc. and will be accompanied for part of the recital by Eduardo Morán.

Reviews:

'Francisco combines a purist's understanding of the musical, social and cultural traditions and 'grammar' of flamenco with the ability to use this knowledge for new directions in his own compositions - herein lies the essential skill of simultaneously maintaining and developing such a vital art form. ~ Chris Kilvington.

'Francisco has successfully managed to revitalize the toques introducing many fresh and exciting ideas whilst also demonstrating a great deal of respect and knowledge of flamenco's rich heritage.' ~ Guitar International.

Ben Kearsley

Ben Kearsley was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He began classical guitar with Norman Quinney, then later with Ian Smith. Ben studied with Simon Dinnigan at the Birmingham Conservatory where he graduated B. Mus (Hons).He has studied and lived in La Paz, Bolivia and Madrid, Spain. Performing at SIART-99 and teaching at the Conservatorio in La Paz.

Ben has performed in masterclasses for Alirio Diaz, Jose Tomas, David Russell, Elliot Fisk, Roland Dyens, Nigel North, Ben Verdery and Carlos Bonnell.

In 2004 Ben gave his first Scottish tour and in 2005 he undertook a 40 date UK tour and recorded his debut CD, ‘Sunburst’. In 2006 Ben completed a second 40 date UK tour and recorded his second CD, ‘Koyunbaba’. Ben is currently playing a third UK tour with some new pieces which he will record later in the year as his 3rd CD – ‘Sakura’.

The evening's programme will include some of the most engaging and popular music in the guitar's repertoire - classics by Albeniz and Tarrega, and contemporary works by Carlo Domeniconi, Roland Dyens, Gary Ryan, Jorge Morel, Andrew York.

Dimitris Dekavallas

The highly acclaimed classical guitarist destined for stardom on the international concert platform.

Described by Julian Bream as a ‘very exciting’ performer, Dimitris Dekavallas has always been considered one of the most talented guitarists of his age. He was born in Athens in 1982 and began learning the guitar at the age of 6. First taught at the National Conservatory of Athens, Dimitris continued his studies at the Hellenic Conservatory of Athens and graduated from there in 2002 with 1st Prize, achieving the highest mark. In 2005 he started his 1st year of a Postgraduate Degree at the Royal Academy of Music under Micheal Lewin, Timothy Walker and John Mills, where he won the TEBUTT EXIBITION Scholarship. Dimitris continues his studies at the Royal Academy winning 1st Prize in the IKY NATIONAL Scholarship Foundation in Greece in 2004. In 2007 he received his Diploma of Postgraduate Performance (Distinction) in guitar and his L.R.A.M. Teaching Diploma (Distinction). The R.A.M. awarded him with the ‘Blyth Watson Prize’ at his graduation.

Dimitris gave his first public performance when he was 9 years old at the National Concert Hall of Athens. His prowess since has led to concert tours throughout Greece.. He has also given solo performances in Athens, Thessaloniki, Veria, Volos, Crete, Larissa, Ioannina, Syros and Lamia. His reputation as a leading classical guitarist is now well established in the UK with recently recitals at City and Guilds, London; ‘Bolivar Hall International Guitar Festival’,London; The Old Malt House, Hertfordshire; The Dorset Guitar Society; Royal Academy of Music, London; St Martin’s in the Field ,London;, Sheffield Cathedral; and St Paul’s Covent Garden. Masterclasses appearances include with John Williams, Sir Peter Maxwell-Davies and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett.

Dimitris Dekavallas is a renowned international prize winner. He has taken part in the ‘International Festival of Volos for Classical Guitar’, ‘International Festival of Hermoupolis for Guitar’, and ‘Veria National Festival for Guitar’. Dimitris won:
· 1st prize in the ‘National Guitar Competition: ODE TO GUITAR’.
· In 2000 2nd prize in the ‘Halkida National Guitar Competition’.
· In 2003 1st prize in the ‘Veria National Guitar Competition’.
· In 2003 1st prize in the ‘Volos International Guitar Competition’.
· In 2005 1st prize in the ‘Ivor Mairants Guitar Award’ - London.
· In 2008 ‘Special Prize’ and ‘Audience Prize’ in Eduard Pamfil Guitar Competition –Bucharest 2008
· In 2008 ‘Recommended Artist status prize’ of ‘Philip & Dorothy Green’ Award - London

Dimitris Dekavallas currently lives in London and teaches the guitar at Heathside Preparatory School in Hampstead. Dimitris plays with a ‘G. Smallman’ guitar once owned by John Williams, now on loan from the Royal Academy. His website: www.dimitrisdekavalla.com

"Very exciting performer" Julian Bream; "Dimitris performed an extraordinary concert on a guitar once owned by John Williams. The young guitarist from Athens gave a masterly performance" Greenwood Guitar Society; "Spirited playing by Dimitis Dekavallas" Classical Guitar (on winning the Ivor Mairants Award); Dimitris filled the hall with the huge volume of sound he produced…..the standard of his playing is second to none… stunning performance" Dorset Guitar Society.

Dimitris Dekavallas commands an almost limitless repertoire for both solo guitar, orchestral concerti and ensembles, including Albeniz, Bach, Barrios, Brouwer, Domeniconi, Dowland, De Falla, Frescobaldi, Giuliani, Granados, Jose, Antonio Lauro, Morel, Mudarra, Piazzola, Pipo, Ponce, Rodrigo, Satie, Tarrega, Tedesco, Turina, Villa-Lobos, Walton.

Ten String Fever

Violinist Jane Miller and guitarist Terry Spooner formed TenStringFever in the late summer of 2005, although both musicians had played together in various ensembles prior to that time.Between them they encompass a very wide musical spectrum, as can be heard in their live performances and on ‘Jigs and Jazz’, their debut album.

Their playing has been influenced by their vast number of performances in different fields of music. Between them they have performed in orchestras, rock bands, string quartets, jazz groups, dance bands, folk groups as well as solo classical recitals.

The music performed ranges from traditional Irish and English jigs and ballads, through the classical music of Boccherini, Granados and Sibelius, to the great jazz tunes of Django Reinhardt and George Shearing, and on to the tangos of Piazzolla.

The unusual combination of guitar and violin combined with the range of music played by the duo (in their own arrangements) produces a highly individualistic sound.

Paul Saywood

I started playing guitar twenty years ago, and have hardly put it down since. I've been teaching for the past ten years, and it gives me enormous pleasure to see my students thrive.Having spent many years studying many of the standards by Barrios, Tarrega, Albeniz and Villa-Lobos I decided that it was time for me to put something back for the guitar repertoire, so I took up composition. It is my aim to create many hours of interesting new music for solo guitar, and hopefully my music will be played by those future guitar players who want something modern and colourful to play.

I am very much inspired by nature, so most of my work to date reflects this in title and sound.I have a growing following on the Internet site YouTube where I've been posting my compositions, I've found that my music appeals to young and old, and isn't exclusive to those who play classical guitar.

Programme:

Op. 9, Twelve Months in Britain

Op. 11, Sea Creatures

Op. 8, Trees

Op. 10, Studies

No concert in May

David Price

David is a lifelong jazz musician, successful band leader and banjo player of universal distinction, and has many television and radio appearances to his credit. His extensive knowledge, humour and audience rapport have given his appearances and courses widespread appeal.

David became interested in jazz as a schoolboy playing clarinet, saxophone and banjo as well as brass. As a teenager, he joined a vintage style jazz band which performed in virtually all of London’s established jazz clubs. During his twenties, his mixed career included playing in a comedy band and being a successful solo cabaret entertainer in addition to studying classical guitar to diploma at the London College of Music.

Later, he won a Wavendon (John Dankworth) Allmusic Musician of the Year Award presented at the Barbican by HRH Princess in 1985, and performed the first Southbank banjo recital at the Purcell Room. He has played for numerous celebrities and royalty, and for many decades, has performed worldwide in all manner of jazz combos in every situation imaginable. For several years, David ran an entertainment agency but today, he runs a professional jazz quartet, plays solo, lectures on jazz appreciation and teaches jazz performance and banjo to a very high standard.

David will be presenting a selection of jazz standards, Latin American, rags, some unusual items and the odd surprise. Listen out for the Harry Lime Theme, Hernando's Holiday, the theme from Godfather, a touch of Bach and maybe a comedy song and some nifty natter.

You will hear banjo in its fullest splendour, as you've never heard it played before combined with David's very own nearly 'live' pre-recorded rhythm-section of piano, double-bass and percussion. A special souvenir CD of 20 tracks will be on sale at the special price of £5.00.

Jeff Rodriguez

Born in Toronto, to Portuguese parents, Jeff Rodrigues commenced his guitar studies at the age of 15, studying classical, jazz, and flamenco guitar with Richard Summers, Rob Bulgar and Pepe Haro respectively. After receiving his RCMT grade 8 and 9 diplomas, both with first class honours, he was admitted for full time studies to the faculty of music of the University of Toronto in 1993. There he studied with renowned Canadian guitarists Norbert Kraft and Jeffrey McFadden, and in 1997, graduated with his Bachelor of Music in Performance. He has also studied privately and in master class with Alberto Ponce, Alex Garrobe, Paul Gregory and Marco Socias.Possessing a vast range of repertoire from the 16th to the 20th century, he has performed in Canada, Portugal, Spain and Italy, as well as given numerous recitals throughout the UK, where he has resided since 1998. A fine flamenco guitarist in his own right, he also performs in flamenco group DeCasas with acclaimed British flamenco guitarist, Steve Homes. Performing original compositions by Steve and Jeff, they are one of the most exciting and refreshing acts on the UK flamenco scene today.In 2005, he released his debut CD, '20th Century Guitar', a disc where Jeff performs some of the guitar`s finest modern repertoire, featuring works by Henze, Berkeley, Ohana, Bennett and Rodrigo, among others. A second CD, dedicated to Iberian and Latin American music for guitar, was released in 2006, and featured music by Ponce, Asencio, Villa-Lobos and Lopes-Graca.

Stephen Yates

Stephen has been a regular performer at Ealing for over 15 years. He has won several awards, which include the Vicente Sanchis Guitar Challenge, and has been voted Guitarist magazine’s ‘Guitarist of the Year’. As a classical player he performs a wide-ranging repertoire from baroque through romantic to contemporary works.

Stephen Dell

The society’s chairman will be presenting the first concert of 2008. Funds raised during the evening will help us to pay for 2008’s recitals.

Stephen began learning the guitar at the age of 8, his fast progress helped by 3 extraordinarily effective tutor books that his father Chris had just written, which utilised a new method of teaching music using colour.

Having attended around 200 concerts and taken part in dozens of guitar workshops hosted by his father during the 70’s and early 80’s at the Old Malthouse Music Society in Hertfordshire, Stephen realised that although he loved the guitar very much, he would never have the drive and determination to become a professional player, as he soon realised the many hours of assiduous practise it involved. Growing up reading the somewhat ruthless concert reviews within the pages of Guitar magazine also contributed to this feeling!

Tonight's programme will hopefully please those who enjoy a varied and eclectic mix of quality music, from 16th & 17th century rock’n’rollers Dowland and Bach, to the fiery and impassioned music of Spain’s Granados, Torroba and Albeniz, to the darkness of Chopin and the lightness of Joplin.

Please come and support the society this evening – you’re assured of a warm welcome and you’ll be fed and watered too.

the Oddfellas

We play acoustic folk music - tunes and songs from England, Ireland, America, Scotland, France - basically wherever we find a tune we like. The main motivation for the band is the fun of creating/performing music, ie taking a tune, devising an arrangement that makes it something we like and is 'ours', and then putting it in front of an audience.

The Oddfellas are: Bob Little, mostly banjo - Glyn Hatherall, mostly recorders - Jerry Alleguen, mostly guitar - Robert Underwood, mostly mandolin - Paul McKenna, mostly guitar.

Some of the tunes we play: Liberty. An American old-time tune. Also known as 'The Reel de Ti-Jean'. Angeline The Baker. Originally a Stephen Foster song, but Bob learnt the tune from the West Virginian banjo-picker, Dwight Diller. The King of Leix. An favourite Irish tune of Glyn's. The Horses Bransle. An old French dance tune. (Although I understand the word 'bransle' has a rather rude meaning in French today). Blackberry Blossom. Originally an Irish tune, but now heard often in American old-time and bluegrass circles. Da New Rigged Ship. A tune from the Shetlands, where Robert is encouraged to speed-up. The Long Black Veil. Jerry goes to the gallows rather than revealing his (married) love.

Our website: http://www.oddfellas.co.uk/

Branco Stoysin Trio

Born in a university town Novi Sad, Yugoslavia, and entirely self-taught, Branco began playing guitar at the age of 15 and very soon found a love of jazz and Brazilian music, influenced by Joe Pass, Charlie Parker and Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Branco has been composing his own music since he was 18, inspired by the Sun, Jazz, Traditional Folk music of Yugoslavia, Brazilian and classical music. The interest in these compositions led to recordings for radio and TV Novi Sad. Following this, Branco formed his "Sad Nova Trio" whose success led to numerous concerts and broadcasts on TV.

As an avid reader of the Sherlock Holmes series, he began to hanker after a different life and wider musical opportunities. in the nineties he set off to England with little more than his guitar and has since become a fixture on the London and UK music scene, actively composing and performing solo, in various duos and with his NEW trio featuring the elegant Leslee Booth on 6 string contra bass and and imaginative Buster Birch on percussion. Branco composes and plays sensual music of great beauty, coloured by many world influences.

The trio has performed at many popular venues including the National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall and Barbican Arts Centre. Branco has also appeared with his trio on Sky TV "Arts World", BBC Radio 3's "In Tune"programme and is regularly featured and a favourite on Sarah Ward's show on Smooth FM.

Ben Kearsley

Ben Kearsley was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He began classical guitar with Norman Quinney, then later with Ian Smith. Ben studied with Simon Dinnigan at the Birmingham Conservatory where he graduated B. Mus (Hons). Ben has performed in masterclass for Alirio Diaz, Jose Tomas, David Russell, Elliot Fisk, Roland Dyens, Nigel North, Ben Verdery and Carlos Bonnell.

Ben has studied and lived in La Paz, Bolivia and Madrid, Spain. Performing at SIART-99 and teaching at the Conservatorio in La Paz. In 2004 Ben gave his first Scottish tour and in 2005 he undertook a 40 date UK tour and recorded his debut CD, ‘Sunburst’.

In 2006 Ben completed a second 40 date UK tour and recorded his second CD, ‘Koyunbaba’. He is currently playing a third UK tour with some new pieces which he will record later in the year as his 3rd CD – ‘Sakura’.