Chris Pearce, clarinet, soprano, alto & tenor sax, first studied music at Liverpool Cathedral where he was a member of the choir for 5 years. After moving to Welwyn Garden City with his family he heard his first jazz at the local jazz club, where he was lucky enough to see Ken Colyer, Sandy Brown, the Christie Bros. and Mick Mulligan with George Melly.
He took up the clarinet at this time and after moving to Gloucestershire teamed up with a few local boys to form a band. Soon afterwards he was asked to join the Riverside Jazzmen in Bath with whom he remained for 15 years. During this time he played alongside many legends of jazz including Earl Hines, Buck Clayton, Willie “The Lion” Smith and Joe Harriot, not forgetting an all night drinking and blowing session with the Alex Welsh band. In 1976 he became a member of the Bluenote Jazz band, based in Bristol, and over the next 28 years enjoyed playing with visiting musicians such as Bud Freeman, Buddy Tate, Wild Bill Davison, Ruby Braff and Peanuts Hucko. Following the sad death of his close friend and leader of the Bluenotes, Roger Bennett, Chris decided to seek pastures new, joining the Antique Six in the autumn of 2006 and the 7 Stars of Jazz early in 2007. When the Antique Six decided to disband at the end of 2011, he formed the Frenchmen Street Jazz Band. Following a successful and popular gig with Andy Leggett with a new and original lineup, the pair formed The Sopranos in late 2014 |
Andy Leggett, clarinet, saxes, tin whistle and vocals, is a man of many talents!
Having completed a French degree and being a cadet in the Hull University Air Squadron in his early years, he taught for a year in France, became a technical translator/interpreter (French - English) with the Ministry of Aviation, and then for British Aerospace on the Concorde. However the music gradually took over. He started a comedy band - the Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra - working the folk circuit, toured with guitarist Pete Finch, worked as a musician in the Avon Touring Theatre Company, and then worked as musical director of vocal trio Sweet Substitute (which included his ex-wife) - with records on Decca, Black Lion and Aves. Later he worked in the Bristol area with Henry's Bootblacks, the New Chicagoans, Alice's Wonderland Band and the Titanic Tearoom Quartet. This last included ten years happily playing alongside the legendary Bobby Mickleburgh. Thanks to him he toured on and off with the Temperance Seven and also toured and recorded with Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band. All this time he continued working as a free-lance translator. In September 1996 he moved to Germany, joining Rod Mason and his Hot Five. Andy returned to the UK in December 2013 after 17 years and 3 months in Germany, and is now enjoying work with The Sopranos! You can visit Andy's own website here. |
Dave Deakin, trombone, started young, learning to play piano from the age of 6! He took up the trombone aged 13 and played in school, music service and local brass and wind bands until going to university to study engineering. Here he got his first real taste of jazz, playing with Salford Swing Band and also BBC Big Band Competition winners University College Salford Big Band under Robin Dewhurst.
On returning home Dave juggled a career in engineering and IT with music making, and played with MYJO2, Archdale Big Band and VIP Big Band alongside brass band and theatre orchestra work. He was introduced to traditional jazz through playing with Graham Smith’s Jazz Allsorts, and joined John Everett’s Red Dragon Jazzmen in 2002. He played with John regularly over the next few years as well as appearing with The Antique Six, Apex Jazz and Blues, Eagle Jazz Band, Barbara and All That Jazz and Chase Jazzmen. After a period of concentrating on his career during the 2000's, Dave decided to turn his back on the 9-5 and turn to music full time in 2015. Following a gig sharing the front line at Malvern Jazz Club with Chris Pearce, who he had already played with in The Antique Six, he joined The Sopranos . Dave can also still be seen playing with John Everett’s Red Dragon Jazzmen, Chase Jazzmen, Apex Jazz and Blues, The Syncopators and Barbara and All That Jazz. Dave's hero is legendary trombonist Jack Teagarden, and Dave likes ‘acquiring’ instruments, especially trombones where he currently owns seven, including his trademark bright orange plastic pBone! You can visit Dave's own website here. |
Rachel Hayward, guitar and banjo, learnt classical piano until, moving with work to Kidderminster, she heard New Orleans jazz for the first time, and fell in love with it. She bought a banjo and joined Stan Allsopp’s Ragtime Band. Following a spell playing with Norman Thatcher’s New Orleans Jazz Band, Rachel teamed up with Chris Pearce and Tony Sharp to form the very popular trio that played in pubs and clubs around Gloucestershire and beyond, joined on many occasions by Roger Bennett of Blue Note fame. She played for many years with Ken Pye’s Creole Serenaders, touring with Sammy Rimington at times, but developed her guitar playing with Paul Munnery’s Swing Street, her idol being Freddy Green of Basie fame. She joined Harlem, the 10 piece New York style jazz orchestra, in the late 1990s, and continued playing with Paul Munnery in his later bands, Hootie and the Gang and the Saratoga Club Orchestra. The progression to vibes stems from her passion for Lionel Hampton, and the sound of the benny Gooman early small bands. She formed her Goodman style quartet, Rachel’s Dream, which featured John Hallam and Tom Kincaid. She plays and sings with Hotsy Totsy, the all female band, with Debbie Arthurs and Zoe Lambeth, and also plays in the highly acclaimed MellowTone which features Mellow Baku. Rachel played bass trombone and tuned percussion with brass bands for a brief period. As well as playing, Rachel organised Bude Jazz festival in the early part of this century, and is currently Musical Director of Upton Jazz Festival.
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Tony Sharp, double bassist, has been a regular member of the Midlands jazz scene for over 25 years, playing with many local groups (sometimes more than once!). He began playing New Orleans style with the bands of Norman Thatcher, Ken Pye and Dan Pawson and toured with the American trumpeter Milton Batiste.
He later expanded his horizons, playing with Paul Munnery's two bands Harlem and Swing Street as well as performing in the mainstream quartet of pianist Frank Partridge. He appeared regularly with Jeff Barnhart and John Hallam and can be seen at Festivals in the band backing the outstanding singer Mellow Avstreih. Until recently Tony could be found moonlighting with the Worcestershire Symphony Orchestra, and is also a member of the committee for Pershore Jazz Festival. He plays regularly around the midlands and further afield as well as with The Sopranos. |
Having graduated from his mother's saucepans and lids at an early age, Dave's first encounter with 'real drums' was in the Worcester Air Training Corps Band. At this time Skiffle and Ken Colyer was all the rage and Dave was bitten. Unable to find a place in a Trad band, he joined a local skiffle group and also cut his teeth on strict tempo playing in various small combos and eventually the Premier's Dance Orchestra. He had also been depping from time to time with the Caer Argo Jazz band (later to become the Perdido Street Jazz band.
His break eventually came as the original drummer in the newly formed Georgia Jazz band and at about the same time took over the drum seat in Norman Thatcher's New Orleans Jazz band staying with both for many years. Lengthy spells followed with the Central City Jazz band and Ken Ingram's New Creole Jazz band. Following Ken's death he became the drummer in the newly formed Chris Carmell Vintage Jazz band also depping with a number of Midland based outfits. Now the new boy with the Soprano's , he also plays with the Sauce City Jazz band. |