Breen & Boizi

Doors 6:45 PM, Music 7:15 PM - 1 set of music

Line-up: Lauren Breen - Alto saxophone Christ-Stéphane Boizi - Trombone Tom Sheen - Double bass Oscar Brady - Piano Miranda Radford - Drum kit

About: Lauren Breen and Christ-Stéphane Boizi are both composers and improvisers in their own right, and now this dynamic duo have joined forces to lead a new and up-coming band. They have performed together for years in Christ-Stéphane’s sextet, however, this new project showcases both Breen and Boizi’s compositions, alongside a killing young rhythm section. In previous projects they have played at venues such as Pizza Express Soho, the Elgar Room (the Royal Albert Hall) and the Jazz Cafe, and their years of friendship and sharing the stage, really comes through in their frontline playing. Breen’s powerful and bright tone blends beautifully with Boizi’s warm, soulful sound, creating an iconic and exciting hardbop frontline. They both met at Tomorrow's Warriors and have continued studying together at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where they are in their final year.

Lauren Breen is an exciting up-coming alto saxophonist who draws inspiration from a lineage of powerful and dynamic alto players, including Cannonball Adderley, Jackie McLean, and Vincent Herring. These figures, as well as learning from Tony Kofi, Rachel Cohen and Jean Toussaint, have played a significant role in her growth as both an improviser and a composer, enabling her to project a rich sound over her swinging contemporary compositions, which have a hard-bop style. She is already a part of London’s vibrant Jazz scene, and has performed at Brick Lane Jazz Festival, Pizza Express Live Soho and the Jazz Cafe, to name a few.

An exciting new voice on the London Jazz scene, Christ-Stéphane Boizi’s music is at once a vibrant celebration of Jazz’s great past, very much in the present and looking to the future. Notable for his inquisitive studious approach, relaxed poise and warm leadership, Boizi is a student of melody, harmony, rhythm and soul, striving to hone in on what makes the work of greats from across the rich history of jazz so powerful, and to apply these learnings in his own music.

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