David Oliver (Flute) Described as "having that very rare gift of getting the audience totally engrossed with the music", David was already winning major awards at the age of six, when he appeared at The Royal Albert Hall. His first recording was made at the age of 16, when he appeared on a disc entitled The Selkirk Common Riding.' He was a flautist of international reputation, performing both in the United Kingdom and abroad. Studying initially with David Nicholson (SCO) in Aberdeen, David then went on to become a scholar of the renowned Birmingham Conservatoire of Music in 1992. He worked with both Colin Lilley (CBSO) and Kevin Gowland (Opera North), graduating in 1996. He was a finalist in all major competitions during this time. He then furthered his studies with the acclaimed flautist Ann Cherry, for many years professor of flute at Trinity College of Musicti London. During this period, he began to develop his individual style and emerge as a dynamic and innovative young performer. He was an active recitalist, David premiered many works for flute, including a second commission from composer Raymond Head. The first was "Bridges for Angels" premiered at the Holywell Music Room, Oxford in 2000. Works written for David have included those by Paul Farrer and Peter Morris, both of which are featured on his latest disc, Time Entwined' with guitarist Roland Gallery. Both works were performed as world premieres in a concert in Banbury in December 2002 and greeted with critical acclaim. David appeared at many important British venues as well as touring overseas. These include the Purcell Room, South Bank, London; The Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, London; Jacqueline du Pré Music Building and Holywell Music Room, Oxford; Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen; St Mary's and St Nicholas, Warwick. He had also worked alongside Simon Rattle, at Symphony Hall; appeared as a concerto soloist with Janet Hilton and Nicholas Kramer, and participated in interpreting their work with distinguished composers such as Boulez and Steve Reich. David recorded two previous discs for the Amalie Record Label. 'Sound and Substance' featured a series of flute quartet pieces written by eminent English composers. He served on the council of the British Flute Society for five years, and was the Events Co-ordinator for two years. In addition to coaching, performing and recording he had written music reviews for the daily national press. Helen Porter (Organ) studied piano at the Royal Academy of Music, London, from 1971 to 1974. She studied with Alexander Kelly (piano) and Michael Lewin (guitar), and now lives and teaches in and around Brailes in Warwickshire. As well as being the organist for à Brailes and Sutton-under-Brailes churches Helen also enjoys accompanying young musicians for concerts, competitions and examinations. The Porter family enjoy music as an integral part of their lives. Helen also plays in the Workhouse Blues band with husband Tim (harmonica). Tim and Helen also regularly play with their highly talented and musical children. Their son Barnie plays drums and guitar, while Beth is a fine 'cellist, also working at the Peter Gabriel studio near Bath, and Hannah who plays flute, piano and violin. They are I regular performers at the local public house which has featured a tremendous musical programme. Helen also plays for amateur dramatics in and around Warwickshire. Robin Payne (Percussion) Robin's fascination for Percussion began at the age of nine. Since then, this allure has developed into more than just a passion and is indeed the core of the man himself. His larger than life reputation precedes him and he is endorsed by Gretsch drums, Sabían cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, Remo drumheads and Protection Racket drum cases. Having studied with some of the finest players of his time including Colin Woolway, Malcolm Garrat, Paul Elliot and the American Jazz Legend Jim Chapin, Robin now regularly organizes workshops for his own pupils with these Masters to pass on their skills to the next generation. Robin not only teaches privately and at several independent schools but is also an Associate Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University. Robin founded and now co-ordinates Rock School at Stratford Music Centre which is now in its eleventh year. Having been one of the founder members of Drumsense, he now mentors prospective tutors in their training. He is also a local representative for the ISM and responsible for the youth development sector. Robin performs regularly at Symphony Hall and Birmingham Town Hall. Other venues include the Edinburgh Festival, The Royal Albert Hall London, Holywell Music Room & Randolph Hotel Oxford, St Mary's, St Nicholas' and the Bridge House Theatre in Warwick, and has also toured in France and Switzerland. He participated in the WROSNE project in Dudley which was covered by national television. His performances have led him to working with such artists as Claire Moore, Robert Meadmore, the Midland Festival Orchestra and Concert Band, Jamie Knight, Andrew Kristy, Ronnie Corbett, Ed Doolan and John Savident. Recordings to date include The Unknownn, Rollercosta, The Cris Tolley Quartet, Frances Pettifer's Baby Lifeline Single and he has recently recorded with Matt Parsons on his forthcoming CD Inner Strength in conjunction with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Throughout his varied experiences Robin has always been committed to developing young people's interest and appreciation in music. From that point to this, he has played most types and styles of music from heavy rock to brass bands and Jazz to light opera with everything else in between; always with an excitement and enthusiasm that never dims. Brian Shiels (Double bass) Brian first studied with the late Francis Cowan in Edinburgh 1984. By 1987 he was working regularly the Alex Shaw Trio who could be heard accompanying some most world renowned jazz stars. During this time he also tutored with N.Y.O.S summer schools over a period of ten years. The past three years has taken him to Orkney Jazz Summer School. From mainstream swing to modern bebop Brian is always much in demand from jazz festivals across the United Kingdom and has always been a major player on the Scottish Jazz scene. Claude Bolling (Composer) As a pianist, composer, arranger and orchestra conductor, Claude Bolling is presently without a doubt one of the most reputed French musicians in the world in different fields from^ jazz to variety and music for films. It was after his first piano lessons that he found in music his life passion, an ideal universe where his artistic sensitivity was free to be creative. Even though Claude Bolling was born in Cannes (France) the 10th of April 1930, he has always lived in Paris. During the German Occupation he stayed in Nice where he received precious lessons from the drummer, pianist and trumpetist Marie-Louise "Bob" Colin, who played in one of these Dan Orchester in vogue between the two wars period. Through a school friend, he discovered the magic world of jal and at an early age became interested in Thomas "Fats" Waller, whose music never failed in attracting his attention. He was still a teenager when in 1945 he won the amateur contest organized by Jazz Hot and the Hot Club de France in Paris. His field of interest grew rapidly to other master of the piano: Willie "The Lion" Smith, Earl "Fatha" Hines and Erroll Garner whose disciple he was. At 16 he creates his first group of young talented musicians and makes his first recording at 18. But professional life gives him the desire to acquire an authentic musical education. Germaine Mounier (classical piano), Léo Chauliac (jazz piano), Maurice Duruflé (harmony), André Hodejr (counterpoint, orchestration and jazz composition) were to be his masters. After the army where he was part of the military band of the "Premier Train des Equipages" playing the trombone and I percussion, Claude Bolling entered the profession through the porthole of jazz by playing in all of the "à la mode" jazz clubs such as: the Club Saint-Germain, the Vieux Colombier, the Caveau de la Huchette... and such emblematic places where jazz was performed. He is on demand by great American jazzmen on tour in France. He participated in recording sessions and concerts of Rex Stewart, Buck Clayton, Lionel Hampton, Albert Nicholas, Roy Eldridge..., becoming one of T the top musicians in the Paris jazz world. Through jazz Claude Bolling met Boris Vian for whom he wrote the arrangements of "Chansons Possibles et Impossibles The success of this record got him into the world of pop music. Many famous artists from the 50's and the 60's gave him musical direction of Iheir recordings: Sacha Distel, Jacqueline François, Juliette Greco, Henri Salvador, Brigitte Bardot and Dario Moreno. He also created the vocal group "Les Parisiennes". René Clément commissioned Claude Bolling to score the music for "Le Jour et l'Heure". He begins a real career as a film and TV composer. To now he has written over a hundred scores including Borsalino, Louisiane, Flic Story Le Magnifique, The Awakening, and California Suite. In the sixties, as a musical director for popular television shows such as Albert Raisner, Maritie and Gilbert Carpentier, Jean-Christophe Averty he wrote memorable music including Les Brigades du Tigre, La Garçonne and Le Clan. Because of his professional experience and numerous successes Claude Bolling gained an authority among musicians in a variety of styles that enabled him to work with all the greatest names of the profession. He invented a new way of expressing himself, a musical patchwork entitled Crossover Music which is the happy marriage of jazz and classical music. His Suite for hiute and Jazz Piano Trio which he wrote for Jean-Pierre Rampai and recorded with him. It stayed in the charts for 530 weeks and won gold and platinum records. The same experience was reproduced with Alexandre Lagoya, Pinchas Zukerman, Maurice André, Yo Yo Ma, the English Chamber Orchestra，Patrice and Renaud Fontanarosa, Marielle Nordmann，Guy Touvron，Eric Francerie. Claude Bolling's talent has expressed itself through all different forms of music. However the man deep down inside is still a jazz musician who continues to vibrate for a ragtime solo, a boogie or a Sy Oliver orchestration. With an Ellingtonian dream, the pianist sometimes becomes the leader of a big band which he organized in the 70's and has directed since. This grand group of highly talented musicians with whom he has been working for years, was very soon renowned for its exceptional qualities. The Claude Bolling Big Band celebrated its 40th anniversary in 1996 and toured the world from the U.S.A. to Asia, South America and Mexico, greeted with huge success and a large public all conquered by the popular character of jazz. While he serves Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmy Lunceford or Glenn Miller, Claude Bolling's albums are a reflection of an everlasting repertoire but also the opportunity to present his own compositions written with the respect for a grand tradition. He also welcomes jazz personalities such as vocalists Joe Williams, Carme McRae, Dee Dee Bridgewater and William "Cat" Anderson (tp), Dizzy Gillespie (tp), Jon Faddis (tp), Sam Woodyard (dm), Rhoda Scott (organ). Claude Bolling even made double band performances with his own Big Band and Illinois Jacquet's or the Duke/Mercer Ellington Orchestra. His encounter with Stephane Grappelli in 1991, on the album First Class (Django d'Or and Prix du HCF 1993), is one of the phonographic successes of these past years. The palette of the talent of Claude ''Bollington", as Boris Vian affectionately called him, enlarged in 1996 with stage music: his participation in the premiere of A Drum is a Woman, recreated at the National Theatre of Chaillot, a composition by Duke Ellington, his master and friend, staged and directed by Jérôme Savary. Today, because of his personality, Claude Bolling occupies the role of an itinerant ambassador of France throughout the world. He contributes to the acknowledgement of jazz music, as did the French great Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. This recording is dedicated to my grandmother Elizabeth Binnie Oliver who passed away peacefully the day we finished mastering,