Biography
The original line-up of Trio Gitano – Jamie Fekete, Sam Slater and Sophie Johnson – performed together between 2001 and summer 2006, releasing their debut album, Who Ate All The Tapas?, in 2005.
The Trio began simply, when three young guitarists first crossed paths in their mid-teens, performing together as part of the Birmingham School’s Guitar Ensemble, which gave them a taste of venues such as Birmingham Symphony Hall and The Royal Festival Hall. It was here they struck up a rapport with Bryan Lester (left) – the then director of the Schools’ ensemble, who became long-term composer-in-residence, guru and Musical Director of the Trio.
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After leaving the ensemble at 18, Jamie, Sam and Sophie continued playing together, which developed and evolved into ‘Trio Gitano’ sometime in 2001. Staying in Birmingham as students at Birmingham University, the trio found themselves performing to a gathering fan base drawn in by their intense live performances, which took them to a wide range of venues throughout the UK, from theatres to jazz clubs, the Royal Opera House to the RSC.
In early 2003, TG made their London-debut in Camden Town, followed by six nights at the Royal Opera House, at the inaugural Festival of Firsts – ‘a week-long festival showcasing some of the most innovative artists working in the UK today’. 2004 saw the Trio perform several sell-out gigs, from 200 at Birmingham University, to over 30,000 at the city’s Fireworks Fantasia before the CBSO.
On graduating from University in the summer of 2004, the Trio were finally able to set about recording their long-awaited debut album, which they released in August 2005, with the fledgling Birmingham label, The Birds Recording Company.
The Trio also developed a fine relationship with two top Midland-based trumpeters that year, with Ray Butcher and Bryan Corbett both performing live with the Trio, with Bryan also featuring on the Trio’s album.
2005 turned out to be a milepost year for the Trio. Early spring performances took in venues including The Spitz, Le Quecumbar and the National Theatre, plus the slightly unexpected surrounds of the Barfly and Hard Rock Cafe, followed by a return for a second year to close the Lewes International Guitar Festival.
With the release of Who Ate All The Tapas? in the summer, further festival performances followed, with the group opening (and promptly selling out) the Cheltenham International Jazz Festival, causing a stir at Moseley’s International L’Esprit Manouche Festival, plus an intimate appearance at the London Jazz Festival.
In October ’05, TG performed live on BBC Radio Four’s Loose Ends, with tracks from the album also being aired on BBC Radio Three, Four, Jazz FM, and various worldwide radio stations. In December, the album found it’s way into The Sunday Times’ Records of the Year, with 2005 ending before a capacity crowd at Birmingham’s CBSO Centre, bringing in numerous guest performers for the first ‘Trio Gitano and Friends’ gig – the inspiration behind the TG Collective.
The first half of 2006 found the group touring nationwide dates, with another glowing live review from The Times at London’s Pizza On The Park. During summer ’06, Sophie left the Trio, taking respite to recover from a wrist operation to then concentrate on recording and performing with her own family bluegrass band. The highly regarded and much sought after multi-instrumentalist Percy Pursglove joined the group, adding new dynamic drive and direction on double bass, which paved the way for the formation and basis of the TG Collective in September ’06.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.