Matt Ratcliffe Trio Ft Helen Gayle & Ben Martin | the Beatles Songbook [jazz]

Matt Ratcliffe Trio plays the Beatles Songbook. From Count Basie to Medeski Martin & Wood. The songwriting talents of John Lennon & Paul McCartney continue to provide inspiration and interesting vehicles for jazz improvisation. Here Matt and trio will be exploring some of the interesting takes on the music of the Fab Four and bringing their own fresh arrangements to boot.

Matt Ratcliffe Pianist and composer Matt is a conservatoire educated Jazz pianist, influenced by improvisers such as Thelonious Monk and Paul Bley and conceptualist George Russell, Matt is equally fascinated by rhythmic concepts found in world music as textures and ideas by composers such as Daphne Oram. Matt has long played on the U.K. jazz scene and this is his first original project under his leadership.

Joining the trio is vocalist Helen Gayle, known for her blend of jazz, soul, and gospel, which brings a unique dimension to the music. Saxophonist Ben Martin, praised by the Guardian as “a soloist of immaculate taste and lyricism”, adds another layer of depth, completing a fresh take on this timeless music.

Line up
Matt Ratcliffe – keys
Martin Spencer – bass
Euan Palmer – drums
Helen Gayle – vocals
Ben Martin – sax