| » John Rae | |
| Now living and working in New Zealand as well as the U.K, John recorded first album at the age of sixteen with the acclaimed Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith and has subsequently recorded over 30 albums as a leader and side man including two BBC jazz albums of the year (2004 and 2003). As a leader has recorded The Big If Smiles Again, Celtic Feet, Beware The Feet, Magic Feet and Miraculous Meetings. For over three years (2000-2003) was the drummer for the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. Awarded a prestigious 'Herald Angel' at the 2005 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 2004 saw the formation of the 35 piece ensemble Big Feet, an amalgamation of jazz big band with Traditional Scottish pipe band first performed in Islay (Scotland) with the Isle of Islay pipe band. Appointed Musical Director and composer for the critically acclaimed DanceBase production Off Kilter (part of it performed at the opening ceremony of the Scottish Parliament). Tours the U.K. and Europe with the international group Magic Feet featuring Hungarian gypsy violinist Roberto Farkas and continues to work with Balkan musicians in the group Miraculous Meetings, an all star group. As an educator John is a director of Thick-Skinned Productions (www.thick-skinned.com), a company that amongst other things specialising in music education for all ages. Founding member and writer for the Giant Stepping Stanes, Power of Scotland big band, John Rae Collective, John Rae's Celtic Feet, New Jazz, Afro/Celtic Jazz Ensemble, Magic Feet and Miraculous Meetings and has received various commissions from the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Channel Four, Scottish Youth Jazz Orchestra and the BBC. Performs world-wide concert and television/radio performances with the Brian Kellock Trio, Ben Thrope, Findlay Macdonald, Julio Pacheco and Celtic Feet. John has toured extensively in the UK, Far East and Europe with his own groups as well as Canada and Eastern Europe. As a drummer has performed with many of the great names in jazz including Tal Farlow, Joe Levano, Lee Konitz, Ingrid Jenson, George Connigan, Dave Liebman, Maria Schnider, BBC radio big band, Tony Scott, Charles MacPherson, Dave Berkman, Shelia Jordan, Art Farmer, Ethan Iverson, Jamie Cullum, Warren Vache, Julian Arguelles, Guus Janssen, Buddy de Franco, Red Rodney, Julio Pacheco, Mark Murphy, Pete King, Scott Hamilton, Jim Mullen, Barney Kessel, Kenny Wheeler, Ken Paploskie, Martin Taylor, Tommy Smith, Vijay Iller, Jessie Davies and Pepe Torres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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