Geoff Eales

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Geoff Eales (born 13 March 1951) is a Welsh jazz pianist, improviser and composer.

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Music education

Eales was born in Aberbargoed, Wales. When he was eight years old, he learned 12-bar blues from his father, a pianist in a local dance band. In school he studied classical piano and French Horn, becoming a member of the Glamorgan Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. He attended Cardiff University, receiving bachelor's, masters, and doctoral degrees. [1] In 1980 he was awarded a Ph.D. for his large scale orchestral work "An American Symphony" and a setting of Dylan Thomas' poem "In the Beginning" for tenor, French horn, and piano.

His thesis was entitled "Structure in the Symphonic Works of Aaron Copland". [2]

Career

After leaving school, Eales played piano on a Greek cruise ship and traveled around the world. For a few months he lived in New Orleans where he worked with Major Holley, Jimmy McPartland, Buddy Tate, and Earl Warren. He moved to London in 1977 and became a member of the Joe Loss band, then spent four years as pianist for the BBC Big Band.

Eales has worked with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Andy Williams, Dame Shirley Bassey, Jose Carreras, Kiri Te Kanawa, Jerry Goldsmith, Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, Bob Farnon, Billy May, Adelaide Hall, Michael Ball and many others and has played on film soundtracks, records, TV shows and jingles.

He released his debut album, Mountains of Fire in 1999. [1]

Discography

Year recordedTitleLabelPersonnel/Notes
1999Mountains of FireBlack BoxTrio with Roy Babbington (bass), Mark Fletcher (drums); Quartet with Nigel Hitchcock (saxophone), Laurence Cottle (bass guitar), Ian Thomas (drums)
2001Red Letter DaysBlack BoxQuartet, with Jim Mullen (guitar), Roy Babbington (bass), Mark Fletcher (drums)
2002Facing the MuseMainstemTrio with Roy Babbington (bass), Mark Fletcher (drums)
2004SynergyBashoSolo Piano
2006The Homecoming33 JazzTrio with Roy Babbington (bass), Mark Fletcher (drums)
2007Jazz Piano LegendsJaz2Trio with Roy Babbington (bass), Mark Fletcher (drums)
2007Epicentre33 JazzSolo piano
2009Master of the Game Edition Trio with Chris Laurence (bass), Martin France (percussion)
2011Shifting Sands33 JazzIsorhythm with Christian Garrick (violin), Ben Waghorn (saxes, bass clarinet), Carl Orr (guitar), Fred T Baker (bass guitar), Asaf Sirkis (drums)
2013The Dancing FluteNimbus AllianceDuo with Andy Findon (flutes, piccolo)
2013Free Flow33XtremeTrio with Ben Waghorn (saxes, bass clarinet), Ashley John Long (bass)
2014InvocationNimbus AllianceSolo Piano
2016TransienceFuzzy MoonQuintet with Brigitte Beraha (voice), Noel Langley (trumpet, flugel), Chris Laurence (bass), Martin France (drums)

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References

  1. 1 2 "BBC Wales – Music – Geoff Eales". BBC. 19 November 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  2. "DDM Twentieth Century". chmtl.ucs.indiana.edu. Retrieved 16 August 2017.