Gary Willcox

The Quartet of Gary Willcox (drums), Stephen Main (saxes), Tim Lapthorn (piano) and Oli Hayhurst has been playing together since 2008.

Each member has developed strong individuality and profile through years of experience playing with many of the UK’s leading jazz/folk artists (Iain Ballamy, Gilad Atzmon, Bobby Wellins, Brian Finnegan, Ian Shaw). They play a mixture of original material & material of some of the masters of the idiom (e.g. Charlie Parker / Wayne Shorter) , arranged for the band’s own purposes.

Gary studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and has played Jazz with Jim Mullen and Burnt Orange, Afrobeat with Dele Sosimi (Nig), Dance Music with Nuphonic Records as well as playing abroad at jazz festivals in Hungary, Turkey and Italy. He can be heard on albums by Russell Van Den Berg, Tony Woods, Burnt Orange, and in collaboration with Hungarian musicians Zsolt Bende and Zana Zoltan.

“A versatile band with a rich, emotive sound: three powerful yet thoughtful soloists propelled by a lively, rustling drummer, playing open, attractively airy music imbued with just the right mix of punch and wistfulness.”

Chris Parker