Swansea Jazzland 'Christmas Party'

Power Of Gower Big Band

17 piece powerhouse big band. An electric melting pot combination of The Dave Cottle Jazz Trio with some of Wales' finest jazz/session musicians and guest UK/international musicians the band performs some of the top Jazz Big Band charts from the likes of Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Big Band, Gordon Goodwin, Bill Holman, Ted Heath, Basie & more. Tight ensemble work with exceptional Jazz soloists! Vocalist Sarah Meek adding the great songs from Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Diana Krall and more!

The band first performed at the Swansea Jazz Club Christmas party in 2010, so this gig marks the 15th Anniversary of the band that has performed at Swansea & Cowbridge International Festivals. No time to rehearse, the musicians come from all over the UK, sight read the music and deliver an exceptional performance. 

Swansea House trio Dave Cottle (piano) & Alun Vaughan (bass) are joined on the rhythm section by Tash Buxton on drums, Tash is Birmingham's leading female session drummer with some 19 years performing at The Jam House and a range of leading bands including Fat Chops Big Band, Dino Baptiste, Elle\-J Walters. She is the drummer of choice for numerous jazz, blues, RnB, soul and funk bands in the Midlands. Sarah Meek will be adding the vocal gloss to the band.
The trumpet section has professionals from the North of England Kevin Wredowski & Derek Lawton, joined by Cardiff based Neil Martin, recent graduate from RWCMD Morgan Rees & Swansea bit Nick Mead who tours the world with Triple H horns backing acts such as Chaka Khan & Ollie Murs.

In the trombones Graham Woodhouse is often seen on lead trombone on big bands in the North and North East, Swansea born bass maestro Laurence Cottle will be in the section coming down from London with his trombone on this occasion & completing the trombone section is Birmingham based Dave Sear, paving the way for jazz trombone in the UK, and is a regular sight on gigs throughout a multitude of genres.

The sax section is led by Chris Bowden, a British alto and tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger, renowned for his work in the acid jazz scene of the 1990s with groups like K\-Collective, and for his critically acclaimed solo album Time Capsule. He has collaborated with artists such as 4hero and The Herbaliser, blending cosmic jazz, hip\-hop, and soul. Bowden has also released other albums, including Slightly Askew and Unlikely Being, and continues to be an active musician and educator, recently leading the project The Hypnos Files. Rising star saxophonists Dan Newberry & Maddie Penfold are recent graduates from RWCMD and completing the sax section 2 solid professionals Julian Tucker and Pelham Wood.

Trumpets : Kevin Wredowski, Nick Mead, Morgan Rees, Derek Lawton, Neil Martin
Saxes : Chris Bowden, Maddie Penforld, Dan Newberry, Julian Tucker, Pelham Wood
Trombones : Graham Woodhouse, Dave Sears, Laurence Cottle
Drums : Tash Buxton, Bass : Alun Vaughan, Piano : Dave Cottle, Vocals : Sarah Meek