Pete Oxley - guitar
Pete Oxley began his musical career in Paris in the mid ‘80s before relocating to the UK in 1997. Shortly afterwards he opened The Spin jazz club in Oxford which in 2012 won the Parliamentary jazz award as ‘The Best Jazz Venue In The UK’. Pete regularly performs with some of the world’s leading jazz artists including Chris Garrick, Gilad Atzmon, Tim Whitehead, Dave O’Higgins, John Etheridge and his own band Curious Paradise. He has now released 15 critically acclaimed CDs featuring his original compositions. Pete is the mastermind behind the highly successful band ‘Hejira’, currently touring the UK, performing the works of Joni Mitchell. As a composer, Pete was selected as one of only a handful of British jazz musicians to have his compositions included in the definitive ‘European Real Book’ (Sher Music).
Nicolas Meier - guitar
With his unique style that is a blend of Metheny-esque jazz and Turkish inspired world music, Nicolas Meier has toured extensively around the world with his band the Meier Group, sharing the bill with some of the biggest names in jazz including Bill Evans and Brad Mehldau. This wonderful band (featuring sax maestro Gilad Atzmon) won the overall prize for ‘best band’ at the Juan-les-Pins jazz festival. His recent album ‘Magnificent’ is a wonderful heady mixture of Flamenco, jazz, Latin and Middle Eastern music. His prodigious jazz talent is matched by his other great passion: playing heavy metal guitar in his scorching group ‘Seven7’. Nick was, for three years, guitarist in guitar supremo, Jeff Beck’s band, with whom he toured all over the world, performing at major venues and festivals. Nick’s association with Jeff Beck led him in to recording a stunning album with the A-lister rhythm section of Jimmy Haslip (Yellowjackets) and Vinnie Coliauta (Sting, Frank Zappa etc.).
Andy Hamill - acoustic & electric basses & chromatic harmonica
Andy Hamill is an exceptional musician that is massively in demand across many styles of music. A snapshot of his CV would reveal works with such A-lister musicians as Laura Mvula, Tommy Smith, Annie Lennox, Didier Lockwood, Tim Whitehead, Eska, Carleen Anderson, Georgie Fame, Van Morrison, Stan Tracey and more. Andy brings a unique approach to the band and – in addition to being a great bass player – adds extra colours with his deeply musical abilities on the chromatic harmonica.
Paul Cavaciuti - drums
Paul Cavaciuti is an internationally renowned performer, composer and music educator. He is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and of the Institute for Music and Health in New York. As a performer, he has played, toured and recorded with some of the top names in British and American music, including Jim Mullen, David Gordon, Tony Woods, Theo Travis, Mornington Lockett, Nigel Price, Chris Garrick, Chris Allard, Tim Whitehead, Jacqui Dankworth, The Hot Orange Big Band, Sheryl Bailey, The New York Festival of Song (NYFOS), and the London Chamber Orchestra. His playing has been described as “inspired” (Jazz Journal International) and “outstanding and virtuosic” (Musician Magazine).
