Cleveland Watkiss Band

A possibly unique unit of voice, bass, and drums, the group nevertheless manages to convey the entire jazz aesthetic by musical implication, while at the same time having all the internal spaciousness you'd expect. JAZZ UK. "The Sonny Rollins Of The Human Voice".... Time Out "Best male jazz singer in Britain"...Evening Standard

SHANEY FORBES (DRUMS)

Shaney Forbes Recently picked up one of three scholarship prizes for new jazz talent, sponsored by the UK's new jazz radio station, TheJazz and Yamaha. With support from the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group and Jazzwise magazine, the inaugural award aims to support and showcase the best of the UK's emerging jazz talent. Shane received his first percussion lesson at the age of 12. He and childhood friend Nathaniel Facey formed a band with pianist Arthur Lea which featured as support for the school band's events. Shane is currently completing his degree at Trinity College of Music alongside band-mate Jay Phelps. Shane has also performed with Jean Toussaint, Billy Jenkins, Claire Martin, Robert Mitchell, Andrea Pozza, Mike Carr, Soweto Kinch.

MARK HODGSON (BASS)

Born in Kendal, Cumbria and coming from a musical family Mark originally played electric bass in funk and fusion bands, but, aged eighteen, was inspired to take up the double bass after seeing The Oscar Peterson Trio featuring Ray Brown. In 1995 he moved to London to study Double Bass and Electric Bass at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In 1999 Mark left London and moved to Barcelona, Spain, where he was based for four years. He returned to the UK in 2003. Mark has played and recorded with a wide range of musicians, from members of The Police and The Rolling Stones to Paul McCartney, Jamie Cullum, Lizz Wright, The London Symphony Orchestra and Electronica wizard Matthew Herbert. Jazz artists Mark has worked with include Cedar Walton, Phil Woods, Steve Grossman, Randy Brecker, Larry Coryell, Kenny Wheeler and Greg Osby. Since returning to London Mark has been involved in a diverse range of projects, from film music to Hip Hop and R&B records, he has also been a regular member of Bill Bruford's ‘Earthworks', Billy Cobham's ‘Art Of 5', The Bill Charlap Trio, Tim Garland's 'Underground Orchestra', The Julian Joseph Trio featuring Mark Mondesir. Marco Piccioni (Guitars) Marco Piccioni is a Blues & Jazz guitarist based in London, UK. He has worked as a side man and a leader since 2003, starting his career in New York, where he moved to after graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA Born in 1976 in Turin, he spent his teens studying at the ‘Liceo Classico’ and  at the same time being a professional sports-man in slalom canoeing. After the graduation in 1995 he decided to explore music more deeply starting to play guitar. He first studied with the Italian guitarist Franco ‘Slep’ Sciancalepore, then in 1999 he moved to America, to attend the Berklee College Of Music where he graduated in 2002. In that period he was fortunate enough to study with the master guitarists and composers Julien Kasper, Jon Damian and Michael Williams. In 2003 he moved from Boston to New York where he performed with many different artists such as Will Hawkins and Jeremiah Adjei That same year he decided to move back to Italy where he established his own Quartet with Davide Liberti on double bass, Mattia Barbieri on drums and percussions and Paolo Porta on alto saxophone. He collaborated also with master drummer Enzo Zirilli, trumpet player Fulvio Chiara and double bass player Alessandro Maiorino. In 2006 he moved to London, UK. Since then he has collaborated with singer-songwriter Julia Biel (and Idris Rahman, Seb Rochford, Ben Hazelton, Jasper Hoiby), Joe Lewis, Lekan Babalola (Ali Farka Toure, Ry Cooder, Cassandra Wilson), Kate Luxmoore, Sizzlax, Emily Zuzik, Will Hawkins, Greg Bonnie, Kevin McMahon, Frederich Schmid, Reuben Richards’s Soul Train, Blendi Dhami (Julien Kasper), Chris Vatalaro, Chris Nickolls, Helienne (Roger Sanchez), Davide Pasqualini, La Kroix. He's part of Starfish Radio (electro, minimal, noise blues) with sound designer Enrico Ascoli on lap-top and Daniele Camarda on electric bass and prepared basses. Since 2005 he collaborates with italian singer-songwriter Alessandro Castagneri, and the Harpin' on Blues. He's also composer and producer of the music for the videoarts and short films by the artist Stefania Bonatelli. He recently started to lead his own Trio, a project that blends the warm sound of the Delta Blues and the Blues Rock from the 60’s with the Contemporary European Jazz flavors. Standard songs and originals drift through fast swing ostinatos, free improvisations, psychedelic shuffles and lazy, melancholic and funky 12bar cycles.