专辑简介

Most of the greats in art and music started at an early age, so to call Henry Armburg Jennings a bit of a prodigy is not out of place. Starting trumpet, piano and theory lessons at the age of 5, he studied hard and soon paid his dues. Henry began playing jazz at 10, and by the age of 14 was already playing regularly with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), and soon became a featured soloist with great success – later adding piano and arranging to his accomplishments. While still a pupil at University College School he made an excellent duo disc with jazz teacher Fergus Read.

Various gigs have taken him around the jazz circuit, with appearances at the Royal Albert Hall, Ronnie Scott’s, the 100 Club, Jazz Cafe, The Bull’s Head, 606 Club and other venues around the country. He was soon spotted by a jazz journal and ailed as one of ten rising stars of 2008, with his playing being compared to Clifford Brown, Kenny Dorham and a young Gerard Presencer. Jack Massarik of the Evening Standard said he played with “power and poise” when he recently appeared at Ronnie Scott’s with NYJO.

Currently he has appeared with Peter King’s Bebop All Stars, John Critchinson, Pat Crumly, Dave Green, Martin Drew, Alec Dankworth, Clark Tracey, Bobby Lamb and Jay Craig. During 2008 he spent two months in New York studying with Joe Magnarelli, John Swana and John McNeil amongst others.

After a few experiments, he gradually formed his own band. With himself on trumpet and flugelhorn, the quintet’s line-up has the powerful bravura saxophone playing of Alex Garnett, at the piano in true virtuoso manner, is Leon Greening. Keeping the bass lines on the move with great clarity is double bassist Julian Bury. On this disc, drumming is split between Nat Steele’s crisp rhythmic punctuations on some tracks, while on the rest some fine musicality comes from the drumming of Sebastiaan De Krom.