In Conversation with John Rae with Iain Copeland aka The Phat Controller Tues 1st Dec 2020 from 10 – midnight
John will be in conversation with Iain between 10 and midnight – looking at his most recent release
-Where The Wild Clematis Grow – with his own trio with Patrick Bleakley and Brian Kellock as well as the jazz scene in New Zealand and the release of the BK3 album (Brian Kellock Trio).
John Rae is a jazz drummer and award winning composer and band leader Originaly from Edinburgh . In 2009/10 he was the first ever jazz Composer-in-Residence at Victoria University Wellington, New Zealand. “His writing incorporates a global perspective and his use of traditional instruments along with strings and jazz instruments can only be described as 21st century music”. John recorded his first album at the age of sixteen with the Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith and has subsequently recorded over 70 albums both as a leader and side man, including two BBC Jazz Albums of the Year. Awarded a ‘Herald Angel Award’ at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and leader and composer for the New Zealand jazz group, The Troubles. From 2000-3 drummer for the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and has performed and recorded with many world renowned jazz musicians including Ethan Iverson, Vijay Iyer and Mike Nock. Originally from Scotland, John has been a New Zealand citizen since 2016.
Rae spent five years living in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. There, along with Venezuela musician Julio Pacheco he formed the group Sex and Violence that included musicians from the USA, Cuba, Sweden, Gran Canario, Scotland and Venezuela and recorded the album Ten Wasted Years. Returning once more to his native Scotland, Rae formed Celtic Feet in 1998, a group that incorporated Scotland’s jazz and traditional musicians around original compositions by Rae. Again with Brian Kellock and Phil Bancroft along with Eilidh Shaw fiddle, Mario Lima Caribe bass and Simon Thoumire concertina, the ensemble recorded two critically acclaimed albums for the Scottish label Caber Music and performed at festivals throughout Europe. Other notable works by Rae at this time included Big Feet & the Islay Pipe Band.
International projects involving Rae include the Afro Celtic Jazz Ensemble, Magic Feet and Miraculous Meetings and has performed and recorded with prominent jazz musicians including Vijay Iyer, Ethan Iverson, Guus Janssen, Brian Kellock, Joe Lovano, Mike Nock, Lee Konitz, Ingrid Jensen, George Colligan, Dave Liebman, Maria Schneider, BBC Radio Big Band, Tony Scott, Charles McPherson, David Berkman, Sheila Jordan, Art Farmer, Jamie Cullum, Warren Vache, Finlay MacDonald, Julian Arguelles, Buddy DeFranco, Red Rodney, Julio Pacheco, Mark Murphy, Pete King, Scott Hamilton, Jim Mullen, Barney Kessel, Kenny Wheeler, Ken Peplowski, Martin Taylor, Jesse Davis and the New Zealand String Quartet.