CD Description
Red Shift is the brand new debut album from The Joel Purnell Quartet. Joel Purnell is a well featured Saxophonist on the GLP label, with performances on recordings by Capri and The Jamil Sheriff Octet. Indeed Joel s Quartet is exactly half of Jamil s Octet namely Jamil Sheriff piano, Zoltan Dekany Double Bass and John Perry drums. Red Shift is a brilliant piece of Jazz composition and the performances are superb. The quality of work from this ensemble of UK musicians just gets better and better, as can also be heard on the forthcoming album from the Jamil Sheriff Octet, Backchat .
About the Artist
Saxophonist, composer and jazz educator, Joel Purnell is acknowledged as one of Britain s finest emerging contemporary jazz musicians. Described by American saxophone colossus Jerry Bergonzi as a player possessing amazing fire and energy , Purnell s hard hitting, fresh, lyrical style has made him one of the most sought after musicians and jazz educators of the moment. With a relentless drive, Purnell s command of the instrument captivates and enthrals festival, club and theatre audiences throughout Europe. With an ever growing discography, Purnell has previously toured and recorded with many highly reputable bands and musicians from a wide range of genres. In the Jazz scene, these include amongst others, a tour with the Rick Zunigar Quartet , headed by the legendary Los Angeles jazz guitarist (formerly of the Stevie Wonder Band, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard, Cal Tjader, Elvin Jones, Sarah Vaughan, Jimmy Smith, Ray Charles, Roy Ayers and The Crusaders). Purnell also featured heavily on the Quartet s album New York Minute . Currently involved in a number of his own projects, Joel also tours extensively as a member of the highly innovative Jamil Sheriff Octet , where he is featured on both of the bands critically acclaimed albums, Daydreams , and the latest release from the Octet, entitled Backchat . In the funk arena, Purnell performs, writes and records with New York s club scene favourites Capri , and has also appeared live with the American soul diva Viola Wills. Whilst in the pop idiom, Joel toured with one of the UK s best selling Indie Rock bands Embrace , playing some of the largest live music venues in Britain. More recently, another one of Purnell s projects, the B3 Horns , has been featured on a number of tracks from the eagerly awaited new album (Sputnik Sweetheart) from Dave Formula (formerly of the bands Magazine, Visage and The Angel Brothers). Highly regarded in the educational arena by both jazz academics and students alike, Joel has held senior lecturer posts on the faculty at LCM since 2000, lecturing in Performance Studies and Jazz Language as well as leading a number of performance, improvisation and saxophone workshops throughout the UK. In 2007, after gaining a solid reputation as a highly respected jazz soloist and session musician, Joel Purnell has now written and released his debut solo album Red Shift (GLP Records) by The Joel Purnell Quartet . This group has produced an album that reveals a strong, tight jazz unit, with a deep understanding of both each others individual styles and the music as a whole. Internationally renowned drummer Andrea Michelutti said that this band swings..! Featuring Zoltan Dekany (Bass), Jamil Sheriff (Piano) and John Perry (Drums), Purnell has brought together an awesome and well respected group of musicians from a number of musical backgrounds, all with a true passion and talent for jazz and improvisation.
