Pete has been a freelance musician since 1985, based in Stroud from 1990 to 2016, and now living in Agbrigg, Wakefield. Among other activities, he is Musical Director for Leeds Grand Youth Theatre; pianist for ballet and contemporary dance classes at NSCD (Leeds); freelance accompanist for In Harmony Opera North; accordionist with Trio Globo; pianist in ORB Trio with Richard Ormrod (saxes/guitar) and Paul Baxter (bass). He runs a monthly Jazz Workshop and a fortnightly Community Choir in Wakefield. He is Promoter (booker and MC) for Wakefield Jazz (www.wakefieldjazz.org), and he is an ABRSM Examiner (jazz/classical/diplomas).
Here are a few of his earlier activities, back in the old days:
Some previous ensembles
late 80s: Bassa Bassa – Leeds-based radical big band (LP Pandemonium).
late 80s: Feetpackets – Sheffield free-improvising big band (CD Listen: Feetpackets!)
late 80s: Big Sun – “the young lions of Sheffield jazz” (with Dave Blackmore and Sean Randle) (LP Made In Sheffield).
mid-90s: Caravanserai – Leeds-based balkan stomp (CD Shock Horo).
1998-2008 Tango Siempre (CDs Viejo Y Nuevo; Nocturno; Tangled; Tangents (with Gilad Atzmon/Steve Arguelles).
2011-16 Truffleshack (with Misha Law) – accordion/violin duo – tango/balkan/celtic intensity.
2014-16 Will Gregory’s Moog Ensemble – Goldfrapp man’s 10-person synth experience – www.willgregorymoogensemble.co.uk
Some previous projects
1989-91 Community Musician, Southmead Music Project, Bristol.
1991 Making Up Time: Stroud Community Play (Dr Fosters Theatre Co) – composer/MD.
1993 Stamping Ground (words John Fox, Welfare State) – Stroud Community Choir/Guildhall Jazz Workshop Orchestra – composer/MD.
1995 Midnight Feast (words Phil Smith) – Stroud Community Choir/Guildhall Jazz Workshop Orchestra – composer/MD.
1997 Shingle Street (words Phil Smith) – Stroud Community Choir/Guildhall Jazz Workshop Orchestra – composer/MD.
1999 Round The Bend – Dr Fosters Theatre Co – composer/MD.
2000 Quiet Heart – Stroud Community Choir – composer.
2000 Postcards From Out Of The Blue (words Phil Smith) – Wakefield Voices – composer/MD.
2001 Working Out – Dr Fosters Theatre Co – composer/MD.
2002-2004 Community Musician, Tideswell Music Project, Derbyshire.
2009 Sleepwalk On The Severn (words Alice Oswald) – composer/MD.
2009 Marylka And The Prince (words Harriet Banks) – Stroud Primary Schools Singing Festival – composer/MD.
2012 Passing The Flame, Wiltshire Small Schools Music Festival – composer.
2012 Battle For The Winds, Sailing Olympics Opening Festival, Weymouth – composer/MD for Gloucestershire Arts Team.
Qualifications
2010 PG Cert in Jazz Performance (Birmingham Conservatoire)
1998 PGCE Secondary School Music (Bristol Univ)
1985 BA in Politics/History (Sheffield Univ)
Examiner for ABRSM since 1999.
