The Neil Maya Quartet is one of South West's most exciting and talented modern and contemporary jazz groups. They play jazz to the highest standard throughout the South West from the tip of Cornwall through Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. The quartet's aim is to find new and exciting sounds within the wide scope of jazz whilst staying accessible to the public at large. As well as playing innovative re-workings of jazz standards and other material by other composers the band also like to play their own composition.  The Neil Maya Quartet was set up about 5 years ago in order to play top level modern and contemporary jazz by Neil Maya (saxes) and Tom Unwin (piano). Originally they called themselves Lush Life but decided to change their name in 2005 to the more modern sounding Neil Maya Quartet. Over the past few years the band has played at many of the main jazz venues (as well as some more unusual venues) in the South West particularly in Devon where the band is based. The band is now rapidly building a strong following throughout the South West as well as their native Devon.
Latest News 
Neil has been awarded a generous grant for the arts award (supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England) to develop his artistic and professional activities. The larger part of this grant was aimed at developing this quartet which Neil feels very passionately about. The quartet will get a admin and promotions manager for until Feb 2010 to broaden their activities as well as the grant supporting about 10 gigs throughout this period. (watch this space for more info.) 
Whats Happening This Season? The quartet have a busy and exciting Autumn programme of gigs in Somerset and Devon before things really start to take off in the New Year when the grant aided gigs plus rural touring gigs and other gigs really start to take hold . Keep up to date with the gig guide on this website and we hope to see you at a gig sometime soon! "OUT OF THE WOODSHED" The Neil Maya Quartet released their debut album "Out of the Woodshed" in December 2006 and it has been favourably received with good CD sales at gigs. Craig Milverton (pianist for the late George Melly among others) wrote" Imaginative, original playing with much lyricism bringing to mind two of the great pioneering jazz musicians of the 1960s; Bill Evans and Wayne Shorter, with much interplay between the talented musicians and creative and thoughtful compositions proving that Devon has an abundance of top musicians living in Devon today."     |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 21 November 2008 )
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