The Neil Maya Quartet
"Electrifying performance from a band that has everything - crisp melody lines and improvisation to match"
All Change Please
Time on My Hands
Greensleeves
Copshow Kapow
Welcome to the Circus
Big Girl Funk Machine
The Mists of Time
Israel
King Tut
Big Sur
La Fiesta
(Neil Maya)
(Neil Maya)
(Trad.)
(Tom Unwin)
(Neil Maya)
(Neil Maya)
(Neil Maya)
(John Carisi)
(Tom Unwin)
(Tom Unwin)
(C Corea)
OUT OF THE WOODSHED (2006)
Round the Bend
Slinky
Undercurrents
Ethan
Django
Fables of Faubus
Ode to a Great Shed
A Bitter Ballad
Fingerprints
Dolores
(Neil Maya)
(Tom Unwin)
(Tom Unwin)
(Neil Maya)
(John Lewis)
(Charles Mingus)
(Neil Maya)
(Neil Maya)
(Tom Unwin)
(Tom Unwin)
Bread and Circuses, the Neil Maya Quartet's second album, includes a mix of originals by Tom and Neil as well as three standards, all with a unique NMQ take on them. The album title is a quote from a first century poet and satirist, Juvenal (panem et circenses in Latin), basically saying that all the people are interested in is food and entertainment, as opposed to more in depth issues such as politics….well so be it, but perhaps NMQ could provide the entertainment!!
Review of Out of the Woodshed by Craig Milverton...
"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 there is an abundance of top musicians living in Devon today. Go and check them out at a gig near you soon. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!"
BREAD AND CIRCUSES (2009)
The quartet play a mix of originals by Neil (Maya) and Tom (Unwin) along with inventive re-workings of many well-known jazz standards. Style-wise, the quartet likes to be pretty eclectic with its choices: while they recognise that swing is the rhythm of jazz (and love playing it) they subscribe to the belief that there are plenty of other great grooves out there including samba, bossa, salsa and other Latin styles, as well as African grooves, rock, folk-rock etc. that should be part of their overall approach. They always try to get a varied mix of different genres into their music to keep it fresh and exciting for both themselves and the audience. They also strongly believe melody, dynamics and expression are highly important, and focus much of their energy upon this rather than simply 'playing' tunes and showcasing their abilities through soloing.
Depending on the event the quartet are able to alter their set to suit the occasion, at times solely playing standards and at times all origianls. Usually a mix of both works for most audiences.
Repertoire
Alice in Wonderland - Sammy Fain
A Night in Tunisia - Dizzy Gillespie
Chega DeSaudade - Carlos Jobim
Cheesecake - Dexter Gordon
Django - John Lewis
Driftin' - Herbie Hancock
Everything Happens to Me - Chet Baker
Fables of Faubus - Charles Mingus
Guataca City - Paquito d'Rivera
Greensleeves - Trad.
Israel - John Carisi
Joy Spring - Clifford Brown
La Fiesta - Chick Corea
Love for Sale - Cole Porter
My Funny Valentine - Rodgers & Hart
Night and Day - Cole Porter
Recorda-me - Joe Henderson
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - H. Arlen
Spain - Chick Corea
Stella by Starlight - Victor Young
Take 5 - Paul Desmond
The Peacocks - Jimmy Rowles
This I dig of you - Hank Mobley
Tom Thumb - Wayne Shorter
Well U needn't - Thelonious Monk
Think of one - Thelonious Monk
+ many more...
A Bitter Ballad - Neil Maya
All Change Please - Neil Maya
Big Girl Funk Machine - Neil Maya
Ethan - Neil Maya
Faxosone - Neil Maya
Ode to a Great Shed - Neil Maya
Round the Bend - Neil Maya
The MIsts of Time - Neil Maya
Time on my Hands - Neil Maya
Welcome to the Circus - Neil Maya
Short Skirts and White Stilettos - Neil Maya
Five - Neil Maya
Meditative - Neil Maya
A Day at the Races - Neil Maya
Big Sur - Tom Unwin
Blue Sunflowers - Tom Unwin
Copshow Kapow - Tom Unwin
Dolores - Tom Unwin
Eric - Tom Unwin
Fingerprints - Tom Unwin
Funny Face - Tom Unwin
King Tut - Tom Unwin
Slinky - Tom Unwin
Undercurrents - Tom Unwin
The Low Down -Tom Unwin
+ new compositions added regularly!!
Standards...
Original Compositions...
Listen...
CD's
Purchase CD (UK Only)
Videos...
Clifford Brown ....
Joy spring
George’s Dilemma
LaRue
Daahoud
Sandu
Tiny Capers
Jordu (by Duke Jordon)
I remember Cliffrod (Benny Golson)
Strollin’
Barbara
Filthy McNasty
Nica’s Dream
Summer in central park
Peace
Silver’s Serenade
The Sophisticated Hippie
Motivation
Out of the night came you
Psychedelic Sally
Horace Silver ....
'Bread and Circuses' is available within the UK in CD format for £11.50.
The CD can be purchased by navigating to the shop page.
'Out of The Woodshed' is available within the UK in CD format for £11.50.
The CD can be purchased by navigating to the shop page.
