Julian Joseph Trio: Voyage of the Faithful (Album Launch)

The most important jazz musician (Julian Joseph) this country has produced in many years, possibly ever. – The Stage

Voyage of the Faithful acknowledges the many excursions, insights and experiences that have challenged and stimulated me over the years, and have allowed me to grow as a man and as a musician, to bring you the colours and visions I now have access to with my musical brothers – Mark Hodgson, the great bass player who I affectionately and respectfully call ‘the Mountain’, and my longest musical collaborator, drummer extraordinaire, Mark Mondesir. – Julian Joseph

About the Performance

Fans are saying, “AT LAST!”

‘Voyage of the Faithful’ is Julian Joseph’s first recording with his beloved trio of 30 years – Mark Hodgson and Mark Mondesir on bass and drums. Since his last studio album, Julian’s focus has been on performing new music on the live stage, but now he brings his hallmark sparkle, originality, and the wonderful pulsating swing he is so famous for to this set of original compositions and prized standards from the jazz canon. His Caribbean interpretation of the Duke Ellington/Juan Tizol staple, ‘Caravan’, and his extended, emotive reading of Wayne Shorter’s ‘Footprints’ express both his love for jazz and his desire to always push himself, his band, and the expectations of the listener.

In this album, he reminds us of his stature as a melodically gifted pianist of immense power, tenderness and energy. ‘Voyage of the Faithful’ honours both the jazz legacy and Joseph’s ever-forward-facing music. Its collection of stunning originals demonstrates just how present and relevant a composer he continues to be. On ‘Voyage of the Faithful’, Julian Joseph shines a light on his uniqueness and onto his new audiences and the many who have missed him. He’s back!

The last 30 years have been an extraordinary journey of personal and artistic growth, a journey that has seen me expand my compositional universe, deeply embrace the value of education and the joy of teaching, and, through broadcasting and performing, celebrate and champion the great artists that make our musical world so beautiful.

About the Artists

Julian Joseph is a towering figure in contemporary jazz. One of the most impressive musicians to emerge from both sides of the Atlantic, with a career spanning four decades. A wonderful pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger and broadcaster, Julian is celebrated by critics and audiences the world over, never failing to inspire with his mastery of the keyboard, versatility of his musicianship, and the seemingly limitless scope of his creative imagination.

He has blazed his own trail over the years, becoming the first black British jazz musician to lead a series of concerts at Wigmore Hall in London and the first to play the prestigious BBC Proms, leading his All-Star Big Band at the Royal Albert Hall. He continues to build on his outstanding reputation as a performer and composer and is a highly knowledgeable and engaging broadcaster, music ambassador and advocate for culture.  Julian’s distinguished career as a composer includes works for solo piano, small ensembles, big band and symphony orchestras. He is highly sought after for major commissions from organisations including the BBC, Hackney Music Development Trust, City of London, Salisbury and London Jazz Festivals.

Julian has always been ambitious for his music and the music coming out of the UK, focusing a significant amount of time on education. An advocate for musical excellence, he created his own jazz programme, the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy (JJJA), which is now in its twelfth year.

At the EFG London Jazz Festival at World Heart Beat’s Embassy Gardens concert Hall, Julian brings his celebrated trio to launch his long-awaited new recording Voyage of the Faithful. Featuring the talents of Mark Hodgson and Mark Mondesir, the Julian Joseph Trio will perform repertoire from the forthcoming album with Joseph’s inquisitive touch on select and familiar songs illuminated by the band’s imaginative sound and personality, along with the distinctive original music of Joseph himself.

Programme

Music includes pieces from Voyage of the Faithful,  choice classics with the Joseph treatment (from Gershwin, Porter, Ellington, Shorter…) and original pieces by Julian Joseph.

Julian Joseph Trio (UK) Artists:
Julian Joseph, piano
Mark Mondesir, drums
Mark Hodgson, double bass

World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens is proud be a host venue once again at EFG London Jazz Festival 2025.