An exciting visit from the Grammy Award-winning Jean Toussaint, formerly of Art Blakey’s ‘Jazz Messengers’. His blistering technique and lyrical sound have earned Jean acclaim from across the world, and the band leader has 12 albums under his belt.

Originally from St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, saxophonist Jean Toussaint left Berklee College of Music, Boston in 1982 to join Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. It was the beginning of an inspired four and half years spent with musicians including Terence Blanchard, Mulgrew Miller and others. While in New York, Jean also worked with Gil Evans, McCoy Tyner and Wynton Marsalis. In 1987, he left Blakey to come to England for a few months. He stayed. Jean has since toured with many visiting American bands including Max Roach, Cedar Walton and David Murray as well as with his own bands. The Jean Toussaint Trio, Quartet and Quintet play swinging, surging straight-ahead contemporary jazz with a strong emphasis on melody.

Since moving to London, he has led his own bands and various projects, released ten compact discs as a leader and guested on many more. Collaborations with musicians based in the UK have included Bheki Mseleku, Julian Joseph, Jason Rebello, Cleveland Watkiss and others. Toussaint is also often invited to join tours with US musicians visiting Europe and most recently was on tour with pianist Cedar Walton and Donald Brown, trumpeter Eddie Henderson and an extensive tour of Europe the Middle East and New York with the great Jeff Watts.

In this concert, Jean will be performing with Emile Hinton (piano), Josh Vadiveloo (bass), Mark Mondesir (drums), Joti (trumpet) as part of a quintet.

“Art Blakey used to say ‘it doesn’t matter how complex you want to play, as long as you swing and play from the heart’ then he’d cite the great John Coltrane as an example. I owe it all to the great Art Blakey and I’ll be a Jazz Messenger for life” Jean Toussaint