Paul Downing

Paul studied bass guitar and composition at Leeds College Of Music and the Guildhall School Of Music & Drama.

He has worked extensively in the world of Pop, Jazz and Media Music both as a musician and composer.

His work has been released and performed all over the world and his production music has been synchronized to TV programs broadcast by numerous major channels, including the BBC, ITV, C4 & Sky.

Other credits include; Martha Reeves, Anne Clark, Mark Murphy, Cayenne, Coup D'Etat...

"With this quartet I'm aiming to explore a wide range of stylistic colours and create a broad improvisational palette, so that the soloists can feel free to stretch out. I believe strongly in melody and hold the groove to be sacred. Musical freedom and experimentation excite me and I'm always looking for new sounds and directions that work well within the genre of a contemporary jazz quartet."

Mike Eaves professional career began aged sixteen when he was invited to take up the guitar chair with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra with which he spent the next three years touring and working with top jazz artists. After leaving N.Y.J.O. Mike became a very sought after musician, working at the highest level in a variety of areas which included studio sessions, television, West End shows, live concerts, and solo performances. Mike now divides his time between playing, teaching and writing music.

Artists worked with include:

John Williams, Shirley Bassey, Will Young, Chaka Khan, Dame Kiri de Kanawa, Cleo Laine, Russell Watson, James Galway, Stacey Kent, The London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Symphony Orchestra and National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Marc Parnell. Son of Jack Parnell. Truly a chip off the old block, has followed his father's footsteps. Effortlessly able to switch styles, whether playing jazz, funk, Latin or rock, Marc also writes music. He kicked off his career playing funk fusion with The Inversions, in 1983, and went on the road with popular singer Joan Armatrading in 1985. During the 1990s, Marc moved more into straight-ahead and contemporary jazz. Around 1994, he toured with star US vocalist Mark Murphy and worked with Martin Barre and Jethro Tull. Marc also works with saxophonist Theo Travis, with whom he has recorded three albums and toured extensively. Other interesting, if diverse, names Marc has worked with include pioneering British free-jazz saxophonist Trevor Watts, veteran vocal-stylist Annie Ross, singers Carol Kidd (with the Robert Farnon Orchestra) and Liz Fletcher, singer-pianist Liane Carroll, guitarist John Etheridge and pianist Tim Richards.

Mark Allaway studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. He toured Europe with the internationally renowned saxophone quartet Itchy Fingers, playing opposite Chick Corea, Mike Stern and David Sanborn, and has recorded with the London Jazz Orchestra. He has worked in various musical styles from the music of the 1930's through to contemporary pop sounds and beyond.

Mark has worked alongside various artists including Shirley Bassey, Helen Shapiro, Michelle Hendricks and Salena Jones, and has written and produced 2 albums under his own name. He can be heard on various TV and film soundtracks and is the featured soloist on the BBC 'Animal Hospital" theme, and on the soundtrack to the Dennis Potter film "Secret Friends".

The Paul Downing Quartet album 'Strange Flower' is available for download from the iTunes music store.