Officially a quartet, the Graham Pike band comprise an exciting line up of experienced professionals, utilising the sound of piano, bass, drum kit and brass, to name a few. They can be hired as a quartet, trio or duet, enabling audiences of all sizes to experience their unique blend and groove. They make a classy feature at any event, often playing the most popular standards when needed, but also bringing out the more adventurous material for the serious jazz loving audiences.
Stylistically, they’re a blend of some of the greats in music – Coltrane, Gershwin, Fats and Parker. Their playlist comprises a huge repertoire of sounds and eras, including Post-Bebop, Cool, Latin, Ambient, as well as some original tracks.
Graham Pike
Not only is Graham a unique multi-instrumentalist, he’s also a composer, musical director, producer and songwriter, who has a lifetime of experience in studio production, scoring and arranging. His talents have been used on TV and theatre work. Graham plays the Chromatic harmonica, trumpet & flugelhorn, as well as the trombone.
The music genre that is Jazz
Jazz originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, in the United States. Seen as America’s classic music, it developed its roots from blues and ragtime. As jazz spread around the world, it picked up and drew on the different national, regional and local music cultures, creating many variances – including cool jazz, New Orleans jazz, Bepop, hard bop, modal, Latin, Afro-Cuban, jazz-rock fusion and free jazz.
These distinctly different styles were created by the changing of tempo speed, chord-based improvisation, longer melodic lines, along with different musical influences.
Influential Jazz figures
Women and men alike have long influenced the jazz music scene. Jazz singing stars such as Cab Calloway, Jon Hendricks, Billy Eckstine, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and even Harry Connick Jr, needed no introduction. Multi-talented musicians like pianist and vocalist Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong (trumpeter, composer, singer), Herbie Hancock (pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and composer), saxophonist and composer John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk (pianist and composer), as well as Dizzie Gillespie (trumpeter, bandleader, composer and singer) all played a major part in the jazz scene throughout the ages.
Although women such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Better Carter were all known for vocal talents, there were many female composers, instrumentalists and bandleaders too. This included Billie Pierce (pianist and singer), Lovie Austin (piano player, bandleader, composer and musician) and Irene Higgingbotham (songwriter and concert pianist. When the male jazz musicians were drafted during World War II, all-female bands, such as the likes of The International Sweethearts of Rhythm took over.
The Grim’s Dyke Hotel are proud to host the Graham Pike Trio on selected Thursday evenings, during each month. Performing a blend of jazz and fusion, through to classical, the band play for your enjoyment in our popular restaurant. The beautiful surroundings of our restaurant enable you to enjoy the smooth sounds, whilst also tucking into a sumptuous three-course meal. Check out our entertainment page, to find the next available jazz dates.
Photo Credit: Diamond Braganza Photography