Linley steps into the spotlight

Linley Hamilton’s reputation as a master musician and man of impeccable taste precedes him, and he has graced the stage of Flowerfield Arts Centre on many occasions – for this performance he is stepping into the spotlight as the frontman for his own quartet, celebrating the release of a brand new album, Taylor Made.

One of the country’s busiest musicians, Linley is also the recent recipient of a 1st Class Masters in Jazz Performance, and is currently studying for a PhD in Jazz. He’s also renowned for his Radio Show on BBC Radio Ulster, ‘After Midnight with Linley Hamilton’.

Joining him for this special concert will be quartet members Dominic Mullen on drums, Dan Bodwell on bass and the fabulous Johnny Taylor, who will be putting the Flowerfield grand piano through its paces for this appearance.

The album, released on LYTE records, the label put together by jazz drummer David Lyttle, brings together a strong line-up of hand-picked musicians with an eclectic taste in jazz and a combined love for the songs chosen to provide the vehicle for improvisation and the communion of sharing the emotional impact of the processes that went into the making of the album.

‘The album is called Taylor Made for a reason,’ says Linley, ‘because pianist Johnny Taylor has brought so much of himself to the arrangements and the creation of the whole vibe of the album that I felt duty bound to extend the highest accolade of naming the album after him!’

The album is a delight, and tackles some contemporary standards like Paul Simon’s ‘Have a Good Time’ and Carole King’s ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ with a gorgeous reharmonisation. Also featured are wonderful versions of ‘Without a Song’, Rogers & Hart’s ‘This Can’t be Love’ and Kenny Garrett’s ‘Happy People’, among other treats.

The Flowerfield concert will be part of a short Northern Ireland tour for the quartet – four musicians at the top of their game playing some gorgeous modern jazz, with one of our most innovative and enthusiastic frontmen at the helm. Expect to be thrilled.

Tickets for the show are priced at £10, and they’re available from reception at Flowerfield Arts Centre. You can also buy tickets over the phone using your credit or debit card on (028) 7083 1400.