* NEW RELEASE *

Mike Fletcher Trio Vuelta Stoney Lane Records - #SLR1931 - www.stoneylane.net

Released 26.01.15

The Mike Fletcher Trio brings together composer and multi-reedist Mike Fletcher on saxes and flutes, bassist Olie Brice (Paul Dunmall, , Ken Vandermark) and renowned US drummer Jeff Williams (Stan Getz, , Joe Lovano).

The Trio’s distinctive sound draws inspiration from the jazz tradition and combines with it a contemporary approach to improvisation. The melody of each of the eight original compositions forms a basis from which the music evolves allowing the group to sculpt each piece into a unique work.

Developing a growing reputation and musical rapport since early 2014, the band begin touring Europe this autumn to promote their debut album Vuelta, released on January 26th on Stoney Lane Records, following a pre-release performance at The Barbican’s Milton Court Concert Hall, part of the London Jazz Festival. This launches Mike’s tour of 11 major European concert halls with his trio, after being selected to participate in the ECHO Rising Stars programme.

The album title ‘Vuelta’ – Spanish for ‘return’ – reflects Mike’s close ties with Andalucía. The recording explores themes of experience and emotion - from the atmospheric opening track, Aire (‘air’), composed by the sea in Spain, which conjures images of light, freedom and space; to the closing work, Savour, a meditation on the re-discovery of a treasured personal experience.

Mike Fletcher

Birmingham-born, graduating from the city’s Conservatoire in 2005, Mike has established a bourgeoning reputation as a distinctive multi-instrumentalist and composer. He has led a number of ensembles, from trio to big band, performing as a band-leader nationally and internationally, in groups featuring Hans Koller, Mark Sanders and Dan Weiss.

In 2013 Mike joined the European Jazz Orchestra on lead alto and toured the continent under the direction of Ann-Sofi Søderqvist. In 2014, he was chosen to participate in the ECHO Rising Stars programme and will tour 11 concert halls across Europe with his trio.

His work has featured at Birmingham, Cheltenham, London and Manchester jazz festivals as well as in Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Canada and Brazil.

Mike’s versatility as a musician has allowed him to work with a diverse range of artists including Tony Bianco, John Dankworth, Paul Dunmall, Bobby Previte, and Tony Levin.

London-born bassist Olie Brice is active both as a bandleader and sideman, working with a wide variety of jazz and improv musicians. He has appeared with Paul Dunmall, Tobias Delius, Ken Vandermark, Mark Sanders, Mikolaj Tzaska and Ingrid Laubrock. He recently completed a tour of the UK and Ireland in a trio with Tony Malaby and Jeff Williams.

Originally from Oberlin, Ohio, drummer Jeff Williams attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he studied with Alan Dawson while majoring in arranging and composition. Jeff began his professional career with the Stan Getz Quartet in 1972, subsequently forming the ECM recording and touring cooperative Lookout Farm with in 1974. He has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, John Abercrombie, , Cedar Walton and many more. He now divides his time between New York and London.

Vuelta by the Mike Fletcher Trio is released on Stoney Lane Records on January 26th 2015

Stoney Lane Records is an inventive and independent artist- led record label focusing on eclectic cross-genre original music, growing out of a diverse set of musical projects, collaborations, experiments, friendships and ideas, centred around musicians from Birmingham, UK.

“At last there is an innovative label dedicated to the brilliant scene here in Birmingham and to the many excellent players emerging.”

- Tony Dudley-Evans / Cheltenham Jazz Festival; Jazzlines THSH Birmingham

For further information, promotional copies and interviews:

Sara Silver at SilverProjects [email protected] +44 (0) 20 8265 0772

Stoney Lane Records - www.stoneylane.net [email protected] +44 (0)121 224 7322

Mike Fletcher - www.mikefletchermusic.com

Proper Music Distribution - www.properdistribution.com

European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) - www.concerthallorganisation.eu/rising-stars/20142015-season/mike-fletcher

Mike Fletcher Trio Tour dates

18th November 2014 London Jazz Festival, Barbican, London, UK

26th November 2014 Festspielhaus, Baden Baden, Germany

9th January 2015 The Con Cellar Bar, London

22nd January 2015 Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, Germany

30th January 2015 CBSO Centre, Birmingham, UK

6th February 2015 Clasijazz, Almeria, Spain

7th February 2015 CAMM, Malaga, Spain

10th February 2015 Assejazz, Sevilla, Spain

11thFebruary 2015 Magic Club, Granada, Spain

12th February 2015 L’Auditori, Barcelona, Spain

19th February 2015 Palace of Arts, Budapest, Hungary

14th March 2015 Konzerthaus, Dortmund, Germany

20th March 2015 Konserthus, Stockholm, Sweden

30th March 2015 BOZAR, Brussels, Belgium

13th May 2015 Town Hall, Birmingham, UK

16th May 2015 Gulbenkian Musica, Lisbon, Portugal

30th May 2015 Kings Place, London

- ENDS - pp. 4 of 4