Ian Bateman is one of the most in-demand jazz trombonists in Europe. Ian has spent most of his career playing in the top jazz groups and big bands produced in the UK from the late 1970's to the present day. Whilst mainly seated at the heart of the traditional jazz and big band scene, Ian has started to turn heads with his own bands that are gradually finding their way into the main stream of jazz in the UK.

Ian was with the Acker Bilk Paramount Jazz Band for eleven years up until Acker's retirement in June 2014. Over the past thirteen years, Ian has also been a regular member of the Back To Basie Orchestra.

Ian's main career pathnow is The Bateman Brothers Jazz Band with his brother Alan. Now in their fifth year since being formed in 2011 and an award-winning CD, the Bateman Brother's Jazz Band will keep Ian firmly established at the top of the traditional and dixieland jazz circuit. Ian's brother Alan on trumpet is also very well-known to UK jazz lovers. Alan moulds his style on Louis Armstrong and like Ian, was also hugely influenced by the bands of the British trad boom of the early 1960's. Ian and Alan have put their own band together in response to huge interest wherever they find themselves paired together. The band presents a very special show; a tribute to the Louis Armstrong All-Stars. "Not another one", we hear you say. Well, this show showcases Louis' own arrangements as per the famous recordings and they are played in the same swinging manner that electrified audiences wherever they played around the world, something we feel no other Louis Armstrong tribute has managed to convey to an audience. With Trevor Whiting on Clarinet, award winning pianist Craig Milverton, John Day on Bass and Nick Millward on Drums, there cannot be a more exciting band on the jazz scene.

Also in the running is the band that Ian co-leads with Adrian Fry, The Bone Supremacy. Five trombones plus a piano trio and the incredible writing of Adrian Fry has already put this band into second place in the British Jazz Awards for 2009. The band has four regular trombonists plus a guest. Regular guests include Mark Nightingale and Alastair White.

Although best known in the traditional jazz world, the more informed jazz listener knows that Ian possesses the rare quality in jazz in that he excels at other styles and being a first-class reader, he is also in demand with big bands. One of these styles is be-bop (very difficult on a slide trombone) and Ian has formed his Be-Bop Quintet to perform the music of JJ Johnson and Frank Rosolino from the late 1950's - early 1960's. Along with Ian, this band features Alex Garnett on Tenor Sax, Leon Greening on Piano, Dave Green on Bass and Richie Bryant on Drums. The music has been transcribed from these recordings by Ian and it quite literally does swing like the proverbial clappers!

Kick Ass Brass is a labour of love for Ian. He is a big fan of Tower Of Power, a soul/funk band from Oakland, California who are the inspiration for many bands of all types that feature brass sections in their bands. Where TOP are different is that the brass section is at the front with the singer and play the lead role. Ian is achieving this with Kick Ass Brass!

So you can see Ian is going to be busy for a while yet to come and keep an eye out for one new project in particular for 2016 that will be quite something... Please have a look around the web site and get in touch if anything interests you!

September 2016