“Great playing…beautiful…a real guitar player” Pat Martino
Chris is regarded as one of the UK’s finest contemporary jazz guitarists/composers. He has performed and recorded with Jacqui Dankworth, Gwilym Simcock, the BBC Big Band and Jamie Cullum, amongst others. The CHRIS ALLARD BAND have performed all over the UK and in Europe, including the International Guitar Festival and Ronnie Scott’s, and had radio-play as far afield as Los Angeles and Portugal.
Invisible Landscape was released in July 2016 on independent label Perdido Records, with a launch gig at Pizza Express Dean St in London. Chris’s fourth album as a bandleader, it received excellent reviews; praised for impeccable performances, and a distinctive melodic gift.
‘…an excellent recording of modern music full of variety, intensity and interest.’ Jazzviews
‘In an age of instant downloads and short attention spans, ‘Invisible Landscape’ is a brave album built on artistic integrity, framed by Allard’s inventive musical vision and realized by the band’s technical and improvisational excellence’ ★★★★ Get Ready to Rock
“Full-blooded solos…right on the money” Jazzwise
Chris has played the Royal Albert Hall, the Barbican, Montreux Jazz Festival, Nuremberg Festival, Hackney Empire, Cannes Festival, Maison Musique Torino Italy, The Queen Elizabeth Hall, Beiteddine Arts Festival Lebanon, Bahrain Spring of Culture Festival, Edinburgh Festival, Duoro Jazz Festival Portugal, The Royal Festival Hall, Friends of Jordan Festival, BBC Proms in Hyde Park to over 42000 people live and millions on TV; he has played live on TV and radio many times, and appeared on numerous albums.
Amongst other current projects Chris performs around the world with Palestinian singer Omar Kamal, with recent performances for the Jordanian royal family, and at televised concerts with big band and the Lebanese Symphony Orchestra in the middle east. He also continues to work regularly with greats such as Charlie Wood, Jacqui Dankworth, and Alec Dankworth, as well as performing in the Fugata Quintet, and the brand new contemporary tango group Almagro Ensemble led by pianist John Turville.
Throughout 2015 he toured with multi-platinum singer Russell Watson, the biggest selling UK classical artist of all time, with more than 80 sell-out concerts; Chris was playing classical, steel-string acoustic and electric guitars, as well as electric bass and mandolin. Other recent tours include arena tours with Collabro in 2017, Il Divo in 2014 and 2016; including the O2 Arena in London. Also in 2014 Chris toured with Brit Award winning trumpeter Alison Balsom, venues including the Royal Albert Hall.
“One of the great guitarists in this country” Jamie Cullum BBC Radio 2 ★★★★ Guitarist
Brandon Allen (saxophones):
Brandon Allen has worked extensively in the jazz, pop and R&B genres throughout the U.K and Europe. He has also worked as a session musician for commercial music and film soundtracks. He has performed with the likes of Eric Clapton, Mica Paris, Jools Holland, Ronnie Cuber, Lew Soloff, The Blockheads and Guy Barker. Brandon has performed at various international festivals including Womad World Music, the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Vittoria and Terassa Jazz Festivals in Spain and the Brecon Jazz Festival. Some important venues include Ronnie Scott’s, Birdland in Vienna and the Bluenote in Milan.
Ross Stanley (piano):
Ross is one of the most in demand pianists and organists in the UK today. He has performed and toured all over the world with many different artists as diverse as Maceo Parker, Jim Mullen, Goldie, Guy Barker, Steve Howe, Tom Jones, and at venues including the Barbican, Wigmore Hall, Rochdale Festival New York, Montreux Jazz Festival. Ross studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Oli Hayhurst (bass):
Since moving to London in 1995 to study at the Royal Academy of Music, Oli has worked in a wide range of musical fields, playing Double Bass, Bass Guitar and Guitarron. From 2000-2002 he played with Gilad Atzmon and was a founder member of the Orient House Ensemble, playing on their first two albums for Enja, and touring extensively in the UK and Europe. With Polly Paulusma in 2004 he toured Europe opening for Bob Dylan. In 2006 he was featured on Zoe Rahman’s Mercury nominated album Melting Pot, which also won the Best Album award in the 2006 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. The Zoe Rahman Trio have since played at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Palermo Jazz Festival, Cork Jazz Festival, and in Algiers. In 2006-2007 he played in Parallelogram, a unique collaboration of jazz and folk musicians featuring Lau, Acoustic Ladyland’s Pete Wareham, and Flook’s Brian Finnegan. 2007 also saw a trip to Syria with Reem Kalani playing in Damascus and Aleppo. He is currently working with Ray Gelato, Julian Seagal, Tim Whitehead, Juliet Kelly, Respectable Groove and Reem Kelani. He has also worked with artists as diverse as Vanessa Mae, Bill McHenry, Tom Rainey, Maria Ewing, Jim Mullen, Patrizio Buanne, Melanie C, Cara Dillon, Bobby Wellins, Liam Noble, Koby Isrealite, Mark Lockheart, Anita Wardell, Thomas Lang, Polly Gibbons, Bob Monkhouse, Ian Shaw and Michael Rosen.
Nick Smalley (drums):
Nick has played with many prominent jazz musicians over the years including Phil Robson, Guy Barker, Tina May, Alan Barnes, Bruce Adams, Julian Joseph, Lynne Arialle, Steve Davies, Malcolm Creese, Al Wood,Mark Nightingale, Andy Scott,Mike Mondesir,John Dankworth,Julian Siegal, Mike Garrick and John Surman. He also works in several regular bands playing original music; with Mike Outram, Gareth Lockrane, Alex Garnett and Brandon Allen to name a few.
Doors 7.30 pm. Tickets £8
Band starts @ 8pm
email: info@mapmusic.net
Or call for tickets– 0207 916 0545