Musicians

Over 30 musicians from all parts of the world regularly perform with the Grand Union Orchestra. All are leading exponents of their particular musical art and internationally-known in their own fields.

Our musicians appear in various ensembles to suit different occasions or venues.

Our bands

Our musicians are drawn upon to form ensembles as our programme requires:

  • The Grand Union Orchestra has a core of our rhythm section, brass/reeds ensemble and jazz soloists and other artists as the situation demands.
  • The Grand Union Band is very flexible! For example we use Caribbean, Latin and African musicians for Carnival-type programmes or Indian and Bangladeshi musicians for melas.

We also run our own world music Youth Orchestra.

Our musicians

Our core of musicians chanegs as we discover new talent and respond to new commissions and artistic demands:

Wei Li

Wei Li

China | voice

Lucy Rahman

Lucy Rahman

Bangladesh | voice, harmonium

Davina Wright

Davina Wright

Caribbean English | voice

Sadjo Djolô

Sadjo Djolô

Guinea Bissau | voice, kora

Richard Scott

Richard Scott

England | voice, tenor saxophone

Vladimir Vega

Vladimir Vega

Chile | voice, panpipes, charango

Stephen Douse

Stephen Douse

England | voice, piano

Akash Sultan

Akash Sultan

Bangladesh | voice

Baluji Shrivastav

Baluji Shrivastav

India | sitar, dilruba

Yousuf Ali Khan

Yousuf Ali Khan

Bangladesh | tabla, dholak

Cheng Yu

Cheng Yu

China | pipa, gu zheng

Emmanuel Tagoe

Emmanuel Tagoe

Ghana | African drums

Ken Johnson

Ken Johnson

Trinidad | steel pan, bongos

Tony Kofi

Tony Kofi

Ghana | alto/baritone saxophones

Chris Biscoe

Chris Biscoe

England | soprano/alto saxophones

Louise Elliot

Louise Elliot

Australia | tenor saxophone, flute

Claude Deppa

Claude Deppa

South Africa | trumpet, percussion

Paul Jayasinha

Paul Jayasinha

Sri Lanka/Scotland | sopranotrumpet, flugelhorn, cello

Byron Wallen

Byron Wallen

England | trumpet, flugelhorn

Tim Smart

Tim Smart

England | trombone, tenor horn

Ros Davies

Ros Davies

Wales | trombone, piccolo

Tony Haynes

Tony Haynes

England | trombone, piano, dijeridu

Alice Kinloch

Alice Kinloch

England | tuba, bass trombone

Gerry Hunt

Gerry Hunt

England | guitar, saxophones

Mingo Rangel

Mingo Rangel

Mozambique | guitar, voice

Andy Lafone

Andres Lafone

Uruguay | bass guitar

Rui Junior

Rui Junior

Portugal | percussion

Brian Abrahams

Brian Abrahams

South Africa | drums, voice

 
Grand Union main image Quote from ALl About Jazz

Latest news

We’re back!

Grand Union Orchestra part of BBC/2012 Festival Music Nation programme - first date of spring programme announced.

Praise for 11.11.11 at the Hackney Empire

Read appreciative review in JazzWise magazine and watch this space for more news and reviews.

If Paradise CD Online

You can now buy If Paradise and other GUO recordings online with all major credit and debit cards.

Shows currently available

Grand Union shows produced since January form the backbone of our programme for 2012.

On-line composition masterclass

Tony Haynes starts a new blog talking about his music, with practical tips for musicians.

Supported by the Arts Council England