Exciting jazz duo to give a taste of old numbers and new
View(s):It all started with a private jazz concert at Windsor Castle for Downtown Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and Prince William on the eve of the Prince’s engagement to Kate Middleton. Grammy nominated guitarist Martin Taylor and Scottish-Canadian jazz singer Alison Burns had been spotted by British TV mogul Michael Parkinson, a man responsible for launching the careers of Diana Krall and Michael Buble. And that’s when it got interesting……
Martin Taylor had already achieved Top 10 jazz albums in both the UK and US but when he decided to record an album inspired by the intimate 1960’s duo recordings of Joe Pass and Ella Fitzgerald there was only one singer he wanted to work with. It was Scottish Canadian jazz singer Alison Burns who fitted the bill.
Now this exciting duo will perform a single concert on December 3 at the Hilton Colombo Residencies sponsored by the Charity Committee, an organisation founded early in 2003 to raise funds primarily for children who are afflicted with cancer. In previous fund-raisers, the Charity Committee have brought down Canadian comedian, Russell Peters, the show, “Salha Unforgettable”, Philippine and West End theatre star Monique Wilson, and staged a Broadway and Opera musical evening- “One Night Only” with Menaka Fonseka Sahabandu and Shana Dagny apart from other memorable events in their continued charity drive.
Brought up in Scotland’s equivalent of Detroit, Alison Burns grew up drawing inspiration from the recordings of jazz greats like Sarah Vaughn, Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald. From her humble beginnings the flame-haired jazz singer has built a loyal fanbase performing in festivals, clubs and concert halls in Europe, Canada, Australia and the Far East.
Martin Taylor, MBE is a multi-award winning guitarist, composer, educator and musical innovator whom Acoustic Guitar magazine calls ‘THE Acoustic Guitarist of his Generation’.
In this inspired pairing, taking their inspiration from the Grammy award-winning combination of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass the evening combines repertoire from The Great American Songbook and contemporary material from Stevie Wonder.