Policy Statement
This event is being organised by a local committee of musicians and jazz fans.Our aim is to promote jazz on the Isle of Wight. Members of the committee will not receive any financial reward. Inspected accounts will be made on request.
The committee will cover the cost of the main venues and headline acts. This will be funded by sponsorship, ticket sales and other fund-raising activities.
Any subsequent profits will go towards funding future events and a donation to charity (IW Mountbatten Hospice).
We will encourage other performances during the period. However, we will not act as agents. It will be the responsibility of the performers and venues to negotiate between themselves.
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Pete Whittaker
Pete Whittaker was born and grew up in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands. From an early age he was fascinated by all things musical, and as a youngster attempted to teach himself guitar and clarinet, while having lessons on piano and violin.Through his school years, Pete did the usual thing of singing in choirs, playing violin in the school orchestra and teenage rock bands.
Moving on to the University of East Anglia, Pete gained a music degree, and got interested in electroacoustic music. Whilst there, the study and practice of jazz took over from the vague pop and rock rumblings of his adolescence.
Jazz piano in due course gave way to the discovery of that force-of-nature known to the world as the organist Jimmy Smith, the single most important jazz Hammond innovator ever. Thus was the beginning of Pete's professional life as a jazz organist... twenty years later and he's still as excited by the music as he was then (but now he has a proper van, and can play the organ better).
Some really good bands and musicians with whom Pete is/has been associated include:
Nigel Price Organ Trio Winner of "Best Ensemble" in 2010 Britsh Parliamentary Jazz Awards)
The Filthy Six Boogaloos and funky jazz with twist of gospel.)
John Etheridge's Blue Spirits Power-trio with John Etheridge and Mark Fletcher)
Zöe Schwartz Blue Commotion (Rob Koral/Zöe Schwartz, powerful electric Blues. New CD out now!!)
Theo Travis' Double Talk (Jazz meets Psychedelia with a twist of Prog)
Gareth Lockrane's Grooveyard
And occasional appearances with such UK jazz luminaries as:
Jim Mullen, Dave Cliff, Dave O'Higgins, Julian Siegel, Liane Carroll, Tony Kofi, Terry Smith, Mark Crooks, etc.
Watch Pete playing with Nigel Price - "Jumped up Spring" (Freddie Hubbard).
Pete's website