Multi award-winning jazz singer (BBC Jazz Award, Jazz FM Award, Downbeat Magazine) Ian Shaw teams up with MOBO award nominee and one of the UK’s most talked about and renowned saxophonists Tony Kofi on a brand new live album celebrating the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. The twelve-track album, a profound homage to two of jazz’s most influential figures, is the latest release on PX Records and marks the label’s one year anniversary.
Titled An Adventurous Dream (At PizzaExpress Live In London), the release includes takes on classics such as ‘Satin Doll’, ‘Mood indigo’ and ‘Passion Flower’ and features an all-star British line-up featuring pianist Barry Green and bassist Dave Green.
Ian Shaw:
“My first awareness of the rich, darkly evocative and often heart-wrenching words and music of Billy Strayhorn was hearing Donna Summer sing ‘Lush Life’, I’d never heard such a magical, personal meeting of words, melody and chord changes.”
Ian Shaw and Tony Kofi are the latest musicians to join the roster of PX Records, which celebrates its first anniversary today. An Adventurous Dream is the label’s ninth album following releases from master US saxophonist Scott Hamilton, incendiary UK soul outfit Mamas Gun, one of the most hotly-tipped new bands on the UK scene Native Dancer, young multi-instrumentalist edbl, Jamiroquai keyboardist Matt Johnson, celebrated country songwriter Alyssa Bonagura, UK future soul 4-Piece Yakul and fast-rising US jazz singer Anaïs Reno. The label is also set to release a series of legacy recordings sourced from PizzaExpress Live’s extensive archive dating back over 45 years and featuring previously unreleased performances from some of the legendary acts to have set foot in the club.
*First single ‘Something To Live For’ is out on April 12th and available pre-save HERE*
**Shaw and Kofi will launch the album with a concert at PizzaExpress Soho on Wednesday April 24th**
“One of the contemporary scene’s class acts”
The Guardian
“[Tony Kofi is] one of the most distinctive voices in UK jazz”
Financial Times
Album Release Date: April 26th 2024
Line-up:
Ian Shaw – Vocals
Tony Kofi – Alto Saxophone
Barry Green – Piano
Dave Green – Bass An Adventurous Dream (At PizzaExpress Live In London) is out on April 26th 2024, pre-order HERE. Vinyl copies will be made available on June 7th 2024.