Award-winning British jazz star and his new acoustic, straight-ahead outfit
Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio
“Not everyone with tickets for the Scofield concert bothered to show up in time for trombonist Dennis Rollins, but more fool them. Rollins plays fat and funky low down, rich and vibrant high up and with astounding precision. The trombone has 
(forgive me) a comical reputation but in his hands it is agile, toneful and at times explosive. The amplified trombone allows him to use a harmoniser, adding a second voice or a whole choir to the notes he plays, creating interesting textures and never-before heard sounds between himself, the Hammond of Ross Stanley and the busy drumming of Pedro Segundo. “ LondonJazz Review of London Jazz Festival performance @Queen Elizabeth Hall 13 November 2009
“I know everybody was there for John Scofield last night, but the real stars of the show were Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio” http://twitter.com/samaraginsberg
Exerpts from this performance:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ84-LU6M8Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xwHOXlCDQ8
Dennis is that rarest of jazz beasts: a genuine star
The Independent on Sunday
Dennis Rollins does for the slide trombone what James Brown once did for singing
Jack Massarik, Evening Standard
Award-winning British trombone star Dennis Rollins presents his new acoustic, straight-ahead jazz outfit, Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio. Whilst obviously influenced by jazz and swing, Velocity Trio also incorporates a progressive, contemporary edge to its sound. With a small element of Dennis’ trademark electronic stage craft (think Joshua Redman’s Elastic project), Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio also features Ross Stanley on organ and young Portuguese drummer Pedro Segundo.
Dennis Rollins is well-known on the British and international jazz scene, celebrated for his versatility and unique approach to the underrated trombone. His mighty sound can be heard to full effect in his award winning band Badbone & Co’s repertoire of groove-based, funky dance music with jazz overtones. Born in 1964 in the Midlands to Jamaican parents, and raised in South Yorkshire, Dennis cut his teeth at the age of 14 studying and performing with The Doncaster Youth Jazz Association. After years of study, Dennis moved to London and began playing with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), and the legendary all-black jazz big band The Jazz Warriors. Over the years, Dennis, now based in Doncaster, has established a reputation as an artist of excellence, and has lent his unique and stylish talents to some of this country’s, and indeed the world’s, top jazz and pop personalities such as Courtney Pine, Baba Maal, Jamiroquai, US3, Brand New Heavies, and Blur. He is also a popular and crowd-pleasing member of Maceo Parker’s band.
Dennis also appears in the handpicked horn section of the specially assembled outfit, Bandaged Together, on the official 2009 BBC Children in Need single, All You Need is Love. The single, a reworking of the Beatles classic, was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios, and also features Sir Terry Wogan, Aled Jones, Bill Wyman, Brian May, Bryan Ferry, Sharon Corr, Nick Mason, Clare Teal, Heather Smalls, Paloma Faith, Lee Mead, and Hayley Westenra. See here for the video featuring Dennis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBsXOKvi3Ss
Dennis was nominated twice in the 2008 Parliamentary Jazz Awards – for Jazz Musician of the Year and the Jazz Education Award; he won the latter in a ceremony hosted by Paul Gambaccini at the House of Commons Terrace Pavilion. In February 2008, in a ceremony at Mansion House, Doncaster, Dennis was given Honorary Freedom of the Borough in recognition of his successful musical career, and for his role as an inspiration to Doncaster’s musical youngsters. Martin Winter, Mayor of Doncaster, had this to say to Dennis: This honour is the highest award the Borough can bestow, and one which you richly deserve. You have contributed much to our society and touched the lives of so many people.
In 2007, Dennis picked up Trombonist of the Year at both the British Jazz Awards, and the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Awards, and received nominations in the Urban Music Awards, and the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. Badbone & Co won the prestigious BBC Jazz Award for Best Band in 2006, and Dennis collected the Marston’s Pedigree British Jazz Award for Best Trombonist the same year. His Rhythms of Fire project also won the 2006 Arts & Kids Award, part of the regional Arts & Business Awards.
In Badbone & Co, alongside Dennis’ mighty trombone sound, you can hear Johnny Heyes on guitar, Chris Webb on bass, James Gardiner-Bateman on alto sax, Mitch Jones on keys and Jack Polllitt on drums. Dennis Rollins’ Badbone & Co has released three critically acclaimed albums: Badbone, Make Your Move, and Big Night Out!, the 2006 album which is classic Dennis Rollins, but with extra funk.
dennisrollins.com
myspace.com/dennisrollins
booking enquiries to: Danielle White
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Danielle White
Raestar Ventures Ltd
PO Box 1484
Bawtry South Yorkshire DN10 6WZ UK
tel/fax: +44 (0)1302 714 202
mob: 07841675263Dennis Rollins
http://www.dennisrollins.com | www.myspace.com/dennisrollins
BBC Jazz Awards | Best Band 2006; British Jazz Awards | Best Trombone 2006;
Arts & Business Awards Yorkshire | Arts & Kids Award for ‘Rhythms of Fire’ Project 2006; Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Awards | Best Trombone 2007; British Jazz Awards | Best Trombone 2007; Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Award | Freedom of the Borough – For supporting and inspiring young Doncaster Musicians 2007 | 2008 Parliamentary Jazz Award for ‘Jazz Education’
SHORTLISTED FOR ARTISTS TAKING THE LEAD – ARTS COUNCIL / CULTURAL OLYMPIAD INITIATIVEwww.myspace.com/ empiricalmusic
Winner | EBU Jazz Competition 2007www.europeanjazzcompetition.com/
Jazzwise Album of the Year 2007
Mojo Magazine Jazz Album of 2007
Winner | Peter Whittingham Award 2007
Winner | 2008 Parliamentary Jazz Awards (13 May) in ‘Jazz Ensemble of the Year’
Nominee | ‘Best Band’ in BBC Jazz Awards 2008
Nominee | ‘Best Album in BBC Jazz Awards 2008New Album Out ‘n’ In released 28 September 2009