About
Led by one of the UK's most formidable jazz pianists, George Cooper, The Jazz Defenders are a group born from a deep love of Blue Note jazz, drawing on a wealth of inspiration to craft their own raw and vibrant compositions. Having played several shows at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club as well as many other prestigious venues in the UK and Europe, they continue to electrify audiences with their energy and virtuosity.
As The Jazz Defenders carry on distinctly ‘defending’ the legacy of some of the classic hard bop greats such as Horace Silver, Lee Morgan and Art Blakey, they begin to evolve their modern soul jazz slant to combine solid grooves and catchy horn lines with a collaborative and comprehensive sound, fusing soul, jazz, hip hop, soundtrack and groove into a masterful union that leaves audiences mesmerised. The result is an enthrallingly unique sound that is as danceable as it is listenable.
The group's brainchild, pianist and composer George Cooper, has lent his ample skill to a range of artists as varied as Hans Zimmer, Nigel Kennedy, U2, Omar, Slum Village, MF Doom, The Brand New Heavies, Lisa Stansfield, Wet Wet Wet, The Haggis Horns, Brother Strut, Craig Charles, Chip Wickham and Abstract Orchestra.
Featuring some of the UK's finest players the line up is Jake McMurchie (tenor sax), Nick Malcolm (trumpet), Ian Matthews (drums), Will Harris (bass) and George Cooper (piano/keyboards).
Press
“A class act”
The Guardian
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“Absolutely storming!”
Jamie Cullum
“Crackles with energy and glistens with skill”
The Observer
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"Unstoppable!"
TSF Jazz Radio FRANCE
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“This stuff burns!”
Camden New Journal
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“Terrific album... A total joy”
Funk City USA
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“Bursting with energy, catchy arrangements,
fine soloing and superb horn section work... A great endeavour”
UK Jazz News
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“Brilliant”
Enlace Funk SPAIN
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“Flawless”
Possible Musics FRANCE
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“Original, exciting and exacting...”
Jazz Journal UK
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“A happy, loving and incredibly rich musical experience”
Jazz Ma - HUNGARY
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“Some of the best jazz that's being made in the whole of Europe... Remarkable”
DistritoJazz SPAIN
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“A perfect and rewarding gateway to jazz”
Islington Tribune UK
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“This one struts!”
Soul & Jazz & Funk UK
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“Modern-day dance floor jazz at it's finest”
Beat Caffeine USA
“Wonderfully put together”
Craig Charles
“The most exciting British jazz group out there right now”
Music Republic Magazine UK
“Gutsy, fantastic music”
Dennis Rollins MBE
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“Outstanding... highly recommended”
Beat Caffeine USA
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“The energy deployed by this quintet is simply phenomenal - don't miss it!”
Litzic Magazine FRANCE
“The Jazz Defenders rise with King Phoenix - deserves a place in your ears!”
Funkcity USA
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"True, great music of today. Music for everyone - explosive and intriguing"
Spettakolo ITALY
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"Delicious and magnificent!"
Slow Show FRANCE
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"Magical, with that hint of nostalgia"
Paris Move FRANCE
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"The warlords of Bristol's soul jazz"
Mallorca Music Magazine SPAIN
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"A top band that can easily compete with the albums of many jazz greats"
Musik Reviews GERMANY
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"An exceptional and stylish outfit"
Blues and Soul Magazine UK
“Amazing… every track a winner!”
Snowboy
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“If you dig Horace Silver and Cannonball Adderley, you’ll be thrilled to discover this group"
Musoscribe USA
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"One of the best things about this band is its friendly lack of prejudice and eclectic musical openness"
Distrito Jazz SPAIN
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"Hard-hitting, pulsating Bop!"
Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here UK
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“Impeccable execution!”
Rockerilla ITALY
“Pure Class”
45 Live UK
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"An amazing album full of original hard bop jazz in the spirit of 60s soul-jazz Blue Note era"
Oonops - Brooklyn Radio USA
"One of the best new jazz albums I've heard in a very long time - blown away!"
Jazzcotech UK
“Ticks all the boxes!”
Soul & Jazz & Funk UK
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"Some of the best musicians in Britain"
Fano24 ITALY
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"Excellent album"
Jazz Fun GERMANY
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Reviews
2024 reviews updated soon...
Music Republic UK - King Phoenix 2022
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Litzic Magazine FRANCE - King Phoenix 2022
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Jazz Journal UK - King Phoenix 2022
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Paris Move FRANCE - King Phoenix 2022
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Slow Show FRANCE - King Phoenix 2022
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Beat Caffeine USA - King Phoenix 2022
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Distrito Jazz SPAIN - King Phoenix 2022
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Spettakolo ITALY - King Phoenix 2022
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FIP National Radio FRANCE - King Phoenix 2022
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BeBop Spoken Here UK - King Phoenix 2022
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Blues and Soul Magazine UK - King Phoenix 2022
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Music Letter ITALY - King Phoenix 2022
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Funk City USA - King Phoenix 2022
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Soultrain Online GERMANY - King Phoenix 2022
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Everything Is Noise UK - Perfectly Imperfect 2022
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Mallorca Music - Perfectly Imperfect 2022
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Beat Caffeine USA - The Big Man 2021
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Nostalgia King USA - The Big Man 2021
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Music Letter ITALY - Live Slow 2021
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Nostalgia King USA - Live Slow 2021
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Mas Jazz Digital SPAIN - Scheming 2021
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Souljazzandfunk UK - Scheming 2020
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FIP National Radio FRANCE - Scheming 2020
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Sentireascoltare ITALY - Scheming 2020
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Roots Time NETHERLANDS - Scheming 2020
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Soultrain Online GERMANY - Scheming 2020
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Musik Reviews GERMANY - Scheming 2020
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Musoscribe USA - Scheming 2019
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Nostalgia King USA - Scheming 2019
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Jazz Fun GERMANY - Scheming 2019
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Contact
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Management/Bookings:
peter@peterconwaymanagement.com
Tel: +44(0)20 8378 1012
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Record Label: ben@haggisrecords.com
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Publishing/Sync: leon.calveley@sentricmusic.com
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Direct: george@thejazzdefenders.com
©2024 The Jazz Defenders