About the artists...

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Samuel Eagles

Samuel Eagles is an internationally recognised saxophonist and composer of exceptional distinction, known for a refined sound, compositional depth, and a singular contemporary voice.

Trained at the Royal Academy of Music’s Junior Jazz programme and Trinity College of Music, and mentored by Grammy-winning saxophonist Jean Toussaint, he has built a critically acclaimed catalogue including Next Beginning and the Whirlwind Recordings release SPIRIT. Eagles has appeared at the world’s leading jazz venues and festivals, including Ronnie Scott’s, Southbank Centre, Kings Place, and the EFG London Jazz Festival, alongside major European festivals.

Praised by The Guardian for his “deftly swerving post-bop inventiveness,” he is regarded as a defining voice of modern jazz on the international stage.

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Gareth Fowler

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British Guitarist, Gareth Fowler, graduated from the Manhattan School of Music in 2018 where he studied privately with Rodney Jones, John Riley and Dayna Stevens. ​

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Gareth has performed at Carnegie Hall NYC, The 55 Bar, Bar Next Door, throughout the UK, Europe, South Africa, Malaysia, Mexico and Hawaii. 

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​Some artists Gareth has performed with include, Percy Purseglove, Mike Williams, Pablo Held, Naima Acuna, Chris Potter, Julian Arguelles, Troy Miller, Andrew Bain, Alec Harper, Laura Jurd, Steven Fiefke Bigband, JK Kim, Mark Hodgson, Alex Merrit, Elliot Samson, Jeremy Price, Henry Lowther, Art Theman, Perico Sambeat. He performed on an award nominated set of works by UK Jazz saxophonist, Mike WIlliams. 

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Gareth was a recipient of the Countess of Munster Trust Recital Scheme award, also their Bursary Award, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Jazz Award and the BBC Young Musician Bursary Award. 

​Gareth taught for Distant Learning at the Manhattan School of Music, Lick Library UK, Larchmont Music Academy NYC, Services for Education UK and Painsley Academy. 

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Andy Cleyndert

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Early tours included working with bands led by saxophonists Bobby Wellins, Don Weller and Bobby Watson, and trumpeters Ted Curson and Red Rodney. He also began working with a string of visiting soloists including Bud Shank, George Coleman, Ray Bryant, John Hicks and Lee Konitz to name but a few as well as working with the cream of London based musicians including broadcasting with the Kenny Wheeler Big Band.

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Taking a couple of years out to complete a degree in Maths and Psychology Andrew returned to the jazz scene to become a member of the Ronnie Scott Sextet and Quartet with which he has toured the Caribbean, The Middle East and Europe as well as working at Ronnie Scotts Club in London itself.

The last few years has seen Andrew join the bands of the highly respected Stan Tracey with whom he has already toured Canada and China as well as performing as part of the hand over celebrations in Hong Kong. Andrew has also toured Britain and Europe with the Gene Harris Quartet and worked regularly with the singer Annie Ross. He is also a member of the Bryan Spring Trio, Alan Barnes Quartet and the Don Weller Quartet, and has also worked and recorded with Stacey Kent. He has been nominated for the British Jazz Awards every year since they started. Other tours include working with American piano players Benny Green, Junior Mance and most recently James Williams with drumming legend Ed Thigpen, New York saxophonist Jon Gordon, trumpeter Conte Candoli, and guitarists Herb Ellis and Mundel Lowe.​​

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Eric Ford

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Eric Ford is a highly versatile London-based drummer and percussionist with an expansive career spanning jazz, rock, pop, world music, orchestral works, and musical theatre. Raised in Southport, Ford began playing bebop at age 16 with local Liverpool musicians. While earning an English degree at the University of Birmingham, he studied under renowned drum teacher Malcolm Garrett and served as the drummer for the award-winning Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra (MYJO), backing legendary soloists such as Bud Shank, Bill Watrous, and Nigel Hitchcock.

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After spending four formative years performing in Paris—absorbing North/West African, Madagascan, Cuban, and Brazilian influences—Ford relocated to London in 2006. Since then, he has performed at world-famous venues ranging from Ronnie Scott's to the Royal Albert Hall, and contributed to over 50 released albums as a session player.

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His career highlights include featured performances at the China Drum Summit in Beijing alongside drum icons David Garibaldi, Steve Smith, and Mark Guiliana, as well as international festival appearances at the Vancouver and Rochester Jazz Festivals with the acclaimed jazz trio Partikel. Ford thrives across the entire musical spectrum, combining rhythmic versatility, deep groove, and high-level improvisation across genres.

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