The Low Riders are a no-nonsense funk and soul band who guarantee to keep your dance floor hot throughout the night. In a deliberate move away from the smoother, staid nature of other such function bands, guitarist James Hannay has assembled a troop of high-class, vibrant young musicians whose sounds have taken them up and down the UK and across Europe. Notching up over 75 gigs in the 2 ½ years since formation.
And what sounds they are. Typified by the raw funk of James Brown, the horn-heavy punch and swing of the Stax label and the melodic dancefloor magic of Motown. The set is rounded off with rock’n’roll favourites and a fillet of the modern era’s finest party tunes. Their tightly wound rhythm section are complemented perfectly by London’s finest horn section last seen on world tour with Lily Allen and Mark Ronson. Sounds good on paper? Have a listen to the mp3’s and judge for yourself.
vocals
Aaron started singing the moment he could talk, with a love and appreciation of soul music developing in his teens. To hone his technique, he enrolled on a popular music performance degree at Vocaltech in London. With a soundtrack of Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Prince and the like constantly in his head, Aaron has fronted a number of covers bands whilst also writing his own material, working in studios and teaching both singing and the piano.
Recently his versatility has led to a demand from London based hip-hop and soul producers for piano and vocal sessions.
lead guitar / backing vocals
James has been playing guitar since the age of 13. He’s been in bands since 16, covers and originals, that have taken him across Europe and the UK.
When he is not playing sessions with producers such as The Boilerhouse Boys (Gabriel, Texas, A Tribe Called Quest) he is teaching the guitar privately in London. He put The Low Riders together on the basis of his passion for classic West-Coast funk and the peerless soul of the Stax and Motown record labels.
bass guitar
Conrad is a busy London bass player completing his degree in Popular Music Performance at The Institute. His professional approach and understanding of providing a solid “groove” are some of the reasons for his increasing demand for studio and live work.
Conrad is also busy with other projects including the soulful “Laura and the Tears” who have just been added onto the Radio 2 playlist.
When Conrad is not gigging he also works as a private bass guitar tutor.
keyboards / rhythm guitar / backing vocals
Dan grew up in Moscow and London, and graduated from Westminster University with a degree in Commercial Music. Since then he has worked as a performer, writer and session musician, and has been lucky enough to play in London venues such as the Palladium, Millenium Dome, Ronnie Scott's and China White, as well as New York's Bitter End and Cutting Room.
Dan has worked with artists such as Blue, Alice Martineau and All Stars. Dan's main influences include Prince, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Dr John and Tower of Power.
He lives in Hampstead and loves Jaffa cakes.
lead guitar / backing vocals
Chris started playing the drums at the relatively late age of 16 but progressed quickly passing all performance exams within his first 2 years. He then graduated from the London College of Music with a BMus (Hons) in Music Performance.
Since then Chris has been gigging worldwide and across the UK with various acts such as Andy Hobson (The Pretenders), Melvin Duffy (Robbie Williams, Paul Young, Tina Turner, David Gilmour) and the international Latin show Yes!!! Brazil. His musical preference lies within jazz but he grew up with a healthy diet of rock, funk and electronica.
trumpet
Jack began to play the cornet aged 7 and moved onto the trumpet by secondary school. He quicky got involved with various jazz orchestras which culminated in Radio 2’s Most Promising Musician award for 2004. He went on to study at Trinity College of Music where he also began playing for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Since then he as got involved in top-level horn section work including two world tours with Lily Allen (playing at venues such as Glastonbury, Albert Hall, Wembley Stadium).
He is currently recording sessions and performing for gospel and other pop artists, function bands and orchestras.
saxophone
Nik started playing the clarinet at the age of 8 and moved onto the saxophone at the age of 12. He attended the Junior Jazz course for a year at the Royal Academy of Music. At the age of 16 he guested with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and, after continued rehearsals, obtained a place on tenor sax. At this point, Nik had moved down to London, to take up a course in Jazz at Trinity College of Music in Greenwich.
Along with Jack Birchwood, the trumpeter, Nik has recently completed two world tours with British Pop Artist Lily Allen, playing at some of the top international venues and festivals such as Glastonbury main stage, Albert Hall and Wembley Stadium. Nik is currently based in London, where he is working with various pop, gospel and indie artists.
trombone and vocals
Ellie has been singing and playing trombone since the age of 9. She is currently in her 4th year at Trinity College of Music where she has played and experienced work with such players as Dennis Rollins, Kevin Holborough, Mark Bassey, and Malcolm Earle Smith.
She has recently finished a tour of Europe with Michael Bolton and performed on the live dvd filmed at the Albert Hall.
trumpet
Mark has been playing the trumpet for 14 years and can be heard on many records such as Plan B's Defamation of Strickland Banks, 4Hero's Play With The Changes, Laura Izibor's Shine and Terri Walker's I Am.
As well as being involved in pop work, Mark is an established jazz artist. His first album with his group Rhythmica has just come out and he is a regular in Courtney Pine's Jazz Warriors.
Mark has recently graduated from Trinity College of Music and is very busy doing educational projects.
guitar
Billy studied music for a year at Newcastle University before being offered a scholarship to start in the second year of jazz studies at Middlesex University in London. Since leaving Middlesex, with the highest mark for performance in his year, he has worked with artists such as Marcella Detroit, Sandra Bernhard, 2010 MOBO nominee Natalie Williams, Lea DeLaria, Gilad Atzmon, Jason Yarde, Seb Rochford. He is also in demand as a recording artist, with Sarah Gillespie and Sara Schiralli.
"Billy Adamson is an upcoming original guitarist, an organic, authentic talent and a dream of a musician" -
trumpet
Mark Perry is a 23 year old London based Trumpet player who has graduated from Trinity College of Music. Whilst studying at Trinity Mark won the Gladys Puttick Competition for free improvisation and more recently the 2009 Yamaha Classic/FM Jazzwise Scholarship Award. He has toured with various bands to New York, Spain, Japan, Romani, Germany, Vienna jazz festival and Brecon jazz festival where he recorded 3 tracks for BBC Radio Wales. More Commercial gigs include appearing on BBC Children in need in 2008 with X Factor winner Leon Jackson, and also on his 2008 music video “Creative”. Other groups Mark plays with include:
Ola Onabule, Chris Manning, TWJO (Tomorrow’s Warrior Jazz Orchestra), NYJO (National Youth Jazz Orchestra) and the Mark Perry Sextet and has performed at venues such as Ronnie Scotts, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Pizza Express, The 606 jazz club, The Vortex and the Royal Albert Hall.
percussion / drums
Graham Godfrey has been playing drums for as long as he can remember. He graduated from Drumtech in 2005 with the highest mark in his year and is now considered one of the finest session players around.
He has played with Miss Dynamite (Mercury Music Prize winner), Speech Debelle (Mercury music prize winner), Gabrielle and Jose James. He is currently playing with Soweto Kinch (MOBO, Mercury Music Prize) and tutoring at his old college, the Drumtech.