MEET THE BAND

Ashwin Bhatt

Ashwin, leader of the Jazz Collective, was introduced to Jazz by his Father. From a young age he started playing the trumpet and straight away started playing Jazz. He started listening to famous trumpet players such as Miles Davis, Dizzie Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Arturo Sandoval and Wynton Marsarlis. Seeing the likes of Pat Metheny, Snarky Puppy, Herbie Hancock, Santana and many others, he loves going to live gigs. He currently plays lead trumpet in the UEA Music Society Big Band and has played in School, County and National Big Bands, as well as studying Pharmacy at UEA.

Lydia Lockyer

Lydia is one of the original members when the Jazz Collective was founded in 2014. Originally from Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, she has played in the West Suffolk Youth Big Band and plays Alto Sax in Jazz Collective. Additionally, she enjoys singing with the Jazz Collective. As well as playing with us, she plays in the UEA Big Band playing lead Alto Desk. Currently studying at UEA, she was part of the Music Scholars Scheme to promote Music at UEA. Watch out for her solos and vocal numbers in our sets.

Larissa Miller

Larissa joined the Jazz Collective in 2015, being a first year, she came along to the first rehearsal of that year and it was obvious she loved playing. Before coming to UEA she used to play in lots of ensembles and bands as well as performing at some quite big music events such as Bestival and Notting hill carnival. Larissa also used to attend a Saturday music school which has given her lots of experience within performance and the theory side of it. She has loved playing in all the gigs with Jazz Collective at UEA and her confidence is improving more and more each time she plays. Listening to Jazz artists and the continuing of support from the other members of Jazz Collective, watch out for her solos. In Larissa's own words, "I am really looking forward to the years to come and continuing to play with such a great band."

Harry Bransby

Harry is an Environmental Science student originally from Tunbridge Wells in Kent. He started playing Alto Saxophone when he turned 8 but has since turned to Tenor and played mostly in school jazz and concert bands. He also started his own saxophone quintet aptly named 'The Bransby Five.' He was first inspired to start playing after seeing Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Band live but he have also enjoyed listening to a variety of jazz music both old and new: from early Stevie Wonder and Miles Davis to more recently Mark Ronson's new funk album. Watch out for Harry with a great tenor sound, it will be hard to miss his great solos!

Kiesha Rice

Keisha plays Tenor Sax in the Jazz Collective and joined in 2015. Also coming from the Norfolk scene she has played with her band "Ink Pot" throughout various gig venues in Norwich. Studying Molecular Biology and Genetics in her spare time, she loves going to local Norwich Jazz Jam nights. Kiesha has a wealth of experience from playing in profesional Big Bands and also playing in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Mathew Williams

Mat plays the Baritone Saxophone in the UEA Jazz Collective in addition to other ensembles in the UEA Music Society. All of which he has shown a deep commitment to the running of and the music society as a whole, all alongside completing a PhD in Quantum Electrodynamical theory at UEA. He is happiest when performing a diverse collection of musical styles of all eras and instrumentations. Developing the tone of each individual instrument is a particular emphasis for him, alongside honing his overarching technique; more recently this has extended to the fundamentals of improvisation, drawing inspiration from historic soloists such as Harry Carney.

Georgia Stelling

Georgia joined Jazz Collective in 2015, coming from a musical background she also sings in a her own duo band around Norfolk. While studying Biological Sciences at UEA, she listens and loves singing Amy Winehouse, Ella Fitzgerald among other great Jazz Singers.

Hayden Allen

A Business Management student from UEA, is one of the newest members of the band. Playing trumpet from the age of 8, he has played through a vast range of music genres; ranging from classical to brass band to jazz. Hayden was inspired artists such as Maynard Ferguson and Wynton Marsalis from a young age and has always been a fan of the Jazz scene. He has played in many live venues over the UK, notably the Albert Hall, and went on a Tour to the Netherlands with a Jazz Band in 2010.

Alex Sharpe

Alex joined the UEA Jazz Collective in 2016 and has played in the UEA Big Band for a couple of years. Originally from Maulden, Alex plays a lot of hockey in his spare time. He listens to a wide range of Jazz music, look out for his features in songs throughout our live sets!

Howard Winfield

Being an RAF baby and Howard moved around a lot because of his Dad but spent the most time near Oxford. Currently, studying Archaeology, Anthropology and Art History with intentions to become an academic in the future, or, failing that, an explorer. Howard has played for a couple of Jazz bands at his old school and was in a few productions. He passed Grade 8 for Trinity Guildhall and Rock School exams. Most of his playing was in the dark of my old house. His in Inspirations are Bernard Purdie's because "no one else gets so intimate with being in the pocket as him. Can't help but smile watching him play."

Matt Walker

Matt is originally from Horsham, West Sussex and started studying Economics at UEA in 2016. While initially a classical pianist, he transitioned to playing for stage shows, weddings, and function bands around his hometown. At UEA, Matt is excited to be part of both Jazz Collective and Big Band, enjoying the wide range of genres they play. His piano inspirations include Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk and Stevie Wonder, so keep your ears open for their influences in the slow jazz and the upbeat pop that the band plays

Jess Honey

Jess plays alto saxophone and sings in JC. She has played the saxophone since she was 9 and started to be interesting Jazz when she joined her school's big band aged 11. From that point she played in a saxophone quartet that reach national finals of Music For Youth and sang and played in gigs with jazz improv group in Exeter. She loves singing Ella Fitzgerald arrangement of Cole Porter songs and playing pop hooks on her saxophone.

Afonso Froez

Afonso “Fonz” Froes was born in Lisbon, Portugal and started learning bass when he was 9 because his friends wanted to start a band and someone had to play bass. He was not aware of what a bass was at this time. He was taught by Cícero Lee, one of Portugal’s best bassists, who introduced him to jazz. Drawing inspiration from jazz legends like Jaco Pastorius and Michael League, as well as progressive metal monsters, such as Adam Getgood and Danny Hauser, Fonz enjoys playing his improvised grooves over the Jazz Collective’s sets and making the crowd dance.