James Sherlock (James Sherlock Trio)

In 1995 Sherlock formed the James Sherlock Trio, a musical structure he believed best expressed the guitar and what his music has to say. Featuring Howard Cairns, one of this country's most sought after bass players, Andy Fitzgibbon, the popular hard swinging jazz, funk and blues drummer and
Tony Floyd his skills on the drum kit and percussion making him a valuable member of the Trio.  The result is spectacular! 10 strings, drums and three musical minds. It's all here: harmony, melody and rhythm, everyone playing their vital role.

James Sherlock is one of Melbourne’s most captivating  and exciting jazz guitarists. In February 1999 Sherlock, together with acclaimed bassist Howard Cairns and drummers Andy Fitzgibbon and Tony Floyd, releases his greatly anticipated debut CD, ‘JAMES SHERLOCK TRIO’ on the Jazzhead label.

Sherlock’s love of guitar has spanned most of his life. He began playing classical guitar at age seven and in 1992 graduated in instrumental performance from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music after studying under classical guitar great, Julian Byzantine.

In 1993 Sherlock relocated to Melbourne and began playing jazz with some of the finest musicians in town including Allan Browne and Ian Chaplin. Sherlock also lent his performance and recording talents to artists as diverse as Joe Camilleri, The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and New York film composer, Howard Shore.

Sherlock won the prestigious ‘Ike Isaacs International Jazz Guitar Award’ in 1997 and also performed with British guitar virtuoso, Martin Taylor.

In 1995 Sherlock formed the James Sherlock Trio, a musical structure he believed best expressed the guitar and what his music has to say. The trio began recording their album with Jim McLeod’s Jazztrack in 1997 and completed work on the disc at Melbourne’s Woodstock Studio with Joe Camilleri in April 98.

The result is spectacular! 10 strings, drums and three musical minds. It’s all here: harmony, melody and rhythm, everyone playing their vital role. Yet for all it’s difficulty in creation, this is not difficult listening. Listen to it closely, listen to it any way you like. Enjoy the James Sherlock Trio.

Reviews

“Sherlock's highly developed rhythmic and melodic sense gives the material bite and lifts it
out of the predictable”
Peter Jordan - Rolling Stone Magazine, July 1999

“Guitarist James Sherlock's flying fingers and magnificent musicality have been turning heads in Melbourne for so long that listening to his debut album comes across as a distinctly overdue pleasure.”
Kenny Weir - Sunday Herald Sun, Jan 1999

“He articulates a thrilling and restlessly inventive jazz vision.  His improvisations have a confident, glowing touch and the empathic band work is often thrilling. Hot. Very hot.”
Drum Media - Australia, March 1999

The Trio Members:

Howard Cairns is one of this country’s most sought after bass players. Cairns plays with a with a wide range of Australian jazz outfits from traditional bands like The Red Onions to modern groups such as the Allan Browne Quartet, as well as many touring international acts. Howard Cairns also proves himself to be a fine composer on ‘JAMES SHERLOCK TRIO’, and is currently leading his own enselmble, the "Howard Cairns Quintet."
 
Andy Fitzgibbon’s hard swinging style makes him one of our most popular jazz, funk and blues drummers. Fitzgibbon’s jazz performance credits include US singer, Mark Murphy, New York saxophonist, John Stubblefield and Dale Barlow.

Tony Floyd was playing drums professionally by the time he was fifteen. Floyd had played and recorded with The Jextet, Eartha Kitt and Vince Jones before graduating from the Bachelor of Music Education at Melbourne University in 1990. Floyd together with his band Things Of Stone And Wood, won the ARIA for Best Debut Album in 1993 and collected gold sales for the disc. Floyd also plays regularly with The Black Sorrows and Men At Work. His skills on the drum kit and percussion make him a valuable member of the James Sherlock Trio.

For more information about James Sherlock and releases, click here to go to the artist page