Projects

R h i n o c e r o s

‘rhinoceros,’ is a band blurring the lines between modern jazz, rock and electronic music. Taking influence from the likes of Kneebody, Snarky Puppy, and Chris Potter, the band’s music has a distinctive mix of high-energy grooves and anthemic melodies balanced with bold, explosive improvisations.

With the aim of bringing together a collective of individual voices, Damon is joined by the outstanding talents of Dan Smith (alto saxophone), David Swan (keyboards/synths), Wilbur Whitta (piano), Michael Redfern (guitar), Rhys Lovell (bass), and Oren McLoughlin (drums). The combination of these seven highly distinctive improvisers sees the music venture in new directions with each performance, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieve sonically within a jazz context.

Damon Oliver Quartet - Celebrating Dexter Gordon

The Damon Oliver Quartet’s latest projects takes a deep look at music of Dexter Gordon, a titan of the tenor saxophone who has been massively influential for a number of musicians; from those who would eventually go on to become his peers (like John Coltrane) and to those in the modern day finding their way in jazz.

Playing music from Dexter's albums "A Swingin' Affair," "GO", "Our Man in Paris" and "Dexter Calling," the quartet recreates a selection of his unique interpretations of traditional jazz standards alongside transcriptions of his original compositions and solos, aiming to celebrate the style and swagger he was so famous for.

Personnel: Damon Oliver - tenor saxophone, Ed Rice - piano, Jonny Wickham - double bass, Oren McLoughlin - drums

Damon’s transcriptions of Dexter’s solos and songs are available to purchase here.