SIMON ATKINSON & The Ben Marcato Trio - OFFICIAL WEBSITE

As  a  Jazz  vocalist for over  25 years, Simon Atkinson has drawn inspiration from the  music of  the  great ‘Crooners’, Tony Bennett,  Frank Sinatra,  Mel Torme,

Nat ‘King’ Cole  and  Harry Connick Jnr.  He  has  performed his own interpretations of the classic ‘Great American Songbook’ songs over that time in a wide variety of venues and countries and in recent times has written and recorded his own music with Songwriting partner Allan Baillie.

Simon   began    his Jazz singing career with  the  West of England based ‘Richard G.Harpers Blue Jazz’,  a  popular  6-piece Mainstream, Swing and Blues band  formed  by  the  late  Edward Piper, the extraordinary Jazz pianist,  Artist and

Photographer.  The  Band  performed  regularly  throughout  the UK with occasional excursions to the Continent in the guise of ‘Blue Jazz’s’ alter-ego ‘The Bond Street

Band.   In  the  late  1980’s  Simon  also  appeared  with  the  French-Jazz  inspired ‘Hot Strings’  based in Bath,  England, and a regular attraction at Southern English venues and events including Devon’s popular Lynton Jazz Festival.

Following a  7 year period living and performing in Australia In 2003 Simon returned to  the  UK  and  found new  success with individual performances at various events such as  his appearance in France at the  Forges-les-aux Casino  in 2004, but most significantly with The superb veteran pianist and musical arranger Allan Baillie and his band ‘The Ben Marcato Trio’.

Allan Baillie  has  performed  for  over  4 decades with an enormous range of the very best Scottish Jazz  Musicians.  He developed and performed with his own 12-piece Jazz Orchestra in the 1980’s  and  with his legendary ‘Al Baillie Trio’  during  the 1990’s.

He  has  recorded  for  the  BBC and is well known throughout Western Scotland for his  solo  piano  work  as  well  as  his Performances, Songwriting and  Arrangements for The Ben Marcato Trio.

Allan  jokes  that  “Simon pulled me out of retirement!” But both Atkinson and Baillie freely admit that their collaboration is the most rewarding of their careers.

 SCOTT MACKAY

The  Trio  has the services of two superb Jazz & swing drummers, firstly  BBC Young Jazz musician of The Year finalist 2008:  Scott Mackay,  21 years old from Ayrshire   in   Scotland  who  performs  alongside  his  studies  for  a  BA  in  Applied Music  at  Strathclyde University. He has already appeared  with numerous acts and musicians  around Britain and toured with  groups in Canada,  USA,  Australia , NZ, Europe and Kuwait.

He most recently performed on the 'Celtic Connections'  series of Concerts in Glasgow.

Bert Craig is a veteran in the field of Swing/Jazz drumming. In his long career he has worked with numerous bands and performed almost every conceivable type of music including Blues,Scottish dance music, Country Western....Country Rock and of course Jazz & Swing. He has performed and recorded with a wide variety of  Jazz bands ranging from a trio to a 17 piece big band to an 8 piece Trad outfit and has been a regular on the Scottish club scene, playing for dancing and backing cabaret.

For the past 10 years Bert has organised a successful Jazz club in The Plough Hotel in Stenhousemuir in Scotland and is the driving force behind the popular annual Jazz and Blues Festival at the same venue.

 DOUG GALBRAITH:

The Trio’s also alternates between two Bass players, The youngest of these is the bands original Bassist as featured on the Fly Me To The Moon album :  Doug Galbraith, a musician  with  numerous  prestigious  venues  under his belt  including Orchestral duties on shows such as Chess, Annie and recently Witches.

Iain’s musical career started at the age of four, playing a toy accordion. His accordion playing led him to win the under 18 Scottish championships at the age of 14 and a teaching diploma ABCA.TD at 17. He took up double bass at secondary school, and soon after a bass guitar arrived. He was playing in clubs at 16, and has since played with a acts ranging from Tony Christie to a Scottish dance band on STV. Iain played at the Glasgow Plaza with Manny Ferrie and also with Glasgow soul band “Havana”, Scottish singing legend “Christian” and many more. He now performs regularly with big band Brass Impact  and with The Ben Marcato Trio.

Inspired by the work of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Alan bought his first harmonica at the age of 17. Later Alan joined singer/songwriter Helena  to form the popular band Prism which performed on numerous recordings, Radio, TV, and a Red Wedge tour supporting Billy Bragg.  Alan went on to perform with various bands : Anthill Mob Blues Band, Hard Road Blues Band, Bottle Road Blues and good time blues band Redhouse which spawned the 2001 CD “Burning Down The House”.

By 2000 Al became a regular guest with the bands fronted by Ann Duggan and Mick Ridgway( widely regarded as the finest roots singers in the UK)  In late 2002 Al was invited to join guitar legend Bob Dayfield in forming Alternative Medicine .The band released the CD “Still Life” in 2006 and still play the occasional gig together today.

In 2005 Alan teamed up again with Simon Atkinson (Simon & Alan having performed together in the 1970’s) renewing their old friendship and guesting with him and The Ben Marcato Trio. This reunion resulted in a performance on their “Fly Me To The Moon” CD and an appearance with the band at Glastonbury 2008, one of the highlights of a long musical career.

2009 finds Alan in the finest musical shape. Now a ( bass playing ) member of the Ann Duggan Band, with festival, university and top music venue dates to play, regular guest sessions with Simon Atkinson & TBMT. He also is a founder member of  Bob Dayfield’s Blueswamp Southern, contributing Vocals Harp and  Percussion to a lively band with a fantastic following. Alan can see the irony of becoming ever more popular as he gets older, his hero Chicago Blues Harp player Snooky Prior produced his finest work in his early 70’s !.