The Bedford Arms, Bromham Road, Bedford

This week the Bedford Arms is excited to feature Alto Saxophonist Nathaniel Facey. 

Nathaniel  is best known for his work with the award winning band Empirical, a group of brilliant young jazz musicians who combine a thoroughly contemporary approach with a deep seated love of the jazz tradition. With Empirical Nathaniel has won many awards including The EBU Jazz competition winners, Parliamentary Jazz award winners 2009 & Best Jazz act nominee's MOBO awards 2010. They continue to record & perform around the UK and recently had a week's Pop Up residency in London's Old Street Tube Station.

Born in London to Jamaican parents Nathaniel first picked up the Bb Clarinet at the age of 13 then and a year later moved onto the Alto Saxophone where he soon showed an interest and aptitude for Improvisation. Nathaniel was featured on lead Alto in the School Concert & Dance Bands and was soon playing in smaller Jazz ensembles. 

It was around this time when he struck up a musical partnership with Drummer  Shaney Forbes. Their relationship developed as they set up and organised regular gigs in London at The Jazz Cafe, The Spice of Life & Charlie Wright's. They are still playing together to this day in Empirical.   

A former student at the Royal Academy of Music Nathaniel has played and recorded with an impressive array of musicians including Courtney Pine, Billy Jenkins and The Jazz Jamaica All Stars, Gary Crosby's Tomorrow's Warriors, Tim Garland, Gwilym Simcock, Denys Baptiste, Deli Sosimi & Jason Moran (US) and the Legendary US Drummer Jack Dejohnette to name a few.

He is a BBC jazz awards rising star nominee, Worshipful company award nominee and Take V Alumni. Nathaniel's performed all across the UK and Europe in venues such as Ronnie Scott's, 606 Jazz Club, The Royal Festival Hall, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland.

Tonight he will lead a quartet at The Bedford Arms featuring some top Jazz musicians from London. 

Music starts at 8.30pm, with suggested contributions of £5 per person to ensure the musicians get a fair fee for their performance.

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