The Gary Willcox Quartet was formed in 2007 by Gary as a way for him to develop his skills as a composer. Since then the band has worked predominantly around the London and South East area taking in venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, The 606 Club, and Jazz Café Posk, to name a few.

Gary’s compositions are in a contemporary vernacular but take on influences from popular music song forms, big bands, be­‐bop & modal jazz.

The band have their own ‘contemporary straight ahead’ sound, rooted in the tradition but with each member’s own voice on their respective instrument combining to create a fresh but recognisable palate.

As well as Gary’s own compositions the band also reinterpret works by some of the giants of modern jazz such as Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Wayne Shorter and Ornette Coleman.

The members, between them, have a wealth of experience:

Gary Willcox (drums & leader) has played around the UK with well-known artists such as Ian Shaw, Jim Mullen, Chris Batchelor and Tim Whitehead. He is a member of the Way Out West collective and via that collaborates frequently with Kate Williams, Chris Biscoe, Tim Whitehead, Pete Hurt and Emily Saunders and others. He is also a member of Loz Speyer’s Inner Space Music.

Stephen Main (alto sax) plays regularly in the BBC Big Band, The Pete Cater Big Band and has been a member of the Matt Wates Sextet for many years, in which he plays tenor sax.

Oli Hayhurst (double bass) has played in the bands of many of the UK’s best-known jazz artists, including Tim Whitehead, Georgia Mancio, Julian Seigel and more recently with the great John Coltrane collaborator Pharoah Sanders, and is well known to UK jazz fans.

Gareth Williams (piano) has been ubiquitous on the UK jazz scene since the late 1980s and over the years has played in the bands of Claire Martin, Jim Mullen, and Iain Ballamy, to name a few. He also leads his own trio that includes Laurence Cottle on bass and Ian Thomas on drums.

‘…Inspiring and in the moment playing. Love it…’ (Jerry Bergonzi)