Jazz at the Apartment (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Jazz at the Apartment

ALREADY an accomplished saxophonist and organ player, Ruth Hammond has formed the Ruth Hammond Trio with her husband Scott and Valere Speranza because of her love for the piano trio setting.

The Trio will be playing in The Apartment in Swindon's Havelock Square on Wednesday, August 27 at 8pm.

Ruth was brought up in nearby Wootton Bassett and her very first taste of jazz was hearing her parents' Oscar Peterson records which she still loves, and she has also been inspired by many other great pianists of our time.

Her warm and engaging vocals add scope to this trio setting, whether she is performing a standard from the classic jazz repertoire or singing contemporary songs.

Ruth and her husband Scott both studied at Leeds College of Music where they gained a BA in Jazz Studies.

After leaving college, Ruth was placed second in the national competition for Young Jazz Player of the Year 1998 and played a week long residency at Ronnie Scott's in London.

She has been a member of The National Youth Jazz Orchestra and has appeared on the BBC's Later - with Jools Holland, and on Radio 4's Woman's Hour as a representative of up and coming female musicians.

Scott, the trio's drummer, has worked with many fine jazz musicians including Alan Barnes, Bobby Wellins, Herb Geller, Dave O'Higgins, Ian Ballamy and Trudy Kerr.

The third member of the trio is double bassist Valere Speranza who recently moved from his native France to England.

He has studied with Enrico Fazio, one of Italy's finest jazz bassists and he cites Ray Brown and Christian McBride as his greatest influences.

Admission to the concert is free. Telephone 01793 490202 for further information.