GARY BRUNTON – double bass, compositions
From English roots to the masters of jazz
Born in 1968 in Burnley, England, Gary Brunton grew up in a world steeped in jazz thanks to his musician father. He discovered the bass at the age of fifteen and then taught himself to play the double bass. In 1986, his studies in Wales broadened his musical horizons and prompted him to move to Paris in 1988 to study at the CIM. There he met the pianist Bojan Z and settled permanently in France. Eager to hone his craft, he studied classical double bass and trained under the instrument’s greatest masters, notably Ray Brown, Dave Holland and Henri Texier.
The emergence of a recognised composer
From the 1990s onwards, Gary Brunton collaborated with leading figures such as Michel Grailler and Stan Getz. He began composing towards the end of the decade and achieved recognition in 2002 with the album *French Cricket*, which was nominated for a Victoires du Jazz award and warmly praised by Steve Swallow. Later, he accompanied the American singer Sheila Jordan, co-founded the Pee Bee big band in 2007, and led several international tours in Asia and Egypt.
A creative and intergenerational explosion
In 2019, he founded the trio Night Bus with Bojan Z and Simon Goubert. The album was a hit with both the public and critics, winning a Choc Jazz Magazine award and four stars in Down Beat magazine. Since then, the double bassist has released a string of acclaimed projects on the Juste Une Trace label. After exploring his Welsh roots with *Après Trên Dydd* in 2023 and *Gwawr* in 2024, he released the Nordic-inspired album *Look North* in 2025, followed by *Spacecraft*, a resolutely modern work combining the experience of his rhythm section with the fervour of the new generation of jazz musicians.
JEREMY MANASIA – piano
At the Heart of New York Bebop
Hailing from Staten Island, Jeremy Manasia began classical piano at the age of seven before discovering a consuming passion for jazz during his high school years. To perfect his craft, he studied under tutelary figures of the instrument such as Harold Danko, the renowned pedagogue Sophia Rosoff, and the legendary Barry Harris. As a finalist in prestigious international competitions, notably the Thelonious Monk Competition and the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, he quickly established himself as a raw talent of his generation. His piano playing is firmly rooted in bebop, while seamlessly blending in deeply soulful and impressionistic tones.
A Mainstay of the Manhattan Scene
For over twenty years, Jeremy Manasia has been a major figure on the New York scene, shining alternately as a sought-after sideman, leader, and prolific composer. He has toured the world alongside giants of jazz history such as Gary Bartz, Al Foster, Jimmy Heath, Eddie Gomez, Louis Hayes, and Jimmy Cobb. A favored partner of Peter Bernstein, he has also been a key member of Javon Jackson’s group for over a decade. Leading his own ensembles, he has recorded seven albums that showcase more than forty original compositions. He can regularly be found performing on the stages of New York’s most legendary clubs, from the Village Vanguard and Smalls to Mezzrow, Smoke, and Dizzy’s.
Pedagogy, Mentorship, and Zen Philosophy
In tandem with his prolific performing career, Jeremy Manasia devotes a large part of his life to education. As a respected professor at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, he has developed a unique and deeply singular method of mentorship. In his classes, he combines the rigor of the harmonic approach inherited from his mentor Barry Harris with a philosophy of listening and the present moment, nurtured by over twenty years of dedicated Zen Buddhism practice. This holistic vision makes him an exceptional educator for the new generation of musicians.
CHARLES GOOLD – drums
From Afro-Caribbean Roots to the Heights of Hard Bop
The son of tenor saxophonist Ned Goold and a Haitian mother, Charles Goold grew up at the crossroads of rich musical traditions. It is from this dual family heritage that he draws the strength and originality of his artistic signature. By combining the rigor and energy of modern hard bop with the complexity of traditional Haitian and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, he has forged a unique and deeply organic style. This singular rhythmic blend makes him today one of the most sought-after, versatile, and active drummers of his generation on the vibrant New York scene.
Academic Excellence and International Acclaim
A brilliant graduate of the prestigious Juilliard School, Charles Goold quickly entered the most exclusive circles of global jazz. His virtuosity and sensitivity have allowed him to collaborate with the elite, performing notably alongside Wynton Marsalis and the famous Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. In 2022, he took a major step forward by releasing his debut album as a leader, titled Rhythm in Contrast. Acclaimed by international critics, including the prestigious daily The New York Times, this opus has enjoyed wide airplay on leading radio stations like TSF Jazz as well as on major streaming platforms.
Diaspora and Public Success
In June 2024, the drummer deepened his identity and musical quest with the release of his second album, Triptych Lespri. Surrounded by an ensemble of talented musicians from the New York Haitian diaspora, he offers a fascinating and soulful immersion into Creole culture. The project met with immense public and critical success, driven notably by a hypnotic and modernized rendition of the classic “Caravan,” which has already surpassed 500,000 streams worldwide. Through this masterful alliance of tradition and modernity, Charles Goold establishes himself as an essential cultural bridge-builder in contemporary jazz.
Photographs Mariana Meraz