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The Gin Mill Genies
The passion and spirit of Bessie Smith in the 21st century “- LA times
“No one can perform this music with such authenticity as Affleck” - BBC Sounds.
Quintet - Vocal & Instrumental
Instrumentation
- Ali Affleck - Vocal/ percussion
- Roy Percy - Bass
- Colin steele - Trumpet
- Enrico Tomasso - Trumpet
- Katie Cavera - Banjo/ guitar
- Ross Milligan - Banjo/ guitar
- Martin Foster - Reeds
- Dick Lee - Reeds
- Matt Meyer - Piano
- Joplin Parnell - Piano
- Lorenzo Cortez - Guitar
- Lucas Montagnier - Guitar
- Remi Fayed - Reeds
- Antoine Bonvoisin - Bass
- Ophelié luminati - Drums
- Stu Brown - Drums
- Paul Harrison - Piano
Repertoire
We cover music From the1890s to 1940s with a few very early tunes from1850s.
Happy to chat about the band line up/ repertoire ahead of time - but from a 300+ vocal repertoire and similar amount of instrumentals you’ll hear a hot mix of the familiar alongside more obscure gems.
We perform works associated with:
Jelly Roll Morton, The Harlem hamfats, Benny Goodman, Bessie Smith, Fats Waller, Ethel Waters, Victoria Spivey, Lucille Hegamin, Alberta Hunter, Billie holiday, Maxine Sullivan, Ma Rainey, Mildred Bailey, Annette Hanshaw, Louis Armstrong.
We greatly enjoy dipping into the great American songbook via Hoagy Carmichael, Cole Porter, Ralph Rainger and Irving Berlin
Biography
An international Collective - Ali’s Gin Mill genies was created in response to the lack of solid players of early jazz, Blues, Americana in Scotland
As an ex-pat American, award winning Ali travels around the world working with the most important figures in this exciting vibrant music.
She is also an early jazz and blues historian and currently also writing a book on the pioneering vocalists… she is widely known for her fun stage chat as well as her virtuoso and authentic old time vocal style.
Ali has been invited to perform at all the top festivals and swing dance festivals including: Ascona jazz fest, French Quarter fest ( New Orleans) Copenhagen jazz fest, Osaka Swing , jeujeu festival ( South Korea) Beantown camp and this year she debuts at the famous Ronnie Scotts in London.
Ali holds a bimonthly residency at Edinburgh’s jazz bar as well as several venues in Paris and London where she performs several times a year.
Her collective performs on several Scottish tours a year and always combines beloved local musicians such as Roy Percy and colin steele….with guest luminaries such as Enrico tomasso, Andy Schuum, joplin Parnell, Martin Litton, Ewan Bleach, Matthieu Meyer, Lorenzo Cortez, joëy Santoni, Lucas Montagnier.
Once a year Ali’s ‘Traveling Janes’ come to Scotland from the USA and Asia - this line up includes Katie cavera, Amanda Lee, Susanne Ortner, Sarah Spencer, Ophelié Luminati… a rare all female old time jazz band!
Ali is a regular collaborator with star pianist NYC Gordon’Webster as well as Japan based bands lead by Asian Golden Quartet and Ryohei Kishimoto
You may not have heard of some of this new young wave of musicians yet, but rest assured these bands are hugely celebrated across the world in the early jazz , blues and Americana scenes.
Ali earned five star reviews for her 2022 Edinburgh Fringe shows
“Ali is a hard working entrepreneur who is really making exciting music happen all over the scene - Scotland is blessed to have her, yet the whole country still seems unaware of her outstanding contributions…No one else in Scotland is reaching out and creating music this way - she is clique busting and the scene will be all the better for it”- TSF Jazz
“Bloody marvellous “- Bill Bailey ( comedian)
“Masterclass in grassroots jazz and blues” - Edinburgh 49
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