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Identity
Steve Banks released his critically acclaimed debut album, Emboldened, in 2023 on Stoney Lane Records followed by a UK tour. Emboldened presents a compelling, distinctive, and personal sound, immediately recognisable as the guitarist and composer’s own work.
Powerful modern jazz, deep contemporary grooves, lush harmonies, and memorable melodies amongst expressive, rich, and dynamic improvisation from a quintet comprising celebrated UK musicians and bandleaders.
Steve Banks Quintet:
Steve Banks – guitar
Sam Crockatt – saxophone
Rebecca Nash – piano
Henrik Jensen – bass
Mark Whitlam – drums
Current projects include performances of a collaboration with Jonathan Silk to arrange the ‘Emboldened’ album alongside other compositions of Banks’ for jazz orchestra with choir.
Steve’s captivating style and versatility have kept him much in demand for many successful music projects, most notably playing electric, acoustic, baritone and nylon string guitars on Sara Colman’s albums ‘What We’re Made Of’ and ‘Ink On A Pin’, with credits as composer, co-composer and arranger. Both albums feature jazz sextet with string quartet and received high UK/US critical acclaim including Jazzwise Magazine’s ‘Top 10 albums of 2018’, ‘Best of Jazz on Bandcamp’ and 5 stars by UK Vibe.
Further projects include Greg Cordez Band (Ropeadope) and The Colman Brothers (Wah-Wah 45s), amongst others.
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“All the compositions are heartfelt and honest, as are the performances. A chronicle of hard-won optimism and hope. An elegant response to troubled times” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jazz album of the month
- BBC Music Magazine
“Banks conveys an authenticity that brings a fresh voice to the world of jazz. An invigorating listening experience with clearly defined energy and character, there is a delight in its originality” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- UK Vibe
“Emboldened is a truly distinctive and personal work that should leave you captivated from start to finish. Listening to these tunes feels like you’re experiencing the view of a breath-taking natural wonder; it makes you feel smaller as your world expands” 9/10
- Blues and Soul Magazine
“Purposeful precision and smart invention . . .tightly written, long unfolding melodic structures weaving the musicians into braided soundscapes . . . deserving of a much wider audience”
- Jazzwise
“An excellent debut recording. Banks has developed a strong individual voice as an intelligent composer and distinctive guitar stylist. He plays with a controlled intensity; fluent, joyous and, at times, stratospheric” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- The Jazz Mann
“Here’s a UK guitarist you might want to give a second and third listen to. Steve Banks is at his most panoramic and soaring with a tone and style caught somewhere between Steve Hackett’s fusion and Pat Metheny’s wondrousness”
- Jazz Weekly (US)
“This is guitarist Banks’ debut as leader and he rises to the occasion. With a distinct and authentically, fresh sounding voice, there is a wonderful synergy between the players. As they gracefully dance through the suite that gives the album its title, the overall highlight is the wonderful communication at play between this sharp British quintet”
- Presto Music
“I have been very fortunate to be asked to review many debut albums but ‘Emboldened’ really does stand out in terms of composition and musicianship. An excellent album that simply reinforces just how good this ensemble is”
- Simply Jazz Talk
“Emboldened presents a collectively strong, driving performance. Banks’ quintet totally complementing his highly lyrical approach”
- Jazz Journal
