Gary Crosby Quintet: Speak No Evil

Born in London of Jamaican parents in 1955, and nephew of the legendary Jamaican guitarist, Ernest Ranglin, Dr Gary Crosby OBE is a towering figure in British jazz.

He has earned a reputation as one of the UK’s most respected bassists and band leaders; as well as Gary Crosby’s Nu Troop, he founded Jazz Jamaica, and is Artistic Director of Nu Civilisation Orchestra.

As Co-Founder of Tomorrow’s Warriors, he has nurtured the early careers of hundreds of aspiring young jazz artists, including 2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective, Nubya Garcia, Soweto Kinch, Denys Baptiste, Moses Boyd, Shabaka Hutchings, ESKA and many more. His awards include an OBE for Services to Music, he was the first Black musician and first jazz musician to receive The Queen’s Medal for Music 2018, and 2021, Crosby was awarded an honorary doctorate, Doctor of Music honoris causa, by the University of London Institute in Paris.

Speak No Evil charts Wayne Shorter’s musical journey through his time with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, his iconic solo albums, working with Miles Davis and into the fusion sound of Weather Report, this is a celebration of the music and influence of one of the finest jazz improvisers of all time.

“You cannot over-state the impact that Wayne Shorter made. He was the greatest improviser, bringing incredible tonality and sensitivity, and he knew perfectly when to step back and leave space. His playing helped define some of the most outstanding jazz recordings over the last fifty or sixty years… if you wanted a sax player, you wanted Shorter!” Gary Crosby.