Although relatively new to the instrument, Olie Brice already handles the double bass with the emotion of a true jazz man. He first touched the instrument five short years ago, and only moved to London last year, but he's quickly making his mark on the capital's jazz scene. His love of free jazz masters like Mingus and Workman can be heard in his improvisational approach, but he happily avoids being trapped under the weight of the genre's greats with an experimental voice all his own.
In the coming days Brice has two gigs planned with his trio featuring Ingrid Laubrock on sax and Javier Carmona on the skins. The first one takes place on the tonight in one of our favourite North London venues, Ryan's Bar in Stoke Newington, while the second is happening at The Oxford in Kentish Town on the 29th. Brice's Myspace page doesn't list a price, so we're hopeful that it's as free as his playing style. If so, you should give this man a pint and a smile for his hard work. If not, you could do far worse than to shake a few bob out of your pockets for one of London's rising double bass talents.
By Ian Harris
