Bassist - composer - writer
Hear the 5TET's new release Finders Keepers here
THE EDDIE MYER 5TET is a project I started in 2011 with Ian Price, Luke Rattenbury and Tristan Banks as a vehicle for our individual compositions and as a way to play the kind of hard-swinging, open-ended jazz we all enjoyed.
In 2012 we recorded an album, Why Worry? with the assistance of the prodigious Frank Harrison on Fender Rhodes, and played some great gigs at the Verdict in Brighton. Since Ian’s untimely death in 2014 the project has kept running and we’ve been very fortunate to have Riley Stone-Lonergan joining us on tenor sax and Mark Edwards taking to the piano chair for our second release Finders Keepers and some fun-filled festival gigs festival gigs including Love Supreme and the Brighton Alternative Jazz Festival in 2016.
Finders Keepers launched officially at Verdict Jazz in Brighton at a sellout show for The South Coast Jazz Festival.
SONNYMOON FOR THREE is a trio of diverse players who’ve come together, united by a love of the tradition, to explore the freedom that opens up within the three-way format pioneered by the great Sonny Rollins in his landmark recordings.
Firebrand young sax star RILEY STONE LONERGAN, drum legend SPIKE WELLS and local bassist and bandleader EDDIE MYER present a programme of bop, blues and ballads, rooted in melody, with material from Rollins, Parker and more. Expect top quality jazz with plenty of spontaneous interplay, hot soloing and pure hard driving swing from this exciting trio.
"One of the best and most exciting bands we've ever booked!"
Andy Lavender – The Verdict Jazz Club
Son Guarachando are one of the top exponents of Cuban Son, Salsa, Cumbia and Latin Music working in the UK today.
They are fronted by vocalist Adriana Lord from Havana Cuba, who has been a leading force on the Havana scene for well over a decade having worked with the likes of William Vivanco, Eliades Ochoa (Buena Vista Social Club) and N.G. La Banda.
Individually the band members have been at the apex of the Latin music scenes of Colombia, Spain, Cuba and the U.K.
Son Guarachando have been in high demand during the past 2 years with club dates, tours, festivals and private parties and the band were recently featured on BBC1’s The 1 Show.
For the last three years, I have been co-programmer for The Verdict Bandstand showcasing the best in local talent at the only green field jazz festival in the UK - Love Supreme in Glynde, East Sussex.
This year's programme included:
Friday arena
Eddie Myer 5tet
J- Felix
Sumo Chief
Ezra Collective
Friday Bandstand
The Grimaldi Quartet
Harry's Tricks
Duende
Barnacles
Saturday Bandstand
Chris Coull 'Brownie Speaks'
Peter Fraize Organ Trio
Maria Chiara Argirò Quintet
Vels Trio
Sunday Bandstand
Trees
Paul Richards Trio
Kendon/Ryall Quintet feat Julian Nicholas
Jamie Leeming Project feat Emily Dankworth
Simon Spillett Quintet feat John Donaldson
Bass Tutor
Live Performance Workshop Tutor
Music Journalism Tutor
Research Methods Tutor
Since 2005, I've been part of the Bass Department at BIMM in Brighton. As well as bass and upright bass, and I also teach on the Music Journalism and the BA Undergraduate Research Methods modules. Here's a question and answer I did for the BIMM website.
FEATURED TUTOR: EDDIE MYER
BASS
What do you enjoy about teaching at BIMM?
I enjoy the interaction with each new cohort of students – they always bring a different perspective to discover, new artists to check out, or new techniques to try and get under my belt!
Can you please briefly discuss your experience as a musician and teacher?
I’ve been playing professionally for over 20 years, in all kinds of styles – from rock to jazz to funk to folk to latin… I don’t believe in musical segregation! I’ve been teaching at BIMM since 2005 and it’s been amazing to see how the college has grown.
How/when did you learn to play bass?
I played in a band called Ozric Tentacles for six months when I was 18, because their regular player went AWOL, but then I didn’t take it up again until much later. I think I bought my first bass guitar when I was about 25 and my first upright about five years later – I’m self-taught on both instruments, although I got some invaluable lessons from BIMM’s own Franc O’Shea early on.
What was the first bass guitar you owned?
It was a Squier Jazz and it cost £100 including the case!
What can students expect from studying bass at BIMM?
Great tutors! And a real range of playing experience and different types of musical input – there’s a lot on offer if you engage with it.
What’s the best gig you’ve seen?
Too many to mention! Recently, it’d have to be cosmic jazz supremo, Kamasi Washington.
What’s the best gig you’ve performed at?
Our Turin Brakes show two days ago at the Concorde in Brighton was a sold-out blinder!
What are you listening to at the moment?
Right now I’m switching between Julia Holter, and the latest album by an amazing jazz bassist called Matt Ridley.
What’s your most memorable moment as a musician?
Big question! I guess playing the main stage at Glastonbury with Turin Brakes was a dream come true, but I don’t like to dwell in the past. It’s all part of the same long, strange trip, and even the down moments have something to teach you.
What have you got coming up?
I’m writing this pre-soundcheck for a Turin Brakes gig in the Brudenell Social in Leeds – great club! We’re midway through a UK tour, then we’re off to Europe, then summer festivals and another UK tour in the Autumn – see the website for details! Then I’ve also just completed my second album with my jazz outfit, the Eddie Myer 5tet, so there’ll be some gigs with that. And I’m promoting a stage at the Love Supreme Festival this summer, and also working on a programme of jazz gigs in Brighton called New Generation Jazz… and getting ready to return to BIMM next term. It’s all about the diversification these days.