Tony Kofi
b. 1966, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. Born to Ghanaian parents, Kofi became interested in music and in his teens taught himself to play the alto saxophone. Seeing an advertisement for a series of free jazz workshops being run by Leicester-based drummer Nick Hislam sparked his interest in jazz. Kofi studied intensively, eventually winning a full-time scholarship to the Berklee College Of Music, which he attended from 1988-90 and where his tutors included Billy Pierce, Donald Byrd, Ernie Watts, and Ralph Moore. Back in the UK in 1991, Kofi played with the Jazz Warriors and Gary Crosby’s Nu-troup. Through the rest of the 90s Kofi played with numerous jazz luminaries, including Julian Argüelles, Claude Deppa, Billy Higgins, Andrew Hill, Branford Marsalis, David Murray, Courtney Pine, Tim Richards, Lonnie Smith and Us3. In addition to alto, Kofi became proficient on baritone and soprano saxophones. In the early 00s, he teamed up with trumpeter Byron Wallen for various projects including a quartet, Indigo, which pays tribute to past masters of the baritone saxophone. With Wallen, Kofi has set up jazz workshops and tutorials and the pair also collaborated on composing and writing a jazz theory book.
Over the years since meeting James Weaver, a friend of Thelonious Monk, Kofi developed a deep and passionate love for Monk’s music and this formed the base for several departures. He formed a quartet, drawing its repertoire from Monk’s compositions, and at 2003’s London Jazz Festival 70 such pieces were performed in a marathon six-hour set. Kofi’s regular quartet sidemen include pianist Jonathan Gee, bass player Ben Hazleton, drummer Winston Clifford, sometimes adding vibraphonist Orphy Robinson. Kofi’s Monk: All Is Know was nominated as Jazz Album Of The Year in the 2005 BBC Jazz Awards and drew ecstatic reviews from the jazz press. Kofi has also been a member of Lucky Ranku’s African All Stars, and has led his own 10-piece band, the Afro Jazz Family.
© TiVo
Diskografie
16 Album, -en • Geordnet nach Bestseller
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Altera Vita (For Pharoah Sanders)
Jazz - Erschienen bei BBE Music am 03.02.2023
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
An Adventurous Dream - the Music of Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington (At PizzaExpress Live - In London)
Jazzgesang - Erschienen bei PX Records am 26.04.2024
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Point Blank
Modern Jazz - Erschienen bei The Last Music Company am 31.08.2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Future Passed
Modern Jazz - Erschienen bei The Last Music Company am 07.06.2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Another Kind of Soul (Live)
Modern Jazz - Erschienen bei The Last Music Company am 24.04.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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L S Blues
Modern Jazz - Erschienen bei The Last Music Company am 27.07.2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Something To Live For (At PizzaExpress Live)
Jazzgesang - Erschienen bei PX Records am 12.04.2024
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Minor League
Modern Jazz - Erschienen bei The Last Music Company am 20.07.2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Another Kind of Soul (Live)
Modern Jazz - Erschienen bei The Last Music Company am 06.03.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stars Fell on Alabama (Live)
Modern Jazz - Erschienen bei The Last Music Company am 03.04.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Full House
Modern Jazz - Erschienen bei The Last Music Company am 17.08.2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo