Spice Jazz Soho Presents: Phil Merriman Trio Ft. Ant Law

After 25 years of solid jazz promoting in the basement bar at The Spice of Life Soho, nurturing upcoming talents as well as established masters of the music, the SpiceJazz Team (Tara Minton, Clement Regert and Paul Pace) are excited to relocate their acclaimed operation to the well-appointed and stylish music room of Crazy Coqs.

This much anticipated new group brings together the extraordinary talents of Phil Merriman (piano), John Williamson (bass) and Simon Roth (drums). Presenting material from their new album, ‘The Roots Beneath’, the Phil Merriman Trio take the listener on a musical and human journey exploring the graft behind a life well lived. The music is influenced by a wide range of styles from the lyrical folk melodies of Bartok to the darker harmonic tones of Messiaen, underpinned by shifting rhythms that provide a platform for soul-searching improvisation.

The trio welcomes acclaimed innovator and guitarist Ant Law, in what promises to be a life-affirming and unforgettable evening.

London-based jazz pianist, composer and arranger; Phil Merriman has had the privilege of working alongside musicians and artists in a wide variety of contexts across the UK and abroad. Phil has performed with artists such as Andrew Small, Aref Durvesh, Tony Kofi, Polly Gibbons, Selina Albright, Shola Ama, Tim Boniface and Tara Minton.

Phil has recorded with artists including pianist John Taylor, Matt Gough, Andy Cleyndert, Paul Kimber, John Williamson, Simon Roth, and Raph Clarkson. Phil has performed in BBC Proms Plus events, including an improvisation and poetry workshop with BBC Radio 3 presenter Ian McMillan. He has also led large-scale music education projects alongside Pete Churchill, including composing, arranging and conducting for performances at the Royal Albert Hall.

He holds a Performance Diploma in Piano (ABRSM) and was awarded the Ed Burrell Prize for Performance while studying Music at the University of York where he studied Jazz Piano with John Taylor.