BIOGRAPHY
Neil Stacey - a melodic, emotive, influential performer, composer and arranger.
English guitarist Neil Stacey started playing guitar at the age of seven, first performing in public aged nine.
By the time he was 16, he was already writing music for his own rock group, inspired by Jimi Hendrix.
This led to a string of successful gigs which gave him the taste of the life of a musician......  Later, he discovered the music of Django Reinhardt and formed a Hot Club gypsy jazz group - The Kimbara Brothers, named after his Kimbara acoustic guitar. It was at this point in his life that he decided to become a professional musician.
The Kimbara Brothers have made countless successful performances in the UK and Europe, at many major festivals as well as appearing on television and radio.
Their powerful and entertaining take on Hot Club music and beyond has led them to make an impressive impact on the British music scene.
Since their first album in 1990, they have recorded another six albums, including one with Tina May.
For their most recent album "Another Day", Neil changed the original format and sound by adding Clark Tracey on drums, Rob Terry on piano and Bernard O'Neill on bass, giving a beautiful further dimension to the music.
About "Another Day" - Sarah Ward (Jazz FM) commented: "....a fresh, contemporary approach...magnificent playing from Neil Stacey".
 In 1992 Neil formed Acoustic Mania with Antonio Forcione and they made their live and recording debut at the Edinburgh festival in 1993. Since then Acoustic Mania have appeared on television and radio worldwide and have toured in places as far afield as Australia, Barbados, Indonesia, Jamaica and Singapore, as well as Europe and the UK. They have been featured in many magazines, such as Guitarist magazine, and have collected many favourable quotes from press all over the world, such as:
"...dazzling compendium of guitar techniques....daredevil crescendos...flamboyant delivery...elegant, artistic self-understanding..."
They first recorded 'Live at the Edinburgh Festival' in 1994.....then March 1998 saw the release of their much awaited second album, "Talking Hands", featuring a unique guitar duo version of the classic Weather Report tune 'Birdland'....
In 1999 Neil also toured with Martin Taylor, culminating in a concert at the Wigmore Hall, London.
He said:
"Neil Stacey is a guitarist of considerable talent. His playing is highly inventive, full of energy and beauty"
 Alongside these projects, Neil began to perform solo in 2001; -----using a variety of techniques, sounds, and guitars he drew remarks about his solo performances such as:
"...a staggering version of Nuages...like Django meets Pat Metheny meets Pink Floyd"
In this year he also released his first purely solo album, "And?..." to great critical acclaim.
"...exquisite playing.....Stacey's exploration of unusual tunings and extended instrumental techniques can deliver some intensely poetic effects....a miracle of counterpoint that would have impressed Bach himself" (jazzwise magazine)
In 2002 he united with Stings guitarist Dominic Miller, recording an album called "New Dawn" released July 2002 (The Naim Label record company).
a reviewer wrote: "an exceptionally fine album, a hymn to the primacy of melody, a panoramic tour of guitar techniques"
In this year they played sold out concerts to audiences who travelled from all over the world to see them.
Neil. has recorded and guested on many albums, appeared on television and radio all over the world , also achieved distinction in Goldsmith's Diploma of Jazz . Neil is also an acclaimed composer and arranger, and has worked for the BBC in this role, as well as on his own projects.
During his career he has had the pleasure of playing and/or sharing the stage with many great musicians, amongst them:
Steps Ahead, Mike Stern, Richard Bona, Tina May, Jason Rebello, Rhani Kriji, Chris Botti,
Geoff Gascgoine, John McLaughlin, Zucchero, Martin Simpson, Mike Lindup, John Etheridge, Tony McManus, Laurence Juber, Peter Finger, Laurence Cottle, Humphrey Littleton, Martin Taylor, Dominic Miller.......
In 2003 Neil formed the "Neil Stacey Group" to record an exciting new album, "Leave it to Last".
Acoustic guitar-led groove jazz, with piano, drums, bass, percussion, saxophone, and all original tunes with beautiful and memorable melodies.
The album was released in December 2003 by the Naim Label record company.
Greg Carmichael from Acoustic Alchemy said:
"Neil Stacey's album Leave it to Last takes his mastery of the acoustic guiatr and composition to even greater levels. It really is a stunning piece of work."
In the same year was the re release of his solo album And? with Acoustic Music Records, the biggest acoustic guitar orientated record company in Europe.
In 2004 Neil was specially invited to take part in a series of concerts in Europe and Asia entitled "Midnight Shows" with Dominic Miller and other musicians from Sting's group. The shows took place straight after Sting's concerts and were a huge success.
Kipper, who has worked with One Nation, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sting, and many others, included "Promise" - a track written by Neil - on a compilation album of his favourite artists, produced by Bang and Olfusen.
In 2005 Neil and Dominic Miller joined with Martin Taylor and performed as Guitars3 in the UK, Scotland and France. Later in the year, due to Dominic's busy work schedule, Neil and Marttin were joined by Martin Simpson for the second reincarnation of Guitars3.
Their concerts span a wide range of music, including original compositions of Jazz, Blues, Folk, African, and Hot Club Jazz , as well as showing each musician's different techniques and approaches to the guitar.
Each artist performs solo and in collaboration with each other, giving an unforgettable evening of solos, duets and trio pieces, that have led to many standing ovations.
Neil's outstanding musicality is best summed up by an unprompted quote from Pat Metheny:
"sounds great....hard to imagine how you are doing all that! ...you are an excellent musician"
photography on this page by Neila Sheikh |
