These are the musicians that work most regularly with the band.

Jessica Greenfield (vocals) - one of the founder members of BackBeat Village. Jess is now one of London's most respected singers, and is now the lead vocalist for the top hip-hop band 'The Herbaliser.'

Sophie Smith (vocals) - Sophie's musical career began on stage performing in shows from a young age. She completed the Masters degree in Jazz at the Guildhall in 2003, and is currently working on an album with her own band. Sophie has been singing with BackBeat Village since 2004.

Gavin Conder (vocals) - one of London's most in-demand male vocalists and singer for BackBeat Village since 2003. Gavin is a superb songwriter and a busy session singer.

Siobhan Codd (vocals) - Siobhan has an extensive CV of musical theatre work, touring and cruise ship work. With her feet now on dry land, she has been working with BackBeat Village since early 2008.

 

Claire Hammett (vocals) - Since training at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, Claire has worked with many bands around the country and performed on many shows. Another relative newcomer to BackBeat Village, Claire has also been working with us since early 2008.

Jules Jackson (bass) - BackBeat Village bass player and bandleader. In previous years Jules has worked both as a bass player and drummer with Jamie Cullum, and more recently (on double bass) with British Jazz legends John Dankworth & Cleo Laine. Lately he has also been working regularly with Jacqui Dankworth as well as many other British jazz stars, and is currently composing for his own jazz quartet with plans to record an album in 2009.

Ryan Williams (guitar) - Ryan has been working with BackBeat Village since 2006. As well as being one of the funkiest guitarists in the land, he is also an excellent jazz player, and studied on the post-grad jazz course at the Guildhall in 2006-7.

Jack Pollitt (drums) -now one of London's busiest session drummers, Jack is an ex-student of the jazz course at Middlesex University. Since graduating he has worked with Tom Jones, Lee Ryan (Blue), Roy Ayers & Sam Brown, to name a few. Jack also works with an assortment of Latin American bands, including Los Buendia, Manteca and the Robin Jones Latin Jazz Sextet, and his drumming can be heard on the soundtrack to "A Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy" (2005). He has been a member of BackBeat Village since 2003.

Josephine Davies (Tenor Sax)- Josephine was born in Shetland, grew up in Sussex, studied at the Guildhall from 1995-9, and enjoys playing jazz and drinking tea. She has been our regular sax player since 2007.

 

Rob Barron (keyboards) -Rob studied jazz at both the Leeds College of Music and the Guildhall. He is very busy on the London jazz and session scene, and has worked with many respected musicians including Bob Mintzer, Phil Woods, Benny Golson, Bryan Adams, Tim Garland, The National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and as musical director for US vocalist Marisa Turner.

Ross Stanley (keyboards) -Ross has recently been touring extensively with guitar legend Steve Howe, and also with the Dylan Howe quintet. He has recently been working with the Guy Barker bigband, and is in high demand by many of London's other jazz musicians. Ross studied at the Guildhall from 2000 - 2004.

 

Mike Lesirge (alto / tenor sax)- Mike is currently playing for BBE musician / producer Aaron Jerome; new Sony-RCA artist Zarif; the Will Collier Septet, to name a few. He studied on the post-grad jazz course at the Guildhall from 2002-3, and has performed at many top venues including Ronnie Scott's, the Jazz Cafe, Indig02, Shepherd's Bush Empire and the Royal Albert Hall.

Simon Golding (guitar) - trained as a jazz guitarist, arranger and composer at the Berkeley College of Music in Boston, USA, and in recent years has toured supporting Chaka Khan, Limp Biscuit and many more. He recently recorded an album of original material with his Trio the Rough Ramblers and released the CD Urban Dwellers with Jazz FM in 2001. Simon has performed at many top venues, including the Hammersmith Apollo, Brixton Academy and the Jazz Cafe.

Matt Fripp (alto sax) - currently on his final year on the jazz course at the Guildhall, Matt is already making a name for himself on the London music scene, as well as running his own music agency and organising a number of public gigs. He has been a regular alto player with the band since December 2006.

Robbie Robson (trumpet) - trained at the Leeds College of Music (from 1996) and the Guildhall (2000-1). He has worked with a host of the country's finest jazz musicians, including Clark Tracey, Nikki Iles, Bobby Wellins, Dave O' Higgins, Stan Sulzman, Tim Garland, Gareth Williams and Gerard Presencer, as well as working with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra for many years. He has been running his own quartet for a few years which has appeared at many of London's most famous jazz-venues, and has been working with BackBeat Village since its earliest days in 2002.

Rob Downing (baritone sax) - also studied on the BMus course at the Guildhall. He is a member of "The Sax Collective" - a sax quartet in which he plays baritone and most other reed instruments. He also runs his own jazz band and is the saxophonist for the Essex Sinfonia. Rob has been working with BackBeat Village since we first introduced the baritone sax into our horn section in 2006!