March 2010

Family-friendly jazz club at the
Colourhouse Theatre

PD3 (Pete Downes Trio) are launching a new child-friendly jazz club at the Colourhouse Theatre in Merton Abbey Mills on Friday 21 May at 7.30pm.

'I've always wanted to provide a jazz venue with children in mind. to this aim we start the show earlier than the usual late night jazz time.

We want to make this a regular jazz club for all the family so please come and support our opening night. In future PD3 (PeteDownes Trio) will be performing with special guests and want to make it a frequent event. For full venue details see the Dates page.

Guitar Workshops at County Hall

I have been offered space to run a guitar workshop at the European School of Young Performers in County Hall next to the London Eye. This ideal location allows for a morning's group tuition combined with other activities such as drama, singing, dancing and trips to other attractions in County Hall. If you are interested, please let me know by email to pete@petedownes.com or text to 07789 438 487 and I will keep you informed.

New video of Bach Partita by PD3 (Pete Downes Trio)

Check out the new video on YouTube featuring Bach's Partita 3 prelude for violin (BWV 1006) arranged for jazz trio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7CBDoACx4A

January 2010

Happy New Year!

PD3 with Dick Pearce are performing Sunday lunchtime 10 Jan 2010.

New Videos

Two new videos of PD3 performing Rolling Hills and Straight No Chaser are now on the YouTube channel.

Novermber 2009

Christmas offer on PD3 CDs

Up to Christmas, all PD3 recordings are offered for only £6.98 each plus p&p when ordered through PayPal. You don't need to have a PayPal account.

Visit Discography to order.

Free music tracks and more!

When you sign up to the monthly newsletter. A email is sent to you after signup with links to sample tracks from many recordings plus links to graded classical recordings and Pete's beginners book for electric and acoustic guitar in PDF format.

To sign up, visit the Contact page

September 2009

Mystery of Weather featured in Jazziz Magazine The new recording Mystery of Weather by Pete Downes and Steve Littler features in Jazziz - the US's biggest selling jazz magazine. They say: "Influences from Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck to John McLaughlin and Miles Davis can be detected in their often moody sonic soundscapes" See the magazine!

July 2009

Bach recording nominated as Best Classical Solo Album

Pete's classical guitar recording 'Music for Guitar: Bach' has been nominated for Best Classical Solo Album by the 'Just Plain Folks' Music Awards 2009. The Just Plain Folks Music Awards has grown into the largest Music Awards program in the world! They screen more than 350,000 songs and over 25,000 albums in 70+ genres from 100 Countries to honour the very best works. Their sole criteria for judging is "Does it move you?"

May 2009

Mystery of Weather

Pete Downes & Steve Littler's new recording

"Pink Floyd meet the Mad Professor and Santana and Jeff Beck join in.". Gordon Moore
Contemporary instrumental fusion with ambient, dub and world influences,

Pete and Steve have a long history. They met aged 11 in their home town of Chester (England) and were at the same High School in the 70’s where their mutual interest in music and guitar developed.

Both were inspired by the rock, jazz rock and blues rock movements of the late 60’s and early 70’s including Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Paul Kossoff (Free), Jan Akkerman (Focus), John McLaughlin (Mahavishnu Orchestra) and Jeff Beck..

Django Reinhardt has a special significance for them. They also listened to Miles Davis' 'Kind of Blue' for the first time together and jammed along to the tracks. A life changing event!

Steve plays deep from the heart, and puts all his soul into each note he plays. Pete’s inspiration comes from his interest in jazz and classical music as well as rock and shows with smoothly played runs and arpeggios colouring his playing.

They have remained in touch over the years and this project is the result of their deep friendship and mutual respect for each others playing.

Listen to samples

November 2008

Video clips added to YouTube

Various clips of PD3 plus Pete Downes & Martyn Barker playing tracks in the studio have been added to youtube, Channel address is: http://uk.youtube.com/user/PD3withDP. They can also be seen on the Multimedia page.

September 2008

Pete Downes and Martyn Barker sign publishing deal.

Pete Downes and Martyn Barker - the hang drum and acoustic guitar duo - have just signed a lucrative publishing deal with Annie Reed Music for their new recording 'Elements' and it has has already proved a huge success with professional film makers.

They are now looking to present their unique sound to the public through live performances.

Their recent appearance at Marlborough Jazz Festival was a huge success with audience and organisers alike. "Our sound created a lot of curiosity" said Pete, "and Martyn was asked many questions about the origins of the hang drum".

The music ranges from atmospheric to mystical with jazz and world influences. Martyn's hang drum is tuned to the scale of A Phrygian so modes of that scale were the basis for most pieces. You can hear samples of the recording on this site.

June 2008

Festival season is here and Pete and PD3 are playing various festivals. Photos from Croydon Jazz festival are here.

Pete's project with Martyn Barker has it's first performance at Marlborough Jazz Festival. Details on the dates page along with other performances.

February 2008

It has been quiet from us for the last few months and there are several reasons for this. All are exciting developments:

PD3 and Dick Pearce performing with new material

Pete Downes & Martyn Barker acoustic music project

Pete Downes writes music for the NHS

Andy Coe and DrBoKarma

PD3 with Dick Pearce are keen to be on the road again with new material by Dick and Pete.
" Dick has written several pieces specifically for PD3" says Pete. "And we are very pleased with his interpretation of our sound". The quartet have several new season bookings lined up an are keen to get out on the road again with more. To book the band get in touch via the Contact page.

Pete Downes & Martyn Barker acoustic music project

Pete Downes is currently writing and recording with percussionist Martyn Barker (Shriekback, Sarah-Jane Morris, Billy Bragg) and will feature Martyn on Hang Drum: a tuned percussive instrument played with the hands, and Pete on nylon and steel strung acoustic guitars. "Many pieces are improvised" says Pete, "and the modal nature of the Hang Drum gives the pieces a hypnotic feel. We are working on a varied repertoire from deep spiritual feels through to ethnic dance rhythms. "Martyn and I have always hit it off musically" says Pete, "and when we improvise it really does just click." Once the recording and writing is finished, Pete and Martyn are looking forward to performing the material Samples will be available to hear on the website soon.

Martyn playing the Hang Drum in Wiser Production's studio

Pete Downes writes music for the NHS

Pete was commissioned by the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Unit of the UK National Health Service to produce a therapy recording for use with patients. Working closely with Hypnotherapist Christine King, Pete wrote and produced music to accompany her voice, leading patients through breathing and relaxation techniques.

"Christine and I produced a series of self-help recordings some time ago" says Pete, "and the success of these led to this commission. We are hoping to re-release some of the recordings in the near future."

Andy Coe and DrBoKarma

Of late, Andy has been busy with his other band project, the Brighton-based five-piece DrBoKarma, fronted by guitarist and songwriter Mark Broad. Andy plays bass (double and electric) and occasionally gets let loose on harmonica.

DrBoKarma has just released ‘the difficult first album’, a set of entirely original compositions under the intriguing title “Don't Be Ridiculous – part one”. Andy and Mark's musical collaborations go back some 34 years, to Andy's student days, when the two performed around the Brighton area with StaJoJo, featuring the flute and sax of John Good and fusion guitarist Anthony Hindson (who then moved to the US and recorded with several major artists, including drummer Tony Williams and bassist Jack Bruce.)

Andy and Mark are joined in the band by Mark's rising-star daughter ‘MaddieB’ on vocal, the youthful and effervescent Bryn Hoffman on drums, and saxophonist Robin Watt of swing-band 'Rocking in Rhythm' fame. Mark and the band are already gearing-up to begin work on “Don’t Be Ridiculous – part two”.

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