Recent Reviews

uk's Jazzwise gives 'RBG Trio' debut 4 stars!

Read Mike Flynn's review in the March 2024 Issue

Link comming soon.  Currently available to magazine subscribers only. 

All About Jazz Reviews the BAM BAM Live Premiere at the Crescent Arts Centre (Belfast) click here to read

If Joe Zawinul and Bootsy Collins had formed a band, it might have sounded something like this.”

“Jazz-Funk at its sexiest.”

Ian Patterson, All about Jazz

 

News

Meilana to premiere brand new works with the RBG Trio as a recipient of the Ban Bam Commissioning Award

Meilana is one of 3 receipients of the Ban Bam Commissioning Award which supports Women, and Gender-minority composers in Jazz & Improvised music in Ireland and Northern Ireland.  On January 20th & 21st (2024), she'll premiere a suite of new works entitled 'Chasing Comets' in Dublin (Smock Alley Theatre) and Belfast (Crescent Arts Centre) respectively.  The works are based on her early childhood inspiration from the music from video games made for Nintendo and Sega Genesis and will be performed by The RBG Trio.   Instead of their usual accoustic trio sound, this time they'll opt for an electric sound with Dave Redmond on Electric Bass, Kevin Brady on Drums and Meilana will play Tenor Saxophone through a number of analog and digital effects which allow her to create many textures and give her polyphony where she would normally have a single line instrument.   Later in the year, they'll be showcasing these works at the Manchester Jazz Festival in May as well.   Bianca Gannon and Carole Nelson have also recieved this award and will premiere their new works in the showcases on the 20th and 21st of January 2024.  This is award is supported by Improvised Music Company and Moving on Music. 

Previous events

Date Event Location
Manchester Jazz Festival '24 - Bianca Gannon Ensemble Band on the Wall (bar stage), Manchester Band on the Wall (bar stage), Manchester
Manchester Jazz Festival - RBG Trio 'Chasing Comets' mjf @ First Street (HOME Stage), Manchester M15 4FN mjf @ First Street (HOME Stage), Manchester M15 4FN
Derry Jazz Festival - Meilana Gillard Vocal Quartet Bennigan's Bar, Derry Bennigan's Bar, Derry
Bray Jazz Festival - Meilana Gillard Quartet Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray A98 N5P1 Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray A98 N5P1
JOYOLOGY Duo (Meilana Gillard & John Leighton) - Dublin Jazz Co-op Series - Vintage Room Workman's Club , Dublin Workman's Club , Dublin
 —  — 'Free Time' Jam (for current participants only) The Mac, Belfast The Mac, Belfast
 —  — 'Free Time' Workshop The Mac, Belfast The Mac, Belfast
'Free Time' Workshop - Led by Meilana Gillard - presented by Moving on Music The Mac, Belfast The Mac, Belfast
Meilana Vocal Quartet Bennigan's Bar, Derry Bennigan's Bar, Derry
(GMT, UTC+00) (GMT, UTC+00) Ban Bam Premiere - BELFAST - RBG Trio Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast
(GMT, UTC+00) (GMT, UTC+00) Ban Bam Premiere - DUBLIN - RBG Trio Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin
Phil Robson Quartet feat. Meilana Gillard Arthur's Blues & Jazz Club, Dublin Arthur's Blues & Jazz Club, Dublin
(GMT, UTC+00) (GMT, UTC+00) RBG Trio - London Jazz Festival '23 Barbican Centre - Level G, London Barbican Centre - Level G, London
(GMT, UTC+00) (GMT, UTC+00) RBG Trio - Kildare Jazz Festival 2023 Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge
(BST, UTC+01) (BST, UTC+01) Phil Robson Quartet feat. Meilana Gillard Bennigan's Bar, Derry Bennigan's Bar, Derry
(BST, UTC+01) (BST, UTC+01) RBG Trio - Album Launch - Presented by Moving On Music Bennigans Bar, Londonderry Bennigans Bar, Londonderry
(BST, UTC+01) (BST, UTC+01) RBG Trio - Album Launch - Presented by Moving On Music Marketplace Theatre, Armagh Marketplace Theatre, Armagh
(BST, UTC+01) (BST, UTC+01) RBG Trio - Album Launch - Presented by Moving On Music The Black Box, Belfast The Black Box, Belfast
RBG Trio debut album is available everywhere!!! Worldwide Worldwide
 — (BST, UTC+01)  — (BST, UTC+01) John Leighton Trio feat. Meilana GIllard Bennigan's Bar, Derry Bennigan's Bar, Derry

RBG Trio

RBG Trio

Be sure to visit our website rbgtrio.com

In January 2019, I called Kevin Brady and Dave Redmond for a gig that fell into my lap through IMC at the Wild Duck in Dublin. I had been wanting to play with them for some time and to my delight, they were free and down to play. The gig was instant fun with zero rehearsing and I knew I wanted to play more
Be sure to visit our website rbgtrio.com

In January 2019, I called Kevin Brady and Dave Redmond for a gig that fell into my lap through IMC at the Wild Duck in Dublin. I had been wanting to play with them for some time and to my delight, they were free and down to play. The gig was instant fun with zero rehearsing and I knew I wanted to play more with them. They called me a couple months later to head to Mexico City to perform at the EuroJazz Festival and do some masterclasses. We had an absolute blast and have continued to play since.
We had planned to record an release an album in 2020, but you know what happened then. Lots of great gigs booked throughout 2020-21 were wiped away.
Now, we're so excited to get to release our debut album! We all wrote for this, and with the exception of 2 of the tunes, everything is brand new for us. The magic that is captured with there isn't a ton of rehearsing is unrivalled. We had one run through before heading into the studio and it was truly liberating to let the moment shine without nitpicking the life away from it. There were zero tendencies to lean upon, no net. It brought out brand new things within each of us. I'll never look at prepping for an album the same way after this. - Meilana

Dave Redmond: Double Bass
Kevin Brady: Drums
Meilana Gillard: Tenor & Alto Saxophones

We're doing a mini tour of NI:
Sept 21 - Black Box - Belfast
Sept 22 - Marketplace Theatre - Armagh
Sept 23 - Bennigans Bar - Derry

Thanks to Moving on Music for supporting the tour.
Thanks to Arts Council of Northern Ireland for the funding to make this a reality.
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Photo by Monika S. Jakubowska

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RBG Trio's Debut album 'RBG Trio' out NOW on Bandcamp! - Released 20 Sept 2023