First conceived and realised in Bombay, India over 10 years ago, Appassionato is the result of friendships built upon a shared passion for the spirit and tradition of mainstream American Jazz.  When in 1999 Julian Howison, a Manchester, UK based jazz musician met his Indian counterparts Harmeet Manseta and  Sonia Saigal, both themselves active at the heart of the Bombay jazz scene,  there was an immediate meeting of minds. 

However, unlike most Western/Indian music collaborations, Appassionato is not an east-west fusion mixing traditional Indian music with Jazz.   Rather, we are a ‘straight-ahead’, vocal led jazz quintet.  We perform a carefully programmed mix of a soulful ballads, blues, jazz standards and up-tempo hard-bop, all powered by the rich, soulful voice of Sonia Saigal supported in equal measure by the pure, classic tone of Julian Howison’s tenor saxophone and the melodic genius of Harmeet Manseta on piano.

We believe that authentic performances of classic blues and jazz standards, albeit contemporarily interpreted, continue to present a powerful vehicle for communicating to audiences of all ages.  Our aim is to touch our audience, moving feet, hearts and souls through simply stated, superbly executed, melodic music.

This remarkable international band not only offers audiences the opportunity to experience some of the best jazz that Manchester has to offer, but also presents a rare opportunity to gain a direct insight into the heart of India’s mainstream jazz scene direct from two of the country’s top performers.


Jake, Tommy, Kez, Max, Huw
gleeeam@hotmail.com

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