Donovan has just won the Jazz Newcomer of the Year in the All Parliamentary Jazz awards . He brought his quintet to the East Side in 2024 (We are usually ahead of the game here !!) .

The band is
Donovan Haffner – sax
Sean Fyffe – sax
Ewan Hastie – bass
Miles Pillinger – drums

Canadian jazz pianist Sean Fyfe emerges as a distinguished artist with an impressive international footprint, having graced stages in New York and Montreal. Noteworthy for his collaborative work on acclaimed recordings such as ‘In This Moment’ (2022) and ‘Opening Statement’ (2017) with Sam Kirmayer, as well as ‘Conduit’ (2014) featuring Azar Lawrence with Al McLean, Fyfe recently marked his second record as a bandleader with ‘Stepping Stones’ (2024), following his debut album ‘Late Night’ (2022).

A product of the esteemed Manhattan School of Music and McGill University, Fyfe refined his skills under the mentorship of pianists Jeremy Manasia, Garry Dial, Andre White, and Joshua Rager. His performances have left an indelible mark on iconic venues like Smalls, Mezzrow, Pizza Express and Ronnie Scott’s.

Fyfe’s collaborative endeavors span continents, featuring partnerships with acclaimed musicians such as Jon Gordon, Greg Abate, Alex Claffy, Joe Farnsworth, Alan Barnes, Dave O’Higgins, Quentin Collins and Alex Garnett. Grounded in the traditions of jazz luminaries like Bill Evans, Bobby Timmons, Wynton Kelly, and Cedar Walton, Fyfe’s artistry resonates with a profound appreciation for the genre’s heritage.

Ewan Hastie is a multi-award winning upright and electric bassist and composer, already making his mark on the UK jazz scene. He won the coveted BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2022 title at the televised final in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, when he played against four other formidably talented finalists. In 2023, Ewan was also voted for the “Best Instrumentalist Award” in the Scottish Jazz Awards later that year. Also a former graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on the Bachelor of Music degree course in jazz, whilst studying Ewan also was awarded the Mark McKergow Price for Jazz Improvisation both in 2023/2022, and subsequently received a certificate of congratulations from The Scottish Parliament’s David Torrance MSP. Since moving to Glasgow and more recently London, he has played professionally with a number of the top musicians from all over the country and has played at some of the most iconic music venues, keeping him busy on UK’s thriving jazz scene.

Jazz drummer MILES PILLINGER has combined his love of jazz and Brazilian music with his energetic but sensitive playing. A recent Leeds conservatoire graduate, Miles’ playing has deeply matured through living and playing in the musical hub of Leeds.

Miles is eager to share his original compositions, along with the compositions of his biggest inspirations, including, Hermeto Pascoal, Wayne Shorter and Joshua Redman, alongside his band of Leeds all-star musicians: Fergus Quill on bass, Nico Widdowson on piano, Olivia Cuttill on trumpet and James Absalom on saxophone.