Rockschool announce two high-profile masterclasses for London Acoustic Show

Rockschool, the world’s leading contemporary exam board have just announced two high-profile masterclasses for this year’s London Acoustic Show.

Taking place on the Saturday and Sunday both masterclasses feature high-profile acoustic specialists Carl Orr (Billy Cobham, Acoustic Columnist, Ronnie Scott’s House Band) and Andy Jones (Brian May, Van Morrison, Julian Lloyd Webber, Total Guitar Columnist).

The masterclasses will feature performances, seminar and Q&A and performances from Patti Revell (vocals) and Nik Preston (bass).
Carl’s masterclass will focus on techniques and concepts for improvisation and Andy will focus on rearrangement and accompaniment. Both masterclasses are designed to support the concepts covered in both Acoustic and Total Guitar magazine and will feature repertoire from Newton Faulkner, Pat Metheny, Brad Paisley and Tommy Emmanuel.

About Carl Orr

A professional musician since 1980 Carl Orr has performed and recorded with some of the finest musicians on the planet including Billy Cobham, George Duke, Ernie Watts, Randy Brecker, Gary Husband and Bennie Maupin.

He is a regular at London’s legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in his own band and as a member of drummer Mark Fletcher’s supergroup “Fletch’s Brew”. Carl has taught guitar at The Australian Institute of Music, Brunel University, Middlesex University, London Centre Of Contemporary Music and The Academy of Contemporary Music.

A prolific composer,Carl has recorded eight albums as a leader and is featured on albums by Billy Cobham, Fletch’s Brew, Geoff Eales, Dale Barlow and Nathan Haines. His “Seeking Spirit” album was a runner up for Best Jazz Album in the 1991 ARIA Awards(Australia) and his song “Until” co-written with Renee Geyer,was runner up for “Best Jazz Composition” in the 1996 APRA Awards(Australia).

His latest album, Forbearance is a dramatic departure from his jazz recordings of the past and with the aid of producer Tim van der Kuil(guitarist with Adele and Mika, former guitarist/musical director for Sia) and arranger Grant Windsor,Carl has crafted a truly unique acoustic guitar-based album exploring pop, rock, folk, Americana, and classical styles.

About Andy Jones

Andy G Jones has played with Van Morrison, Cliff Richard, James Ingram, Lamont Dozier, Queen (Brian May and Roger Taylor), Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers), The BBC Radio Big Band, Patti Austin, Hamish Stuart (Average White Band), Lalo Schifrin (Hollywood film composer Bullitt, Mission Impossible), Hank Marvin, Grady Tate, Agnetha from ABBA, Dudley Moore, Sarah Brightman, Petula Clark, Madelaine Bell, Smooth Jazz star Richard Smith, Chris Standring, Jerry Lewis (The Nutty Professor, King of Comedy), Katherine Jenkins and Darcey Bussell, (See the live DVD from the O2 Arena – ‘Viva LA Diva’ and the South Bank Show on the show in which Andy was heavily featured), Laurie Holloway and has toured with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.  
Since leaving Van Morrison, Andy has been in Cliff Richard’s band and played at the Queen’s Jubilee Concert which also featured Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Paul McCartney. He has just returned from Australia where he played on a live Cliff Richard DVD at the Sydney Opera House.