An Incomplete A-Z of Jazz Harp Music (CD)

Latest CD from Ben Creighton Griffiths

Welsh Harpist Ben Creighton Griffiths started to learn the harp when he was 4½. Although classically trained on the harp he has always been inspired by jazz and presents us with 15 jazz standards which he has arranged for the harp and Deborah Henson-Conant's "The Nightingale" Recorded April 2012 and launched at VII Rio Harp Festival 1st May 2012

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Track listing

1.	Autumn Leaves - Joseph Kosmas	+	2:19
2.	Brazil - Ary Barroso	+	2:18
3.	Cantina Band - John Williams *		2:03
4.	Chameleon - Herbie Hancock	+	3:27
5.	Fly me to the Moon - Bart Howard		2:14
6.	Georgia on my mind - Hoagy Carmichael & Stuart Gorrell		5:07
7.	The Girl from Ipanema - Antonio Carlos Jobim, Norman Gimbel & Vinicius De Moraes		3:28
8.	Got a match? - Chick Corea		1:18
9.	Greensleeves - Traditional		3:31
10.	Misty - Erroll Garner		6:16
11.	The Nightingale - Deborah Henson-Conant **		5:11
12.	The Odd Couple - Neal Hefti		4:13
13.	Pure Imagination - Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley	+	4:43
14.	Summertime - George Gershwin		2:28
15.	Take Five - Paul Desmond	+	2:14
16.	Yardbird Suite - Charlie "Yardbird" Parker	+	1:19
	Duration		52:07

All tracks arranged Ben Creighton Griffiths except: * arranged Carol McLaughlin & ** original composition for harp by Deborah Henson-Conant
+ Indicates Benjamin's arrangement are published as sheet music by Creighton's Collection & available from Creighton's Collection see "Recordings & Publications by Benjamin Creighton Griffiths"

15 year old Welsh Harpist Ben Creighton Griffiths started to learn the harp when he was 4½. Although classically trained on the harp he has always been inspired by jazz. In fact it was hearing Deborah Henson-Conant’s “New Blues” that first made Ben want to learn the harp. In 2004 after making his debut CD - “Ben Jamming” (BJCG 01) a single in aid of the BBC Children in Need Appeal Jakez François, owner of the French harp company Camac, gave Benjamin one of their magnificent Electro Lever Harps allowing him to play a wider range of music, then in November 2004 at a charity event for BBC Children in Need at Pizza Express, Cardiff there was a chance meeting with jazz pianist Julian Martin who was also performing there that night - within a few weeks Ben was (and still is) studying jazz piano with Julian. Together they have experimented in different ways of transferring what Ben has learnt on the piano to the harp - with a lot of much appreciated help and support from two fine American Jazz harpists - Park Stickney & Deborah Henson Conant.

Acknowledgements

There are many acknowledgements that I have to make.

Firstly I must thank those that have helped me to create this CD, in particular my father, Tim Creighton Griffiths of Creighton’s Collection, who has worked for many hours to provide licences, designs and many other crucial aspects of this disc and without whom this would have never have been possible.

The second is to the great teachers that have helped me to get this far in my career - for my jazz these people are jazz pianist Julian Martin and jazz harpists Park Stickney and Deborah Henson-Conant.

Thirdly I have to thank all of my family and friends who have supported me - not just for the making of this CD but mainly throughout the many years that I have been playing for.

Finally I would like to thank two particular family members, Evelyn and Terry Groves - my grandparents. They have given me tireless support since the very beginning and so it is to them that I dedicate this CD.