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BIOGRAPHY

Rob Updegraff studied Jazz and Classical Guitar and Composition at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Fluent in many genres including jazz, country, blues, soul, ambient and African music, he is one of London’s busiest session guitarists.

 

The last few years have seen him touring extensively with Beth Rowley and MOBO nominated artist Julia Biel amongst many others. He has also been performing and recording with Sony artist Ala.ni, featured on BBC2’s Later with Jools Holland, with TV and radio broadcasts in France and England, and concerts in Europe and North America.

 

He recently played on Jamie Cullum's latest album alongside Gregory Porter and Laura Mvula.  In the last few years performances have ranged from Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club to a Tour of Japan, with European festival appearances including Mercury Music Prize nominee Eska and 'The Meters' legendary New Orleans funk drummer Zigaboo Modeliste.

Rob has also played with some of Britain's top Jazz musicians including Stan Sulzmann, Jean Toussaint, Ivo Neame, Kit Downes and Martin France amongst others.

 

Some of the many artists performed or recorded with include:

 

  • Beth Rowley,                Jamie Cullum,             Laura Mvula

  • Gregory Porter              Julia Biel                    Alani

  • Andrew Roachford        Eska                          Jeb loy Nichols

  • Joshua Hedley              Earl Thomas               Ags Connolly

  • Zigaboo Modeliste       Gwyneth Herbert        Sara Mitra      

  • (The Meters)                 Tom Baxter                 Eliane

  • Natalie Williams          The Coalminers          Strange Cargo 

  • Odyssey                      Miki Imai                  Acantha Lang

  • Gabrielle Ducomble      Frances Rufelle            Dave Maningtons Riff Raff

  • Bisola iman                 Chartwell Ditiro           Eden Brent

  • Antigoni                       Darwish                    Brother Ignatious Big Band

  • Molly Tilson                 Alan Powwer               Steve and Ben Somers

  • Twelves                       Nostalgia 77              Rie Fu

 

Live performances include the following venues and festivals:

 

  • The Royal Albert Hall, London                        Institut Francais, Tokyo Japan

  • Montreal Jazz Festival, Canada                     Kyotographie Festival, Kyoto Japan

  • Birmingham Symphony Hall                          Philharmonic Hall, Paris France

  • Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club, London                    Edinburgh Festival, Scotland

  • Wales Millenium Centre, Cardiff                    Pori Jazz Festival, Finland

  • Colston Hall, Bristol                                     Wolfi Jazz Festival, Strasbourg

  • Cheltenham Jazz Festival                              Jazz Café, London

  • Jazzfest Bonn, Germany                                KKLConcert Hall Lucerne, Switzerland

  • JazzOpen Festival, Stuttgart Germany              The Bataclan, Paris

  • Queen Elizabeth Hall, London                        Cadogan Hall, London

 

Theatre Work

 

Performed in the following productions at Shakespeare’s Globe, London:

 

  • Henry IV part II: Guitar, Percussion

  • Twelfth Night: Electric Guitar, Percussion

  • The Little Match Girl: Classical Guitar, Oud, Tenor Banjo, Percussion

 

Recording sessions include work at:

 

  • Abbey Road Studios, London             Konk Studios, London

  • Real World Studios, Somerset           Eastcote Studios, London

  • Air Edel Studios, London                    The Crypt, Church Studios, London

  • Studio 13 (Damon Albarn), London    Studio Ferber, Paris

  • Dean Street Studios, London              The Strongrooms, London

 

 

Live Television and Radio Studio Performances UK and abroad:

 

BBC 2 Jools Holland                           BBC Radio 1 Maida Vale Sessions               

BBC Radio 4 Loose Ends                      BBC 6 Music Cerys Matthews                      

BBC Radio London Robert Elms             XFM                           

London Live                                        TF1 (France)

Radio Fip (France)                               Arte (France)

Deutschlandradio Kultur (Germany)         Canal+ (France)

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