Charlotte Keeffe
Trumpeter Charlotte Keeffe’s unique approach and passion for improvised, experimental and jazz music sees her performing regularly across the UK and internationally leading her own bands, as a soloist and/or, as part of several ensembles.
Her music has been featured on BBC Radio 3, Resonance FM and Jazz FM and recent appearances with her Quartet include Jazz In The Round and a sell-out performance at Lancaster Jazz Festival. Other recent highlights include being featured as a performer and composer/arranger on Sheffield-based Martin Archer’s latest project, Anthropology Band, performances with Alex Ward’s Item 4 and regular appearances and conductions with the London Improvisers Orchestra.
Inspired by the likes of Miles Davis and Polish artist Tomasz Stańko, Charlotte studied Jazz Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama before going on to become a scholarship recipient at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and a Help Musicians UK Award Winner.
With her Quartet, Charlotte explores the relationship between her compositions and experimental improvisation, producing a unique musical experience inspiring creative freedom of expression. Bassist Ashley John Long, drummer Ben Handysides and guitarist Moss Freed join Charlotte in this latest collaboration.
Charlotte is also a performer in Moss Freed’s Union Division, Calum Gourlay’s Big Band and Ben Higham’s (The) Brass Monkeys. She performs solo improvisations and is part of various duos, trios, quartets, with the likes of cellist Shirley Smart, saxophonist Cath Roberts and trombonist Alex Paxton. She took part in the Summer Studios Artist Residency 2019 with drummer Andrew Lisle and bassist Otto Willberg in Andrew’s trio at The Sage, Gateshead. Charlotte played in Marin Alsop's Taki Concordia Orchestra at the World Economic Forum 2019 playing to world leaders and celebrities including Sir David Attenborough.
Charlotte’s performed at several festivals including Glastonbury and the Wilderness alongside Liane Carroll, Charlotte Church, Laura Mvula, Kate Nash, Camille O’Sullivan and Will Young. She plays the role of the musician in Goblin theatre’s production of The Legend of the Jazz Penguin.
‘…Charlotte Keeffe’s blood-red, rasping flugelhorn and trumpet blew breathy cadences and messages as if her lungs were burning with an electricity all of her own.’
- Chris Searle, Morning Star
‘…characterful beautiful-toned flugelhorn…’
- Sebastian Scotney, LondonJazzNews
‘...trumpeter Charlotte Keeffe is a whirlwind of extended techniques and tactile puzzles, removing the mouthpiece to elicit a windy howl, using her left hand as a mute in the bell of the horn and revelling in restless possibilities.’
- Daniel Spicer, Jazzwise Magazine