For Austrian-born Alex Eberhard, George Harrison has always been a major musical inspiration and the creation of The All Things Must Pass Orchestra is the culmination of his passion to play George’s music live. He studied Classical Percussion, Jazz Drums and Guitar at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, where he gained a Master's degree. In 2002, he relocated to the UK, where he quickly became established as a drummer on the Brighton jazz scene which is where he met many of the musicians involved in this project.
Bernd Rest - guitar
Bernd Rest (photo: Neil Garrett)
Bernd Rest was also born in Austria and studied classical guitar in Salzburg before moving to England in 1991 to study jazz & contemporary music at Leeds College of Music and then musical composition at King’s College London. In the early nineties, he worked as a guitarist and songwriter with Brighton-based folk trio Ma Mood, has subsequently released several albums with his wife Rosie Brown and has also recently started collaborating with singer/songwriter Tim Keegan. Bernd works as Composer in Residence for the ARK education network, runs two school orchestras in Brighton, and has also composed scores for film and tv.
Tony Williams - guitar
Tony Williams (photo: Neil Garrett)
Totally at home in a jazz, rock, blues or soul environment, Tony has played guitar for numerous pop bands and performed at some of Britain’s biggest festivals and concert venues. He feels a great affinity with George Harrison's music and spiritual leanings, loves The Beatles and has a strong family connection to the City of Liverpool and its rich traditions.
Dave Barnard - bass guitar
Dave Barnard (photo: Neil Garrett)
Dave Barnard’s long and varied professional musical career began in the late 1970s when he was signed to Polydor Records as a bass player, vocalist and songwriter. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he continued his musical career as a renowned salsa specialist bass player, teaching this style at The Bass Institute in London for three years whilst playing club dates, cabaret shows and cruise ships. During the late 1990s to 2000s, Dave worked as SoundLive residential course leader for The Prince’s Trust. He has been a bass player and musical director for many touring US jazz artists and is perhaps best known for his work with the late singer/songwriter Terry Callier, with whom he toured and recorded for 18 years.
Imogen Ryall - vocals
Imogen Ryall (photo: Neil Garrett)
Imogen made her singing debut at the age of 17 at The Chichester Jazz Festival, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 Alumni of the renowned Guildhall School of Music & Drama and former member of The National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Imogen’s career has since encompassed several recordings, a three-year residency at London’s prestigious Dorchester Hotel and several tours of Europe, the Middle East and South Korea.
Closer to home, she has performed at London's Jazz Café, 606 Club, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and the Barbican Hall and has worked with many of the country’s finest jazz artists.
Lucy Pickering - vocals
Lucy Pickering (photo: Neil Garrett)
Lucy has been a professional singer and respected vocal coach for over twenty years. She has sung aboard some of the world’s most prestigious cruise liners, as well as in fringe theatres and music venues around the UK. Lucy can regularly be seen fronting the Chris Coull Big Band and Hilary Burt’s Blue Calluna as well as various jazz, pop and soul duos, trios and quartets along the South Coast. Her band Court & Spark (Joni Mitchell re-imagined) are very busy this year. Lucy is delighted to be singing with Alex once again, after the successes of their Cellophane Flowers Beatles close harmony trio in recent years.
Paul Nieman - trombone
Paul Nieman (photo: Neil Garrett)
Trained at the Guildhall School of Music, Paul became a founder member of the early music ensemble His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts and also worked with specialist period symphony orchestras like The Hanover Band, and various chamber orchestras, including those directed by John Eliot Gardiner and Roger Norrington. Paul has arranged and played Brazilian music with Nois and Salsa with Cayenne, La Clave & Roberto Pla’s Latin Jazz. In addition, he has recorded and performed with many bands and artists as Brian Eno. Mike Westbrook, The Stranglers and Brotherhood of Breath. He also played on sessions for George Harrison’s legendary Phil Spector-produced album ‘All Things Must Pass.’
Philippe Guyard - saxophone
Philippe Guyard (photo: Neil Garrett)
Philippe grew up near Paris, playing blues harp and saxophone, listening to blues and jazz and eventually forming his own band. In 1990 he moved to Southampton to study Marine Biology, while becoming part of the local jazz and blues scene, and studying jazz with Ray D’Inverno. In 2006 he took a sabbatical to study jazz full time, eventually moving to Brighton when music became his major focus. He is now involved in soul, jazz, and funk bands, saxophone quartets, and big band and is a co-founder of Brighton’s Studio 9 Orchestra.
Tom Arnold - drums
Tom Arnold (photo: Neil Garrett)
Tom has toured the UK and Europe playing keyboards with Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown. He has also played drums with T’Pau, The Cutting Crew, Wang Chung and comedian Boothby Graffoe touring the UK, Europe and the US. Tom has been a member of the Lost & Found Orchestra since its creation by the producers of Stomp! in 2006 and also plays with the Brighton Beach Boys
Simon Robinson - keyboards
Simon Robinson (photo: Neil Garrett)
Simon plays jazz piano, Hammond organ and keyboards as well as being a composer and arranger. He teaches on the Jazz course at Chichester College and plays & contributes musically to a wide variety of ensembles, including the well-established funk band Oomphf.