Gerard Presencer - Biography

Biography

Presencer showed his first interest in what was to become his chosen instrument, the trumpet, at nine. Gerard heard Roy Eldridge's solo from a Jazz At The Philharmonic live date, a performance that Presencer attributes to his early determination to become a trumpeter. Presencer has also cited among others Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw and Clifford Brown as early influences.

At the age of eleven, he became the youngest trumpeter with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Presencer had been playing with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra for nearly five years.At the age of 18, Presencer began playing with pianist Stan Tracey, in his big band, octet, septet and duo.

Presencer continued to work with British musicians such as Tommy Smith, Stan Tracey, Peter King, John Dankworth, John Taylor, Ronnie Scott, Norma Winstone and Mike Gibbs, as well as with international musicians, including Johnny Griffin, Chris Potter, Mark Turner, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Randy Brecker, Red Rodney, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, John Abercrombie and Bob Berg. He is a member of Charlie Watts' various jazz groups, with which he has recorded five albums, and was a featured soloist on US3's Cantaloop (Blue Note's biggest-selling release in the 1990s.Presencer recorded this track aged 18). He has also released three albums as leader.

In January 2010, Presencer played as a soloist with the Danish Radio Big Band for the opening of the Copenhagen Concert Hall. Later the same year he chose to accept an offer to become a regular member of the big band and moved to Copenhagen.