Name: Pat Sprakes
Role: Bass
X: @PatSprakes
Pat learned the cello as a child but then moved to lessons in classical guitar. Following his discovery of George Benson and after much persuasion, his teacher found him jazz pieces to play, and even wrote a piece dedicated to Pat.
He cut his musical career teeth in Nottingham in the 1990s working alongside Tony Kofi and played Edinburgh Jazz Festival, toured Italy and France and was selected by Darius Brubeck to play in his quartet when the band visited Nottingham.
He began to play double bass and bass guitar when he realised he could get more gigs, purchasing his first instrument in Edinburgh then trying to figure out how to get back to his hotel in a taxi with the instrument in tow.
He has performed at major venues such as Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Lichfield Festival, Southport Festival, Edinburgh Jazz Festival, has toured Italy and France and continues to do so.
His influences include George Benson, Wes Montgomery, Ray Brown, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Larry Carlton, Emily Remler.