Pianist, double bassist and composer Howard Britz is inspired by the progressive Jazz of the 1960s merging with Latin, New Orleans and Blues. Born in London, England in 1961. the long time Brooklyn, New Yorker has released six recordings of his own music and has played and toured throughout the United States and Europe.
In performance, Howard brings surprising fresh melodies, deep grooves and improvisations that are rooted yet adventurous. His sense of fun, playfulness and humor communicates directly to the audience. His sets can go from a roaring New Orleans or hard swinging compositions to a soulful, bluesy ballad or something Latin flavored. Whatever happens, it is always a journey.
Howard has played the length and breadth of his homeland, the UK , from London's Royal Festival Hall and Ronnie Scott’s world famous Jazz Club to the Glasgow International Jazz Festival and the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland and everywhere in between. He has led groups on tours of the UK, performed in Sweden and France. Moving to the US in 1991, he played throughout Boston and the Northeast including Scullers and The Regatta Bar Jazz clubs, also Boston's oldest Jazz Club, Wallies. He played with Danilo Perez (of the Wayne Shorter Group) on many gigs, including at the Lincoln Center in NYC and with Grammy Winning Vocalist, Luciana Souza. In Philadelphia PA where he lived for a few years, he was a regular at Ortliebs Jazz Club, and played at the Annual John Coltrane Festival with Sonny Fortune (Miles Davis). He also recorded with Sam Rivers and Julius Hemphill. In Brooklyn, NYC where he’s lived since 1998 he’s performed with his own group at the Blue Note Jazz Club, Smalls Jazz Club & Maureen’s Jazz Cellar. He toured California with Jon Hendricks (Lambert, Hendricks and Ross) and played with Kenny Werner at Jazz Festival and clubs, also with Paquito D’Rivera at the Blue Note NYC.
Jazz pianist, bassist and composer Howard Britz has played around the US and Europe. With his unique blend of original compositions and playing rooted in the progressive Jazz of the 1960s he is an original and entertaining voice.