Album Notes

David McKenzie:
from Dublin, Ireland; A concert violinist, whose 25-year career has seen him hold posts in orchestras in Wales, England, Holland & Ireland. He is currently Principal Second Violin in the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. He has given many solo recitals & performances, notably in recent years with his sister, pianist Margaret Gleeson.

Josh Johnston:
from Dun Laoghaire, Ireland; Josh has played the piano since an early age; he studied Popular Music in the University of Salford near Manchester, England, and graduated as a pianist, band leader and composer. He is a well-known performer in the Dublin area, both as accompanist and soloist; Josh also performs and writes with Irish singer/songwriter Roesy.

David & Josh hail from quite different musical backgrounds but have been playing jazz together for the past three years. Musically, they take the swing jazz of Stephan Grappelli and Joe Venuti as a starting point but also add elements of other styles such as blues and Latin jazz to create an enjoyable and refreshing mix of standards and original compositions.

During 2004, they took time off to record their debut CD, A Minor Happiness in the RTE radio studios in Donnybrook. The album perfectly reflects the contrasting styles and dynamics within the duo's repertoire; from blues to ballads, swing to Latin. Seven of the tracks are David's original compositions and the sheer quality of these tunes is testament to a composing talent waiting to be noticed.