ITI Records is privileged to bring to America, THE JAZZ DEFENDERS. Led by one of the UK’s most formidable jazz pianists, George Cooper, The Jazz Defenders are a group born from a deep love of Blue Note jazz, drawing on a wealth of inspiration to craft their own raw and vibrant compositions. The hard bop recordings of Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, and Art Blakey were highly regarded for a reason – catchy horn lines and incredible musicianship combined with Rudy Van Gelder’s engineering skills mean they will forever be regarded as classics of the genre. The Jazz Defenders are a group that defends the legacy of those recordings whilst creating its own original identity and distinction. The music they produce together is a modern soul jazz slant on this classic hard bop, effortlessly channeling the spirit of the golden Blue Note era of jazz. Personnel: George Cooper – Piano/Keyboards, Will Harris – Bass, Ian Matthews – Drums, Nick Malcolm – Trumpet, Jake McMurchie – Tenor Sax