Richard Michael BEM
Piano/Course Lead
Richard Michael is recognised as one of the UK’s leading educators in the field of jazz improvisation, a pianist who can improvise a fugue as easily as he can play be-bop, and a composer who has written for orchestras, chamber groups and big bands.
His presentation skills have been recognised through many years as BBC Radio Scotland’s “Jazz Jargonbuster”, analysing instrumental solos and songs to audiences on “Jazz Nights” and also “Classics Unwrapped”.
He was awarded the BEM for services to music in the Queen’s Birthday Honors list in 2012, and given a lifetime achievement award from Jazz Scotland in 2021
He is the author of “Jazz Piano for Kids” (published by Hal Leonard in 2022) “Creative Jazz Education” (Stainer and Bell) and many instrumental pieces for the ABRSM.
Through his work as Honorary Professor of Jazz Piano at St Andrews University, Richard has led both Jazz and Baroque workshops and improvised on the theme of Bach’s Goldberg Variations in a concert in the Laidlaw Centre in April 2023 with Claire Innes-Hopkin.
He has been a member of the Benedetti Foundation since it began before lockdown, teaching improvisation in all styles to hundreds of youngsters and teachers in person and through Zoom.
In November 2025, 75 past and present members of Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra came together in the Adam Centre, Kirkcaldy for a special concert celebrating Richard’s 50 years as leader.
His enthusiasm to get the best out of folk of all abilities and ages is undimmed, and he sees the Jazz Summer Course as worth a year of regular rehearsals because of its intensity, joy and springboard for talent.
Hilary Michael
Strings
Scottish violinist and saxophonist Hilary Michael graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2006, where she studied the violin with Richard Deakin and Pavlo Beznosiuk, and the saxophone with Martin Speake. A specialist in Baroque violin, jazz and improvisation, she has a wide variety of musical skills, influences and passions, at the heart of which lies the music of J.S Bach and Duke Ellington.
Hilary has performed and recorded all over the world with ensembles such as Dunedin Consort, Academy of Ancient Music, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orchestre Romantique et Revolutionnaire and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. She has performed at the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh International Festival on numerous occasions, and last year played a solo recital at St Cecilia’s Hall as part of International Women’s Day.
She has been a tutor on the Richard Michael Summer Jazz Course for 24 years and for the last 9 years has been the Historical Performance specialist at St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh where she teaches Baroque violin, Jazz violin, Improvisation and directs both the Early Music Group and Jazz Combo.
She lives in Edinburgh with her husband Tom, daughters Ailish and Caitlin and cat Matilda.
Eliot Murray
Guitar
Since moving to Glasgow to study music Eliot has been working as an instrumental instructor in schools teaching guitar, bass and woodwind instruments. He has also taught voice at Strathclyde University and has been a tutor on various summer jazz schools for the last 30 years.
He has been performing live for over 30 years as a function band leader, soloist and music director. He has been a resident musician at many venues throughout Scotland including a long association with Gleneagles Hotel. He has arranged lots of music for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducting them on several occasions and was the director, pianist and arranger of their big band for 7 years. Eliot has also arranged for and directed the BBC Big Band many times broadcasting regularly on Radio 2. He has had the privilege of working with great artists like Lesley Garrett, Eddi Reader, Liane Carroll, Madeleine Bell and had the honour of directing and arranging the music for the BBC’s Frank Sinatra Centenary concert at the Festival Theatre with Curtis Steigers.
Eliot likes to play golf in his spare time, enjoys cooking and spending too much money eating out !
Mario Caribé
Bass
Since moving to Scotland with his young family in 1996 Mario became first call bassist for many of the groups of the burgeoning Scottish Jazz scene as well as cross genre groups such as Moishes Bagel, Nuala Kennedy, Tangalgo and Phil Bancroft’s ’Home Small as the World’
American and European top players who invited him to play also form a select group: Julian Arguelles, David Berkman, George Collligan, Ghuss Jansen, Tim Garland, Ary Hoenig, Leo Blanco, and Nguyen Lê.
Alongside his activities as a side man he released two CDs “Bacuris” and “Hands On” featureing his quartet with special guest David Berkman on piano.
Mario has been also deeply involved in education having taught at most of the higher education institutions in Scotland and holding the post of bass/composition and arranging tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland prestigious Jazz Degree Course.
Mario’s work as a composer was also highlighted when he was commissioned by the SNJO to write a latin suite ’Brazilian Scenes’ and performed it through central Scotland in 2008.
Mario started a Brazilian Music Trio 8 years ago where he sings and plays Bossa Nova Guitar and light Percussion to explore some of the music he grew up with and since then has enjoyed going back to what he began studying back in the 70’s
Gordon McNeil
Sax/Woodwind
I began as a pro saxophonist (doubling woodwinds) in 1987, graduated from Newcastle college in 1990 with a degree in Jazz & commercial music. Spent the 1990’s as a music director on cruise ships. 22 years as a music tutor in Dundee, students have attained grade 8’s on all the woodwinds, one student graduated top of his class at Berklee in Boston & another won Young Jazz Musician of the year, many others are now pro musicians.
Jazz & improvisation are my first loves but I have gigged in almost every genre & venues from Thailand to Las Vegas, major pop/rock festivals, jazz clubs, orchestral concerts. Recorded with Vinnie Colaiuta & Mike League, performed with the Happy Mondays, New Order & the Fratellis, performed with jazz greats Liane Carroll & Jim Mullen & studied with the great Mike
Stern.
I endeavour to inspire my students to stay positive & with dedication – music is a great way to follow your heart. Play what you love & never work a day in your life!
Kevin Ferris
Brass
Kevin is a highly experienced professional trumpet player and educator with over thirty years of international performance experience across jazz, big band, musical theatre, cruise entertainment, and commercial music.
He began playing the trumpet in his final year of primary school under the guidance of Richard Johnston before continuing his studies at Beath Senior High School, where he was taught by Richard Michael. It was here that Kevin developed a lasting passion for jazz.
As a freelance musician he has toured extensively throughout the UK and Europe. He is a regular member of the trumpet section for “The Rat Pack – Live From Las Vegas”, and has performed with the Edinburgh International Jazz Festival Orchestra, led by jazz legend Joe Temperley. Regular work has included the Tommy Samson Big Band, alongside appearances with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Glenn Miller Orchestra UK, Fife Jazz Orchestra, Commonwealth Jazz Orchestra, and the Scottish Pops Orchestra.
Kevin has backed many of the world’s leading entertainers, including The Four Tops, The Temptations, Donna Summer, Barry White, The Platters, Shirley Bassey, Dionne Warwick, and Burt Bacharach, among many others.
His extensive musical theatre credits include major UK touring productions such as Me and My Girl, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, High School Musical, Hairspray, Sister Act, 9 to 5, High Society, Singin’ in the Rain, The Producers, The Glenn Miller Story, Calendar Girls, Berlin Berlin, Funny Girl, 42nd Street, and Chicago as well as the upcoming High Life tour.
He is a respected educator, serving as trumpet tutor for the Fife Jazz Course for over ten years. He is also Musical Director of the Inverkeithing Community Big Band, where he leads performances, workshops, and educational projects.
Tom Gordon
Drums
Since graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1993, Tom has been busy as a freelance player and teacher, working with a wide variety of artists in many settings.
In 2002 he took over the drum chair in the BBC Big Band, a position he holds to this day. Some highlights in Tom’s career so far include working with The BBC Big Band, The NDR Big Band – Hamburg, The Woody Herman Orchestra, The BBC Concert Orchestra, The London Philharmonia, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Jamie Cullum, Lalo Schifrin, Al Jarreau, Joe Sample, James Morrison, Sammy Nestico, Patti Austin, Paloma Faith and Jon Faddis. Tom has also played in West End productions of Fosse, Witches of Eastwick, Mary Poppins and Our House. As a leader, his 7 piece swing band received a 5 star review at the 2017 Edinburgh Jazz Festival.Since his move back to Scotland in 2004 Tom has been in demand as both educator and performer at home and abroad.
Debra Salem
Vocals
With her vocal work, she has always tried to make a connection to lyrics that will in turn will connect with the listener.The recent release of IN A SMA ROOM, an album of songs from the poems of William Soutar, very much represents this merging of her jazz/folk style both in her vocals and the 6 songs she composed for the album.
She is currently working on a new album of original material. She also was a Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Open Stage Finalist finalist performing a mix of original and traditional songs.
Her music composition work, upwards of 70 commissions, has been mainly in the realm of theatre with film and dance projects and working across UK and Ireland including: two seasons as resident sound designer for Perth Theatre; a commission for a Margaret Morris celebration; song for the opening of Perth Museum inspired by a Suffragette banner, and ongoing work with Irish writer and director Veronica Coburn writing songs and composing soundscapes for community arts projects
Debra has shared her love of song and singing with many choirs and vocal projects. She started Craigie Community Choir in Perth in 2004 – a group which has sung and recorded with RUNRIG, performed at Celtic Connections and got to the final heats of BBC’s Last Choir Standing. She writes all the arrangements for this acapella group. Debra is also known for her work with Horsecross Arts delivering vocal workshops and vocal projects such as Southern Fried Voices – a project choir which supported acts such as Blue Rose Code, during the Southern Fried Festival in Perth. She also delivered vocal projects for Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust for those with long-term health conditions and is jazz vocal tutor for Richard Michael Summer Jazz School.
Her work as an artistic director and producer has resulted in leading on many large scale national events such as Remembering Loos – a national remembrance ceremony at Caird Hall in Dundee commemorating the Battle of Loos; Fusion – a celebration of community arts in Perth as part of the Perth City of Culture bid; and Holocaust Memorial Day where she was programme director for the National Event and supporting education programme.