Course Studied:
BA (Hons) Music (Jazz)
Year of Graduation: 2019
Rory Mann is an award winning, highly proficient guitarist, composer and educator based in London. He has made a name for himself around the UK playing in a number of different settings, bands and projects. His debut EP ‘The Way Out’, featuring Saul Duff on tenor saxophone, Joe Wilkes on bass and Oli Reeves on drums, was recorded in Leeds and released in December 2022. The EP features four of Rory’s cutting edge, unique compositions developed over his years living in Leeds.
As cliché as it sounds, I think I always wanted to be a musician; music always came very naturally to me, and I remember becoming obsessed with rock and metal around the age of 10 or 11 and wanted to be in a band like that (my first musical love was Linkin Park; it was the mid 2000s!). I started getting into jazz after exploring it with my dad, whose father was a jazz musician in Leeds from the 1930s until his death. Hearing the spontaneous connections between the musicians around fascinating harmony (I was always a bit of a harmony nerd) got me hooked, and I’d always loved improvising even before properly getting into jazz, so it was a natural fit. Playing in my school and local big bands was also hugely important to my development and helping me fall in love with the music. I don’t think it was until I got to Leeds though that I really understood what jazz is, and what it means to play this wonderful Black American Music that has so much depth and history.
How did studying at Leeds Conservatoire prepare you for working in the wider industry?
Leeds Conservatoire is remarkable in that it seems to be the only UK conservatoire that has almost every aspect of the music industry under one roof (not just classical and jazz for example); so studying there gave me connections in all kinds of areas of the music scene, from other performers to producers and songwriters. From an academic perspective, the classes on the jazz course gave me all extensive skills in improvisation, rhythmic and harmonic vocabulary, composition and arranging which are all invaluable for a professional musician. In addition, the conservatoire being filled with original music gave me numerous opportunities to perform as a side person in many people’s projects; giving me the skills needed to learn other people’s music fast, and to a high standard. I also immersed myself in jam sessions regularly which gave me a deep understanding of standard jazz repertoire.
What was the most important lesson you learned during your time in Leeds?
Be the first person to say yes to anything!
How important were the connections you made during your studies?
Absolutely invaluable; I still regularly perform with many people I was at Leeds with, and without the huge network of musicians I met at the conservatoire, and the extended network beyond them, I doubt I would have made a living as a professional musician.
Could you tell about some of your most memorable performances to date?
Supporting Ari Hoenig twice at Seven Arts in Leeds, once with a collaborative original project and once with my own band, has definitely been a highlight. Debuting my original music in London at MAP Studio Café, featuring fellow Leeds Conservatoire alumni Matt Anderson (also staff) and Alasdair Pennington, was also a hugely important moment for me. Recently I performed with the Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra at Pizza Express Soho alongside John Daversa, which was some of the most challenging and rewarding music I have played so far.
What's coming up next for you in terms of projects or releases?
I’m currently focusing on finishing my master’s at the Royal Academy of Music, which I will complete this summer. But I am currently writing new music with the anticipation of touring and releasing it with my current quintet by the end of 2024/early 2025!
You’re also a composer, what are your key inspirations when writing?
Musically, I am inspired by a wide range of jazz composers such as Wayne Shorter, Kenny Wheeler, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Tigran Hamasyan, Brian Blade, Pat Metheny, Allan Holdsworth and Nir Felder, but my influences aren’t limited to jazz. I’m heavily inspired by artists such as Pink Floyd, MF Doom, Tower of Power, Kendrick Lamar, The JBs, Meshuggah, D’Angelo, The olllam and Snowpoet. I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to personally study under some incredible composers who are an endless source of inspiration, such as Pete Churchill, Mike Walker, Nikki Iles, Jasper Hoiby, Ant Law, and Leeds Conservatoire’s own legends such as Jamil Sheriff, Rob Mitchell and Ed Jones!
What is your favourite song you’ve released so far?
Probably ‘Gaia’s Landing’ – it’s a tune I wrote while I was at Leeds Conservatoire that pretty much fell out of my head and onto my guitar without much thought. I’m proud of most tunes I’ve written but the process of writing that one felt very natural.
What is your writing-process like?
It really varies; it almost always starts with a small idea such as a riff, melody or chord progression. Sometimes I come up with a rhythmic idea that I want to use, or sometimes I say to myself I want to write in a certain style, such as a ballad or a groovier tune. I’ve been trying to write less at the guitar recently and rely more on my ears and writing down things that come to my head, as I often want to get away from muscle memory. Sometimes I’ll also come up with a title first; which gives me a vibe or concept to work off.
How did you get into teaching?
I’ve always loved teaching; I get a real thrill from showing students new concepts and seeing them develop as musicians. I had a number of students with a music service based in north Leeds for a number of years, which meant lots of driving round students houses during afternoons and evenings! Once I moved to London I reached out to a similar music service in West London who I now work in a similar capacity for, as well as teaching a few private students from home. I have also done some teaching in the Junior Jazz department at the Royal Academy of Music.
What advice would you give to a prospective student thinking of applying to your course?
Immerse yourself in the music. Jazz isn’t just a harmonic framework, or a set of licks, it’s a deep lineage and language that we must respect. Listen to as much as you can, figure out what you like and what you don’t like, and study the hell out of the stuff you like. Try and get a specialist jazz teacher if you don’t already have one, and get playing with other musicians as soon as possible!
We'd like to say a huge thank you to Rory for chatting with us!
Check out Rory's socials: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube
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