Geoff Eales (born 13 March 1951) is a Welsh jazz pianist, improviser and composer.
Eales was born in Aberbargoed, Wales. When he was eight years old, he learned 12-bar blues from his father, a pianist in a local dance band. In school he studied classical piano and French Horn, becoming a member of the Glamorgan Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. He attended Cardiff University, receiving bachelor's, masters, and doctoral degrees.[1] In 1980 he was awarded a Ph.D. for his large scale orchestral work "An American Symphony" and a setting of Dylan Thomas' poem "In the Beginning" for tenor, French horn, and piano.
His thesis was entitled "Structure in the Symphonic Works of Aaron Copland".[2]
After leaving school, Eales played piano on a Greek cruise ship and traveled around the world. For a few months he lived in New Orleans where he worked with Major Holley, Jimmy McPartland, Buddy Tate, and Earl Warren. He moved to London in 1977 and became a member of the Joe Loss band, then spent four years as pianist for the BBC Big Band.
Eales has worked with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Andy Williams, Dame Shirley Bassey, Jose Carreras, Kiri Te Kanawa, Jerry Goldsmith, Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, Bob Farnon, Billy May, Adelaide Hall, Michael Ball and many others and has played on film soundtracks, records, TV shows and jingles.
He released his debut album, Mountains of Fire in 1999.
| Year recorded | Title | Label | Personnel/Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Mountains of Fire | Black Box | Trio with Roy Babbington (bass), Mark Fletcher (drums); Quartet with Nigel Hitchcock (saxophone), Laurence Cottle (bass guitar), Ian Thomas (drums) | |
| 2001 | Red Letter Days | Black Box | Quartet, with Jim Mullen (guitar), Roy Babbington (bass), Mark Fletcher (drums) | |
| 2002 | Facing the Muse | Mainstem | Trio with Roy Babbington (bass), Mark Fletcher (drums) | |
| 2004 | Synergy | Basho | Solo Piano | |
| 2006 | The Homecoming | 33 Jazz | Trio with Roy Babbington (bass), Mark Fletcher (drums) | |
| 2007 | Jazz Piano Legends | Jaz2 | Trio with Roy Babbington (bass), Mark Fletcher (drums) | |
| 2007 | Epicentre | 33 Jazz | Solo piano | |
| 2009 | Master of the Game | Edition | Trio with Chris Laurence (bass), Martin France (percussion) | |
| 2011 | Shifting Sands | 33 Jazz | Isorhythm with Christian Garrick (violin), Ben Waghorn (saxes, bass clarinet), Carl Orr (guitar), Fred T Baker (bass guitar), Asaf Sirkis (drums) | |
| 2013 | The Dancing Flute | Nimbus Alliance | Duo with Andy Findon (flutes, piccolo) | |
| 2013 | Free Flow | 33Xtreme | Trio with Ben Waghorn (saxes, bass clarinet), Ashley John Long (bass) | |
| 2014 | Invocation | Nimbus Alliance | Solo Piano | |
| 2016 | Transience | Fuzzy Moon | Quintet with Brigitte Beraha (voice), Noel Langley (trumpet, flugel), Chris Laurence (bass), Martin France (drums) | |
| 2021 | Memoir | 33Xtreme | Solo Piano with guest appearances from Andy Findon (flute), Ray Roughler Jones (poetry reading) | |
| 2022 | Love Sacred and Profane | 33 Jazz | Ensemble with Brigitte Beraha, Brenda Ford, Jacqui Hicks, Jenny Howe (vocals), Matt Ridley (bass), Sophie Alloway (drums), Mark Lockheart (soprano sax), Ben Waghorn (alto sax, soprano sax, bass clarinet), Jason Yarde (alto sax), Andy Findon (flute, ethnic flute, penny whistle), Carl Orr (guitar), Shirley Smart (cello) |