“…a sharp-dressed, cheerful and irreverent diversifier who uses the instrument to explore jazz, rock, folk, pop and various other genres… anything as long as it isn’t classical. Notably for a contemporary solo performer, Rupert eschews loops and effects. When you hear him live, it’s just him, the necessary techniques and a dose of imagination.”
Misfitcity.org
Rupert Gillett is a highly active performer, session musician and educator on the London scene and abroad. In 2018, he was a featured artist and lecturer at the prestigious New Directions Cello Festival in Cologne, Germany. He has also taught Jazz Cello at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department and the Cello Akademie, Rutesheim, Germany. He currently performs with jazz-icon Jacqui Dankworth MBE, jazz violinist Chris Garrick & composer/pianist David Gordon in the chamber-jazz ensemble “Butterfly’s Wing”, as well as in the renowned “Kosmos Ensemble” with Harriet Mackenzie. He also plays in a unique 2 cello and violin jazz-fusion/crossover ensemble called “Arcopia” with renowned jazz cellist Gunther Tiedemann (String Thing) and London-based violinist Chris Haigh (Bob Geldof, Michael Ball). Rupert has performed with Alison Moyet, as well as being featured live on BBC 2 television, BBC Radio London, BBC3 and BBC 6 Music with various ensembles. He has played at large scale events such as the 2012 Paralympics & the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, and has performed for clients such as Amazon, Boots, Dunhill, Asda, the American Embassy and Buckingham Palace.
On double bass, Rupert regularly performs in a number of ensembles such as Dai & the Ramblers (Ace Records), She’Koyokh, The London Klezmer Quartet, the Boneshaker Band, the London Niche Quartet and many more. He also recently performed on the score of the movie “Tolkien”, starring Nicholas Hoult.
Rupert has also performed to a variety of celebrity clients, including Prince Philip, Brad Pitt, Jeremy Corbyn, Angelina Jolie, Jude Law, Sir Antony Gormley, Charles Dance, Orlando Bloom, Nigel Planer (The Young Ones), Chris O’Dowd (The IT Crowd), Jeremy Clarkson (although he left quite quickly!) and Ray Davies.