Guitarist Billy Marrows releases new single ‘A Grande Família’ for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

With all proceeds going to World Child Cancer, London based jazz guitarist and award-winning composer Billy Marrows will release his debut album Penelope on 26 January 2024, in memory of his mother Penny who died of cancer in August 2023.

The album features Billy’s new drummer-less chamber jazz group, Grande Família, both as a 12 piece ensemble and in smaller combinations, interspersed with intimate solo guitar vignettes. It includes one of Penny’s nephews on bass, great-niece on flute and Billy’s partner Teresa on viola, alongside eight diverse musicians special to Billy. Their inventive mix of contemporary jazz styles spans a wide emotional spectrum, with strong narrative and melodic solos and compositions.

The first single, the light and infectious samba ‘A Grande Família’, features the full 12 piece Grande Família and is released on 22 September 2023, to promote Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September.

In March 2023 Penny was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Billy, Teresa and his cousins performed for her at a family gathering in April. She loved it, so Billy decided to make this charity album as a surprise for her, generously supported by friends and family. Penny realised how fortunate she was to have access to such good cancer care, compared to others around the world, so they chose to raise money for World Child Cancer, a charity that helps children to overcome cancer in countries where it is needed the most. Penny was an artist and the album and single artworks showcase her striking paintings.

Recorded at The Pool Studio, the musicians involved are Billy Marrows - guitar/baritone guitar and compositions, Teresa Macedo Ferreira - viola, Dijan Mbanu - flute, Jonas Mbanu – electric bass, Angus Bayley - piano, Gustavo Clayton Marucci - clarinet and bass clarinet, Chris Williams - alto sax (also in Billy’s small group, the Billy Marrows Band), Tom Ridout - sop, tenor and clarinet, Mike Soper - trumpet, Olli Martin - trombone, Anna Drysdale - French horn and Greg Sanders - shaker and producer.

World Child Cancer works to help children with cancer in developing countries – in the UK over 80% of children now survive cancer – in developing countries that can be as low as 10%. They train paediatric oncologists and fund treatment, travel and psychological support, as well as raising awareness.

• £7 could pay for one week's worth of pain relief medication for two children with cancer in Malawi
• £10 could pay for essential blood tests for three children with cancer pre-chemotherapy in Cameroon
• £30 could support the reliable supply of essential drugs for three children with cancer in Myanmar
• £50 could pay for a round of life-saving chemotherapy for a child with cancer in Ghana

For more info visit worldchildcancer.org

Billy’s debut single ‘A Grande Família’ will be released on 22 September 2023 for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – watch the video below and pre-order the album at billymarrows.bandcamp.com