All About Will
Will first started playing piano at the age of 6 and soon progressed to playing acoustic guitar and violin at primary school. As different opportunities presented themselves, Will then went on to teach himself electric guitar, bass guitar and drums.
Obtaining Grade 8 bass guitar at the age of 16, Grade 7 piano, Grade 5 violin as well as completing Grade 5 theory pushed Will into his career. He is a very competent sight-reader and can also pick lines up by ear swiftly. Will’s main genres are jazz, funk, soul, disco, Motown, pop and folk but is very flexible.
Will has recently graduated from the University of York with a First Class Masters Degree in Electronic Engineering with Music Technology.
Central Avenue Function Band is Will's main project at the moment, where he is bassist, sound engineer, and pro DJ, regularly travelling around Europe for a number of functions.
Will has played with the Garforth Jazz Rock Band / Chapel FM Jazz Collective for 8 years playing festivals with Hugh Masekela, The BBC Big Band, The Skatalites, Ruby Turner, The Wonder Stuff and The Brand New Heavies. He is heavily involved in all his other projects and plays at some of the top venues including O2 Academy Leeds and Belgrave Music Hall as well as many other private functions.
Will owns a wide range of equipment and instruments including:
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A fully PAT tested PA system, suitable for live bands (from solo, up to 15 piece)
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A large collection of professional instruments
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A fully equipped home studio setup
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
HARRY GARBUTT
CENTRAL AVENUE FUNCTION BAND
Will is an extremely passionate and energetic musician, with strong stage presence and high level technical ability; he is a very talented and natural musician
NATIONAL CENTRE FOR
EARLY MUSIC
Will got down to the job right away and resolved problems with discretion and professionalism, working unobtrusively throughout, delivering the finished recordings ahead of schedule
HENRY BATEMAN
ARTIST
Will emits an enthusiastic, passionate and yet completely calm aura - which enables him to facilitate the best creative environments, whether that's for performers at his events or in the studio for sessions he's engineering
Will's Current Projects
Central Avenue Function Band
Bassist, Sound Engineer, Pro DJ
Composed of highly trained young professionals, Central Avenue are the new wave of corporate function party band; guaranteeing a night of the highest quality entertainment for all ages and music tastes. Available as a 5 to 12 piece line up.
Central Avenue cover all styles of music from Disco through to Funk, Soul, Motown and Contemporary Pop - providing musical entertainment for every occasion.
Will is the bass guitarist for this band and covers gigs all over the country. He is also the live sound engineer for these gigs with a full PA system and recently the Pro DJ for larger events.
Chapel FM Jazz Collective
Bassist
Chapel FM Jazz Collective is an exciting new band playing arrangements of jazz, neo soul, funk and big band music with some original compositions. CJC have performed at venues around Yorkshire including The Wardrobe, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Seven Arts, Leeds Jazz Festival, Yorkshire Silent Film Festival, Marsden Jazz Festival and the Leeds City of Culture 2023 bid as well as many other venues and private events.
Will has been the bass guitarist for this band since it was formed in September 2017.
Leeds City Council
Casual Sound and Lighting Engineer
Will joined the team at Leeds City Council on a casual basis in 2021 to assist with live events at the Leeds Town Hall, Carriageworks Theatre and other venues around Leeds. He's worked as the main sound engineer for the 2022/2023 pantomime, Cinderella.
Muted Productions
Live Sound Engineer
Will has recently joined the team at Muted Productions as a Live Sound Engineer at events across Leeds of various sizes.
Will's Past Projects
University Radio York
Presenter & Engineer
Radio was Will's newest venture, co-presenting a brand new show, Alice & Will's Wiki Wormhole, as well as engineering several OBs. For more information click here!
Ground Quintet
Bassist
Ground Quintet were a newly formed jazz quintet originating from Leeds playing a wide range of music from jazz standards to contemporary neo-soul as well as working on original pieces. This project is currently on hold due to several members relocating for university studies
Nate Trio
Bassist
Nate Trio was a blues / rock power trio from Leeds formed by singer / guitarist Nathan Blessitt with Will Pitchfork on bass and Jonah Evans on drums.
Nate Trio performed covers from Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, The Beatles and many more (including their own arrangements of these pieces). The Trio also wrote and performed original pieces and have recorded two demo tracks (recorded and mixed by Will).
Garforth Jazz Rock Band
Bassist
Formed in 2003, Garforth Jazz Rock Band has performed all over the UK, as well as touring Ireland, Germany and South Africa.
Expect an exciting and diverse set of Funk, Jazz, Soul and inventive arrangements of well-known tunes delivered by some fantastic musicians, led by musical director Dave Evans.
Will first joined GJRB in May 2013 and has been a member since, performing on bass guitar and rhythm guitar.
Capacity
Bassist
Capacity was a five-piece jazz, funk and soul covers band based in Leeds, playing songs from Etta James to Aloe Blacc, Aretha Franklin to Norah Jones, Dave Brubeck to Marvin Gaye.
Capacity worked the West Yorkshire pub and club scene for three years as well as private functions such as corporate events and weddings.
Arcarode
Bassist, Violinist, Acoustic Guitarist
Arcarode is an alternative / folk 4 piece band performing all original material. They have performed at some of Leeds' top venues including the O2 Academy and Belgrave Music Hall as well as being offered a support slot at Leeds first direct Arena.
Will performed with Arcarode for a number of years across a variety of instruments including bass guitar, violin and acoustic guitar.
We Will Rock You
Bassist
Will was bass guitarist for Garforth Academy's production of We Will Rock You - The Musical.
Screamin' G
Bassist / Keys
Screamin' G was the first project Will was involved with at the age of 13. Screamin' G performed covers of well known rock & roll songs from Elvis and The Beatles as well as many other well known and more modern artists.
