Who are Hugo Velvet?
I wanted to record the music within the musical before completion of the screenplay. I was lucky enough to recruit six amazing musicians who all played so well during the recording process.
They liked the songs very much and were also keen to start playing some live gigs at festivals and London venues. So, on 8th April we played at Queen’s in Peckham to an enthusiastic crowd. A great first gig!
I’d like to thank the musicians below for their superb playing/ musicianship, and for bringing such joyful energy to my original compositions…
Hear the Band in Action
Carousel
Static
Shift
Sanctuary
Reggae Resovoir
Efra Groove
See the Band in Action
Shift
Effra Groove
Sanctuary
Static
Carousel
Peter Duncan – Guitar
Peter is a passionate guitarist/ teacher and composer. He has written three guitar books, many solo songs as well as the entire repertoire for the ‘Hugo Velvet Band’. This project/ band is a forerunner of a funk musical Peter is putting together for release in 2027.
Sidney Moon, Trumpet
Sid is a very versatile and accomplished trumpet player/ pianist and composer. He has 15 + years of professional experience across a range of styles including Jazz, Orchestra and Commercial music.
Duncan Eagles – Tenor Sax
Duncan is a London – based Saxophonist / Teacher and Composer. He has played with numerous great musicians throughout his career and has won many prestigious awards. Duncan plays with a very impressive blend of tone, colours and dynamics.
Chris Fry – Trombone
Chris is a very experienced trombone player and actor. He plays with a superb tone and is a really melodic/ animated improvisor.
Joel Prime – Percussion
Joel is an extremely gifted Australian percussionist/ drummer who has really made his mark in London and further afield.
He has performed with many fine musicians and is much respected for his talent and personable nature.
Gabor Dornyei – Drums
Gabor is an extremely talented drummer/ teacher, originally from Hungary. He is very well respected throughout the UK/ Europe and America and has played with many big name Jazz artists.
Mike Searl – Bass
Mike is an extremely active bass player on the London scene and further afield. He plays with a unique style and is involved in many projects. Mike is a very cheerful musician, full of musical ideas and suggestions….a joy to work with.
“Guitar maestro Peter Duncan’s new funk music project, the Hugo Velvet Band, received its first outing at Peckham’s stylish upcoming music venue, Queen’s, on April 9. The band boasts an impressive roster of first-tier instrumentalists, and propelled by the powerhouse drumming of international star Gabor Dornyei, they delivered a tight and compelling first set of mainly funk and reggae numbers, most of them originals by Peter Duncan. The second set was a jam session, also enjoyable and musically impressive given the high quality of the jammers. A great night out, and more are in the pipeline, so get down there!”
“The Hugo Velvet Band are an electric ensemble! Great interplay between the musicians and a particularly tight rhythm section”
“The Hugo Velvet Band led by guitarist Peter Duncan is a very funky groove – based band. They perform catchy originals and cleverly arranged covers. Great danceable tunes & captivating to listen to, great musicians. Well recommended.”
“What an amazing night! An unreal vibe and an honour to hear 7 musicians at the top of their game. The new songs were great!”
“The show was great, very uplifting vibe from a 7 piece band. I loved being part of the jam as well and throughout the evening there was a real sense of community. Nice people from the staff at the bar as well.”
“Great catchy funky jazz from Pete and his band, ‘The Hugo Velvet Band’. I really enjoyed it 😀”
“The band delivered a tight, set of all‑original funk tunes to an engaged and appreciative crowd on a Thursday night. Hearing intentional compositions with a full horn section made it a memorable night of music, and something rare to see on a weeknight. It was groovy, fun, and put everyone in a good mood, and the band clearly enjoyed themselves as much as the audience did.”
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