Diary

🦠 CANCELLED JAZZ 🦠

🦠 DUE TO 🦠 CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC 🦠

Please be advised that, given the current government advice regarding action of ‘social distancing’, in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, that all Jazzamatazz gigs are cancelled until further notice.

I will continue to monitor the government strategy on a week to week basis.  

All changes to our jazz programme will be reflected on our website, Facebook page and on our land line answering machine tel:024 7640 3120.  Please check weekly as to if the forthcoming gig is going ahead or not.

Our thoughts remain with the artists and bar staff who have lost their income overnight.

Let’s hope normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

🦠 CANCELLED JAZZ 🦠

🦠 DUE TO 🦠 CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC 🦠

Please be advised that, given the current government advice regarding action of ‘social distancing’, in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, that all Jazzamatazz gigs are cancelled until further notice.

I will continue to monitor the government strategy on a week to week basis.  

All changes to our jazz programme will be reflected on our website, Facebook page and on our land line answering machine tel:024 7640 3120.  Please check weekly as to if the forthcoming gig is going ahead or not.

Our thoughts remain with the artists and bar staff who have lost their income overnight.

Let’s hope normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

🦠 CANCELLED JAZZ 🦠

🦠 DUE TO 🦠 CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC 🦠

Please be advised that, given the current government advice regarding action of ‘social distancing’, in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, that all Jazzamatazz gigs are cancelled until further notice.

I will continue to monitor the government strategy on a week to week basis.  

All changes to our jazz programme will be reflected on our website, Facebook page and on our land line answering machine tel:024 7640 3120.  Please check weekly as to if the forthcoming gig is going ahead or not.

Our thoughts remain with the artists and bar staff who have lost their income overnight.

Let’s hope normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

The band has established itself as one of the most respected and entertaining outfits on the British jazz scene, with their adventurous and eclectic repertoire gaining plaudits wherever they perform. Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends have recently headlined at Upton On Severn Jazz Festival, Pershore Jazz Festival, Teignmouth Jazz Festival, Birmingham Jazz Festival, Bromyard Music Festival, Jazz On a Summer’s Day in Blisworth, Wellingborough Jazz Festival, Wantage Jazz Club, Olney Jazz Club, Carlton Music Festival and at The Spice of Life Jazz Club, one of London’s top jazz venues. The band comprise of Tad Newton (trombone/vocal), Alan Haughton (piano), Ronnie Fenn (drums), Tomas Pedersen (bass), Mike Wills (reeds) and one of London's top young jazz players as a special guest Lester Brown (trumpet/flugelhorn). This poses to be a fantastic session, one that will be remembered for many weeks to come.

With 40 years of experience as a professional jazz and blues pianist and band leader, John Beckingham has drawn together a group of highly experienced musicians and vocalists from some wonderfully diverse performance backgrounds - from blues, street jazz and traditional jazz to West End musical theatre.They all have in common a passion for the popular music of the 1920s to the early 1950s, including Jazz Standards, Swing, Latin, Blues, The Great American Songbook and the movie & musical theatre numbers of the era. The band consists of John Beckingham: Piano and vocals, Gilly Leeper: Vocals, Phil Probert: Guitar Banjo and vocals, Keith Tolley: Double Bass and vocals, John Caplin: Saxophones and vocals, and Graham Twist: Drums.

Christine and The Stompers play from a repertoire of 1920's jazz, led by Christine on trombone and vocals, paying tribute to the jazz greats like King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton and Clarence Williams. They enjoy bringing back ideas from the more obscure bands and tunes of the period.

Line-up: Christine Woodcock (trombone); John Picket (trumpet); Amy Roberts (reeds); Dave Arnold (sousaphone); Roy Hart (banjo); Richard Howell (drums).

Formed in 2012 Washington Whirligig has quickly gained an enviable reputation for its versatility and professionalism. Catering for all occasions from birthdays and anniversaries to formal dances and corporate entertainment, they have also taken the jazz club scene by storm, earning praise and gaining great reviews wherever they perform. Playing early New Orleans through to driving mainstream jazz, swing and blues, they have a programme for every occasion. All band members are experienced musicians, respected within the industry, ensuring your event will be a memorable day.

“Whirligig by name and by nature, this recently formed band is a joy to both listen to and play with. Their enthusiasm, endeavour and the excitement they create on the bandstand will, in my opinion as an occasional guest member of the band, take them a long way toward their drive to success. As with many other bands, the Alex Welsh Band are among their influences and inspirations, but with one difference, they play with the fire and drive of their idols, missing in so many other “tribute” bands. I will be happy to play with this band as often as they ask me to"

       Jim Douglas, guitar and banjo, Alex Welsh Band, 1963 to 1981. 

Dave Hepworth (clarinet & tenor sax), Andy Bramall (guitar, banjo & vocal), Rob Cotterell (Drums), Liz Hepworth (bass & vocal) & Wil Robinson (trumpet, flugel horn & vocal).

Scarlette's Serenaders are named after Mike Owen's daughter, their repertoire includes jazz standards, old popular songs, and pretty much any songs they happen to like on the day itself!
A quartet from the Midlands in the New Orleans style of playing dance hall music which is great for dancing to, as well as listening to.  We are delighted on this session to be joined by one of the UK's finest musicians, on trumpet, Enrico Tomasso.

Fret and Fiddle have come a long way since forming in 2001 as a duo making their mark as a tribute to Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt. Since those early days playing at small folk and blues clubs and experimenting with their repertoire, they have enjoyed over a decade of success as a trio, winning awards such as Stafford Jazz Society's “Band of the Year” and producing over four albums of material.

The co-founders of the group, professional violinist Sally Minchin and guitarist Andy Bole, embarked on their project “Grappelli Swing” in 2014 to wide critical acclaim playing as a five-piece line up on their'' UK tour. Now they have added an exciting new dimension to the band and are joined by the phenomenally talented Steve Street on drums, Rich Hughes on piano and Simon Smith on double bass.

Prepare to be dazzled by Fret and Fiddle's show which takes you through the swing music of the 1920's, the blues, americana, folk, gypsy and some foot-tapping fiddle tunes. Come and hear songs from the shows such as “Anything Goes by Cole Porter,” sing along to old hits like “I Can't Give you Anything but Love” and prepare to be dazzled by Andy's greek bouzouki playing! This versatile and entertaining group even throw in a few refreshingly individual songs by the likes of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen, making certain that there is something in every show to delight everyone in every audience. Fret and Fiddle have just released their new album “J'Attendrai” which has been making waves locally and nationally and their track “Pennies from Heaven” has already been played as part of BBC Introducing on local BBC radio.

Hot Fingers welcomes you to an eclectic mix of vintage acoustic music. As well as the red hot jazz of 1920’s New York, there will be sophisticated 1930’s Swing. The band re-create the ‘French Coffee House’ sound of the king of gypsy swing Django Reinhardt, the blues guitars of Eddie Lang and Lonnie Johnson, and the syncopated Latin rhythms of Argentinean Oscar Aleman, this is mixed with vocals from the song-writing greats, crooners such as Bing Crosby and Al Bowlly, and hokem from the likes of Cliff ‘Ukulele Ike’ Edwards.  From Jump-Jive to swing, from the Charleston to Bossa-Nova, Hot Finger’s wide range of styles and rhythms makes them popular with both sit-down audiences and dancers alike. The band comprises Spats Langham (banjo, guitar, ukulele), Danny Blyth (bass clarinet, guitar) and Malcolm Sked (sousaphone, double bass). They will be joined by the superb vocalist Emily Campbell who adds a touch of class with her plaintive vocals, drawing inspiration from the likes of Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald.

Remi Harris is an exciting guitarist from the UK who's unique style draws inspiration from artists such as Django Reinhardt, Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, Peter Green and Led Zeppelin. He has performed at Buckingham Palace, Montreal Jazz Festival, BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall with Jamie Cullum, on BBC 4 Television and live on BBC Radio 2 & 3.

In his live shows Remi plays an eclectic mix of jazz standards, improvisations, original compositions and new arrangements of his favourite tunes. He plays a variety of acoustic and electric guitars and the shows are interspersed with his commentary about the history of the music and instruments he’s playing.

"extraordinary musician" - Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2

"astonishing stuff" - Cerys Matthews, BBC Radio 6 Music

"Brilliant" - Martin Taylor MBE

"tremendously gifted” - John Etheridge

"Terrific” - The Telegraph

"extraordinary" - R2 Rock'n'Reel Magazine

Lady be Good is an all-female, saxophone-filled jazz band that brings a touch of class to your event. Think classic swing and jazz from the likes of the Rat Pack, Julie London, Nina Simon and Peggy Lee, plus more modern numbers with our unique twist.

With lush vocals from alongside the soothing tones of the saxes, plus a guest male singer for duets if the occasion calls for it, and a very funky upright bass you've probably never seen or heard anything like Lady Be Good before.

Perfect music to get your guests up on the dancefloor and keep them there, without overpowering those who just want to sit and tap their feet at the back.

Christmas Party Fun.  Mince pies, crackers, surprise present raffle, Christmas Hamper Raffle draw, and lots of fun.

Tickets will be sold in advance for this gig, please enquire at the desk Tickets are £10 in advance or £12 on the door.

Sarah relocated back to the UK in January of 2017 and has been continuing to lead her ‘Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Band’ on both sides of the Atlantic, in Europe and in the USA. She has also joined the long-established, Bob Dwyer’s Bix and Pieces band and is the other member of the front line of Mike Owen’s exciting and wonderful Scarlette’s Serenaders, which also performs internationally. In addition to these, she is guesting with many other bands all across the UK and Europe.

Sarah Spencer's Transatlantic Band performs powerful New Orleans jazz in the tradition of the great Revival. Drawing influence from bands of that era, as well as taking influence from more modern New Orleans music, blues, rhythm and blues and the greats of all eras of Jazz and Blues; like Henry 'Red' Allen, Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, Jelly Roll Morton, Big Bill Broonzy, Lonnie Johnson, Louis Jordan, Louis Prima and countless others.

Personnel of the Transatlantic Band are Sarah Spencer (reeds and vocals), Chez Chesterman (trumpet and vocals), Mike Owen (trombone and vocals), Spats Langham (banjo, guitar and vocals), Tony Sharpe (string bass) and Jools Aldridge (drums).

The Washboard Resonators hail from Leeds in England and can be described as sounding and looking like ‘a ragtime street band meets a Hollywood musical on a theatre stage somewhere in around 1932’. Their favorite performers include the jazz, ragtime, hokum, blues, comedy and vaudeville sounds of Louis Armstrong, Blind Boy Fuller, Fred Astaire, The Washboard Rhythm Kings, Robert Johnson, Gene Krupa, Max Miller, George Formby, Tampa Red and The Memphis Band. The spirit of these long gone artists and their music is summoned back to life every time Martyn and Jack take the stage with their mixture of old traditional songs and new songs written by the band. Formed in 2014, they started out busking while playing together in blues trio Leeds City Stompers. Word spread and quickly the duo was in demand, playing many times per week.

Jack Amblin (washboard, drums, percussion, jug, sings and tap-dances). Martyn Roper (guitar, banjo, ukulele, jug and vocals).