Diary

Jeremy Huggett’s Jazz Friends are making returning to Jazzamatazz.  The musicians have all appeared at the club over the years in different bands and under several names, this time they come together and appear with Jeremy Huggett as his Jazz Friends, of whom they are!

Jeremy Huggett is featured on saxes, flute & vocals and he’s joined by some of the UK’s top jazz musicians.

Gethin Liddington (trumpet), Richard West (piano), Federico Leonori (bass) & Eddie John (drums).

The Jazz Friends play a mixture of Traditional & Mainstream Jazz with a hint of Blues so there’s going to be something for everyone – this is definitely a session not to be missed!

The Railroad Skiffle Group began as a brief interlude within Bev's Good Time Jazz Gang's regular shows, and has grown from there.  The UK skiffle craze of the mid to late 1950's, popularised by Ken Colyer, Chris Barber, Lonnie Donegan, Chas McDevitt, The Vipers and a host of others, was instrumental to many teenagers taking up the guitar as their preferred instrument.

Bev’s merry band play a wide selection of skiffle songs with meaningful stories about jail, trains, bank robbery, adultery etc. that were generally sung in the 1920's and 1930's by folk, blues, country and jug band musicians.  These songs include "I Shall Not Be Moved", "Freight Train", "Down By The Riverside" which are known by all.

There is always the addition of loads of laughs with Bev's anecdotes between the songs.  Bev Pegg (vocal / guitar), Pete Hartley (violin), John O'Connor (double bass) & Ken Wright (drums).  Pete Hartley from Bromsgrove, a wonderful violinist who in between his many gigs is famous for his busking attributes all around the Midlands. He won the New Faces TV Show in 1987 and has performed for famous people such as Bill Clinton, Bertie Ahern, Princess Anne, and Joanna Lumley.

The formation of Slide By Slide was the brainchild of Kevin Grenfell (trombone and trumpet) who has enrolled the musical talents of fellow trombonist Richard Leach to accompany him to form the legend known as Slide by Slide.  In the rhythm section a dazzling array of musicianship with Graham Smith (drums), Simon Smith (double bass) and Simon Hughes (piano).

Kevin is more than pleased to have their services as they are all busy musicians with various bands (no names, no pack drill), and their individual CVs would fill a page by itself.  Always a club favorite with lots of great music and many laughs along the way.

The Eagle Jazz Band founded in 1951 delighted audiences worldwide for an amazing fifty-four years, one of the oldest formed bands in the UK.  The band sports a healthy combination of youth and experience, Pete Brown (trumpet cornet and valve trombone) and Brian Lawrence (Bass and Sousaphone) were both long serving members of the original Eagle Jazz Band after initially forging their musical partnership in the Potteries based Mardi Gras Society Band during the 1970s.  Matt Palmer (clarinet & saxes) joined in 2004, having worked extensively with Pete at Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire. Drummer   Julyan “Baby Jools” Aldridge (drums) has returned to the fold and added vigour to the engine room to allow the band to fire on all cylinders when required.  Along with            Brian Mellor (banjo and guitar) and Terry Williams (trombone, drums & vibes).  The collective experience amassed by the current line-up includes top UK theme parks, river cruises cruise liners, major UK and European Jazz Festivals and Radio and Television broadcasts. The wide repertoire is drawn from popular songs from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s; Classic Jazz compositions by King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton Sydney Bechet and Duke Ellington plus New Orleans Marches, Rags, Stomps, Blues, Swing and instrumental features.  All band members are multi-instrumentalists, enabling us to play a variety of different sounds and styles each played in a happy, entertaining manner, many featuring vocals.

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

One of our club favourite acts, Carl Sinclair (piano) will make a return visit to us alongside Howard Smith on Drums to help us kick the Christmas spirit into a swinging time.

Carl comes from a family of strong musicians he first started playing the piano when he was only six years old.  He had classical lessons to the age of twelve (just listening and learning to copy the sounds) and went on to win 'Young Musician of the Year'.  A few years later, he switched to a teacher that gave more direction on improvisation, jazz and pop.  By the age of eighteen, he'd mastered the art of playing boogie-woogie piano - relying on a strong left hand and a quick technique.  Since 2007, he has become one of the resident pianist at Jools Holland's live music venue 'The Jam House' in Birmingham.  But he’s also very privileged to have performed at some of the country’s top music festivals and theatres and at countless weddings/private parties - and even done a few for some celebrities!

By special arrangement will be joined by swinging, versatile reedsman Jeremy Huggett (saxophone, flute, vocals), also a club friend and favourite alongside Simon Smith (bass).  This session promises to deliver a real swinging, feel good, festive, great fun party.  Be there or be square!!  It is as simple as that!!  The doors will open at 12:00, so if you want ‘your seat’ be there early.  Seats cannot and will not be reserved.  Strictly first come, first served.

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 lively and driving band from the Midlands in the New Orleans style of playing dance hall music which is great for dancing to, as well as listening to.

All request session, choose a number, request it and the band will play it for you!  Request slips at the desk.