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 Tim Jones has 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. Whatever we play, the major priority is to entertain the audience but to always maintain a high standard of musicianship and presentation.