Established nearly twenty years ago, The Martinique Jazz Band fast became one of the top jazz bands on the local scene in the Midlands. They have played at many of the premier venues both in the UK and on the continent, and played with many of the top stars in jazz. Their annual German tour has always gone down well with both the musicians and the audiences. The Band has also played in Fritzels on Bourbon Street in New Orleans during the Jazz and Heritage Festivals. After being invited to play at one of the Mayors charity presentations, the whole band were declared “Honorary Citizens of New Orleans!”. The Band refuses to be labelled as a “Dixieland” band and they take pride in playing many different styles of jazz, from King Oliver to King of the Swingers, from Beiderbeck to Brubeck, from Louis Armstrong to Louis Prima through to Louis Jordan. Their musical repertoire is as broad as it is long. Many of their numbers will be recognised by even non-jazzers but they also continue to play lesser-heard obscurities because of their unique musical value. The play-list includes, Old Classic Jazz, Blues, Show Tunes, Sinatra and some good old swingers but the main aim is to send people home very happy.
