Monthly Archives: May 2019
Cafe Zazous swing gypsy jazz quartet | Reading
Thurs 2 May | Cafe Zazous swing gypsy jazz quartet | HB more guitar , David Stamper guitar , Piotr Jordan violin, Phil Berry double bass, Reading | The Global Cafe | 8:30pm | Donations gratefully received
Fleur Stevenson and Maff Potts | Reading
Fri 3 May | Fleur Stevenson vocals, Maff Potts piano | Browns Reading, Unit 5A, Oracle Centre, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 2A | Reading | evening | No charge
Rhythms at the Yurt: Tony O’ Malley & Keith Fairbairn | Didcot
Fri 3 May | Tony O’ Malley & Keith Fairbairn | Tony O’ Malley – keyboards, Keith Fairbairn – percussion | Didcot | Rhythms at the Yurt | 8.00pm | Tickets
Ma Bessie | Reading
Sat 4 May | Ma Bessie | Julia Titus vocals, Matt Foster guitar, Chuck Lloyd sax | Reading | The Forester’s Arms, Brunswick Street | 8:30pm | No charge
P’Jam | Reading
Sat 4 May | P’Jam | Annie Parker flutes, Phil Craddock piano, Marianne Windham bass, Jim Wade drums | Reading | Global Cafe | 8:30pm | No charge (donations welcome)
Photo by Jane Hanton
Baron Mara│The Hope, Windsor
Sun 5 May │Baron Mara | Saskia McNamara vocals, Íde vocals, Tom Neill alto sax, Ruben Berrios piano, Lawrie Wright bass, James Ballantine drums │Windsor │The Hope│ 4pm│Free Admission
Ade Holland Trio | Caversham
Sun 5 May | Ade Holland Guitar, Phil Mason Guitar/Voc, Gordon Johnson Bass | Caversham | The Griffin | 3.30 | no charge.
Pangbourne Jazz Club | Sue Greenway Quintet
Sun 5 May | Sue Geenway saxes, Maff Potts piano, Terry Hutchins guitar, Brian Greene drums and Keith Howard bass | Pangbourne | PWMC | 7.30pm /£9.00
Jazz at the Four Horseshoes | Sherfield-on-Loddon
Tues 7 May | Equinox with Gail Hendrickx | Gail Hendrickx vocals, Peter Bingham tenor sax, John Clarke guitar, Derek Alford bass, Paul Kaluza percussion | Sherfield-on-Loddon | Four Horseshoes | 8:00pm | No charge for admission (donations are welcomed)
Jazz at the Magpie and Parrot – P’Jam | Shinfield
Thurs 9 May | Jazz at the Magpie and Parrot – P’Jam | Annie Parker flutes, Phil Craddock piano, Marianne Windham bass, Jim Wade drums | Shinfield | Magpie and Parrot | 8pm | £5
Photo by Jane Hanton
The Art Themen All Stars Band | The Gap Gig, Goring on Thames | Celebrating 20 years of jazz
Fri 10 May | The Art Themen All Stars Band | Goring Village Hall | Art Themen saxes, Liane Carroll piano/vocals, Denny Ilett Jr guitar, Winston Clifford drums and Roger Carey bass | Doors open 7.30pm | Tickets £15 | Tel: 01491 874492
Fleur Stevenson and Frank Harrison | Reading
Fri 10 May | Fleur Stevenson vocals, Frank Harrison piano | Browns Reading, Unit 5A, Oracle Centre, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 2A | Reading | evening | No charge
Abingdon Jazz Festival | Abingdon
Fri – Sun 10-12 May | Abingdon Jazz Festival | Abingdon, various locations | Gigs include: Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble on 10 May, Fleur Stevenson Trio on 11 May and Art Themen Quartet also on 11 May | Prices range from free – £10 | Information and tickets
Ma Bessie | Reading
Sat 11 May | Ma Bessie | Julia Titus vocals, Matt Foster guitar, Chuck Lloyd sax, Andy Wilkin percussion | Reading | Rising Sun Arts Centre | 8pm | £5 (plus booking fee)
Fleur Stevenson Trio | Abingdon
Sat 11 May | Fleur Stevenson vocals, Hugh Turner guitar, bass TBC | Abingdon Jazz Festival, Unicorn Theatre, Abingdon, OX14 3JP | Abingdon | 6-8pm | Tickets
Abingdon Jazz Festival | Abingdon
Fri – Sun 10-12 May | Abingdon Jazz Festival | Abingdon, various locations | Gigs on 11 May include Fleur Stevenson Trio and Art Themen Quartet | Prices range from free – £10 | Information and tickets
Jazz at the Oakwood Centre with Karen Sharp Quartet | Woodley
Sat 11 May | Ken McCarthy Trio with guest Karen Sharp | Karen Sharp sax, Ken McCarthy piano. Nick Pugh bass, TBC drums (Martin Hart on holiday) | The Oakwood Centre, Woodley | 7.45pm | £12
Sunday Jazz at The Retreat, Reading – Definite Collective
Sun 12 May | The Definite Collective, transform often well known and popular Jazz, Latin, Pop, Fusion and Funk tunes, into obscure musical explorations. Jamie Howell guitar, Matthew McNaughton sax, James Newman bass, Tony Imbierski organ, Monte Hall percussion, Paul Glover drums | The Retreat Pub, St. John’s Street, Reading RG1 4EH | 3.30pm | No charge </p> | 3.30pm | No charge
Lea Lyle Quartet: Jazz River Cruise | Reading
Sun 12 May | Lea Lyle Quartet: Jazz River Cruise | Lea Lyle vocals, Phil Craddock piano, Marianne Windham bass, Jim Wade drums | Caversham Pier, Reading | Jazz River Cruise | 2.15 – 5.15pm | Admission: £27
Gin and Jazz at the Three Guineas | Reading
Sun 12 May | Gin and Jazz at the Three Guineas | Claire Jones, Rory McInroy piano | Reading | Three Guineas | From 2pm | No charge and tonic is free with all gins | In collaboration with Jazz in Reading
Gli Avanzi featuring Ewen Baird | Reading
Sun 12 May | Gli Avanzi featuring Ewen Baird | Ewen Baird saxes, Martin Dix guitar, Howard King bass guitar, Andrew Last drums | Reading | The Global Cafe | 7:30pm | No charge
Abingdon Jazz Festival | Abingdon
Fri – Sun 10-12 May | Abingdon Jazz Festival | Abingdon, various locations | Prices range from free – £10 | Information and tickets
The Guido Spannocchi Trio | Maidenhead
Sun 12 May | The Guido Spannocchi Trio | Guido Spannocchi (alto sax), with his trio (bass and drums) | Maidenhead | Norden Farm Centre for the Arts | 7.30pm | £14 (£12 conc)
Jam in Reading – Mark Burton Quartet | Global Cafe | Reading
Tues 14 May | Jam in Reading – Mark Burton Quartet | Jam session with house band, open to singers and instrumentalists | Les Foden saxophone, Mark Burton keyboards, Nick Hill bass, Eddie Hall drums | Reading | Global Café | 8.30pm | No charge, donations welcome
Bracknell Jazz – Young Musicians evening | South Hill Park
Tue 14 May | Bracknell Jazz – Young Musicians evening with the house band | Daniel Garel sax, Simon Cook piano, Rudy Cook bass, Ted Hayes drums | Bracknell | Tickets – South Hill Park Arts Centre | Bracknell Jazz website | 7.30pm | £10.50 and £5.50 U18s
Jazz In The Round #4 | Henley
Wed 15 May | Brigitte Beraha (Vocals) Frank Harrison (Piano/Keyboards)| Henley | Kenton Theatre | 7:30pm | £20 | Use code JAZZR when booking for special £15 price for Jazz in Reading followers
Silver Heels Swing Jive Jazz Band | Global Cafe | Reading
Thur 16 May | Silver Heels Swing Jive Jazz Band | Live Swinging Jazz Juice with plenty of dancing room for all you Katz | Reading | Global Café | 9.00pm – 11.00pm | No charge, donations welcome
Jazz at Progress | The Orphy Robinson Quintet: Bobby Hutcherson Project | Buy tickets
Fri 17 May | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
Featuring (new to Progress) Orphy Robinson vibes & marimba, Robert Mitchell piano, Dudley Phillips bass, Rod Youngs drums. Plus the ever popular Tony Kofi reeds.
The renowned USA vibes player Bobby Hutcherson died aged 65 in August 2016 having had a glittering career from the late 1950s. He played with the Who’s Who of jazz icons, recording on Blue Note from 1963 to 1977. Bobby ran the gambit from bebop, via post bop to contemporary and free jazz.
In September 2016 Orphy Robinson assembled an octet to pay homage to Bobby Hutcherson, a performance voted by the public the “Live Experience of the Year” at the April 2017 Jazz FM Awards.
We are very pleased to provide this repeat opportunity for Bobby’s work to be celebrated. We delight in having a quintet from the same gifted players who will play Bobby’s original compositions, arranged by Orphy Robinson.
Orphy Robinson MBE, a former Jazz Warriors member, signed by Blue Note and making five albums as leader on the iconic label in the 1990s, has continued to make waves and help turn the tide of jazz in the UK from continual reproduction of standards to contemporary compositions distinctly UK and World Music in nature. He has composed for film, TV, stage and the Proms. His work in music education is renowned. Somehow he finds time to perform and work with artists from a wide range of musical genres, from Robert Plant through to Nigel Kennedy, Andy Shephard and any and everyone on the UK jazz scene.
Tony Kofi, a contemporary of Orphy’s in the Jazz Warriors and last seen at Progress in February with the Portrait of Cannonball, is undoubtedly one of the UK’s most popular players who spans the styles from bebop to free jazz. As a younger man he had a four year scholarship at Berklee, Boston USA, where he gained his diploma and also much experience from the USA scene. Tony plays with passion and sensitivity, never failing to create an emotive response from an audience.
Robert Mitchell also spent a number of years stateside in the Big Apple, earning his spurs after completing his BSc degree in London. Also serving time in the Warriors, Robert has a wide musical influence and having studied piano from the age of six, uses that depth of knowledge to produce music influenced by classical piano heritage, jazz, world music, soul, R&B and beyond. Robert has made a number of albums as leader and also in a solo setting. It is a pleasure to be able to introduce him to our Progress audience.
Dudley Phillips is, like so many bass players, an unsung hero. However, he co-created the Perfect Houseplants in 1992 with Mark Lockheart, Huw Warren and Martin France on drums who appeared for us with Chris Laurence. No doubt some in our audience will have at least one of the band’s albums from the 1990s.
Rod Youngs, drummer and composer, really gets into the groove and heart of a tune. Seen at Swanage Jazz Festival last year with Byron Wallen and also Jazz Jamaica, he drives proceedings with a loose-limbed relaxed style. This aids an intricate, delicate use of the cymbals that fizz and spark. Rod is a pleasure to watch, as he is so expressive and into the music. As a reviewer says “he does not so much as hit the drums, but massages them with an expression of orgasmic concentration.” There are not that many drummers you can say that about. Rod is a native of Washington DC and started playing the drums at an early age, inspired by going to gigs and recording sessions with his father who was an agent for R&B bands in Washington. Rod’s associations run from Alan Barnes to Gill Scott Heron, from Courtney Pine to the BBC Concert Orchestra.
What a great line up and as this gig was cancelled because of snow last March, we are delighted to have this new date.
Jazz at Progress: The Orphy Robinson Quintet: Bobby Hutcherson Project | Reading
Fri 17 May | The Orphy Robinson Quintet: Bobby Hutcherson Project | Orphy Robinson vibes & marimba, Tony Kofi alto sax, Robert Mitchell piano, Dudley Phillips bass, Rod Youngs drums | Reading | Progress Theatre | 7:30pm | £20/£18 | Full details here
Mach4+guests | Global Cafe, Reading
Fri 17 May | Mach4 and After Effect | Barry McNamara vocals, Gareth
Lewis guitar, Rob Barnes bass, Nick accordion | Reading | The Global
Cafe | 9pm | No charge
Fleur Stevenson and Maff Potts | Reading
Fri 17 May | Fleur Stevenson vocals, Maff Potts piano | Browns Reading, Unit 5A, Oracle Centre, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 2A | Reading | evening | No charge
Horns of Plenty – Martin Shaw | Maidenhead
Fri 17 May | Horns of Plenty – Martin Shaw | Martin Shaw (Trumpet/Flugel), Will Gibson (saxes), Clark Tracey (drums). Alex Hutton (piano), Ollie Hayhurst (bass) | Maidenhead | Norden Farm Centre for the Arts | 8pm | £15 (£13 conc) (£5 under 16s)
Hugh Turner Heavy Funk Quartet | Global Cafe | Reading
Sat 18 May | Come and watch electrifying guitarist Hugh Turner and his quartet with Frankie Tontoh (drums), Anatoliy Vyacheslavov (tenor saxophone) and Stefan Redtenbacher (bass) at the Global Café in Reading. Always a cool hang and full of vigour funk explorations! | Reading | Global Café | 10.00pm – 01.00am | £5.00
Fleur Stevenson Trio | Hare Hatch, Reading
Mon 20 May | Fleur Stevenson vocals, Pete Billington piano, Raph Mizraki bass | Horse and Groom, Bath Road, Hare Hatch, Twyford, Berkshire, RG10 9SB | Reading | 7pm | No charge
The Definite Collective | Global Cafe | Reading
Tue 21 May | The Definite Collective, transform often well known and popular Jazz, Latin, Pop, Fusion and Funk tunes, into obscure musical explorations. Jamie Howell guitar, Matthew McNaughton sax, James Newman bass, Tony Imbierski organ, Monte Hall percussion, Paul Glover drums | Reading | Global Café | 9:00 – 11.00pm | No charge, donations welcome
Julia Titus ‘Ma Bessie’ & her Blues Troupe | Marlow
Tue 21 May | Julia Titus ‘Ma Bessie’ & her Blues Troupe | Ma Bessie vocals with her 6 piece Blues Troupe with the music of Bessie Smith | Marlow | Royal British Legion | 8.00pm | £12
Fleur Stevenson hosts Jazz Singers Night | Global Cafe | Reading
Thur 23 May | Fleur Stevenson hosts Jazz Singers Night in Reading | Fleur Stevenson vocals, TBC piano, TBC bass, Paul Glover drums | Reading | Global Café | 9.00pm – jam from 9.30pm | No charge
Fleur Stevenson and Pete Billington | Reading
Fri 24 May | Fleur Stevenson vocals, Pete Billington piano | Browns Reading, Unit 5A, Oracle Centre, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 2A | Reading | evening | No charge
The Supertonics Big Band | Bracknell
Sat 24 May | The Supertonics Big Band, plus Tricia Bassett (vocals) and featured soloists | Bracknell | South Hill Park Arts Centre | 8.00pm | Popular 17-piece Swing Band | Tickets £10 – book online here or call the SHP Box Office on 01344 484 123. Further information from davidbennett470@gmail.com or 07739 314261 or at the Supertonics website
Dinner Jazz at The Angel | Woolhampton
Dinner Jazz at The Angel, normally on the last Saturday of the month, has been moved for this month only and will take place on 8 June
Lea Lyle Quartet Plus One / Kings in the Corner | Reading
Sat 25 May | Lea Lyle Quartet Plus One / Kings in the Corner | Reading | Global Cafe
19:30 | Kings in the Corner | David Herries/Adam Vickers guitars
21:30 | Lea Lyle Quartet Plus One | Lea Lyle vocals, Phil Craddock piano, Roy Dalpra bass, Jim Wade drums + special guest Peter Bingham tenor sax| Free entry, donations welcome
Sunday Jazz at The Retreat – Kelvin Christiane, Nick Mills and the Simon Price Trio
Sun 26 May | Sunday Jazz at The Retreat | Kelvin Christiane sax & flute, Nick Mills trombone, Pete Billington piano, Esther Ng bass, Simon Price drums | Reading | Retreat Pub | 3.30pm | No charge
Fleur Stevenson and Pete Billington | Wallingford
Sun 26 May Fleur Stevenson vocals, Pete Billington piano | The Old Post Office, St Martins Street, Wallingford OX10 0AA. Table reservations: 01491 836068 | Wallingford | 6-8pm | No charge
Arts Council funded event: Matthew Read Trio | Maidenhead
Fri 31 May | Matthew Read Trio | Benedict Wood (guitar), Arthur Newell (drums), Matthew Read (double bass) | Maidenhead | Norden Farm Centre for the Arts | 8pm | £14 (£12 conc)
