Monthly Archives: April 2022
Jazz at the Queens Head – Claire Jones Quartet | Reading
Claire Jones
Sat 2 Apr | Claire Jones Quartet | Claire Jones vocals, Phil Craddock piano, Brian Throup bass, Jim Wade drums | Reading | Queens Head | 8pm | Free entry
Claire Jones trained as a classical pianist and singer at the Guildhall School of Music. She went on to develop a fine and original jazz voice, with an ear for jazz language and a warm personal style. As well as singing with her own band and with a female close harmony jazz group, Claire guests for numerous jazz line-ups in the region.
One reviewer has written “she uses a wide range of vocal gymnastics and can scat effectively and musically too, a trick only the most vocally blessed can achieve.”
Purdy’s Pop Up Presents – Jo Harrop | Henley-on-Thames
Sat 2 Apr | Purdy’s Pop Up Presents – Jo Harrop | The HAODS Studio, 19 New Street, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2BP | 8pm, doors 7:30pm | £21, order tickets here | Seating is first-come, first-served. However, for parties of 6 of more, we can reserve seats. Email mail@purdymusic.co.uk to request this after booking.
Jazz at The Four Horseshoes | Sherfield-on-Loddon
Tues 5 Apr | Equinox Quintet Pro-Am Challenge with Simon Allen | Simon Allen saxes, Peter Bingham tenor sax, John Clarke guitar, Derek Alford bass, and Alan Harvey drums | Four Horseshoes pub, Sherfield-on-Loddon RG27 0EX | 8pm to 10.30pm | Four Horseshoes | No charge for admission (donations are welcomed)
Graeme Hewitt’s High Society Jazz Band | Theale
Tues 5 Apr | Graeme Hewitt’s High Society Jazz Band | Featuring Mike Henry (ex Chris Barber front line) American long horned cornet, Baby Jools drums | Theale Village Hall RG7 5AS | 12 noon – 2:30 pm | £10 on the door | Bring your own drinks and nibbles
Jazz at The Kenton – Max Wright Trio with Rob Luft | Henley
Rob Luft
Wed 6 Apr | Jazz at The Kenton – Max Wright Trio with Rob Luft | Rob Luft guitar, Linus Fenton bass, Max Wright drums | Kenton Theatre, Henley RG9 2BS | 8pm | £26 via website or on the door
“Rob Luft has delivered the most fully-realized and rewarding debut album from a guitarist-composer since Julian Lage’s 2009 outing, Sounding Point…” – Downbeat (USA)
“So young and so talented!” – Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2 (UK)
“…an extraordinary talent!” – Julian Joseph, BBC Radio 3 (UK)
Jazz at Progress – ‘Wakey Blakey’ with the Ingham-Davison Sextet | Reading
Fri 8 Apr | ‘Wakey Blakey’ with the Ingham-Davison Sextet | James Davison trumpet, Rory Ingham trombone, Mark Lockheart tenor sax, Will Barry piano, Adam King bass, Felix Ambach drums | Progress Theatre | 7:30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee | Read more here | Buy tickets
Jazz at The Goring Community Jazz Club
Mike Wilkins
Fri 8 Apr | Jazz at The Goring Community Jazz Club | Mike Wilkins saxophones, Nick Hill piano, Howard King bass, Mike Goff drums | Goring Community Centre, The Old School, Station Rd, RG8 9HB | 7:30pm | £10 | Tickets here or cash or card on the door and tickets available from Inspiration Goring.
MY IRIS | Bracknell
Fri 8 Apr| My Iris featuring Trish Clownes- reeds, Ross Stanley-piano, Chris Montague-guitar, James Maddren-drums | Recital Room| South Hill Park Bracknell | 7:30pm | £16.00, £8.00 under 18s and concessions available | www.southhillpark.org.uk | 01344 484123
‘Wakey Blakey’ with the Ingham-Davison Sextet | Buy tickets
Friday 8 April 2022 Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
James Davison trumpet
Rory Ingham trombone
Mark Lockheart tenor sax
Will Barry piano
Adam King bass
Felix Ambach drums
‘Wakey Blakey’ is a new band led jointly by Rory Ingham and James Davison playing the music of ‘Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers’ but with the lesser-known sextet line up as exemplified by the stellar 1960s front-line of Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller and Wayne Shorter plus the powerhouse of pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Reggie Workman and Mr Blakey. This project demonstrates hard bop with a frighteningly fresh feel; the music is wildly high-energy and unbelievably swinging. Featuring some of finest talent on the British Jazz scene:
Of the two joint leaders, Rory Ingham, a first-class honours graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, is also an educator and composer. While still a student he was a runner-up in the 2016 Trombonist of the Year, winner of the 2017 British Jazz Awards Rising Star, and in 2018 winner of the British Trombone Society Awards. – “effortless virtuousity…” Jazzwise, – “richly melodic…” London Jazz News.
The other joint leader, James Davison, while still at the Royal Academy of Music was winner of both the Smith-Watkins Trumpet Award (2016) and the Musicians’ Company Young Jazz Musicians Award (2018). He graduated with an MA in Jazz Performance.
Apart from the three other younger members of the Sextet, the band features Mark Lockheart, one of the most distinctive and creative musicians on the current British music scene. Mark came to prominence in the mid 1980s with the influential and radical big band Loose Tubes, and much later in 2003 joined the equally influential band of Seb Rochford’s Polar Bear.
We’re looking forward to a brilliant evening of swinging, high energy jazz.
Jazz for Ukraine | Wallingford
Sat 9 Apr | Jazz for Ukraine | Featuring Art Themen, Clark Tracey, Dave Newton, Alina Bzhezhinska, Vimala Rowe, Fleur Stevenson and Ben Cummings | Corn Exchange, Wallingford OX10 0EG | 7:30pm | £15, tickets here
Astor Big Band presents The Glenn Miller Story | Basingstoke
Sun 10 Apr | Astor Big Band presents The Glenn Miller Story | The Haymarket Wote Street, Basingstoke RG21 7NW | 7:30pm | £25. Under 16s and f/t students £23 (includes £4 booking fee) | Further info | Tickets
Alan Barnes & Bruce Adams | Marlow Jazz Club
Tues 12 Apr | Alan Barnes saxes [left], Bruce Adams trumpet/flugelhorn [centre], Phil DeGreg from USA piano [right], Stuart Barker bass, Elliot Toms drums | Marlow Jazz Club, The Royal British Legion Hall, SL7 1NT | 8.30pm | £10 Pay at the door, but might be advisable to get a seat or table reserved – 01628 486571 or michael@jazzfans.co
Kings Langley Jazz Club | The Gareth Chelley Quartet with Steph Pirrie
Tues 12 Apr | The Gareth Chelley Quartet with Steph Pirrie | Gareth Chelley tenor sax, Steph Pirrie vocals & trumpet, Phil Craddock piano, Barrie Griffin bass, Jim Wade drums | Kings Langley Jazz Club, 3-5 Hempstead Rd, WD4 8BJ | 8:15pm | Free entry
Saskia & Baron Mara | Joe’s Bar & Grill, Oxford
Thurs 14 Apr | Saskia & Baron Mara | Saskia McNamara vocals, Jonathan Judge saxes, Ruben Berrios keyboard, Howard King bass, Tony Lyons drums | Oxford | Joe’s Bar & Grill | 7.30pm | Free Entry | More info
Cafe Zazous swing gypsy jazz quintet | Reading
Fri 15 Apr | Cafe Zazous swing gypsy jazz quintet | HB more guitar, David Stamper guitar, Phil Berry double bass, David Ahmed guitar, Piotr Jordan violin | Reading | The Lyndhurst Arms | 3pm till 5pm | Donations gratefully received | Part of the East Reading Festival event
Karen Sharp and Steve Waterman Quintet | Fleet Jazz Club
Tues 19 Apr | Karen Sharp sax, Steve Waterman trumpet, Gareth Williams piano, Rod Youngs drums, Marianne Windham bass | The Harlington, Fleet GU51 4BY | 8.00 pm | Tickets £20 available online at https://fleetjazz.wordpress.com or from the box office on 01252 811009 Mon-Fri 9:30 am – 5 pm Sat 10 am – 3 pm
Roy Bailey Big Band | Goring
Sat 23 Apr | Roy Bailey Big Band | Goring Village Hall. RG8 9AG | 8pm | £10 (£5 for under 18) | tickets available online or from Inspiration, Goring Arcade
Goring’s very own big band brings you a glorious evening of great music from Basie, Ellington, Miller, Sinatra and more… Allocated seating around tables – bring your own drinks and nibbles.
Jazz at Oaken Grove Vineyard | Alan Barnes Quartet
Sun 24 Apr | Alan Barnes Quartet | Alan Barnes reeds, Graham Harvey piano, Matt Home drums, Andy Crowdy bass | Oaken Grove Vineyard, Benhams Lane, Fawley, Henley-on-Thames RG9 6JG | 1pm onwards | Tables for 2-6 people, £40 to £120 per table | Grazing platters £12.50 per person | Information and tickets
Marlow Jazz Club | Blue Jazz
Sun 24 Apr | Blue Jazz | Sheena Caprice vocals, Leslie Maynerd alto sax, Dave Maynerd guitar, Simon Lenton bass | Marlow | Royal British Legion Hall SL7 1NT | 12.15pm | £5
Simon Spillett | Ascot
Simon Spillett
Tues 26 Apr | Simon Spillett sax, Graeme Taylor piano, Mark Hodgson double bass, Steve Vintner drums | Royal Foresters Jazz Club, London Rd, Ascot SL5 8DR | 8pm | Free entry | Book tables for eating or just drinking on 01344 596480
Rhythms at the Yurt | Hugh Turner Funk Trio
Fri 29 Apr | Hugh Turner Funk Trio | Hugh Turner guitar, Jerry Soffe electric bass, Steve Wyndham drums | Rhythms at the Yurt
Haddon Acre, Sires Hill, North Moreton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 9BG | 8:00 – 10:30 pm | £25 – tickets here
Hugh Turner is a superbly exciting guitarist – his playing style is steeped in the blues and combined with the funkier side of jazz, creates a sonically exciting soundscape that fizzes with power, groove and stunning musicality.
The Supertonics Big Band | Bracknell
Sat 30 Apr | The Supertonics Big Band, plus guest vocalist(s) | Popular 17-piece Swing
Band | Carnation Hall, Winkfield Row, Bracknell RG42 7PA | 7.30pm |Tickets £12, reserve in advance via davidbennett470@gmail.com or 07739-314261 or www.thesupertonics.co.uk
