Gigs
Steve Waterman, The Music of Miles Davis | Cranleigh
Fri 1 Mar | Guildford Jazz at the Cranleigh Arts Centre | Steve Waterman, The Music of Miles Davis | 1 High Street, Cranleigh, GU6 8AS | Jazz from 8.00 pm | Tickets including cheese and wine from £21 (Discounts for members and students) from here
Steve Waterman is one of the most in-demand jazz trumpet players in the UK and in this concert he celebrates the career of Miles Davis. With music from the 1950s album ‘Kind of Blue’ through to ‘Tutu’, one of the last albums Miles recorded, the quartet will focus on Miles’ own compositions. With pieces such as Boplicity from the ‘Birth Of The Cool’ album, music from the collaboration with Gil Evans, ‘Miles Ahead’, as well as pieces from Miles’ recordings during the sixties and seventies. With Nick Weldon – piano, Marianne Windham – bass, Felix Weldon – drums
Bracknell Jazz | Liam Noble and Geoff Simkins
Fri 1 Mar | Bracknell Jazz | Album Tour “Lucy Teeth” duo: Liam Noble – piano, Geoff Simkins – alto sax | South Hill Park Arts Centre, Ringmead, Bracknell, RG12 7PA | 7:30 – 10pm | £17.00 under 18yrs £8.50: for other concessions contact South Hill Park Booking Office 01344 484123 | Full details
Pete Allen Jazz Band | Newbury
Rob Barron Trio, Leonard Bernstein Reimagined | Guildford
Tues 5 Mar | Guildford Jazz at Surrey University | Rob Barron Trio, Leonard Bernstein Reimagined | Performing Arts Studio, University of Surrey, Stag Hill, Guildford GU2 7XH | Jazz from 8.00 pm | Tickets £20 (Discounts for Students and Members) from here
Leonard Bernstein wrote many songs that have become jazz standards. Rob devotes the first half to “West Side Story”, whilst the second half captures a wide range of music from Bernstein’s “Candide”, “On The Town”, ‘Wonderful Town”, “A Quiet Place” and more. With special guest, award winning jazz vocalist Emma Smith who has been making a name for herself as one of as of the finest vocalists to emerge on the London Jazz scene. With Jeremy Brown on double bass and Josh Morrison on drums.
Graeme Hewitt’s High Society Jazz Band | Theale
Johnny Thirkel, Frank Walden | Bourne End
Thurs 7 Mar | Johnny Thirkel – Trumpet, Frank Walden – Reeds, Al Pirrie – Bass, Ken McCarthy – Keyboard, Martin Hart – Drums. 8:00, £10 | The Hedsor Social Club, Hedsor Rd, Bourne End, Bucks. SL8 5ES. Please check https://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com for line-up changes, etc.
Goring Community Jazz Club | Stuart Henderson
Fri 8 Mar | Stuart Henderson trumpet, TBC saxophone, Nick Hill piano, Howard King bass, Mike Goff drums | Goring Community Jazz Club, The Old School, Station Rd, Goring, Reading RG8 9AZ | 7pm doors 7:30 start | Tickets here £10 or Inspiration The Arcade Goring, or cash or card on the door | Bring your own drinks or drink at the Catherine Wheel, a two minute walk.
Crowmarsh Jazz Club | The Music of Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley
Sat 9 Mar | The Music of Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley | Ben Cummings trumpet, Ollie Weston sax, Ineza Kerschkamp vocals, Chris Eldred piano, Curtis Ruiz double bass, Clark Tracey drums | Crowmarsh Jazz Club, Crowmarsh Village Hall, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, OX10 8ED | Bar and pizza available | Doors 6.45pm, show 7.30pm | £15 (£5 for Care workers & people on benefits): https://crowmarshjazz.co.uk
Baron Mara | Oxford
Sun 10 Mar | Baron Mara | Jonathan Judge tenor sax, Ruben Berrios keyboard, Howard King bass, Tony Lyons drums | Joe’s Bar & Grill, 260 Banbury Rd, Oxford, OX2 7DX | 7pm | Free entry.
Jo Harrop ‘Mother’s Day Special’ in conjunction with Hampstead Jazz Club | Bishop’s Court Farm.
Sun 10 Mar | Jazz Soul | Jo Harrop vocals, Paul Edis MD/piano, Jihad Darwish bass, Harry Greene guitar/sax, Peter Adam-Hill drums | Bishop’s Court Farm, Dorchester-on-Thames, OX10 7HP | 7-9pm, Doors from 6pm | £23 | Tickets
Jean Toussaint & Freddie Gavita | Marlow
Tues 12 Mar | Jean Toussaint & Freddie Gavita | Jean Toussaint tenor and soprano, Freddie Gavita trumpet and flugelhorn, Frank Harrison piano, Stuart Barker bass, Elliot Toms drums | Marlow Jazz Club, The Royal British Legion Hall SL7 1NT | 8.30pm | £10
The International star who came to fame in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Jean is joined by a regular colleague, the highly acclaimed Freddie. Advance reservation or booking will be essential for this one: please phone 01628 486571 for details or buy tickets here
Sue Greenway, Mike Wills | Bourne End
Thurs 14 Mar | Sue Greenway and Mike Wills – reeds, backed by The Martin Hart Trio | The Hedsor Social Club, Hedsor Rd, Bourne End, Bucks. SL8 5ES | 8pm, | £10 | Please check https://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com for line-up changes, etc.
BEAT at the Boiler Room: Yamäya | Guildford
Fri 15 Mar | BEAT at the Boiler Room | Yamäya | 13 Stoke Fields, Guildford GU1 4LS | Doors open 7.30 pm: Gig times 8.30pm to 10.30pm | Tickets £18 (Discounts for Members and Students) + £1 booking fee from here
Yamäya amalgamate influences from across the great African continent including Afrobeat, Griots and Ethiopiques with dub, hip hop, jazz and beyond. Those rich and intricate grooves are then layered with the inimitable rhythm and harmonic palette of traditional African song and rap. One of the best live bands in Britain delivering powerful original music eclectically drawn from Afrobeat, Ethio-Jazz, Dub, Mbalax, Jazz, and other distinctly UK styles.
Art Themen: Thane and the Villeins | Kenton Theatre, Henley
Here’s one not to miss!
Sat 16 Mar 7:30 pm | Kenton Theatre, Henley | Art Themen’s organ trio ‘Thane and the Villeins’ | Details below – and here is a recent review to whet your appetite. | Book here
Woodcote Village Hall | The New Jazz Sextet
Sat 16 Mar | The New Jazz Sextet featuring Andy Townsend trumpet, Ewen Baird saxophone, Ross Law trombone, Nick Hill piano, Howard King bass, Mike Goff drums | Woodcote Village Hall, Reading Rd, Woodcote RG80QY | 7:30pm doors 8pm start | Tickets £12:50 | Bar. Bring your own snacks | Free parking
Ben Cummings, Ollie Weston | Bourne End
Thurs 21 Mar | Ben Cummings – Trumpet, Ollie Weston – Alto Sax, backed by The Martin Hart Trio. 8:00, £10 | The Hedsor Social Club, Hedsor Rd, Bourne End, Bucks. SL8 5ES. Please check https://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com for line-up changes, etc.
Sam Braysher Plays Kurt Weill | Guildford
Thu 21 Mar | Guildford Jazz at the Cricket Pavilion | Sam Braysher Plays Kurt Weill | Woodbridge Road, Guildford GU1 4RP | Food and drinks from 7.15 pm Jazz from 8.00 pm | Tickets £20 (discounts for members and students) from here
Sam Braysher’s new project explores the work of Kurt Weill, a fascinating composer who lies at the intersection of European classical music, jazz, opera and American musical theatre. Although best known for songs such as “Mack The Knife” and “September Song”, Braysher looks at some of Weill’s lesser known pieces from the swirling harmonies of his Weimar-era early work with Bertolt Brecht, to his more jazz-adjacent American period. With Hungarian pianist Matyas Gayer, drummer Steve Brown and Marianne Windham on bass.
Jazz at Progress | Arbenz + Hart + Pursglove = ‘Conversation’
Fri 22 Mar – Arbenz + Hart + Pursglove = ‘Conversation’ – Florian Arbenz drums, percussion, Jim Hart vibraphone, percussion, Percy Pursglove trumpet/flugelhorn | Progress Theatre, The Mount, Reading RG1 5HL | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee | Details
Barb Jungr sings Bob Dylan | Dorchester on Thames
Sun 24 March | Snug Sessions at Bishop’s Court Farm, in conjunction with Hampstead Jazz Club: Barb Jungr sings Bob Dylan | Barb Jungr vocals, Simon Wallace piano, Davide Mantovani bass | Bishop’s Court Farm, 91 High St, Dorchester on Thames OX10 7HP | Doors: 6pm. Show: 7-9pm | £23 (+ booking fee) | Tickets
Jazz at The Fisherman’s Cottage | John Harries | Sarah Jane Weston
Tues 26 Mar | Jazz at The Fisherman’s Cottage | John Harries tenor sax, Phil Craddock piano, Phil Berry bass, Jim Wade drums plus special set teaturing Sarah Jane Weston vocals/piano | Fisherman’s Cottage, Kennet Side RG1 3DW | Music from 8pm | Free entry, donations welcomed.
Every fourth Tuesday: next date 23 April
Live music. Free entry. Excellent food and drink. And a lot more space than the late-lamented Global Cafe. Who could ask for more?
Parking at The Fisherman’s Cottage, on surrounding streets or take an easy stroll along the Kennet from the Queen’s Road car park – park for just £3.60 for the evening. More parking information here
Jazz Singers’ Night In Reading
Wed 27 March | Jazz Singers’ Night In Reading | Fleur Stevenson host with house band | The Lyndhurst, 88 Queens Rd, Reading RG1 4DG | 8.00 pm | Every fourth Wednesday of the month | Free admission
Duncan Lamont Jr, Jenny Howe | Bourne End
Thurs 28 Mar | Duncan Lamont Jr – Reeds, Jenny Howe – Vocals, backed by The Martin Hart Trio. 8:00, £10 | The Hedsor Social Club, Hedsor Rd, Bourne End, Bucks. SL8 5ES. Please check https://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com for line-up changes, etc.
Bracknell Jazz | Nat Steele
Fri 29 Mar | Bracknell Jazz | Nat Steele – vibraphone with the Simon Cook Trio | South Hill Park Arts Centre, Ringmead, Bracknell, RG12 7PA | 7:30 – 10pm | £17.00 under 18yrs £8.50: for other concessions contact South Hill Park Booking Office 01344 484123 | Full details
Cafe Zazous Gypsy Jazz | Lyndhurst Arms Reading
Good Friday 29 March| Cafe Zazous Hot Club gypsy jazz quintet | HB more guitar, David Stamper guitar, Phil Berry double bass, David Ahmed guitar, Frank Biddulph violin | The Lyndhurst Arms, Reading | 1pm till 3pm | Donations gratefully received and Balboa dancers welcome!
Dinner Jazz at The Angel | P’Jam
© Martin Breschinski
Sat 30 Mar | P’Jam | Annie Parker flutes, Phil Craddock piano, Marianne Windham bass, Jim Wade drums | The Angel, Woolhampton RG7 5RT | Music from 8pm | Free entry. Call 0118 971 3827 to make dinner reservations
Fronted by the exuberant Annie Parker on flute and bass flute, P’Jam is a joyful quartet of musicians who simply enjoy playing jazz together in sometimes slightly unexpected and spontaneous ways. With a repertoire that spans Miles Davis to the Beatles, expect an evening of great music in good company!
Jazz at the Hope & Anchor | P’Jam
Sun 31 Mar | P’Jam | Annie Parker flutes, Phil Craddock piano, Phil Berry bass, Jim Wade drums | Hope & Anchor, Station Rd, Wokingham RG40 2AD | 7 – 9pm | Free entry | Photo by Steve Foster – @jazzshot on Instagram
Fronted by the exuberant Annie Parker on flute and bass flute, P’Jam is a joyful quartet of musicians who simply enjoy playing jazz together in sometimes slightly unexpected and spontaneous ways. With a repertoire that spans Miles Davis to the Beatles, expect an evening of great music in good company!
