Monthly Archives: May 2024
Guildford Jazz at the Cricket Pavilion | Adam Glasser Quintet: “South Africa and Beyond”
Wed 1 May | Guildford Jazz at the Cricket Pavilion | Adam Glasser Quintet: “South Africa and Beyond” | 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
Award Winning virtuoso harmonica player and pianist Adam Glasser brings a band of contemporary jazz musicians to play township jazz. Adam’s harmonica sound combines his South African roots with many years in the UK jazz scene as well as with Hugh Masekela, Joe Zawinul, Martha Reeves and Jimmy Witherspoon. This concert explores township jazz standards across a range of composers from Abdullah Ibrahim to Caiphus Semenya and Themba Mkhize. With Adam Glasser – harmonica & piano, George Crowley – saxophone, Ant Law – guitar, Steve Watts – bass, Corrie Dick – drums.
Bracknell Jazz | Espiral Trio
Fri 3 May | Bracknell Jazz | Espiral Trio: Josephine Davis – sax, David Beebee – guitar, Martin Pyne – percussion | South Hill Park Arts Centre, Ringmead, Bracknell, RG12 7PA | 7:30 – 10pm | £18.00 under 18yrs £8.50: for other concessions contact South Hill Park Booking Office 01344 484123 | Full details
Adrian Cox Quartet featuring Denny Ilett | Purdy’s Pop Up, Henley
Sat 4 May | Adrian Cox Quartet featuring Denny Ilett | The HAODS Studio, 19 New Street, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2BP | 8pm, doors 7:30pm | Info and tickets £21 here
Straight after the launch of his new acclaimed album “Clarinet Fantasy” at Ronnie Scotts, Adrian brings his fabulous Quartet to Henley to play a selection of standards inspired by the great clarinettists of New Orlean, Barney Bigard, Sidney Bechet and Edmond Hall, plus some of his original music from the album.
Pete Allen Jazz Band | Newbury
Jeremy Sasoon – The Ray Charles Project | Dorchester-On-Thames
Sun 5 May | Jeremy Sassoon – The Ray Charles Project | Bishops Court Farm,
Dorchester-On-Thames, OX10 7HP | 7 -9 pm. doors open at 6pm | £23 |
Tickets– or can be purchased at the door on the evening | Contact 01865 590390 or diane_bishopsfarm@outlook.com
A night of fun-filled live Jazz!
Graeme Hewitt’s High Society Jazz Band | Theale
Jazz at The Four Horseshoes | Sherfield-on-Loddon
Tues 7 May | Equinox Quintet with Pete Billington | Pete Billington piano, Peter Bingham tenor sax, John Clarke guitar, Derek Alford bass, and Paul Kaluza drums | Four Horseshoes pub, Sherfield-on-Loddon RG27 0EX | 8pm to 10.30pm | Four Horseshoes | No charge for admission (donations are welcomed)
Sam Braysher feat. Annie Majin: Kurt Weill and the American Songbook | Norden Farm, Maidenhead
Thurs 9 May | Saxophone and vocal-led jazz standards | Sam Braysher alto saxophone, Annie Majin vocals, Matyas Gayer piano | Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Altwood Rd, Maidenhead SL6 4PF | 8pm | £16 | Info and tickets here, or call 01628 788997
Three outstanding young jazz musicians interpret songs by the composer of “Mack the Knife” and “September Song”, plus Broadway favourites by Gershwin, Arlen and Rodgers & Hammerstein.
Jazz at Progress | Five-Way Split | Buy tickets
Friday 10 May 2024 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
Quentin Collins trumpet & flugel horn, Vasilis Xenopoulos tenor saxophone, Rob Barron piano, Matyas Hofecker bass, Matt Home drums.
Five-Way Split is a new jointly-led band featuring five of the finest contemporary bebop musicians in the UK. It is fronted by internationally renowned trumpet star Quentin Collins, Greek saxophone phenomenon Vasilis Xenopoulos and the golden touch of pianist Rob Barron. Added to this is virtuosic bassist Matyas Hofecker and rock-solid drummer Matt Home.
The band’s vision is to carry on the lineage of groups like Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers as well mirroring the New York contemporary-bop scene.
From this inspiration, the band presents a sound that respects the tradition of hard-bop and straight-ahead jazz in a way that will appeal to today’s audience. With an extensive repertoire of carefully crafted and imaginative original compositions, along with hip, swinging material by greats like Jimmy Heath, Cedar Walton and Horace Silver, Five-Way Split delivers a night of the best swinging and soulful music in town.
Since the band’s formation in 2020, “when performance opportunities were scarce, but creative energy was strong”, it has played sold out shows at London’s Ronnie Scott’s & 606 Jazz Club, as well to appreciative full houses at jazz clubs up and down the country.
Their debut album “All The Way” contains original compositions by the band as well as choice arrangements of classic jazz standards.
“No duds,” wrote Peter Vacher in his 4-Star Jazzwise review of ‘All The Way”, “no longuers, just brilliant and distinctive outcomes. Great to hear these accomplished musicians in this kind of creative shape. Track them down. It will be worth it.”
Hear Five-Way Split in action on this performance clip: https://youtu.be/ivUdNBWlY8w
Fleur Stevenson Trio | Maidensgrove
Fri 10 May | Fleur Stevenson Trio, Maidensgrove | Fleur Stevenson vocals, Hugh Turner guitar, Curtis R Ruiz double bass | Five Horsehoes, Henley-on-Thames RG9 6EX | 8.00 pm | £16 diners only. Tickets: 01491 641282
Jazz at Progress | Five-Way-Split
Fri 10 May – Five-Way-Split – Quentin Collins trumpet, Vasilis Xenopoulos tenor sax, Rob Barron piano, Magyars Hofecker bass, Matt Home drums | Progress Theatre, The Mount, Reading RG1 5HL | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee | Details
The Supertonics Big Band, plus guest vocalist Sarah Jane Eveleigh | Bracknell
Sat 11 May | The Supertonics Big Band, plus guest vocalist Sarah Jane Eveleigh | Popular 17-piece Swing Band | Carnation Hall, Winkfield Row, Bracknell RG42 7PA | 7.30pm | Tickets £15, reserve in advance via davidbennett470@gmail.com or 07739-314261 or www.thesupertonics.co.uk
The Music of Ellington & Strayhorn | The Alan Cornish Theatre, Reading
Sat 11 May | The Music of Ellington & Strayhorn | Ewen Baird saxes, Martin Pickett piano, Howard King bass, Mike Goff drums | The Alan Cornish Theatre, Oakwood Centre, Woodley, Reading RG54JZ | 7:45pm -10pm | £12:50 | Tickets
Hot Biscuits Jazz Broadcast
Memories of Charles Mingus from the 8 piece `Mingus Project` led by Cameron Saint and performing at the Tallulah`s Emporium, Wallasey. Courtesy of Michael Hughes. Great sounds and memories. Also featuring on the broadcast is new piece of music from Olivia Moore‘s Unfurl. Mårten Lundgren with his Big band goes Small. Moon dance from the Gloucestershire Youth Jazz Orchestra. Finishing with Elijah Shiffer with a Sky dance over over 6th Avenue. If this looks interesting follow me on www.mixcloud.com/ stevebewick/ 24/07
Sarah Jane Garside / Hugh Turner jazz duo | Hartley Witney
Sun 12 May | Sarah Jane Garside / Hugh Turner jazz duo | Jazz vocalist with guitar accompaniment | The Nightjar, Auriol wines, Hartley Witney | 2-4pm | Free entry
Marlow Jazz Club | Simon Spillett & Alex Garnett
Tues 14 May | Marlow Jazz Club | Simon Spillett & Alex Garnett | Simon Spillett tenor sax, Alex Garnett tenor, alto, Frank Harrison piano, Stuart Barker bass, Elliot Toms drums | Royal British Legion Hall SL7 1NT | 8.30pm | £10 | Phone 01628 486571 to reserve a good seat.
Two of the best and busiest saxophonists on the current scene make a rare side by side quintet appearance. Given their respective backgrounds, comparisons with The Jazz Couriers, Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott, are likely.
Vasilis Xenopoulos/Paul Edis Quartet: Feels Like Home | Cookham
Wed 15 May 2024 | Vasilis Xenopoulos/Paul Edis Quartet: Feels Like Home | Vasilis Xenopoulos sax, Paul Edis piano, Adam King double bass, Joel Barford drums | Pinder Hall, Cookham, SL6 9EH | 8pm | £15 – tickets here | Licensed Bar Available
Vasilis and Paul began playing together 20 years ago. In the intervening years, they’ve played numerous gigs together, releasing their debut album in 2016, A Narrow Escape, to critical acclaim. With Joel Barford (drums) and Adam King (double bass), their latest recording features original music inspired by the theme of ‘home’…home in this sense represents not only the many places they’ve both lived, but also the people they’ve known along the way. Join the quartet for what promises to be one of the highlights of this year’s Cookham festival.
Hugh Turner Heavy Funk Quartet | Botley
Wed 15 May | Hugh Turner Heavy Funk Quartet featuring Maff Potts keys, Raph Mizraki electric bass. Steve Wyndam drums | Hard hitting funk and jazz improvised music | First outing at this awesome community music venue: Tap Social, Botley | Approx 8-10pm | £6.60/£8.80 | Tickets
