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On Wednesday 8 January: Ben Crosland’s “All Star Band” plays the Ray Davies Songbook -
On Wednesday January 22, Jazz at the Movies -
On Wednesday 12 February Chris Coull’s “Blue Note Sextet” -
On Wednesday 26 February, Tristan Banks’ “View from Above
On Wednesday 8 January: Ben Crosland’s “All Star Band” plays the Ray Davies Songbook – £25
John Etheridge Guitars
Theo Travis Saxophone
Steve Lodder Piano
Nic France Drums
Ben Crosland Bass
"I never wanted to be a star, just a highly respected musician like John Etheridge" - Sting”
“Travis’ tenor sax borders on the superhuman in its passion and flow of ideas” - BBC Music Magazine
"I feel privileged to have you do renditions of my songs" - Ray Davies
It is such a pleasure to welcome the supreme guitarist and saxophonist, John Etheridge and Theo Travis, who front this great band. The music will be that of Ray Davies. Ray Davies’ songs are rooted in the blues, music hall, popular song, variety and musical theatre – the perfect vehicles for jazz interpretation.
John is an incredible guitarist whose playing is lyrical, restrained and over the top, simple and complex. His amazing history is too long for this note, just see the About page on his website. John has been a stalwart friend of the club.
Theo was last here with his own band and that was a wow gig. Theo Travis plays saxophone, flute and duduk and is a prolific composer and music producer. He was born in Birmingham but moved to London where he soon established himself as one of the finest tenor sax players on the British jazz scene. He has led his own jazz quartet for 25 years, recorded ten albums as leader having composed, arranged and produced the material and performed all over the UK including at Ronnie Scott's Club in London over 75 times.
Steve Lodder’s soloing is always both mellifluous and energetically inventive He has the ability to select precisely the right keyboard timbre and texture to set off the overall group that marks him out as a master. One of Lodder's great strengths is his self-effacing skill as an accompanist and as a stunning soloist. Steve will be playing both piano and keyboard on this gig.
Ben Crosland leads the band from the bass. Ben is a fine composer and a wonderful bassist. He was commissioned by Marsden Jazz Festival to write a set of jazz arrangements of Ray Davies’ iconic songs. That commission led to the formation of his Ray Davies Songbook Quintet, which has been much acclaimed. Ben arranged Ray's songs for this jazz quintet. He has a habit of creating some great bands. I remember the trio "Threeway" with immense pleasure.
Nic France is one of the UK's most in-demand drummers performing with, among others, Ian Carr's 'Nucleus', Ronnie Scott, John Taylor, Jim Mullen, Bobby Wellins, Mose Allison, Billy Cobham, Django Bates and John Parricelli. He was also a founding member of 'Loose Tubes'. He also played from 1984 to 1986 with 'Working Week' with whom he played on several European tours and recorded three albums.
Here is a link to the band website
Listen to the band's music here
On Wednesday January 22, Jazz at the Movies – £22
Joanna Eden Vocals
Mark Crooks Saxophone
Chris Ingham Piano
Joe Pettitt Bass
George Double Drums
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“One of the finest combos in the country and a seriously talented vocalist . . . . . a great evening that satisfied both jazz and movie buffs. Quite a trick.” JAZZ JOURNAL
Jazz At The Movies is a unique jazz group who put an irresistible spin on classic movie themes and soundtrack songs from silver screen sources, both familiar and obscure. With music from many films including The Pink Panther, Gilda, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Aristocrats and The Fabulous Baker Boys, and songs by Burt Bacharach, John Barry, Leslie Bricusse, Stephen Sondheim, John Dankworth, and many others.
Presented by musical director and pianist Chris Ingham, Jazz at the Movies features evocative vocals by acclaimed singer Joanna Eden, bewitching saxophone and clarinet from Mark Crooks and a world-class rhythm section in Joe Pettitt and George Double.
Chris Ingham is a widely acclaimed pianist and singer, composer, producer and author. He formed his Jazz Quartet in 2013 and has led over 150 performances of his Hoagy Carmichael, Dudley Moore and Stan Getz repertoire projects all over the UK.
Joanna Eden is a singer songwriter who grew up in the heart of England listening to UK artists playing American blues, jazz and pop. Mojo magazine describes her songwriting as having ‘melody, mystery and bite’. With six solo albums to her credit, she is considered one of the finest singer pianists in the UK, with a style that covers a broad spectrum.
Mark Crooks works in a wide variety of musical settings including jazz, big band and classical. He has performed with artists ranging from Tony Bennett to Sir Simon Rattle, Lady Gaga to Dame Cleo Laine at venues from Ronnie Scott’s in London to the Lincoln Center in New York.
Joe Pettitt is not only a bassist but a musical director and educator from London. He is the bandleader of the Len Phillips Big Band, a south London based 17-piece band whose members have worked with Ella Fitzgerald, The Beatles, Bing Crosby, Freddie Mercury, Noel Gallagher and Robbie Williams, to name a few. George Double is active on the British jazz scene and appears regularly at Ronnie Scott’s club in London and elsewhere as a freelancer with Chris Ingham, John Etheridge, Art Themen, Digby Fairweather, Derek Nash and many others.
“Eden’s honeyed vocals…great diction and innate jazz timing, ringing out clear as a bell” MARLBANK
Here is a link to the band website
Listen to the band's music here
On Wednesday 12 February Chris Coull’s “Blue Note Sextet” – £20
Chris Coull Trumpet
Andreas Panayi Saxophone
Mark Bassey Trombone
Terry Seabrook Piano
Dan Sheppard Bass
Peter Cater Drums
The band play a broad array from the much loved recordings of Lee Morgan, Dexter Gordon, Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley, Freddie Hubbard, to name a few from the golden era of the '50s and '60s.
Chris Coull is a trumpeter well known in the UK and overseas for his lyrical be-bop playing and band leading. His influences include Clifford Brown and Miles Davis with a good dose of Freddie Hubbard and even a little Wynton thrown in the mix. Past excursions have seen him play at the Royal Albert Hall, Isle of Wight Festival, Jazz At The Lincoln Centre, Appleby Jazz Festival, Love Supreme Festival, to name but a few. As a side man, he has played alongside Alan Barnes, the late great Johnny Dankworth, heavyweight American sax player Jerry Weldon, and Richard Johnson.
Andy Panayi is an exceptionally gifted jazz musician, skilled in performance, composition and arranging. He plays all the flutes and all the saxophones and currently leads his own groups, both jazz and classical. He also writes commissioned works and compositions & arrangements for his own ensembles. Andy has performed and recorded with many singers such as; Shirley Bassey, Jessye Norman, Paul McCartney, Seth MacFarlane, Elaine Paige, Salena Jones, Elvis Costello, Georgie Fame, Peter Skellen, Zoot Money, Irene Reed, Elaine Delmar, Helen Shapiro, Madeline Bell & Patty Austin to name a few.
It is great to have the return of the wonderful trombonist Mark Bassey. Dave Gelly has described Mark as 'A superb, witty player'. His playing can stretch from the ‘raucous’ (John Fordham) to an ‘exquisite sound and perfect phrasing’ (Brian Blain). Mark is a highly versatile musician who covers all styles from swing to bop (with John Dankworth, Stan Tracey, Alan Barnes) and the contemporary (Julian Arguelles, Nikki Iles).
Terry Seabrook (Cubana Bop), Dan Sheppard and Peter Cater are a superb back line.
Here is a link to the band website
Listen to the band's music here
On Wednesday 26 February, Tristan Banks’ “View from Above” – £20
Tristan Banks Drums
Paul Booth Tenor sax
John Crawford Piano
Davide Mantovani Bass
"Impressive sense of immediacy” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ BBC Music Magazine
For three decades, drummer Tristan Banks has been a first-call sideman for ‘glitterati’ across jazz, pop and soul music. Since 2021, confirming his deep jazz roots, he has also been curator and venue manager at The Verdict Jazz Club in Brighton, restarting the venue after its closure due to the global pandemic of 2020. The Verdict has already received a nomination for Parliamentary Jazz Award Venue of the Year 2022.
In 2023, Ubuntu Records boss Martin Hummel, an admirer of both Banks’ versatility and his jazz soul, offered him his long-anticipated debut with the release of 'View from Above" to critical acclaim. Though predominantly jazz-led, elements of Latin and fusion influences can be detected, though this never betrays the core purpose. The music is a unique combination of high-octane virtuosic performance and sublimely melodic composition.
Banks brings together his long-standing musical friends including multi-sax virtuoso Paul Booth. From his early acclaim as a prize-winning saxophonist, Paul has continually refined and expanded his talents as a solo artist, composer, arranger and bandleader, whilst establishing an elite reputation as a first-call sideman for major contemporary music artists including Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, Gregory Porter, Eddie Henderson, and so many more.
John Crawford was born in London of English/Spanish Parents. His father played Blues piano, and this is the first thing he learnt to play. His mother introduced him to Latin music of all kinds, and he has gone on to perform at Montreal Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott's, Royal Festival Hall, the 606 club, and Royal Albert Hall amongst others.
Davide Mantovani is known on the scene as a bass player whose flawless technique never gets in the way of his natural feel & groove. He has proven himself in the short time he’s been in the UK playing with Monica Vasconcelos, Ingrid Laubrock, Ian Carr’s Nucleus, Carol Grimes, Great Spirit, Roberto Pla and Antonio Forcione amongst many others.
“A band of craftsmen playing the forms of acoustic jazz they relish, and their pleasure in that is infectiously palpable” John Fordham (Jazzwise)