JANUARY 5TH THE ADRIAN COX QUARTET
ADRIAN COX starts off our year in style. Adrian says that a trip to Steyning Jazz Club is as much a tradition as NY itself! Having released brand new music at the end of 2023, from his album with strings “Clarinet Fantasy”, Adrian brings the core of his band to play some of this new music and a selection of standards inspired by the great clarinettists of New Orleans Barney Bigard, Sidney Bechet and of course Edmond Hall. Last year we had to turn people away, so come early for this incredible opening night!
This January meeting opens our new 2024 season and is our membership renewal evening. Doors open early at 7.00pm, so join us in a glass of fine wine and renew your membership for the coming year: annual membership is £15.
FEBRUARY 2ND THE PETE RUDEFORTH JAZZ BAND
This London-based jazz band comprises the very finest Dixieland, New Orleans and Swing musicians on the scene today. PETER RUDEFORTH has a passion for British traditional Jazz and formed a jazz band whilst at school, to play the music of Barber, Bilk and Ball. He has since gone on to be a mainstay of the London jazz scene, playing with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, Temperance Seven, Charleston Chasers and the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra at London’s Savoy Hotel. The line-up will be: PETE RUDEFORTH, trumpet; JULIAN STRINGLE, clarinet; ANDY FLAXMAN, trombone; TIM HUSKISSON, piano; SANDY BURNETT, double bass; and JOHN ELLMER, drums.
MARCH 1ST CATHERINE LIMA & QUARTET
Performing to sell-out crowds since 2019, CATHERINE LIMA explores the life and songs of jazz icon, Peggy Lee. Rising from humble beginnings in North Dakota, Peggy Lee proved that ambition and sheer hard work, together with extraordinary talent, pays dividends. Catherine’s dazzling singing charts Peggy Lee’s fascinating rise to fame, and helps explain how she maintained her prominence on the music scene for so many years. Catherine is backed by her outstand quartet of: PAUL HIGGS, piano and trumpet; ALEX KEEN, double bass; ALEX FIELD, guitar; and JASON CAMPBELL, drums.
APRIL 5TH SPATS LANGHAM’S FIVE NICKELS
THOMAS ‘SPATS’ LANGHAM spent his childhood in Buxton inspired by his Grandfather. Aged fourteen, on banjo, hewas appearing with the Hot Spa Stompers, and the Ged Hones Dixie Boys, who encouraged him to start guitar. With the loss of the outstanding pianist, Keith Nichols, in January 2021, remembered for his peerless interpretation of Ragtime as well as being a master of Fats Waller style stride piano, these ‘Five Nickels’ musicians have come together to keep his memory and music alive with jazz from the 20s and 30s played with the utmost authenticity and virtuosity. The band features: ‘SPATS’ LANGHAM and MARTIN WHEATLEY, guitars/banjos; MICHAEL MCQUAID and TREVOR WHITING, reeds; RICHARD PITE, tuba, bass and drums.
MAY 3RD ALAN BARNES & DAVE NEWTON QUARTET
ALAN BARNES and DAVID NEWTON have been playing duets for some forty-two years. These multiple award winning musicians cover a vast repertoire from Louis Armstrong to Chick Corea and have developed an incredible empathy and telepathic sympathy which only comes from their long experience together. David is one of the greatest solo jazz pianists this country has ever produced and Alan is a multi-reed musician playing all the saxes, clarinet and bass clarinet. Together with ADAM KING, bass and MATT FISHWICK, drums, the emphasis, as always, is on swinging, accessibility and interplay. Expect a hugely entertaining programme of straight ahead jazz flawlessly played and interspersed with lots of anecdotes peppered with humour.
JUNE 7TH RICO’S HOT FIVE
With ENRICO TOMASSO, trumpet; MARTIN LITTON, piano; ‘SPATS' LANGHAM, guitar, banjo and vocals; GRAHAM HUGHES, trombone and sousaphone, EWAN BLEACH, clarinet and sax, RICO’S HOT FIVE covers many of the early styles but is takes its line up from Louis Armstrong’s recording band in Chicago 1926. This brilliantly outstanding band delights in the irresistible contrapuntal improvisation of this swing era, with jazz reminiscent of Bix Beiderbecke and his peers, their playing breathing new life into this golden age of Jazz. Expect your favourites and some lesser heard gems amongst the tributes to the great exponents of this genre.