Alison Rayner (double bass) leads this multi-award winning quintet, which also features guitarist Deirdre Cartwright, both former members of the celebrated 1980’s Latin-jazz group The Guest Stars, alongside Diane McLoughlin (sax), Steve Lodder (keys) and Buster Birch (drums), ARQ play ‘songs without words’, creating a strong sense of narrative and cinematic quality.
The Xhosa Cole Quartet featuring award winning Xhosa on tenor sax with Josh Vadiveloo on guitar, Nathan England-Jones on bass and Steve Saunders on drums.
Thokozile – upbeat and exciting South African Jazz led by Dan Somogyi (keys, gtr), Terry Quinney (sax), Rob Palmer (gtr), Jack Shaughnessy (bass) and Neil Evans (drums).
The Harvey/O’Higgins Project – concentrates it’s musical direction on the Hard Bop innovations of the late 50’s/early 60’s. The band is: Graham Harvey (keys), Dave O’Higgins (sax), Jeremy Brown (bass), Josh Morrison (drums). “All the eternal values of great tone, melodic sweetness, rhythmic assurance, and swing to blow your socks off.” Andy Robson, Jazzwise.
Our Christmas Special concert this year is Simon Thorpe’s band Jivin’ Miss Daisy. With the wonderful Liz Fletcher (vox), the band also has a 4-piece horn section and a 4-piece rhythm section with some of the very best musicians anywhere in the world. They will be performing a combination of feel-good music from the 30’s & 40’s. It’s going to be a fun evening with Muld Wine and Mince Pies to help you get into the mood!
The Mark Crooks Quartet with Mark on clarinet & sax, Colin Oxley on guitar, Simon Thorpe on bass and Matt Home on drums.
Greg Abate, American saxophonist performing with Nigel Price on guitar, Nigel Thomas on bass and Spike Wells on drums.
The Adam Glasser Quintet – Adam is a leading exponent of the Jazz Harmonica.
He is originally from South Africa, where he was a prominent jazz musician with township bands as well as the country’s finest soloists, working with Hugh Masakela and Dudu Pukawana.
At the Fishermen’s he plays with Andy Panayi (sax/flute), Hannes Riepler (gtr), Nigel Thomas (bass) and Phil Crabbe (dms).
The Alan Barnes Sextet – ‘Cannonball & Coltrane’ – featuring Alan Barnes on alto sax, Andy Panayi on tenor sax, Robbie Robson on trumpet, Mark Edwards on keys, Simon Thorpe on bass and Pete Cater on drums.
THE SUE RICHARDSON QUINTET: ‘BIRD’
Sue Richardson (trumpet, vocals) presents a celebration of the immense (and largely ignored) contribution of women in jazz. With an intriguing narration alongside the music, the band includes Jo Fooks (tenor), Romarna Campbell (drums) and Marianne Windham (bass).