International Jazz Night - Wednesday

The 10 piece All Star Jazz Band playing
Hot Swinging Jazz with the Big Sound

featuring artists:
Digby Fairweather (Cornet/trumpet)
Mike Cotton (Trumpet)
Roy Williams (Trombone)
Chris Gower (Trombone)
John Barnes (Saxes)
Dave Shepherd (Clarinet)
Craig Milverton (Piano)
Dominic Ashworth (Guitar)
Pete Cater (Drums)
Len Skeat (Bass)

Digby Fairweather
Britain's best cornettist! His professional career began in 1977 & he played with acts such as Dave Shepherd, the Midnite Follies Orchestra and the Pizza Express All Stars. From 1983, he fronted his own band the Jazz Superkings. Since then with his 'Half Dozen' he played for many years with late great George Melly and now has formed a collaboration with ex Manfred Mann star Paul Jones. Beyond the music he founded the National Jazz Archive in 1987 and a number of other organizations including the Association of British Jazz Musicians.He has worked as a broadcaster for Jazz FM, the BBC World Service, and BBC Radios 2 and 3,and more recently on thejazz.com. His outstanding insight into the jazz world has made him an invaluable contributor to jazz reference books including the Rough Guide To Jazz and Grove’s Dictionary Of Jazz, and his own memoir Notes From A Jazz Life.

For further information about Digby please visit

www.digbyfairweather.com

Mike Cotton
One of Britain's pioneers of crossover from jazz to pop - and a great trumpeter! Mike led his own Jazzmen in the early 60s. They later changed their musical format & title to first the Mike Cotton Sound, then Satisfaction. Years with 'The Kinks' followed, after which Mike reverted to Dixieland in 1973 for a long stint with Acker Bilk's Paramount Jazz Band. Since the early 1990s Mike has played with the Harry Strutter's Hot Rhythm Orchestra and leads the Great British Jazz Band.

Roy Williams
Six time British Jazz Award winner, Roy is Britain's best & most successful trombonist. After many years with Alex Welsh (1963-78) & Humphrey Lyttelton (1978-82), he has continued a headlining career playing all over the world as a soloist.

Chris Gower
Self taught trombonist Chris turned professional in 1967 and backed a variety of rock & soul musicians including Ben E King & Jimmy Ruffin. In the 80s Chris backed Shakin Stevens and gigged & recorded with Sir Cliff Richard, Desmond Decker & Suzi Quatro as well as the Glenn Miller Orchestra UK, the BBC Big Band & Syd Lawrence. Chris' heart lies with jazz and was the ideal replacement for the late Don Lusher in the GBJB

John Barnes
John's career began with the Zenith Six in the 50s and went onto work with Mike Daniels before long stints with Alex Welsh & Humphrey Lyttelton's great bands. John won the new star category for baritone saxophone in Downbeat magazine in the 1960s & has won the British Jazz Award many times since then. He is equally adept on the alto sax & clarinet as well.

Dave Shepherd
Early achievements for Dave (after forming his Quintet in 1954) included tours with Jazz at the Philharmonic, Billie Holiday & Gerry Mulligan & Teddy Wilson. Dave is England's most gifted, elegant & creative jazz clarinettist & has led the Pizza Express All Star Jazz Band for many years. He has also won the British Jazz Award for the clarinet on many occasions.

Craig Milverton
Craig Milverton has firmly established himself as one of Britains best and most versatile jazz musicians. In a professional career spanning over 20 years he has worked with some of the world's best jazz musicians including Scott Hamilton, Stacey Kent, John and Jaqui Dankworth, Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk and George Melly

For further information about Craig Milverton please visit

www.craigmilverton.co.uk

Dominic Ashworth
French-Canadian Dominic joined Digby Fairweather's Half Dozen in 1998 & also works with Carol Kidd, Michael Garrick & Julian Marc Stringle's Dream Band as well as his own acoustic truo. In 2006 he won the accolade of Top Guitarist in the Marston's Pedigree British Jazz Awards 2006.

Pete Cater
Pete Cater was born in Lichfield in 1969. Jazz has always been Pete's first love. Pete got his first real taste of big band drumming and national attention aged 13 when he joined the award-winning Midlands Youth Jazz Orchestra and by 16 he was doing professional work both live and in studios. His performing career takes him all over the world with a diverse range of artists, from jazz/electronica pioneer Matthew Herbert to veteran performers “The Best of British Jazz” and the Ted Heath Big Band. Away from the specialist jazz niche Pete has worked with a diverse range of artists including Tom Jones and Jamie Cullum.  In addition he is constant demand as a freelance player, and recently appeared in BBC4’s “Jazz Britannia” season. Other bands and artists with whom Pete Cater has appeared include: The BBC Big Band, Echoes of Ellington, Back to Basie, The Ricky Woodard Quartet, The Terry Gibbs/Buddy DeFranco Quintet, The Vic Ash Quartet, Lillian Boutte and Friends, Benny Carter, Harry Edison, Barney Kessel, Scott Hamilton, Harry Allen, John Dankworth, Dick Morrissey, Ronnie Scott, Jeff Berlin, Sax Appeal, and recorded and toured with the late American saxophonist Spike Robinson.

'A versatile and gifted drummer, at home in any context'
Rough Guide to Jazz

For further information about Pete Cater please visit  

www.petecaterbigband.com

Len Skeat
Known a the 'Time Lord', Len perpetuates the great values of the double bass Ray Brown style: time, tone & taste. The three T's have seen him through years with Ted Heath, the late Stephane Grappelli & the late Eddie Thompson's Trio. Len is first call for British band from Dave Shepherd's Quintet to the Pizza Express All Star Band & for visiting US stars

For further information about Len Skeat please visit  

www.lenskeat.co.uk

From Australia!
with
Martin Litton, Trevor Whiting, Tom 'Spats' Langham
& Peter Morgan

Bob Barnard is one of the most highly regarded jazz musicians ever to come from Australia.

Barnard grew up in a musical family and started on cornet with a local brass band when twelve. His first professional job was with his mother's band at fourteen. Introduced to jazz by his father, Bob was a founding member of brother Len's South City Stompers in 1948. He moved to Sydney permanently in June 1962 as a member of the Graeme Bell All Stars and remained with them until mid-1967.

Bob formed his own jazz band in 1974 touring with it throughout Australia, Asia, Europe and the US. The band held long residencies at some of Sydney's popular hotels, particularly the Orient in the Rocks area.

Bob is a regularly featured guest at festivals and concerts in the US, Britain and Europe, and has recorded with top American, European and English jazzmen

King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys present a breathtaking mix of 1940s Kansas City jazz and blues in a truly exhilarating, swinging, non-stop live performance. Looking like they just stepped straight out of a 1940s black and white movie, this inimitable six-piece delivers a shot of pure and authentic jazz and blues from a bygone era, when swing was King.

We are delighted to welcome singer, songwriter, presenter (and
sparkling wit!) Clare Teal back to the Concorde Club. Clare Teal is without doubt the most successful young female jazz singer in the UK today. She signed to Sony/BMG in 2004 with a deal that broke records for a UK jazz singer – the talented singer and songwriter is poised to become a household name around the World.

She appeared on the Parkinson TV show twice and was regularly featured on his Sunday Radio show ‘The Sunday Supplement.’ She has also worked with Sir John Dankworth’s Big Band for Radio 2’s ‘Live From The Stables’, The BBC Big Band & the BBC Concert Orchestra’s ‘Friday Night is Music Night’. She wowed thousands on the ONEWORLD Stage at Glastonbury, took the Edinburgh Fringe festival by storm and has toured all over the UK taking all most, if not all, of the major festivals.

Her album ‘Don’t Talk’ shot straight into the national charts at No 20 making her the first UK female mainstream jazz artist to have a top 20 album in almost 30 years. She has had her own BBC Radio 2 programme ‘After Seven …. With Clare Teal’ on Friday nights. 

2007 saw a move towards more mainstream pop music with the release of Clare's fifth studio album 'Paradisi Carousel' whilst Clare further strengthened her relationship with Radio 2 presenting the Big Band Special series and Clare Teal's Jazz Divas. In September she was awarded Jazz Vocalist Of The Year 2007 at the British Jazz Awards.

In January this year Clare presented a series on Radio 2 profiling 1930s singer Al Bowlly and, if further evidence of her multi-faceted talents were needed, Clare also has a weekly lifestyle column in the Yorkshire Post!

Newly signed to the Universal imprint W14 Music, Clare is embracing a return to her first love – jazz - with the release in February 2008 of a brand new album 'Get Happy'.

For further information about Clare Teal please visit  

www.clareteal.co.uk

Joe Temperley was born in Lochgelly, Scotland, September 20, 1929. He has performed on various instruments but is most associated with the baritone saxophone & bass clarinet.
He first achieved prominence as a member of Humphrey Lyttleton's band from 1958-1965. In 1965, he moved to New York City where he performed and/or recorded with Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Joe Henderson, Duke Pearson, the Jazz Composer's Orchestra, the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra and Clark Terry, among many others. In October 1974, he toured and recorded with the Duke Ellington Orchestra as a replacement for Harry Carney.
He played in the Broadway show Sophisticated Ladies in the 1980's, and his film soundtrack credits include Cotton Club, Biloxi Blues, Brighton Beach Memoirs, When Harry Met Sally, and Tune In Tomorrow, composed by Wynton Marsalis.
Joe is also a mentor and a co-founder of the Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra program which now enroles 30 young musicians aged 7-18. He has released several albums as a leader, including Nightingale, Sunbeam and Thundercloud with pianist Dave McKenna, With Every Breath and Double Duke with several fellow Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra members. He is an original member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and serves on the faculty of the Julliard School for Jazz Studies.

Scott Hamilton is the premier 'mainstream' saxophonist of today. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1954, he came along at the time when the kind of jazz he loved - the small group swing of such great stylists as Illinois Jacquet and Eddie Lockjaw Davis - was out of fashion, and largely out of the public ear. Scott's handsome sound and impeccable phrasing were a rare commodity among young jazzmen. He has recorded over 60 albums as both leader and sideman. They feature Scott playing in all kinds of settings & in partnership with such distinguished players as Ruby Braff and Dave McKenna. The constant is Scott's creative imagination and the beautiful, honeyed sound he gets out of the tenor saxophone.

While he acknowledges the sidelong influence of players such as John Coltrane, he continues to perform the music he loves, which first brought him into jazz - great ballads and blues, played from the heart, with the timeless virtues of swinging playing underscoring every phrase. A worldwide following of admirers wouldn't have it any other way.

Long regarded a consummate interpreter of standards, Scott Hamilton's big, warm tenor saxophone tone and unerring sense of swing have a way of making every tune he plays uniquely his own.  His swing style is virtually unchanged since his early days. If you’re one of those jazz aficionados who like to imagine playing tenor sax, then you’re dreaming that you sound like Scott!

John Bunch was born & raised in 1921 in Tipton, Indiana, a small farming community, where he studied piano with George Johnson, a well-known Hoosier jazz pianist. By the age of 14 he was already playing with adult bands in central Indiana. During WWII he enlisted in the Air Corps & after intense training, became a bombardier on a B17 Flying Fortress. He & his 10-man crew were transferred to combat duty in England, flying bombing missions over Germany. His plane was shot down 2 November 1944, & John Bunch was taken prisoner.
In prison camp he learned to arrange for big bands, & after the war, he applied for university training as a music major, but was refused because he couldn't sight read classical music. He worked later in factories & insurance, but in 1956 moved to Los Angeles where he immediately was accepted by several well-known jazz musicians. Among them was Georgie Auld & Jimmie Rowles, who later recommended him to Woody Herman. After many one-nighters John settled in New York in 1958, where he joined with Eddie Condon, as well as the be-bop gang of Maynard Ferguson. He recorded with Maynard & many smaller groups.
In 1966 he joined Tony Bennett as pianist & musical director, where he stayed until 1972. After that stint, he resumed his jazz work with Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Pearl Bailey, Scott Hamilton, making many world tours & recordings with them. He is now a trio leader, mostly in England. He has many recordings as a leader, most notably the New York Swing Trio with Bucky Pizzarelli & Jay Leonhart.

Rare appearance of the American Soprano Saxophonist Virtuoso
Bob Wilber
with Richard Busiakiewicz (piano), Dave Chamberlain (bass)
& Matt Holme (drums)

Bob Wilber is an internationally renowned instrumentalist, arranger and composer who has been a leading figure in keeping the spirit of classic jazz alive.
His association with jazz came about at an early age. He recalls having heard Mood Indigo by Duke Ellington when he was only three years old! In high school he studied clarinet and then formed a band with Dick Wellstood & Ed Hubble known as The Wildcats. This band of teenagers went on to sit in at Jimmy Ryan’s club in New York. During this time he studied and lived with Sidney Bechet. In 1948 he played at the Nice Jazz Festival and toured France with Mezz Mezzrow. Then for two years he led a band at Boston’s Savoy Club.
By the 1950’s Wilber was searching for his own voice, studying classical clarinet with Leon Russianoff and jazz with Lennie Tristano and Lee Konitz. In 1954 he formed “The Six” a group that combined elements of traditional and modern jazz. After two years of touring and recording three LP’s he joined Eddie Condon’s band, playing at Eddie’s club and touring England. He wound up the decade playing with Bobby Hackett in New York and touring with Benny Goodman’s big band.
In the 1960’s Wilber was freelancing in New York with the likes of Ruby Braff and Bud Freeman, making records for Music Minus One and working for Jackie Gleason with Max Kaminski’s band. In 1968 his “Music of Hoagy Carmichael” LP was nominated for a Grammy Award. In 1969 Wilber became a founding member of the “World’s Greatest Jazz Band”, led by Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart that featured Bud Freeman, Billy Butterfield, Ralph Sutton and other stars. He stayed with them until 1974 when he teamed up with Kenny Davern to form “Soprano Summit” which featured the unique sound of two soprano saxophones. They toured the US, Europe and South Africa, recording nine LPs. He also was on the board of The New York Jazz Repertory Orchestra which gave a series of concerts at Carnegie Hall and toured Russia in 1975. In 1981 he and his wife, singer Pug Horton, formed “The Bechet Legacy”, a six piece band which set out to celebrate the musical heritage of Sidney Bechet. During this time they set up their own record label Bodeswell and recorded seven LPs including The Bechet Legacy, Reflections and The Music of King Oliver’s Jazz Band. He arranged the Ellington recreations for the movie “The Cotton Club” in 1984 for director Francis Ford Coppola which won him a Grammy. In 1983 he became the first director of The Smithsonian Jazz Repertory Ensemble which toured the United States for three years. In 1988 Wilber led bands at both Carnegie Hall in New York and Royal Festival Hall in London to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Benny Goodman’s famous 1938 concert. Since then he has continued to lead his small groups and large orchestras for work around the world. He also received critical acclaim when he wrote his memoirs “Music Was Not Enough.” In 1996 Wilber received “The Three Key Award” at the Bern Jazz Festival. (Previous recipients were Oscar Peterson, Benny Carter, Milt Hinton, Clark Terry and George Wein).
To this day Bob Wilber continues to create and play music that is a tasteful and exciting exploration of classic jazz. He has been nominated to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York in 1998. (Past awards have gone to Sweets Edison, Milt Hinton, Clark Terry and Marian McPartland).

For further information about Bob Wilber please visit
www.bob-wilber.co.uk

by the
Martin Litton's Red Hot Peppers

Martin Litton (piano), Paul Lacey (trumpet), Graham Hughes (trombone),
Robert Fowler (reeds), Mark Crooks (reeds),
Thomas 'Spats' Langham (guitar, banjo), Malcolm Sked (bass),
Graham Collicott (drums)

Martin Litton studied piano at the Colchester Institute. After graduating he joined Harry Gold's Pieces of Eight. In 1982 he joined Kenny Ball for two years, with whom he toured Russia & the Middle East. He has worked with many American musicians including Bob Wilbur, Scott Hamilton, George Masso, Peanuts Hucko, Joe Muranyi and Al Casey and has recorded with Kenny Davern, Wild Bill Davison, Yank Lawson and Marty Grosz. Martin's work with leading British musicians includes recordings with Humphrey Lyttleton, Wally Fawkes and Digby Fairweather and he has toured Britian and Europe with Keith Smith's Hefty Jazz. Martin is the pianist with Bob Hunt's Duke Ellington Orchestra.
As a regular performing and recording artist with the Swedish Jazz Kings Martin has also toured Japan and Australia with this band. His first solo CD Martin Litton Jazz Piano was short listed in Jazz Journal's 1994 critics poll and his latest CD Falling Castle was described as 'a gem' by The Jazz Rag.
At present, Martin is working with Pete Long's Bebop Repertory Quintet playing the music of Dizzy Gillespie as well as being the pianist & musical director for a series of CDs featuring Clare Teal. The first of these CDs That's The Way It Is has been highly acclaimed & was regularly played on Michael Parkinson's Radio 2 programme.

In this concert he will be playing with his own eight-piece band, Martin Litton's Red Hot Peppers, playing the music of Jelly Roll Morton. The band was originally formed as the band on stage for the play 'Mr Jelly Roll', for which Litton transcribed and arranged the music. The show was premiered at the 1990 Bude Festival. Since the show folded the band continues to enjoy a life of its own and has broadcast on Radio 2s 'Jazz Parade'.

'the best re-creation band I've ever heard.'
Michael Webber, South Bank promoter

in the Moldy Fig
with the Dave Lewin Trio
featuring Colin Bryant on clarinet

No jazz in the Main Club

in the Moldy Fig

No jazz in the Main Club

Alec Dankworth (bass), Julian Arguelles (saxes), Phil Robson (guitars), Chris Garrick (violin) & Marc Miralta (percussion)

Alec Dankworth
British Jazz Awards winner Alec Dankworth has worked with artists as diverse as Stephanne Grappelli, Abdullah Ibrahim and Van Morrison. After studying at Berklee Colledge of Music, Alec became a member of various groups, notably Clark Tracey, Julian Joseph and Nigel Kennedy. During a period of residency in New York he played with the Duke Ellington Orchestra and joined the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Alec has since rejoined his parents' group and leads the Alec Dankworth Trio. His recent recordings have been with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, and the Bill Lesage Trio. Alec's new band fuse jazz with a spanish accent. Jazz standards with a spanish feel, folksongs and originals.

For further information about Alec Dankworth please visit  www.alecdankworth.com

Julian Arguelles
'one is left almost speechless with admiration' - The Independent

For further information about Julian Arguelles please visit  www.julianarguelles.com

Phil Robson
Phil Robson is a guitarist/composer based in London. He is internationally regarded as a highly versatile and creative musician who appears in many diverse settings.

'Robson's crisp and cliché-free contributions make him a world class artist.' Jazz UK

Chris Garrick
Chris began violin in 1976 at the age of just five. He regularly attended Music camps at The Stables, Wavendon, which resulted in a life-long friendship with Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine. At home, his jazz pianist father introduced the colours, flavours and rudiments of improvising music, and gave him a starter-repertoire of tunes. He was to meet many influential musicians in these early years, including Jaco Pastorius, Olivier Messiaen and Nigel Kennedy. At the age of 8 he met Stephane Grappelli at The Stables, who influenced him and his playing enormously.
Chris studied at London's Royal Academy of Music and has since worked with many different artists including Julian Joseph, Bireli Lagrene, Dolly Parton, All About Eve, Simon Mulligan, Luka Bloom and Brian Ferry & Marina Laslo. He has toured with guitarist John Etheridge in a tribute to Stephane Grappelli and in 2001 he toured Israel with Dame Cleo Laine and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. He tours regularly with Parisian guitar virtuoso Angelo Debarre, Alec Dankworth's 'Spanish Accents' and his own 'Homage to Grappelli'. He is active in the world of commercial session music and his violin can be heard on many film soundtracks including amongst others, Chocolat, Moulin Rouge, Chicago, The Edge of Love, Borat, An Ideal Husband, Tomorrow Never Dies, and Big Fish.
Chris has recorded five solo albums of which Different Strokes was called "The outstanding British album of the year" in the Sunday Times. He has won the Benjamin Doniger Jazz Scolarship, Lansdowne Studios Award, Modena Prize, and the Cleo Johnson Composition Award, and in 1992 won admission to the International Association of the Schools of Jazz headed by Dave Liebman in Siena, Italy. His Quartet, were winners of the Special Award for Best Ensemble at 1999's BT Jazz Oscars. Chris has since been nominated for 'Best Rising Star' and for 'Best Miscellaneous Instrument'

'He could easily emerge as one of the great jazz violinists of all time'
Sir John Dankworth

For further information about Chris Garrick please visit  www.chrisgarrick.com

Marc Miralta
Born in Barcelona in 1966, Marc Miralta started playing drums at the age of 7 and began taking lessons at 11. He also plays percussion instruments, like vibraphone, marimba and indian tabla.
Marc studied at the Escola de Música Zeleste de Barcelona (CDMBR), the Conservatori Superior Municipal de Música de Barcelona, the Taller de Músics de Barcelona and at Berklee College of Music, Boston.
He has performed all over the world with such musicians as Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, Steve Lacy, Paquito D’Rivera, Tete Montoliu, Art Farmer, George Garzone, Joshua Redman and Mark Turner. He has played classical music with the European Community Youth Orchestra, conducted by Claudio Abbado, and music for contemporary dance and for theatre performances. He has recorded over 30 cds with a variety of artists in Spain, Canada and USA. In 1985 he won the Best Instrumentalist Award, and Best Band with 2x2 Quartet at Manresa Jazz Festival (Barcelona). In 1986 he was awarded the second prize with Roda de Saxos at the International Jazz Festival of San Sebastián. In 1988 he won second prize with Iñaki Salvador Trio at the Jazz Competition in Getxo (Bilbao). In 1991 was given the Best Percussion Performer Award at Berklee College of Music, and in 1992 the Most Active Performer Award, at the same college.

For further information about Marc Miralta please visit  www.marcmiralta.com

The youngbloods of Swedish jazz!

The Second Line Jazzband was formed in 1989 and since then has established a position as one of the most popular traditional jazzbands in Europe with its original improvisations and arrangements of the New Orleans revival style.

Many prominent musicians have guested with the band over the years such as Antti Sarpila, Lillian Boutté and Orange Kellin. Their unique style comes from their widely differing musical backgrounds but above all it is the New Orleans revival style which gives them the greatest inspiration and is the kind of music they specialize in.

The Second Line Jazzband has recorded ten CDs (the latest one “Lost Control” was released in spring 2008) with a mix of traditional jazz, spirituals but also numbers by Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Louis Prima, Pete Seeger and the Rolling Stones

The Second Line Jazz Band - keeping the New Orleans music alive!

For further information about the band please visit  

www.secondlinejazzband.com

Sensational pianist whose versatility & range of material leaves the audience spellbound!

Even before the French institution, L’Académie du Jazz recognized his work on solo piano as the Prix du Jazz Classique 2005 or magazines such as Jazz Classique and Jazz Hot printed rave reviews about him, 32-year old pianist Rossano Sportiello, was an emerging talent on the international jazz scene. A native of Vigevano, Italy, Rossano graduated from the Italian Conservatory and began his musical career at the age of 18 by joining the “Milano Jazz Gang”, one of Europe’s historic bands.

An accomplished stride pianist, Rossano grew up listening to Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller and Ralph Sutton, whom he met shortly before the elder’s death. However, his pianistic style also pays homage to the swing and bebop eras. He cites Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, Bud Powell,Tommy Flanagan, Ellis Larkins, Red Garland, Wynton Kelly and Bill Evans as a few of his influences. His mentor, bebop pianist Barry Harris, says “Rossano makes me smile when he plays.” On occasion, the jazz legend has invited him to the stage to play on his gigs, touting Rossano as “the best stride pianist” he's ever heard.

Rossano has performed with many of the world’s finest jazz luminaries, such as Slide Hampton, Gerry Mulligan, Bucky Pizzarelli, Dick Hyman, Houston Person, Dado Moroni, Eddie Locke, Dan Barrett, Harry Allen, Scott Robinson, Carl Fontana, Rebecca Kilgore, Reggie Johnson, Scott Hamilton, Bob Wilber, Kenny Davern, Warren Vache, Ken Peplowski, Butch Miles, Jake Hanna, Johnny Frigo and many others. He performs throughout Europe and highlighted concerts include the 2006 International Stride Piano Summit in Germany with Dick Hyman, Chris Hopkins and Bernd Lhotzky, as well as performances at the Ascona Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the Nairn Festival in Scotland and the Swinging Jazz Party in Blackpool. His solo piano recordings include In the Dark, on Blue Swing Recordings, Piano on My Mind, on the Jazz Connaisseur label and Heart and Soul on Arbors Records.  People Will Say We're In Love, with bassist Nicki Parrott was also released on Arbors Records.

For further information about Rossano Sportiello please visit  

www.rossanosportiello.com

Georgie Fame has been a formidable presence on the UK music scene for over 4 decades with over 20 albums & 14 hit singles.

In March 1962, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames took up what was to be a three-year residency as the house band at the Flamingo Club in London's Soho district. According to Georgie, they played "rhythm and blues all-nighters to black American GIs, West Indians, pimps, prostitutes and gangsters." The band's reputation as "the epitome of cool" spread rapidly, and in 1963 their first album, Rhythm and Blues at the Flamingo, was recorded live at the club. A string of hit records in the following years included the UK No 1s, Yeh Yeh (the first recording that knocked The Beatles off the number one spot in the charts), Getaway and 1967's The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde (which was also a Top Ten hit in the US). Due to his great popularity, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames were the only UK act invited to perform with the first Motown Review when it hit London in the mid-1960s. Fame has also collaborated with some of music world's most famous names - he has played organ on all of Van Morrison's albums between 1989 and 1997, even serving as his musical director, was founder member of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings and he has also worked with the likes of Count Basie, Alan Price, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Joan Armatrading and The Verve.

Ever on the road, Georgie Fame continues to perform his unique blend of jazz/rhythm and blues for live audiences at clubs and music festivals throughout the world. At the BBC Jazz Awards 2007 he was nominated for the Radio 2 Heart of Jazz Award

Mod icon Georgie Fame is a bona fide musical legend!

with pianist John Royen from New Orleans

with special guest
Cuff Billet

Sammy Rimington has dedicated his life to playing New Orleans music. He started playing professionally 45 years ago at the age of 18 when he joined Ken Colyer Jazzmen. Since then he can be heard on 140 LP's and more than 100 CD's and has performed with great names in New Orleans style jazz.

Sammy Rimington has made a major contribution to the music of New Orleans, not only for his individual, sensitive interpretation of the music, but also for arranging many tours for New Orleans musicians as guests with his own band in Europe so that their music could be appreciated over here. Sammy Rimington is a jazz artist in a class of his own!

'Sammy Rimington is widely regarded as one of the world's leading exponents of classic style clarinet and saxophone. Over the past 35 years Sammy has made important contributions through his lively and inventive approach to jazz.' - The New York Times

Cuff Billet began playing trumpet at fifteen with the Vieux Carre Band (1956-60). He left to work with Barry Martyn from 1960 until 1967, during this period also played in the New Teao Brass Band. He co-led Strong Jazz, with Bill Greenow (1967-9) also in the New Tia Juana Band (1964-9) and in Mike Casimir's Paragon Brass Band.  Cuff toured briefly in drummer Guy Fenton's Band (1974) & leads his own New Europa Band from 1970s. During the 1980's and 1990's worked with Martin Boorman's Mardi Gras Band, Colin Strickland's Hand Reared Boys, Dick Cook's Jambalaya, and with John Petters.  Throughout his career he has regularly accompanied visiting American musicians, recording with many of them.  Has also been part of Butch Thompson's King Oliver Centennial Band since 1985,  (playing alongside cornetist Charlie De Vore).

The UKs No 1 Jive & Swing Band

Ian Clarkson (vocals & trumpet), Ken Smith (double bass),
Vince Hurley (piano), Peter Howell (drums),
John Fordham (saxophone) & Alex Douglas (trombone)

The Jive Aces’ unique sound comes from a combination of their own swing style as well as fresh arrangements of songs from the Swing era (Louis Prima – Just a Gigolo, Louis Jordan – Five Guys Named Mo, Cab Calloway – Minnie the Moocher, Count Basie & Louis Armstrong.) Infectious rhythm, screaming horns and slapping bass meant that they have performed with many top dance acts including The Jivin’ Lindy Hoppers.

For further information about the Jive Aces please visit
www.jiveaces.com

with the
London Community Gospel Choir

In 1982 a dream and a vision came alive. Revd. Bazil Meade, with the help of Lawrence Johnson, Delroy Powell and John Francis, made a mark in history pioneering the first concert gospel choir in Britain – the London Community Gospel Choir (LCGC)
Trying to fit LCGC into a neat slot is virtually impossible. They are adaptable, flexible and create dynamic melodies with rich harmonies. LCGC is known for their funky gospel flair, swing-beat, R'n'B, traditional and soulful arrangements, with invigorating choreography and vocal gymnastics.

LCGC are outstanding to watch!

Controversial, Professional, Energetic, Inspiring and Spirit-filled! Whatever adjective you choose to describe the sound and vision of the London Community Gospel Choir, ‘there ain’t no stopping them now'. They will continue to go where angels fear to tread.

For further information about the London Community Gospel Choir
please visit
www.lcgc.org.uk

Stacey Kent, a recent addition to the Blue Note roster of recording artists, now boasts six best-selling albums, a string of awards, including the 2001 British Jazz Award and 2002 BBC Jazz Award 'Best Vocalist,' the 2004 Backstage Bistro Award and the 2006 Album of the Year for 'The Lyric' as well as a fan base that enables her to sell out concert halls around the world. Stacey's latest album, out on Blue Note, 'Breakfast On the Morning Train' was released in September 2007 and has since 'gone gold' in France and Germany. The album includes a mixture of classic standards as well as new songs written & produced by husband & saxophonist, Jim Tomlinson, in collaboration with award-winning novelist, and now lyricist, Kazuo Ishiguro.

'Her voice is sometimes a whisper, sometimes a confiding murmur, sometimes an exhilarated exclamation; but whatever the idiom or the mood, individual listeners frequently feel that Stacey's music was intended for their ears only.' - John Fordham, Guardian Jazz Critic

'Timeless, artless and utterly gorgeous.' -- Time Out Magazine, London

For further information about Stacey Kent please visit  

www.staceykent.com

BBC JAZZ AWARDS HEART OF JAZZ AWARD NOMINEE 2008
for the 3rd time!
results to announced shortly!

Ray Gelato is probably the UK’s foremost exponent of swinging good-time jazz. He has performed privately from everyone from Paul McCartney to the Queen! Following in the footsteps of Louis Prima, Louis Armstrong and Cole Porter, Gelato has been getting audiences jumpin’ and jivin’ since he picked up the saxophone in the late ‘70s. He has recorded several albums as both a leader and sideman, but it is in his live performances where his energy really comes to the fore. He makes a welcome return to the club, his driving tenor and effervescent vocals backed up by his stunning band, the Giants, with Danny Marsden on trumpet, Alex Garnett on saxophones, Andy Rogers on trombone, Gunther Kuermayr on piano, Mike Janisch on bass and Elliott Henshaw on drums.

'Nobody else dare