Matt Skelton presents The Blackhawk Quintet – Celebrating Shelly Manne

About this event

Member Ticket only - £20

Non-member Ticket only - £25

Member Dining + Ticket - £55

Non-member Dining + Ticket - £60

Hotel Deal - Dinner Bed & Breakfast plus tickets just £199 per couple

Over 18s only

Doors Open 7pm

On Stage 8.15pm

Matt Skelton presents The Blackhawk Quintet – Celebrating Shelly Manne

This will be a night of “cool jazz” in tribute to one of the greats of the West Coast scene of the 1950s - Shelly Manne. An extraordinary and unique artist who has left an immense legacy of collaborations and recordings. A master musician who has enriched the lexicon

of jazz percussion with virtuosic alacrity. Shelly Manne: band leader, Contemporary Jazz record label house musician, studio orchestra drummer for countless films and television and jazz club owner.

This project celebrates his Quintet and their particular contribution to the Manne canon, inspired by a clutch of golden performances, captured live at the Blackhawk Jazz club in San Francisco between September 22-24, 1959.

Tonight’s band have been hand-picked for the way they connect with and are inspired by their corresponding original artists. They do though aim to express our own originality and collective inspiration with the Manne Blackhawk quintet as their DNA framework.

Band line-up:

Jim Davison - Trumpet

Mark Crooks - Tenor Saxophone

Leon Greening - Piano

Conor Chaplin - Double Bass

Matt Skelton - Drums‘Skelton knows the vocabulary of film music AND jazz drumming. His playing recalls the great legendary piano trio recordings of music from the movies, with the likes of Ed Thigpen and Shelly Manne. Whether using brushes or sticks, Skelton displays tremendous talent and musicality. He understands the legacy of the music and of his instrument. I can't think of much higher praise than that.’

Peter Erskine - International Jazz Artist

‘The band captured the joyful spirit and sharp sophistication of Manne’s music with effortless swing, nuance, and energy. A rich, stylish night of classic cool jazz, played with true heart.’

Ellie Jones at Swansea Jazz - July 2025

‘An evening of pure jazz joy. Thank you Matt for giving us the opportunity to hear, and be part of this important and uplifting music. Jazz night’s don’t come any better than this. We are still smiling.’

Watermill Jazz Club - November 2024

Matt Skelton’s Blackhawk Quintet provided our club with two sets of top quality music performed by high calibre musicians. The attractive programme professionally presented, all of which resulted in an enthusiastic and positive response from the near capacity audience. I would recommend this band to anyone.

John Deane (Bookings Manager, Harborough Jazz) - February 2024