What’s On

Nat Steele’s  two week UK tour features US tenor saxophone giant Grant Stewart, alongside his MJQ quartet, paying homage to the classic 1956 Prestige album 'Sonny Rollins and the Modern Jazz Quartet' .

Nat's recently released debut quartet album 'Portrait of the MJQ' received rave reviews in the jazz and national press, including 5 stars in BBC Music Magazine ('Jazz Choice' of the month). Canadian born Grant Stewart has won the prestigious Downbeat Magazine award 8 years in a row.

Expect swinging bebop and straight-ahead jazz from this world-class quintet.

Grant Stewart (saxophone), Steve Brown (drums), Dario di Lecce (bass), Gabriel Latchin  (piano) and Nat Steele (vibraphone).

NB:This session will be £12.50

Rod Kelly started his jazz career playing trumpet in the Midlands before moving to London in the sixties and forming a Mainstream and later Bebop sextet which featured BBC Jazz Club Producers  Robin Sedgely (tbn) and Roger Eames (bs). As Rod says "this inside access to the corridors of jazz power led instantly to absolutely nowhere!".
He played with Bobby Wellins for a year and New York Pianist Errol Clarke for 2 years and in 1978 was playing regularly at Ronnie Scotts. Moving to the South West he supported George Shearing on a rare British concert. Eventually He moved back to the Midlands and swapped to playing piano in the early nineties, forming his own band and finding himself much in demand. Rod is also a published novelist and playwright.

Martin Veasey trombone

It has been said that David Newton is 'one of our nation’s treasured pianists'. The man has a lovely touch, that is for certain.

He’s been the accompanist of choice for vocal royalty for years, and it’s easy to hear why: Newton’s musical responsiveness is as impressive as his re-harmonization and arranging skills at the piano. It can be a fine line between clever and stupid when it comes to re-setting musical chestnuts to the jazz format, but Newton bridges that gap by a good mile or more. He’s the kind of pianist every drummer and bass player could wish for.

Tonight he is joined by John Pearce on violin.

Bristol-based violinist John Pearce who has recently released his debut album with David Newton called 'Just Friends'.  started to play violin at the age of seven and was trained as a classical violinist before he found his way into jazz music. He is not only a sought-after classical violinist but also an active member of the local jazz scene.

and completing the line-up Clive Morton (bs), Terry Howard (dms)

Alan Barnes is a prolific international performer, composer, arranger, bandleader and touring soloist. He is best known for his work on clarinet, alto and baritone sax, where he combines a formidable virtuosity with a musical expression and collaborative spirit that have few peers.

His recorded catalogue is immense and the list of his session and side-man work includes Bjork, Bryan Ferry, Michel LeGrande, Clare Teale, Westlife, Jools Holland and Jamie Cullum. He has toured and played residencies with such diverse and demanding figures as Ruby Braff, Freddie Hubbard, Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen.

Alan Barnes’s unique musicianship and warm rapport with audiences have made him uniquely popular in British jazz. He has received over 25 British Jazz Awards and has twice been made BBC Jazz Musician of the Year.

Keith Bill (keys), Clive Morton (bass)