25 October 2026 – Easy Street Spankers: To celebrate SJS’s 46th anniversary what better band could you have than Easy Street Spankers. With Wil Robinson on trumpet and vocals and Peter Childes on clarinet and vocals as joint leaders, the rest of the band consisted of Dave Deakin on trombone, brothers Andy Bramall on banjo/guitar and vocals and Chris Bramall on double bass with Rob Cotterell on drums. What a show. They opened with ‘The Royal Garden Blues’ and continued with ‘Carry Me Back To Old Virginia’, ‘It Had To Be You’, ‘Bugle Boy March’, ‘’Tain’t Nobody’s Fault But Mine’ and ‘Bad Penny Blues’. The second half we heard ‘Willie The Weeper’, ‘Coquette’, ‘Maryland My Maryland’, ‘Bourbon Street Parade’ – together with a brolly parade, ‘Dream’, ‘I Still Love You All’, ‘Get Out of Here And Go On Home’ and finally ‘My Dear Mr Shane’. The audience were on their feet for a well deserved standing ovation. Already looking forward to them coming back.
18 October 2026 – Paula Jackman’s Jazz Masters: Not the first time this band has played for us but always a group to look forward to. Leader, Paula Jackman was on clarinet, Paul Taylor on trombone, John Watson, drums, Hugh Crozier on piano and vocals, ‘Lord’ Marc Easener on sousaphone and guest Gary Wood was on trumpet. They opened with ‘Martha’ and then ‘It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie’, ‘Precious Lord Take My Hand’, ‘New Orleans Shuffle’, ‘Chilli Bom Bom’ and ‘Blue Blood Blues’ completed the first set. In the second half I am afraid I had to gallop off after the first two numbers, but the following were or would have been played ‘Tavern In The Town’, ‘Midnight in Moscow’, ‘Black Bottom’, ‘Nobody Wants You When You Are Down And Out’, ‘Bobby Shaftoe’, ‘Song Of The Islands’, ‘Hindustan’, ‘If I Had My Life To Live Over’, ‘’Leven Thirty Saturday Night’ and ‘When It’s Sleepy Time Down South’. The music was smashing, not surprising given the names above, and the programme was very well received. We look forward to their return in March 2027.
11 October 2026 – Sarah Spencer’s Leviathan New Orleans Parade Band: Now we knew we were in for something very different, and by golly we got just that. Sarah and the band formed up outside the White Eagle Club and played ‘Lead Me Saviour’, ‘Honky Tonk Town’ and ‘Panama’ before marching into the building and going on stage. The band of ten then split into two halves with the first one playing New Orleans-style music and the second half playing Ragtime. Inspired. The band consisted of ten players with Sarah Spencer (leader) on tenor sax, ‘magic’ Mike Henry on cornet, Finlay Milne on trumpet, Mike Owen on trombone as was Rob Pearce, Zoltan Sagi on alto sax and clarinet, Dickie White on banjo, ‘Lord’ Jim Swinnerton on string bass and sousaphone, Graham Smith on drums and Nick Ward, as always, also on percussion. The opening number of the first half was ‘Mobile Stomp’ and went on with ‘Sitting On A Curbstone’, ‘Bouncing Around’, Kiss Me Sweet’ followed by ‘Bogalusa Strut’. The second half kicked off with ‘Easy Winners’ and then went on with ‘Black And White Rag’, ‘Red Man Blues’, ‘The Entertainer’, ‘Elite Syncopations’, ‘Ragtime Dance’ and ‘Trombonium’. At the conclusion of the concert they played an encore of ‘Take Over Trombonium’, ‘Whooping Blues’, and ‘No It Ain’t My Fault’. All dressed in their new costumes it was a pleasure to see and listen to them.
4 October 2026 – Fret & Fiddle: Good to see this exciting group once more. With Sally Minchin (leader) on violin and vocals, Shankara Andy Bole on guitar, bouzouki guitar and weissenborn, Richard Hughes on keyboard, Simon Smith on string bass and Steve Street on drums we know we shall have a good concert. They opened with ‘Bossa Dorado’ and went on with ‘Dance Me To The End of Love’, ‘Autumn Leaves’, ‘Caravan’, ’19 Blues’, ‘I’ve Found A New Baby’, ‘Misirlou’ and ‘Dark Eyes’. The second half started with ‘I’m Ready’ and continued with ‘Minor Swing’, ‘Nature Boy’, ‘Ridin’ The Rails’, ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’, ‘Tico-Tico’, ‘Tchavolo Swing’ and the closing number was ‘La Cumparsita’. Such music, such a variation in pace, so absolutely deserving of their standing ovation.