JANUARY 2020
5 CHRIS PEARCE’S & ANDY LEGGETT’S SOPRANOS
A band with a wide repertoire of swinging jazz from Dixieland, New Orleans through to the dance bands of the early 20th century. Front men Chris Pearce and Andy Leggett play a full range of reed instruments and are joined in the front line by Dave Deakin on trombone. Rachel Hayward (banjo/guitar), Tony Sharp (bass) and Dave Andrews (drums) form the rhythm section.
12 NEW ORLEANS HOTSHOTS
A traditional, New Orleans style jazz band led by Dave Harmer on trombone with Ivan Huke (cornet) and Kelvin Smith (clarinet) completing the front line. Al Harris is on bass, Keith Chaplin plays drums and Joe Nutman on piano. Not the Hotshots’ first visit to SJS but a largely re-formed band making a return.
19 JAKE LEG JUG BAND
A popular annual concert bringing authentic, nostalgic sounds of America in the 1920s/1930s and displaying expert instrumental virtuosity to superb musical arrangements laced with good humour. Duncan Wilcox leads on double bass, Bryony Rose on washboard, Neil Hulse on guitar, Liam Ward on harmonica and jug, Toby Wilson on banjo and Mike Pembroke on trombone. All the musicians give vocals. Complete entertainment.
26 FROG & HENRY BRASS & STRING
The eagerly anticipated return of the young, multi-national, multi-instrumental band that earned a spontaneous standing ovation when they made their brilliant SJS debut last February. This touring band with a repertoire drawn from the dance and street music of New Orleans features David Neigh playing the the world’s only foot-operated tuba allowing the musician to play a six-string banjo at the same time! F.H. Henry is on guitar, Ewan Bleach on reeds & piano, Kenmane Anker on violin and Laurin Habert on a variety of reeds.
FEBRUARY 2020
2 WABASH JAZZMEN with NICK WARD
Mark Challinor’s usually percussion-less Jazzmen, but, for this concert, with the added top attraction of a celebrated SJS Musician of the Year, Nick Ward, on drums. Cornet and harmonica player Bill Smith leads the front line with Mike Hayler on reeds, and Mike Pembroke on trombone. Richard Vernon on string bass joins Mark (banjo, guitar, and ukulele) and Nick in the Rhythm section.
9 NO CONCERT………………………………………………………………….
16 TAME VALLEY STOMPERS
Firm SJS favourites, aka Terry’s Dead Good Boys play with a sense of fun but never at the expense of their highly skilled musicianship, top entertainment value and quality presentation. Terry Brunt on trombone, beret & scarf, directs the show, with Roger Wimpenny on trumpet and Paul Broomhead on reeds to complete the front line. Peter Smith on bass guitar, John Gordon on banjo & guitar and band leader Norman Pennington on drums provide a strong supporting rhythm section.
23 FRET & FIDDLE present “Grappelli Swing”
“Entertaining, refreshing and highly musically accomplished” – a “narrated musical journey” celebrating the life and music of legendary French jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli and featuring Sally Minchin on violin and narration, Andy Bole on guitar, Richard Hughes on piano, Simon Smith on string bass and Steve Street on drums.
MARCH 2020
- PEDIGREE JAZZ BAND
Guide Dogs for the Blind / Clive Weatherer MBE Tribute Concert
“Salute to Trad Jazz” – a fitting concert with which to remember SJS’s late, blind benefactor and Life Member Clive Weatherer MBE and to continue to support our chosen charity Guide Dogs for the Blind. Those familiar foot-tapping hits of the Ball, Bilk & Barber bands and others in the late ‘50s, early ‘60s are nostalgically and authentically played by Chris Walker (clarinet), Tony Mann (trombone), Andy Chislett (trumpet), and with a rhythm section of John Noddings (banjo), Sy Gorelick (drums) & “Toby Arranged” on double bass.
8 MAX DEBON’S DEBONAIRES LITTLE BIG BAND
A vintage, lively and highly sophisticated dance band led by trumpeter Max Debon and featuring Sarah Eastwood on clarinet and vocals, Rick Halliwell on alto sax, Anne Holder on tenor sax, Austin Ralphson on trombone, Pete Wilson on piano, Peter “Pedro” Robinson on bass and Rob Turner on drums. Jump-jive and swing music from the early jazz and swing era and always highly popular visitors to SJS audiences.
15 NEW ORLEANS HEAT
“Helping to keep real jazz alive” is this band’s motto. Old style New Orleans jazz from a popular touring band and featuring a front line of Richard Church on trumpet/cornet, Dave Vickers on trombone and Roger Bird on reeds. Band leader Barry Grummett plays piano and the rhythm section comprises Ted Smith on banjo, Harry Slater on double bass and Colin Bushell on drums.
22 SARAH SPENCER’S TRANSATLANTIC BAND
A debut appearance at Stafford for this all-star band led by Sarah Spencer who has been critically acclaimed as “the hottest tenor saxophonist on the jazz scene today”. Current SJS Musician of the Year Mike Owen is on trombone and the front line is completed by Richard Church on trumpet. Howard Worthington will be on string bass, Hugh Crozier on piano and Spud Spedding on drums.
29 NO CONCERT …………………………………………………………………
APRIL 2020
5 STEVE KING BIG BAND with USA’s LYNN DAWES
(Ken Rattenbury Tribute Concert)
This concert honours the memory of Ken Rattenbury MA, jazz musician, bandleader, author, scholar, composer and broadcaster and SJS President from 1990 to 2001. Today’s Band has been nine times prize-winners of the annual Musicians’ Union’s Big Band Award, winning the title on two occasions. The Band plays popular traditional jazz charts in big band style. Directed by top trumpeter Steve King and featuring the USA’s Lynn Dawes on vocals. A big 20-piece sound and a big attraction!
12 WILLY’S WEEPERS
The resident band from Alsager’s Wilbraham Arms led by lyrical clarinettist Eric “Busker” Newton. Expect Terry Brunt on trombone and scarf, Pete Brown on trumpet, Peter “Pedro” Robinson on banjo/guitar, John Musket on double bass and Chris Pendlebury on drums. Always a tuneful and entertaining traditional jazz concert.
19 SHEILA FAWKES’ CAFÉ ORCHESTRA
A new band to SJS but featuring some well-known and highly acclaimed musicians. Vocalist Sheila Fawkes leads her vintage jazz band comprised of: George Huxley on reeds, Terry McGrath on trombone and saxophone, Mike Owen on trombone, Tim McGrath on guitar and banjo, Mark Johnson on bass and featuring gypsy guitarist Gary Williams.
26 SLIDE BY SLIDE
Place Kevin Grenfell and Richard Leach side by side and you get two of the very best trombonists on today’s jazz circuit. With Kevin adding some fine trumpet playing (and cheeky humour!), Simon Smith on bass, Richard Hughes on piano and Graham Smith on drums and the result is Slide by Slide, without question one of the most musical and entertaining of jazz bands.
MAY 2020
3 STAFFORD GRAMMAR SCHOOL BIG BAND
Another opportunity to see and hear the rising talents of students from a local school that places a very high premium on musical excellence and performance. Their first Big Band appearance at SJS in 2016 was greeted with such enthusiastic acclaim they were voted our Band of the Year!
10 SWEET & HOT (Stafford Music Festival)
An outstanding quartet of supremely talented jazz musicians who play an astonishingly wide range of musical styles with great panache and enthusiasm. USA’s Jeff and Anne Barnhart are on keyboard and flute respectively, Thomas “Spats” Langham plays banjo and guitar and Graham Smith is on drums. And it’s Jeff Barnhart’s birthday!
17 DART VALLEY STOMPERS (Stafford Music Festival)
“Taking traditional jazz by storm” is the band’s mission statement and how well they live up to it! Award-winning reedsman Jeremy Huggett leads the band with Kevin Grenfell (trombone) and Graham Trevarton (trumpet) joining him in an all-star front line. An equally strong rhythm section is made up of Howard Williams (banjo/guitar), Keith Tolley (double bass) & Chris Stockings (drums).
24 MATT PALMER’S RHYTHMIC REEDS
with CHRISTINE TYRRELL
Popular annual concert featuring Jamaican born celebrity jazz vocalist Christine Tyrrell and with an all-star band of Matt Palmer and George Huxley in a double reeds front line and a rhythm section of Brian Lawrence on bass, Mark Challinor on banjo and Nick Ward on drums, a top quality concert is guaranteed.
31 DAVE MOORWOOD’S RASCALS OF RHYTHM
Making its debut at Stafford, this band with its very distinctive sound plays swinging, carefree jazz drawing upon myriad and almost forgotten songs of the 20s and 30s. Reedsmen Mike Wills & Tony Blincowe are joined by Ceri Williams (trumpet) in the front line. Mike Bennett (bass), Geoff Barwell (piano) and bandleader Dave Moorwood (acoustic guitar and vocals) complete the line-up.
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VENUE:
The White Eagle Club, Riverway, Stafford ST16 3TH (01785 242327)
CONCERT TIMES:
12-30pm to 2-30pm (unless otherwise shown**)
ADMISSION CHARGES FOR ALL CONCERTS:
£7 / £6 (SJS Members)
“SUNSET CAFÉ” REFRESHMENTS:
Home-baked light refreshments by Award-Winning Tiggy’s Pies
+ the White Eagle Club’s licensed bar
ENQUIRIES:
- Concert & Band: Nick Balmforth MBE, 21 Drakeford Court, Wolverhampton Road, Stafford ST17 4BS
(079 74 131797) e-mail: nickbalmforth@gmail.com
- Membership: Shirley Ollier: 01782 399066
- Publicity: Ian D’Arcy: 077 78 193394
WEB: www.staffordjazz.org