24 May, £15
MJQ
With Matt Ridley bass, Jim Hart vibraphone, Barry Green piano & Steve Brown drums.
This is the perfect British band to give us the full flavour of the Modern Jazz Quartet. The band is led by bassist/composer/teacher Matt Ridley, who was a fixture with the late Michael Garrick, and many others. Jim Hart we know as a consummate vibraphonist. Barry Green has been with us accompanying Victoria Newton and Polly Gibbons in the past, and it will be lovely to see him again. Steve Brown - never stops smiling, or playing at the world class level.
This will be a gig to savour.
31 May, £15
Mark Crooks Quartet
With Mark Crooks saxophone and clarinet, John Pearce piano, Dave Green bass & Matt Home drums.
Mark is brilliant on both instruments, but it is on the clarinet that he shines brightest, in our opinion.He swings like crazy on both. He is accompanied by three of the British best.
John Pearce is one of Britain's most respected and versatile musicians and also one of our best kept secrets - listen to any of Scott Hamilton's recent recordings.
Dave Green on bass and Matt Home on drums provide the excellent engine room.
7 June, £18
Nicolas Meier Group
With Nicolas Meier guitar, Lizzie Ball violin, James Pearson piano, Asaf Sirkis drums & Demi Garcia percussion.
" ...Meier is elegant in tone and bubbling with ideas... his originality as a writer, a player and a team leader dispatches any doubts" - John Fordham
What a fascinating lineup he brings with him: our favourite drummer, Asaf Sirkis, a fine percussionist in Demi Garcia and a violinist. Lizzie Ball plays “dazzling jazz fiddle….” - The Strad Magazine.
14 June, £18
Mari Wilson
With Mari Wilson vocals, Alastair Gavin piano and James Nisbet guitar.
Mari Wilson covered Fleece Jazz in 2011 with glamour, camp asides, some blue show-business tales and, above all, majestic vocal talents that made the venue feel like the centre of musical sophistication. And with the amazing backing of Alastair and James this is an unmissable gig.
21 June, £20
Ray Gelato Giants
With the Ray Gelato Big Band, dancing and a buffet available.
The Devora Suite will be graced by one of the best swing bands in Europe. Spruce up your jive, bring your dancing shoes, or just enjoy first class big band music from the master, Ray Gelato.
From Jim Connell, "Ray, a wonderful sax player and superb frontman, is a London boy heavily influenced by the likes of Sinatra, Bennet and Prima, and with his 'Italiano/Americano/Big-Band-Gangster-Jazz-Band' at full pelt, it felt like a Scorsese movie. Dressed in sharp suits the band thundered through two sets of fantastic music, mainly classics, with a few songs penned by Ray himself."
28 June, £18
Alan Barnes and David Newton
With Alan Barnes reeds & David Newton piano.
And both of them with stories to tell. We have enjoyed these great musicians in duo form with others in the past, but not together.
Don't miss this special evening.
5 July, £15
Zoe Francis
With Zoe Francis vocals, David Newton piano, Colin Oxley guitar & Alec Dankworth bass.
Zoe's first artistic love was dance, but once she took up singing, she very soon was performing long running spots in midtown Manhattan with musicians including Jo Cohn, Chris Flory, Harry Allen and Warren Vache. Now based in London, she has just released her first CD, "Looking for a boy", with most of her crew for tonight.
And what a crew. David Newton continuing a residency, Colin Oxley on guitar and Alec Dankworth on bass.
12 July, £20
Tribute to Elvin Jones
With Alan Skidmore tenor saxophone, Peter King alto saxophone, Steve Melling piano, Alec Dankworth bass & Miles Levin drums.
This new tribute to the late, great American jazz drummer Elvin Jones brings together four of the greatest jazz musicians that this country has ever produced, together with the excellent drumming of Miles, Tony Levin's son. No slavish tribute this but vibrant 21st century jazz inspired by the best.
We can look forward to intricate solos from all five musicians and breathtakingly magnificent ensemble playing.
19 July, £16
Tammy Weis
With Tammy Weis vocals, Tom Cawley piano & Dave Ohm drums.
"Isn't she great! Now there's a vocalist!" - Michael Buble
Tammy hails from Northern Alberta. She played all of the major clubs in Canada until she moved to London, where she has worked with the likes of Randy Bachman, Bobby McFerrin and Jamie Cullum. Her band today has two of our favourites, Tom Cawley and Dave Ohm.
Expect an evening of great song and storytelling.
26 July, £18
Ola Onabule
With Ola Onabule vocals, Mark Van Der Gucht guitar, Mitch Jones piano, Chris Nickolls drums and bass to be announced.
Ola has played to sellout crowds twice in the past, and it is a pleasure to have him join us again. The press coverage of his work is immense, including comments like "beautifully clear and appealingly textured, almost classical ...with a range and elasticity to match his rich tonal qualities".
Chris Nickolls played here recently with Tommasso Starace, but Mitch and Mark are new to us. They wouldn't be with Ola unless they were special.
2 August, £17
Zoe Rahman
With Zoe Rahman piano, Alec Dankworth bass & Gene Calderazzo drums.
An all star cast indeed for tonight's episode of jazz. Zoe gets Mercury Prize nominations, Alec is my favourite bass player in this or any other country, Gene is one of the busiest players on the international scene.
But it is Zoe's gig, so expect fireworks and calmness, and a lot of joy. She is described in The Observer as "a remarkable pianist by any standard". How else could she attract such superb playing mates?
9 August, £16
Peter King Quartet
With Peter King alto saxophone, Steve Melling piano, Jeremy Brown bass & Stephen Keogh drums.
"World’s great Altoist" – "My Man!" - Nat Adderley
Peter King is back with us, bringing his own quartet. This will be an evening to savour.
Steve is one of the country's most inventive players, and he has worked with Peter many, many times. If you want a powerful engine room that will think with Peter, Jeremy and Stephen would be your pick.
Join us for what will be a stunning evening of music.
16 August, £15
Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral Quintet
With Zoe Schwarz vocals, Rob Koral guitar, Robin Aspland piano, Steve Thompson bass & Paul Robinson drums.
Zoë and Rob’s musical partnership has been described as "one of the most engagingly natural partnerships in jazz, Zoë’s unaffected vocal style particularly well suited to the blues, and Rob's flawless guitar skills; their gigs are immediately accessible, enjoyable affairs." – Chris Parker
They are joined by the excellent Robin Aspland on piano, one of the finest accompanists about; and with Steve on bass and Paul on drums we are in for a great evening. Do join us.
23 August, £15
The Organ Trio
With Jim Mullen guitar, Mike Gorman Hammond organ & Matt Skelton drums.
There is something very special about the sound of an organ trio, and the freedom that format gives the players. This gig brings together three top exponents of the art.
Jim is twice winner of 'Best Guitar' in the British Telecom jazz awards and 'Best Guitar' in the British Jazz Awards for 2000. Mike is one of the UK's leading jazz pianists and organists, working with UK musicians such as Don Weller, Bobby Wellins, Alan Skidmore, Georgie Fame and Peter King. Matt has played with Dave O'Higgins, Alan Barnes, Don Weller and Stacey Kent, and regularly appears with the Halle, The BBC Concert Orchestra and the The Britten Symphonia accompanying soloists such as Maria Ewing, Claire Martin, and Sir Richard Rodney Bennet.
30 August, £15
David Gordon Speaks Latin
With David Gordon piano, Jonty Fisher bass & Paul Cavaciuti drums.
We know that David and Paul make a formidable team. Jonty has gigged and recorded with David, and leads two bands of his own. David says " If you thought that Latin jazz was all about salsa and bossa nova [we] invite you to think again. This new project takes a unique and personal look at music from South America, drawing on popular music from that continent, songs which capture the revolutionary spirit of the 60s and 70s - including those by Simón Díaz, Jorge Cafrune, Victor Jara and Mercedes Sosa..."
There is more to say, but they say it with music. Don't miss it.
