All gigs take place at:

East Hastings Sea Angling Association

The Stade, Hastings, TN34 3JF

Doors open 7.45 for 8.30 start.

Tuesday 17th December

O’HIGGINS AND LUFT PLAY MONK AND TRANE

Dave O’Higgins: Tenor sax
Rob Luft: Guitar
Scott Flanigan: Organ
Rod Youngs: Drums

Jazz veteran Dave O’Higgins and young “firebrand” Rob Luft will lead a quartet featuring Thelonious Monk compositions (expect some rarely heard ones!) and tunes played by John Coltrane with especial reference to his choice of standards in the 1950s.

Both Monk and Trane were “modernists”, but also steeped in swing and the rich tradition of the beboppers. Dave and Rob intend to respect this lineage whilst putting their own mark on it. Expect some swing, fun, grooves and moods from this exciting new collaboration.

Dave has worked with some of the world’s finest musicians, including Jimmy Smith, Nancy Wilson, Peggy Lee, Stephan Grapelli, Jamie Cullum, John Dankworth, Cleo Lane and Frank Sinatra.

Rob, a 25-year-old Londoner, was named “Breakthrough Act of the Year” in last year’s Jazz FM Awards and was nominated “British Jazz Musician of the Year” in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2018.

They will be joined by Irish keyboard player Scott Flanigan and American drummer Rod Youngs, last seen at Jazz Hastings in February.

Tuesday 14th January 2020

XHOSA COLE QUARTET

Xhosa Cole: Saxophone
Jay Phelps: Trumpet
James Owston: Bass
Jim Bashford: Drums

Just over a year ago, 22-year-old Birmingham saxophonist Xhosa Cole played John Coltrane’s “Moment’s Notice, Johnny Green’s “I Cover the Waterfront” and his own composition “Moving Ladywood” at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall to become the 2018 BBC Young Jazz Musician.

Xhosa has been playing the saxophone since he was 12 and has appeared with the Jazzlines Ensemble, the Birmingham Schools Symphony Orchestra and Midland Youth Jazz orchestra. He is also a fine composer and teacher.

For his first UK tour, Xhosa will be joined by Vancouver-born but London-based trumpeter Jay Phelps, who created and co-led the hip jazz sensation Empirical and has performed and recorded with artists such as Courtney Pine, Wynton Marsalis, John Hendricks, George Benson, Jamie Cullum, Sir John Dankworth, Amy Winehouse, Hugh Masakela and Jazz Jamaica.

On bass will be fellow BBC Young Jazz Musician finalist James Owston and on drums will be powerhouse drummer Jim Bashford. The quartet will feature classic arrangements, contemporary takes on standards and some original works.

Monday 17th February 2020

MARTIN SPEAKE, ETHAN IVERSON, CALUM GOURLAY, JORGE ROSSY

Martin Speake: Saxophone
Ethan Iverson: Piano
Calum Gourlay: Bass
Jorge Rossy: Drums

A great international quartet fronted by two of the most original improvisers on either side of the Atlantic: Martin Speake, one of Britain’s most fluent and creative sax players, and Ethan Iverson, one of New York’s finest and most innovative pianists. The two met in Canada nearly 30 years ago and have maintained an ongoing though sporadic, collaboration ever since.

Scottish-born Calum Gourlay became a mainstay of the London jazz scene after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, performing with John Scofield, Kurt Elling, the Tommy Smith group and many others.
Jorge Rossy from Spain is internationally recognized as one of the most influential drummers of his generation. He has made more than 80 recordings and has toured with such great artists as Charlie Haden, Wayne Shorter, Lee Konitz, Carla Bley and Brad Mehldau.

Please note: this session is on Monday, not Tuesday.

Tuesday 3rd March 2020

LEWIS WRIGHT and KIT DOWNES

Lewis Wright: Vibraphone
Kit Downes: Piano

Lewis Wright and Kit Downes, both award-winning international performers in their own right, have a long musical history. They first met at a youth music programme and have stayed friends and collaborators ever since. With Lewis on vibraphone and Kit on piano, they make one of the most virtuosic and original duos of recent years. Their debut album ‘Duets’ was released on Signum Records in 2018.

Lewis Wright is one of world’s finest vibraphonists. He has performed at venues such as the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall and has been a featured soloist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra.

Kit Downes is a BBC Jazz Award winning, Mercury Music Award nominated recording artist with the prestigious ECM label. He’s also a composer. He has toured the world with his own bands and other major international artists, leading the Guardian to describe as having “world class stature”. Together they will be unforgettable.

Friday 3rd April

JERRY BERGONZI QUARTET

Jerry Bergonzi: Saxophone
Bruce Barth: Piano
Mark Hodgson: Bass
Stephen Keogh: Drums

This is a real coup for JH. For several years jazz legend Jerry Bergonzi, the saxophonists’ saxophonist, was in the Dave Brubeck Quartet – he recorded nine albums with Brubeck between 1973 and 1981. He is also a composer and a highly regarded educator – he teaches at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and has written a series of books on improvisation.

On this special occasion – on a Friday rather than the usual Tuesday – the band will conduct a workshop between 3pm and 5pm for all kinds of instrumentalists. Tickets are £20 and are available from http://buytickets.at/jazzhastings/306451.

Jerry will be joined by the hugely respected American pianist Bruce Barth – they recorded a live album together in Spain in 2018 – and by the highly experienced British bass player Mark Hodgson. The quartet is completed by Barcelona-based Irish drummer Stephen Keogh.
Tickets for this very special evening will be £15.

Please note: this session is on Friday, not Tuesday.

Tuesday 5th May

LIANE CARROLL

Liane Carroll: Vocals/piano
Roger Carey: Bass
Russell Field: Drums
Anthony Kerr: Vibraphone

A welcome return for Hastings’ best loved songstress. For this session she’ll be joined by the two regular members of her trio, both very well known to the Jazz Hastings audience: husband Roger Carey on bass and Russell Field on drums. Plus special guest Anthony Kerr on vibes. Liane has been a pillar of the British jazz scene for over 35 years. While we like to think of her as one of Hastings own, she also has a huge national and international reputation.

She has collaborated with such diverse artists as Paul McCartney, Gerry Rafferty, Long John Baldry, Ian Shaw, Claire Martin and drum and bass outfit London Elektricity, with whom she appeared at Glastonbury in 2017.

As a recording artists Liane has gained much critical acclaim. Her five most recent albums have all earned a four star review in the Guardian. ‘Seaside’, her homage to her life by the coast, won the coveted British Jazz Award for Best New CD in 2015.

Tuesday 2nd June

SIMON THORPE QUARTET: GERSHWINNOVATION

Simon Thorpe: Bass
Alex Garnett: Saxophones
John Donaldson: Piano
Winston Clifford: Drums

Simon Thorpe is well known to the Jazz Hastings audience as the bass player in Hexagonal. For this month’s session, he and his quartet will be featuring their latest project, Gershwinnovation, which takes a look at the great George’s music from different angles.

Simon’s group of highly experienced improvisers explore together classic, contemporary and original jazz interpretations of Gershwin’s timeless music.

In his efforts to develop an original American music style, Gershwin drew on jazz and blues as well as the music of European composers like Ravel. With his incredible gift for melody, he succeeded in creating music which has inspired composers and improvisers for over a century. Gershwinnovation play familiar and not so familiar Gershwin originals, many in classic versions recorded by the likes of John Coltrane and Joe Henderson, as well as pieces inspired by his work, written by Simon Thorpe and expanded on by the band.