Gigs normally take place at:
East Hastings Sea Angling Association
The Stade, Hastings, TN34 3JF
Doors open 7.45 for 8.30 start.
Tuesday 3rd June
BYRON WALLEN’S FOUR CORNERS
Byron Wallen: Trumpet
Rob Luft: Guitar
Paul Michael: Bass
Rod Youngs: Drums
British jazz musician and composer Byron Wallen has been described by Jazzwise as “one of the most innovative, exciting and original trumpet players alive”. He has travelled the world recording, teaching and performing alongside legendary musicians such as George Benson, Andrew Hill, Chaka Khan, Hugh Masekela and Courtney Pine. His work draws inspiration from contemporary jazz and indigenous African and Asian cultures. On tour he often works with local musicians, allowing him to develop new ideas for his performances and compositions. As a composer, he has been commissioned by organisations as varied as the Science Museum, the BBC, the National Theatre and FIFA.
For this session, he will be joined by his band Four Corners. On guitar is BBC New Generation Jazz Artist Rob Luft, on bass is Paul Michael and on drums the great US drummer Rod Youngs, who was formerly with Gil Scott-Heron and who played a sensational Jazz Hastings session with his quintet in August 2024
Tuesday 1st July
OREN MARSHALL PERTUBANDO
Oren Marshall: Tuba
Alua Nascimento: Percussion
Jansen Santana: Percussion
Oren Marshall has been called “The Jimi Hendrix of the Tuba” by critic John Fordham. He began his career playing with Trad Jazz bands in South London pubs in the early 80’s and has since worked with a diverse array of musicians such as rock band Radiohead, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Orchestra, poet Moondog, Brazilian Maestro Hermeto Pascoal and in duo with award winning vocalist, Bobby McFerrin.
He has recorded 3 solo albums of his own compositions and as a member of London Brass, toured the World and performed privately for the Queen of England, Prince Charles, the Pope, the German Chancellor and the Chinese Premier.
For this session he will be joined by two giants of the Brazilian music scene, percussionists Alua Nascimento and Jansen Santana, to play new original compositions and arrangements by Oren. Their band Perturbando draws on influences from Afro-Brazilian culture, North African rhythms and Jazz to weave a distinctive and unique musical thread to uplift the soul.
Tuesday 5th August
SALSADELIC
Dan Evans: Congas & vocals
Chris Savage: Bass & vocals
Rafe Harradine: Keyboards
Dave Uden: Drums
Maria Ayalde: Lead vocals
Alejandro Rayes: Timbales, vocals & percussion
Michael Pilley: Trombone
Josh Davis: Trumpet
Get your dancing shoes ready for East Sussex based international Latin octet Salsadelic. Playing an infectious mix of Latin jazz, New York salsa & Cuban son montuno, the core of band have been on the scene for over 10 years now, honing their craft at various clubs and festivals.
Featuring the stunning vocals of Maria “Chechi” Ayalde from Colombia via Brighton with Peruvian timbale star Alejandro Rayes providing the pulse & explosive accents along with the exuberant kit drumming of Eastbourne legend Dave Uden & contagious, conga cadences from Dan Evans. The melodic, percussive heart of the band are Rafe “Riff Hurricane” Harridine on keyboards & Chris “El Salvaje” Savage on bass. The horn action is provided by Robertsbridge’s resident Aussie Michael Pilley, an award winning composer & arranger and masterful soloist with rising star Josh Davis on trumpet.
This will be an evening of infectious music and dancing.
Tuesday 2nd September
ANDY PANAYI QUARTET
Andy Panayi: Tenor Sax
Roy Hilton: Piano
Simon Thorpe: Bass
Bobby Worth: Drums
Andy Panayi is an exceptionally gifted jazz musician, skilled in performance, composition and arranging. He plays all the flutes and all the saxophones and currently leads his own groups, both jazz and classical. He also writes commissioned works and compositions & arrangements for his own ensembles. Andy has performed and recorded with many singers such as Shirley Bassey, Jessye Norman, Paul McCartney, Seth MacFarlane, Elaine Paige, Elvis Costello, Georgie Fame, Peter Skellen, Zoot Money, Elaine Delmar, Helen Shapiro, Madeline Bell & Patty Austin to name a few.
He’s also worked alongside or supported Abdulla Ibrahim (Dollar Brand), Freddie Hubbard, Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra, Scott Hamilton, John Dankworth & Cleo Laine and Humphrey Lyttleton. He’s played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Moscow City Ballet and the Bert Kaemphert Orchestra.
For this session, he’ll be playing tenor sax alongside distinguished jazz veterans Roy Hilton on piano, Simon Thorpe on bass and Bobby Worth on drums.
Tuesday 7th October
LIANE CARROLL TRIO
Liane Carroll: Vocals/piano
Roger Carey: Bass
Russell Field: Drums
We can never get enough of Hastings favourite songstress. Liane Carroll 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.
For this session, Liane will be playing with her regular trio, featuring husband Roger Carey on bass (he doubles as regular bassist for Steeleye Span when he’s not with Liane) and long-standing Midge Ure collaborator Russell Field on drums.
Tuesday 4th November
PETE ROTH TRIO featuring BILL BRUFORD
Pete Roth: Guitar
Mike Pratt: Bass
Bill Bruford: Drums
On January 1 2009, legendary rock drummer Bill Bruford announced his retirement from live performance. This was after a glittering career which involved being a founder member of Yes, an intermittent member of King Crimson from 1972 to 1997, a brief time with Genesis, leader of his own band Bruford in the late 70s and founder of another band, Earhworks, which had two incarnations between 1986 and 2008.
After retiring he gained a PhD in Music and wrote two books. In 2016 he was named by Rolling Stone magazine as the 16th greatest drummer of all time. The following year he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes.
Then in 2022, he remembers passing someone else’s kit and feeling “violently keen to start all over again”. He joined the Pete Roth Trio, a jazz group led by guitarist Pete Roth who had been his drum technician 20 years earlier.
This will be a major opportunity to hear a legend all over again.
Tuesday 2nd December
FABIAN WILLMAN TRIO with JEFF BALLARD AND ARNE HUBER
Fabian Willman: Saxophone
Jeff Ballard: Drums
Arne Huber: Bass
Another internationally renowned drummer will appear this month with a trio led by Berlin-based saxophonist Fabian Willman. At the age of 25, Californian Jeff Ballard began an educational journey no college could match. He went on the road for eight months annually from 1988 to 1990 with Ray Charles, perfecting his time feels and tempos from playing with Charles nightly on the bandstand for three years.
He then moved to New York, where he collaborated with more legends such as Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and Joshua Redman. For the last 20 years he has been a member of the Brad Mehldau Trio, as well as running his own groups The Jeff Ballard Trio and Jeff Ballard Fairgrounds.
Playing with German bassist Arne Huber, Willman says his trio’s music celebrates melody, not abstraction, dispenses with extravagance and concentrates on musical common ground. “I wanted to keep the songs as simple as possible and create a state in which the band doesn’t have to think about the music but can let it happen.”
Let it happen indeed.