Gershwin’s masterpiece, reimagined for the 21st century – Tickets
https://brightonopenair.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173676840
Trumpeter Chris Coull and an all-star band bring George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess to life in a thrilling new jazz suite. Featuring award-winning vocalist Imogen Ryall, this narrated concert blends unforgettable songs with fresh, inventive arrangements that honour the spirit of post-bop jazz while speaking directly to today’s audiences.
Expect timeless favourites like Summertime and I Love You, Porgy, alongside rarely heard gems such as Buzzard Song and Strawberry Woman — all delivered with swing, soul, and sophistication. The performance transports listeners to 1930s Charleston, tracing the love story of Porgy and Bess through hard bop grooves, lush ballads, Latin rhythms, and orchestral textures.
Coull, a leading figure on the Brighton jazz scene and founder of the acclaimed Speakeasy Jazz Club (Hove), is joined by three of London’s most in-demand jazz musicians — John Turville (piano), Simon Thorpe (bass), and Matt Fishwick (drums) — to create an evening of world-class jazz: dynamic, moving, and utterly engaging.
“This is a lovely reading of Gershwin’s magnificent Porgy and Bess Suite. Imogen Ryall has great intonation, crystal-clear diction and a real sense of the theatre of the pieces, while Chris Coull contributes beautifully toned and inventive trumpet solos and sensitive backings to the vocals. Wonderful swinging trio as well.”
— Alan Barnes