23 October – Alice Milburn
Taking the UK jazz scene by storm, this young, engaging vocalist and composer is celebrated for her soulful voice and fearless improvisation. Alice brings a selection from The Great American Songbook plus her debut album, First Expressions, which has been received with critical acclaim. With Chris Coull – trumpet, Mark Edwards – piano, Paul Whitten – bass, and Joe Edwards – drums.
30 October – Andy Panayi Quintet – The Music of Kenny Dorham
Andy Panayi is one of the UK’s most well-respected sax players, with a biography that reads like a who’s who of jazz. In this project he looks to the music and compositions of one of hard-bop’s most melodic, yet often overlooked trumpet players – Kenny Dorham. With Chris Coull – trumpet, Mark Edwards – piano, Simon Thorpe – bass, and Joe Edwards – drums.
6 November – Vasilis Xenopoulos
Tenor saxophonist par excellence, Vasilis Xenopoulos is joined by long-time collaborator Paul Edis on piano for an evening of outstanding tunes taken from the Dexter Gordon canon. With a superb local rhythm section, this promises to be one of the highlights of the season, featuring Chris Coull – trumpet, Simon Thorpe – bass, and Joe Edwards – drums.
13 November – Oli Howe
After releasing his debut album Moving Forward, pianist Oli Howe has established himself as a leading force amongst the dynamic UK jazz scene. Four songs from the album were added to State of Jazz, one of Spotify’s biggest jazz playlists, making the sought-after cover for several weeks. Chris Coull – trumpet, Nigel Thomas – bass, and Joe Edwards – drums.
20 November – Terry Seabrook – Celebrating Wayne Shorter
Local pianist and arranger Terry Seabrook performs A Shorter Suite plus a selection of tunes from Wayne Shorter himself, who rose to prominence in 1959 with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and later with Miles Davis. Andy Panayi – sax, Chris Coull – trumpet, Terry Seabrook – piano, Simon Thorpe – bass, and Pete Hill – drums.
27 November – Simon Savage’s Brighton Bop
A welcome return from this quintet, led by saxophonist Simon Savage and featuring the music of pianist Roy Hilton, with tunes from well-known early be-bop composers such as Horace Silver, Dexter Gordon and Lee Morgan. Chris Coull – trumpet, Simon Thorpe – bass, and Joe Edwards – drums.
December 4th; Alan Barnes Octet play ‘A Jazz Christmas Carol’
Like the Dickens classic itself, Alan Barnes’s “Christmas Carol” has something for everyone. A family night out that is also a treat for the jazz connoisseur; it will delight anyone who loves music or literature – or just Christmas! Readings from the original Dickens tell the story, and after each scene eight virtuoso musicians bring the characters and scenes to life, switching audiences from hilarity to pathos with a skill that would have done credit to Dickens himself. “God Bless Us Every One!”
“Barnes is a true Dickensian. He is a serious reader of the novels. It is a clear blunder of providence that he was born too late to appear in their pages!” – Hot News.
December 11th; Tony Kofi Quintet
Tony Kofi is one of the UK’s foremost saxophone players and a favourite of many a jazz venue including St Andrews! His irresistible style and energy make for an uplifting and truly engaging performance and this year his is joined by Chris Coull on trumpet and a world class rhythm sections comprising the legendary John Donaldson – piano, double bass virtuoso Dan Sheppard – bass and up and coming young drummer Joe Edwards. Join us for a celebration of Christmas jazz with some tradition tunes plus highlights from Bird, Diz, Monk et al.
December 18th; Christmas Special with special guest Sara Oschlag.
In what has become a cherished St Andrew’s tradition, we once again ring in the festive season with a joyful evening of swing, seasonal cheer, and perhaps a carol or two with a jazzy twist! Expect a warm, welcoming atmosphere with mince pies and mulled wine served to get everyone in the holiday spirit.
This end-of-year celebration is hosted by trumpeter Chris Coull, joined by the soulful vocals of Sara Oschlag and the powerhouse sound of the 16-piece Brighton Mafia Big Band. A perfect way to wrap up the concert year — we hope you and your loved ones can join us for this sparkling musical finale.
