SUNDAY JAZZ LUNCH! Digby Fairweather & Friends Sunday 21st March

What could be better than coming on down for a Sunday roast and a bit of top-notch jazz in the best jazz club in the world!

The format of the show will run approximately to the following schedule with the band performing 2 sets of 45 minutes.

12pm: Doors open

1pm-1.45pm: Main Act

2.15-3pm: Main Act

4pm: Doors Close

Food and drink will be served throughout (not compulsory). Tickets are priced at £10 (bench table seating) or £13 (floor table seating).

Tickets on sale now.

The ever popular Bobby Hackett influenced cornetist and singer Digby Fairweather with his all-star group featuring Digby (trumpet-cornet/vocals) Julian Marc Stringle (reeds) Nick Dawson (piano/vocals)Len Skeat (double bass) and Neil Bullock (drums).

Individual Biographies

DIGBY FAIRWEATHER(Cornet/vocal)

Digby Fairweather began his professional jazz career in l977, combining playing with writing and broadcasting for Jazz FM and the BBC  (l985-98), before returning to fulltime playing thereafter. He is founder of the National Jazz Archive, and co-founder of the Association of British Jazz Musicians and Jazz Section  of the Musicians’ Union. During his career Digby has recorded prolifically, written several books about jazz, broadcast regularly on the subject (BBC 1992-8) and worked with most of Britain’s leading Swing players, before forming his newest band ‘The Half Dozen’ in l995.  He received the BBC Jazz Society’s ‘Musician of the Year’ award (l979) and thereafter British Jazz Awards (Trumpet/l992 and Services to Jazz/l993), the Benno Haussman Award (Services to Jazz, l993) and the Freedoms of London and his hometown Southend-on-Sea. From 2003-7 he was musical director for blues legend George Melly, and now tours with rock icon Paul Jones (Manfred Mann et al). In 2005/6/9 his ‘Half Dozen’ has won the British Jazz Award for top small group.

JULIAN MARC STRINGLE(Clarinet/alto and tenor saxophones/ vocal)

Julian formed his first band at the age of twelve and made his TV debut at fourteen with Acker Bilk. Since then he has divided his time between jazz and rock music recording – amongst others – with Boy George, Marc Almond and the Spice Girls. A committed clarinettist, whose influences stretch from Peanuts Hucko to Eddie Daniels, he was chosen by Sir John Dankworth to perform all of his later music composed for the instrument but in recent years has added both alto and tenor saxophones to his professional armoury. Currently he works with the Pizza Express All-Stars and leads his own ‘Dream band’ as well as being a founder-member of Digby Fairweather’s Half Dozen from l995.

NICK DAWSON (piano/vocal)

Often cited as Britain's leading jazz pianist, Nick graduated from the Royal College of Music in l996 and has since become first-call pianist for the 'Back to Basie' orchestra and the 'Great British Jazz Band' amongst numerous commitments.. After a decade of working in orchestras for West End shows he became Musical Director for the hugely successful Abba celebration 'Mama Mia!' in 2007 and continues to double this fulltime job with jazz engagements wherever time permits. He is also one of our best jazz clarinettists and - a semi-hidden talent! - sings jazz and standards better than almost anyone else in Britain. 

LEN SKEAT (double-bass)

Known for many years as 'The Time Lord', Len began his professional career in the late l950s and subsequently worked with Ted Heath, the BBC Big Band  and jazz legend Stephane Grappelli (l974-7). With the Pizza Express All Stars (l980-present) he also worked regularly with American visitors including Ruby Braff, Billy Eckstine, Lionel Hampton, Bob Wilber et al. In the l990s he worked with Kenny Baker, Bruce Adams and Alan Barnes, Dave Shepherd and has worked with Digby Fairweather's Half Dozen since l996.

ERIC DELANEY(drums)

A true drum legend, Eric Delaney began his career in l938 with Harry Roy and worked with Geraldo from l946-54 as well as other premier groups including Kenny Baker's Dozen. l954-65 he led his own orchestra which recorded several number one hits featuring Eric's trademark of tunable tympanii. From l975 he led a smaller show-band which was resident at Blackpool's Tower Ballroom 1981-9, combining this with regular freelance recording, amongst others with Duke Ellington's longtime drummer Louis Bellson. In May 1999 he celebrated his 75th birthday by guesting with Stan Greig's London Jazz Big Band and currently continues busy freelancing and playing more guest-spots amongst others with Kenny Ball and Digby Fairweather.