Welcome back everyone!

We hope you’ve all had a good Christmas and New Year, and we’re excited to have some great music lined up for you over the next month. Firstly – a slight change of faces at Jazz at the Oxford HQ as we say a massive thank you to Will Arnold-Foster for all the amazing work he’s done over the last few years. We all love you Will! We (John Williamson and David Ferris) can’t wait to get to know all of you and if we do half as good a job as Will did then we’ll be very happy! Here’s what we’ve got in store for you:

Monday 31st January – David Ferris/John J Williamson featuring Sam Braysher

Ticket link: www.wegottickets.com/event/536803/

Sam Braysher – Alto Saxophone

David Ferris – Piano

John J Williamson – Bass

Will Cleasby – Drums

For our first gig back we’re joined by the amazing Sam Braysher on alto, alongside Will Cleasby on drums. In addition to performing with the leading lights of the London jazz scene, Sam has won widespread acclaim for collaborating with musicians of international renown on his two albums as a bandleader.

“I can’t think of another alto saxophonist with a sound quite like Sam Braysher’s” Dave Gelly, the Observer

Monday 7th February – Djangada

Ticket link: www.wegottickets.com/event/536805/

Sam Watts – Piano

Matheus Nova – Bass

Marcinho Pereira – Drums

Djangada play Brazilian music with a jazz piano trio sound and approach, performing their own arrangements of Brazilian classics. The focus is particularly on composers from Bahia, including Gilberto Gil and Dorival Caymmi. The trio has worked together as the rhythm section for various Brazilian bands in the past but this is their first outing as a trio.

Monday 14th February – Josephine Davies Trio

Ticket link: www.wegottickets.com/event/536807/

Josephine Davies – Saxophone

Dave Whitford – Bass

Gene Calderazzo – Drums

Saxophonist Josephine Davies, winner of the 2019 Parliamentary Jazz Award for best instrumentalist, and known for her original and dynamic trio ‘Satori’, brings another fantastic band for tonight’s performance, featuring drummer Gene Calderazzo and bassist Dave Whitford.

Monday 21st February – Soul Time! Steve Fishwick/Leon Greening quartet play the music of Bobby Timmons

Ticket link: www.wegottickets.com/event/536809/

Steve Fishwick – Trumpet

Leon Greening – Piano

Matyas Hofecker – Bass

Matt Home – Drums

SoulTime! is a new and exciting jazz quartet co-led by renowned pianist Leon Greening and exceptional trumpeter Steve Fishwick. Rounding out the top-flight rhythm section is Matt Home on drums and Matyas Hofecker on double bass. The group is dedicated to exploring the music of one of their musical heroes, pianist, and composer Bobby Timmons. Timmons was an important influence on the music in the late 1950s and early 60s. His contribution to the Hard-Bop and Soul-Jazz styles is often overlooked in the jazz history books. The success of groups such as Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and The Cannonball Adderley Quintet wouldn’t have been possible without hits that were penned by Bobby, including ‘This Here’, ‘Dat Dere’, ‘Moanin’, and many more. This group is committed to presenting the music in the spirit in which it was originally created, with plenty of melody, soul, and down-home grooves.

“Leon Greening epitomises the assured confidence of a new generation” Jazz Journal

“Steve has his own style. He plays from the bottom to the top of the horn whilst maintaining the integrity of the chords. I can’t think of another trumpeter who can do what he does!” Wynton Marsalis

Monday 28th February – Pete Horsfall Quintet

Ticket link: www.wegottickets.com/event/536811/

Pete Horsfall – trumpet

Giacomo Smith – alto saxophone

Joe Webb – piano

Ferg Ireland – bass

Will Cleasby – drums

Pete Horsfall is an acclaimed trumpet player, vocalist and songwriter based in the UK.

His latest album Nighthawks received critical acclaim, including a four star review in the Guardian. Described by All About Jazz as ‘one of the year’s most original releases’, the record was featured on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and Jazz FM.

Pete performs as a soloist at many prestigious venues and festivals throughout the world. These include The Lincoln Center (NYC), Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Sunset/Sunside (Paris), The Royal Albert Hall, North Sea Jazz Festival (NDL), the Cadogan Hall, London Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, the Southbank Centre, La Spezia Jazz Festival (IT) and many more.

He has also played trumpet and flugelhorn for pop & hip-hop groups including DJ Premier, De La Soul, Friendly Fires. DJ IQ and many others.

In addition to leading his own solo projects, you can find Pete playing regularly with Kansas Smitty’s Big Four, vocalist and broadcaster Clare Teal, and Guy Barker. He also leads the highly respected traditional jazz ensemble Basin Street Brawlers.