Roll up, Roll up! Here we are again with our monthly Bulletin, the second in the series at our brand new home at the Bull and Gate where all talk of The Parakeet has been put out to pasture and is very much a moot point by now 🐂 .

With the sun making it’s first appearances of the year, Spring in full swing, and bovine puns aplenty, we welcome another fine array of talent to the Bull and Gate and we know you won’t be disappointed!

See below for the full details of our listings this month and the links for purchasing tickets. We can’t wait to see you 🙂.

As usual, we’d like to extend a huge thank you for your continued support; we’d be nothing without our audiences, and the musicians really thrive when we manage to fill the room! So tell your friends and family, and share our posts far and wide to help us continue to bring our brand of high-level live creative music to our humble home above the Bull and Gate pub each and every Monday night.

We’ve rebranded so you can now find us on Facebook and Instagram as @jazzinkentishtown; please share and tag us in all of your photos and videos!

 P.S. WeGotTicket sales will show as “Sold Out” a couple of hours before doors open at 8pm but please still do come down as there will most likely be tickets available on the door.

Ashley and Kasper x

7/4/25 – Mario Bakuna
https://wegottickets.com/event/655480

Doors: 20:00pm
Start: 20:30pm

Mario Bakuna – Acoustic Guitar
Fernando De Marco – Bass
Caio Mamberti – Drums 

Mario Bakuna Band – Brazilian Landscapes 

After a very successful season performing at international festivals and prestigious music venues worldwide, Mario Bakuna brings his latest project ‘Brazilian Landscapes’ to the Bull and Gate.

Following his first album ‘Where Rio de Janeiro Meets Bahia’, Mario’s most recent release is ‘Brazilian Landscapes’ which features new arrangements of material by great composers such as Marcos Valle, Claudio Bertrami, Rique Pantoja, Gilberto Gil, Djavan, João Bosco, Arismar do Espirito Santo, and the ‘forrozeiros’ Dominguinhos and Luiz Gonzaga. The album is a tribute to the culture and memory of Brazilian people and it’s the result of years of inspiration Mario Bakuna drew upon while travelling through Brazil, experiencing its rhythmic and harmonic richness. From the arid landscape of the northeast, which is reflected in the chorus of songs of Forró, Baião and Xaxado, to the African influence found in Ijexá, the popularity of Samba and the sophistication of Bossa Nova, Mario Bakuna and his musicians celebrate the most musically rich territory on Earth.

Mario Bakuna is a Brazilian composer, arranger, singer and guitar player currently based in London, UK. Over the past few years, he has emerged as a leading figure and a reference in the Brazilian Jazz Music scene in the UK. 

Celebrated for his captivating performances in Bossa Nova, Brazilian Jazz, Samba, Latin Jazz, and Jazz standards, blending modern and groovy sounds to create a unique musical experience

Bakuna has extensive experience in Europe and beyond and the concerts of his two albums ‘Where Rio de Janeiro Meets Bahia’ and ‘Brazilian Landscapes’ toured 20 European countries, Brazil, Canada, Madagascar, Egypt, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, with sold-out nights and great acclaim.

“Mario Bakuna, a sparkling guitarist, plays with palpable feeling – his virtuosic fluency on the fretboard is controlled and flourishes are perfectly placed. His voice has a texture like heavy cloth” – Songlines Magazine

“Mario Bakuna, a man who exudes music. (…) ‘vocals’ doesn’t begin to do him justice: his expressive range and the precision with which he was able to deploy it was truly the band’s fifth instrument.  (…) And he did this while playing guitar with precision and finesse. (…) his solos were a further source of amazement, his technique somewhere between finger-picking style and classical. His solo introduction to a Baden Powell number made a hash of any attempt at a definition.” – The Whitman Review, Wakefield Jazz

14/4/25 – Simeon May
wegottickets.com/event/655987/

Doors: 20:00pm
Start: 20:30pm

Simeon May – Saxophone
Dan Kemshell – Guitar 
Theo Guttenplan – Drums
Kinzan (Harry Pearce)- Double Bass  

Bringing together sounds from American and European contemporary jazz, freely improvised music, folk and contemporary classical music, this group bring their diverse talents together to showcase Simeon’s lyrical and dramatic original compositions and explore pieces by some of their heroes.

21/4/25 – Édouard Monnier
wegottickets.com/event/655970/

Doors: 20:00pm
Start: 20:30pm

Edouard Monnier – Trumpet
Scottie Thompson – Piano
Niklas Lukassen – Double Bass
Ananda Brandão – Drums

Édouard Monnier is a French trumpeter, composer, and bandleader active on the French, UK, and European jazz scenes. He began playing trumpet at age 5 and honed his skills under jazz saxophonist Rémi Biet at the CRR of Rouen. In 2016, he earned DEMs in both jazz and classical music, then studied at the CMDL with Claude Egea, André Charlier, Benoit Sourisse, and Stéphane Guillaume. Édouard has performed at top Parisian jazz clubs like the Sunset/Sunside and the Baiser Salé, and in 2019, he joined the National Orchestra of Youth Jazz, performing at festivals like Crescent Jazz Festival. In 2022, he pursued a Master’s at the Royal Academy of Music in London with renowned mentors like Nick Smart and Gareth Lockrane. His style blends influences from Kenny Wheeler, Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis, and Freddie Hubbard. Recently, his “Mario Kart” project, which combines live music with the video game, went viral, garnering 3 million views on Instagram. 

His music makes each instrument an active participant in the creative process, deconstructing the conventional roles of melody-making and accompaniment expected of its instrumentation. Stemming from his experience and interest in brass ensembles, Edouard also takes pleasure in highlighting the horns that he raises as the light of the writings which guides the group towards a common direction. His artistic statement is informed by the formative encounters with people and places that have shaped me as a musician. The result of this composing process engages the band in a spiral of modern Jazz, Funk coated with a Pop-Folk feeling. This reveals influences from artists such as Ezra Collective, Shai Maestro, Kenny Wheeler, Ben Wendel, Christian Scott, and others… 

28/4/25 – Tom Smith
wegottickets.com/event/655972/

Doors: 20:00pm
Start: 20:30pm

Tom Smith – alto sax/bass clarinet
Tom Cawley – piano
Conor Chaplin – bass
Luke Tomlinson – drums

Tom Smith is an award-winning saxophonist, bass clarinettist and composer hailing from London. Renowned for his virtuosic performances and unique swaggering blues tendencies, Tom’s music aims to thrill and energize audiences across all genres. Drawing inspiration from films and stories and combining that with group improvisation, his risk-taking music takes listeners on journeys filled with soaring melodies, gospel grooves, dirty swing, and atmospheric soundscapes. Since graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, he has become a familiar face on the UK jazz scene, regularly performing at some of London’s most iconic clubs and festivals, as well as across Europe. John Fordham at Jazzwise wrote that “… the hyper-savvy Tom Smith sounds as if he’s eagerly lived plenty of diverse jazz lives already”.

Most known for leading the Tom Smith Big Band, Tom showcases original music that captures the vibrant spirit of London, featuring a roster of the UK’s most beloved performers. He can also be found in smaller ensembles, such as his award-winning chamber jazz trio Gecko, alongside vibraphonist Jonny Mansfield and pianist Will Barry. Additionally, Tom is the creative force behind Queertet, an LGBTQ+ band celebrating all the queer composers and musicians in jazz.

Tom has released two critically acclaimed albums: “Gecko,” produced by Tim Garland, and “A Year In The Life” with his big band, which received a 4* Editor’s Choice review in Jazwise. As a sought-after sideman, he is also a member of Britain’s most celebrated jazz ensembles, including Resolution 88, Patchwork Jazz Orchestra, the Misha Mullov-Abbado Group, Tomorrow’s New Quartet and the Gareth Lockrane Big Band. He has also had the privilege of performing alongside personal hero, Maria Schneider, and saxophonist Donny McCaslin (of David Bowie’s Blackstar).

HI EVERYONE! Since receiving the message from the Parakeet that we couldn’t continue after the end of February, we’ve been working hard to find a new home. We’re super excited to announce that The Bull and Gate has opened their beautiful upstairs room for our weekly Monday night jazz concerts starting in March! This means we’ll be saying goodbye to the gorgeous room at the Parakeet this Monday with James Allsopp, and then we’ll be starting at The Bull and Gate from March 3rd! We are really pleased with the line-up for March and we need your support now more than ever – so please come out and join us!

The Bull and Gate is located just opposite side of the road from Kentish Town Station and a proper 4 minute walk in total from the Parakeet.
This is the address:
389 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2TJ
We are looking forward to seeing you there this month.
Ashley and Kasper

3/3/2025 Billy Marrows’ La Grande Familia Sextet

https://wegottickets.com/event/651689
MIKE SOPER trumpet
TOM RIDOUT soprano/tenor saxophone/recorder
OLLI MARTIN trombone/bass trombone
BILLY MARROWS guitar
FLO MOORE electric bass
TOM POTTER drums

A dynamic, compact version of Billy Marrows’ critically acclaimed 12-piece chamber-jazz ensemble, the Grande Família Sextet features a powerful combination of three horns, guitar and an explosive rhythm section.

This gig is part of Grande Família’s spring 2025 tour, celebrating the release of their second album ‘The Penelope Album Live’, out on Discus Music on 28th March (https://discus-music.org/). The record captures their emotionally charged 2024 performance at Pizza Express Jazz Club in London, which sold out two months in advance and received a full standing ovation.

Grande Família was formed to record Billy’s debut album, ‘Penelope’, as a surprise for his mum during her struggle with pancreatic cancer. Released in her memory in early 2024, it has raised over £5,450 for World Child Cancer. This gig will also feature lots of new music, inspired by the likes of Weather Report, Gil Evans and Loose Tubes.

Billy Marrows is an award-winning guitarist and composer, receiving both the small and large ensemble categories of the Dankworth Prize for Jazz Composition. An alumnus of the Royal Academy of Music, he also studied on the Metropole Orkest Arrangers Workshop with Vince Mendoza. The Grande Família Sextet features highly creative outstanding musicians who have worked with artists such as Mark Lockheart, Chelsea Carmichael, Ben van Gelder Corey Wong and Jordan Rakei.

Grande Família Sextet’s recent EP,’ Mount Tibidabo’ received ★★★★ Jazzwise, praising Marrows for playing “with such lyrical melodicism…you can’t help but be seduced into his charmed word”.

“A triumph…Marrows has created a spectacular new ensemble” Jazz Views

“An exhilaratingly original sound, at once intimate and expansive” ★★★★ Editor’s Choice, Jazzwise (Penelope album)

“Melodic and distinctive” ★★★★ All About Jazz

10/3/2025 Rachael Cohen

https://wegottickets.com/event/651843

Rachael Cohen – alto sax
Will Barry – piano
Jason Brown – Drums
Mirko Scarcia – Double Bass

Rachael Cohen, a London-based alto saxophonist and composer, is one of the brightest emerging stars of her generation. Her skills as a composer and improviser have gained her a great deal of attention in the UK and beyond. The Guardian notes:

“Cohen takes a softly devious approach reminiscent of Lee Konitz – but, as with the canny Cool School veteran, the quietness is deceptive and the subtlety is in the weighting of phrases and the hipness with which she plays off the rhythm section.”

17/3/2025 Devon Gates

https://wegottickets.com/event/651697

Devon Gates, bass/voice
Ananda Brandão, drums
Hoda Jahanpour, cello
Mali Sheard, saxophone
Emily Tran, piano
+special guests Alex Hitchcock (saxophone), Casey Whyte (violin), and more TBA

Returning to London for the first time since studying abroad at the Royal Academy of Music in 2023, American bassist-vocalist-composer Devon Gates reunites with friends from the UK jazz scene, sharing original compositions and improvisations from her wide-ranging blend of jazz, chamber, and soul influences. Conceptualized as a musical conversation amongst old and new friends on the bandstand and in the audience, Devon aims to create a night of storytelling, collective joy, and spontaneity – embracing the spirit of discovery, and the magic of getting folks in a room together and seeing what singular sparks may emerge from there…

Devon Gates is a bassist, vocalist, and composer from Atlanta, Georgia, now based in Brooklyn, NY. After studying anthropology and jazz performance at Harvard University, Berklee College of Music, and the Royal Academy of Music (London, UK) she has emerged in the contemporary jazz scene, working with esteemed artists including Terri Lyne Carrington, Vijay Iyer, Jen Shyu, and Nicole Mitchell, and performing at venues such as The Kennedy Center, SFJazz, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, and the London Jazz Festival. Recently named one of 2024’s Up and Comers of the Year (The New York City Jazz Record), she also leads her own projects as a bandleader, collaborator, and composer, bringing her unique blend of jazz, chamber, and soul influences to New York, Japan, Italy, Mongolia, India, the UK, and more in recent years.

24/3/2025 Ashley Bonfante

wegottickets.com/event/652209/

Ashley Bonfante – alto saxophone
Mike Soper – trumpet
David Ferris – piano
Ed Le Feuvre – bass
Jay Davis – drums

Kentish Town Jazz’s very own Ashley Bonfante brings his fun new project to the Bull and Gate. This exciting group, full of wonderfully creative improvisers, will be exploring the music of Ornette Coleman, Booker Little, and Charlier Parker to name a few.

Ashley Bonfante has a highly individual sound as an improviser and composer. His work as a collaborator and band leader has led him to become an integral member of the thriving music scene in the UK and Europe. Ashley was also selected as one of seven curators to participate in the current Whirlpool series at the Vortex Jazz Club – chosen for their creative and imaginative approaches to music.

31/3/2025 Matt Holborn

https://wegottickets.com/event/651699

Matt Holborn-violin
Honey Boulton-guitar
Simon Read-bass
Joe Dessauer-drums

Join Matt Holborn’s quartet in their celebration of jazz violin pioneer Stuff Smith with selections from Smith’s repertoire and new music inspired by his legacy. A tribute to Smith’s lasting influence on jazz and the violin.

Quote about album:

“It’s almost possible to envisage these pieces as previously unknown Stuff Smith takes…” Anthony Barnett (Stuff Smiths Biographer, Jazz Violin Scholar)

Hailing from New York, Italy, and the U.K., the artists who performed at The Parakeet in September took us on a journey of the eclectic array of talent our wonderful music scene has to offer. From the swinging sets of Mike Soper and the Ellison/Fishwick Quintet, to the highly inventive Olie Brice, the charming New York song-bird Gabrielle Stravelli, and the virtuosic pianist Lorenzo Bellini.

This October, we’ll bring you an equally diverse programme featuring more of what Europe, and the U.S. has to offer. See below for our listings this month and the links for purchasing tickets. We can’t wait to see you!

As usual, we’d like to extend a huge thank you for your continued support; we’d be nothing without our audiences, and the musicians really thrive when we manage to fill the room! So tell your friends and family, and share our posts far and wide to help us continue to bring our brand of high-level live creative music to our humble home above The Parakeet pub each and every Monday night.

We’re on Facebook and Instagram as @jazzattheparakeet; please share and tag us in all of your photos and videos!

 P.S. WeGotTicket sales will show as “Sold Out” a couple of hours before doors open at 8pm but please still come down as there will most likely be tickets available on the door.

Ashley and Kasper x

Barry Green 7/10

https://wegottickets.com/event/634409

Barry Green trio (plus very special guest)
w/ Jeremy Brown – bass
Tristan Maillot – drums

Barry has been playing on the international jazz scene for 25 years. He lives between London and Rotterdam. He has played in clubs and festivals across the UK and Europe with musicians such as Dick Oatts, Charles McPherson, Chris Cheek, Bill McHenry, Drew Gress, Tom Rainey, Adam Cruz, Gerald Cleaver, Judy Niemack, Conrad Herwig, Ian Shaw, Claire Martin, Bobby Wellins Elaine Delmar and many more. Has has two new albums recorded in New York awaiting release aswell as forthcoming albums with Elaine Delmar, Brigitte Beraha, Ian Shaw, Tony Kofi and Alan Barnes. Barry is a professor or jazz piano at Guildhall school of Music and Drama in London and in Groningen , The Netherlands.

Heinen / Challenger / Ngugi / Cleasby 14/10

https://wegottickets.com/event/634411

Bruno Heinen – keys
Tom Challenger – saxophone
Kobe Heath Ngugi – bass
Will Cleasby – drums

Described by the Guardian as eclectic, eccentric and unobtrusively erudite, Bruno Heinen joins forces with ECM recording artist Tom Challenger to play arrangements of Horace Silver and Dorothy Ashby alongside compositions by Yusef Lateef, Stanley Cowell and originals from the co-leaders, with a fiery rhythm section of Kobe Heath Ngugi and Will Cleasby.

Josephine Davies 21/10

https://wegottickets.com/event/634413

Josephine Davies – saxophone
Alcyona Mick – piano
James Maddren – drums
Dave Whitford – bass

Satori is a Buddhist word meaning a moment of presence and inner spaciousness away from the clutter of thought, and reflects saxophonist and composer Josephine Davies’ fascination with Japanese philosophy. It is her most recent artistic project, in which she demonstrates a continuing evolution of sound and style in both her playing and her writing. The deliberate omission of a chordal instrument as well as the frequent absence of regular harmonic sequence allows the compositions to serve as a loose base for the spontaneity and creativity of the players, giving rise to a uniquely integrated trio sound.

Featuring the irrepressible musicality of drummer James Maddren. and bassist Dave Whitford, Satori is an ever-evolving ensemble that defies the categorization of either avant-garde or mainstream jazz, instead shifting deftly and dynamically through various imaginative soundscapes according to where their shared inspiration takes them.

A snapshot of what the press said
(for more, visit the album page):

​ “Definitely a band to watch.” ★★★★1/2 (Downbeat Magazine)

“Winning immediacy.” ★★★★ (Mojo Magazine)

​”Refreshingly imaginative and invigorating.” (All About Jazz)

​”Inventive, Lyrical.” (Jazzwise Magazine)

“Spiritual, Spiralling, Joyful.” (UK Vibe)

“Fluent, Imaginative.” ★★★★ (The Jazz Mann)

“Irrepressible Tunefulness.” (Downbeat Magazine)

“Highly recommended.” (Culture Jazz FR)

“Davies hat auf dem Tenorsaxophon einen ungemein kraftvollen und klar umrissenen Ton, mit dem sie Melodien zu ausdrucksstarken Skulpturen macht” – “Davies has an exceptionally powerful and clearly defined tone, with which she turns melodies into expressive sculptures” (BR Klassik)

Rik van der Made Group 28/10

wegottickets.com/event/635421/

Rik van der Made – saxophone
Immy Churchill – vocals
Benji Bown – piano
Niklas Lukassen – bass
Jonah Evans – drums

The Rik van der Made Group is a young, energetic band that performs original compositions heavily influenced by melodic Northern European improvised music. This group of musicians, at the forefront of the European jazz scene, weave a unique, coherent, lyrical sonic tapestry that draws from a diverse array of genres including jazz, folk, classical and the music of modern piano trios.
Expect to be taken on a journey evoking the vastness of the Nordic terrain.

We are very happy with our September line-up. For better or for worse, there will be less guitars involved than the last two months but it is definitely not getting less exciting!

As usual we’d like to extend a huge thank you to all who came out to support Jazz at the Parakeet this month. We really appreciate any support you can give us by sharing social media posts, bringing friends and family to the gigs or just spreading the word about our line-up each month.

We’re on Facebook and Instagram as @jazzattheparakeet; please share and tag us in all of your photos and videos! It also makes a really big difference to us when you prebook the tickets for the gig so we can get an idea of numbers on the night. P.S. WeGotTicket sales will show as “Sold Out” a few hours before kick-off but please still come down as there will most likely be more tickets available on the door!

Mike Soper – 2nd of September

https://wegottickets.com/event/631495

Mike Soper (trumpet)
Mark Taylor (drums)
Sam Leak (piano)
Mirko Scarcia (bass)

A vibrant London-based band come together to celebrate the art of group improvisation, with a focus on exploring standards. Driving swing and heartfelt, melodic solos for all to enjoy.

Olie Brice – 9th of September

https://wegottickets.com/event/631481

Olie Brice (bass)
Tom Challenger (sax)
Will Glaser (drums)

The Olie Brice Trio – featuring Tom Challenger on tenor sax and Will Glaser on drums – was formed when Covid restrictions meant that an Olie Brice Quintet gig had to be reduced in size, and rather than leave two musicians out Olie decided to put a new combination together. The gig was such a joy that Olie has kept the band going, and they have been a band ever since, featured on one half of Olie’s double album ‘Fire Hills’. The trio play original compositions as well as tunes by the likes of Johnny Dyani and Eric Dolphy, combining joyous swing and the freedom of open explorations.

Robbie Ellison (NYC special part 1) – 16th of September

wegottickets.com/event/631599/

Steve Fishwick (trumpet)
Frank Basile (saxophone)
Leon Greening (piano)
Eleazar Ruiz (bass)
Robbie Ellison (drums)

Steve Fishwick is widely considered to be one of the best jazz trumpet players ever to come from the UK, and his latest exciting project sees him team up with rising-star drummer and composer Robbie Ellison, to form a quintet of world-class musicians playing high octane jazz in a modern, swinging vernacular.

They are joined by special guest Frank Basile, one of New York City’s most in-demand and respected exponents of the baritone saxophone. Making up the rest of the band is the powerhouse Leon Greening at the piano and the deep grooves of Eleazar Ruiz on bass.

Grabrielle Stravelli (NYC special part 2) – 23rd of September

https://wegottickets.com/event/631483

Gabrielle Stravelli (vocals)
Fraser Urquhart (piano)
Pat O’Leary (USA) (bass)
Steve Brown (drums)

Vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli (USA) is one of the world’s leading interpreters of the American Songbook, celebrated for her driving swing and sophisticated, lyrical readings of love songs. Residing in New York City, Stravelli performs not just well-known classics but lesser-known gems from the vaults of the canon. She sings regularly at major jazz venues and festivals globally and has frequently taken up residencies at legendary jazz-clubs like Birdland with the USA’s top-tier musicians and improvisers. Here in London with her Quartet featuring pianist Fraser Urquhart (UK), bassist Pat O’Leary (USA) and drummer Steve Brown (UK), the band has a musical connection which allows for great spontaneity in their performances and reflects their true joy in music-making.

Lorenzo Bellini – 30th of September

https://wegottickets.com/event/631493

Lorenzo Bellini (piano)
Kasper Rietkerk (sax)
Guy Dempsey (bass)
Luke McCarthy (drums)

Cloudy Peaks is a new band formed in 2024 by pianist and composer Lorenzo Bellini together with saxophonist Kasper Rietkerk, double bassist Guy Dempsey and drummer Luke McCarthy.

The London based band, born within the walls of the Royal Academy of Music, has performed for the first-time during Lorenzo’s RAM final recital in May ’24, before which has recorded in studio a couple of his original compositions. The group is ready to embark on a series of gigs in London during the coming Fall and in the next Spring and is working on the production of the first album.

The name Cloudy Peaks refers to the imaginary mountains that the London sky hides behind its ever-present curtain of clouds, giving those who can picture them a feeling of sublime, positive weakness. We want to embrace the human need of discovery that comes from the imagination of something grand and unknown, compared to the usual urban horizons.

We are currently in the midst of our guitar summer festival, with three more excellent guitarists scheduled to perform. Please note that on one occasion (19th of August), we will move the ‘Jazz at the Parakeet’ event to the Old Queens Head in Angel due to maintenance work at the Parakeet. This is a one-time change, so there’s no need to worry!

As usual, before we announce the line-up we have in store for you this month, we’d like to extend a huge thank you to all who came out to support Jazz at the Parakeet this month. We really appreciate any support you can give us by sharing social media posts, bringing friends and family to the gigs or just spreading the word about our line-up each month.

We’re on Facebook and Instagram as @jazzattheparakeet; please share and tag us in all of your photos and videos! It also makes a really big difference to us when you prebook the tickets for the gig so we can get an idea of numbers on the night. P.S. WeGotTicket sales will show as “Sold Out” a few hours before kick-off but please still come down as there will most likely be more tickets available on the door!

Simon Woolf – 5th of August

https://www.wegottickets.com/event/628621

Simon Woolf – Double Bass
Donovan Haffner – Alto Saxophone
Fraser Urquhart – Piano
Joe Edwards – Drums

Bassist Simon Woolf (Bill le Sage, Bobby Wellins, Don Rendell) brings his “Young Masters” quartet to the Parakeet in a programme interspersing compositions by some of the jazz legends with whom he has played (Benny Golson, Harry Allen, Al Cohn) with his own tuneful originals.

“This band features some of the exceptional younger musicians I have particularly enjoyed meeting and playing with over the past couple of (post-Covid) years.
Donovan Haffner, recently graduated from the RAM, immediately impressed me with his beautiful tone and melodic gifts.
Fraser Urquhart, who moved down to London from Edinburgh a couple of years ago, shares my passion for Jimmy Rowles. Need I say more?
Joe Edwards, who has an engineering degree and hails from the South Coast, has a great beat, perfect dynamics and elephant ears.”

12th of August – Francisco Garcia de Paredes

https://www.wegottickets.com/event/628623

Francisco Garcia de Paredes – Guitar
Ruta Sipola – Flute
“tba” – Piano
Harry Pearce – Double Bass
Tom Potter – Drums
Eliana Veinberga – Vocals

Francisco Garcia de Paredes is a Jazz guitarist from North London and Graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Since graduating Francisco has been working full time doing music. He has performed alongside musicians such as Gareth Lockrane, Rachel Cohen, Jay Phelps and recently the National Youth Jazz Orchestra with Bob Mintzer.

Francisco is also a graduate of the Tomorrow’s warriors jazz programme studying under Binker Golding, Nathaniel Facey and Gary Crosby, alongside contemporaries such as Harry Ling, Donovan Haffner, Maddy Coombs and many more.

His music draws influence from musicians such as Gretchen Parlato, Aaron Parks, Jim Hall, Kurt Rosenwinkel amongst many others and tries to blend these influences to create his own compositional voice

19th of August – Rory Mann
(note: this gig will be at the Old Queens Head Angel)

https://www.wegottickets.com/event/628921

Rory Mann – Guitar
Matt Anderson – tenor
Benji Bown – piano
Chris Diamond – bass
Luke McCarthy – drums

Rory Mann is an award winning, highly proficient guitarist, composer and educator hailing from Yorkshire, now based in London. He has made a name for himself around the UK playing in a number of different settings, bands and projects. His debut EP ‘The Way Out’, featuring Saul Duff on tenor saxophone, Joe Wilkes on bass and Oli Reeves on drums, was recorded in Leeds and released in December 2022. The EP features four of Rory’s cutting edge, unique compositions developed over his years living in Leeds.

26th of August – Karim Saber

www.wegottickets.com/event/628960/

Karim Saber – guitar
Matt Cook – tenor sax
Alex Wilson – piano
John Jones – bass
Jack Thomas – drums

Born and raised in London, guitarist Karim Saber is steadily building a profile as both a performer and composer to watch. Known for his instrumental prowess and creativity, he is in demand as a sideman and regularly tours throughout Europe as part of the Lukas De Rungs Quintet/Kosmos Suite project. His group features some of the most in demand and creative young musicians in London and released it’s debut album ‘Transmission’ in January 2024 through UK based label Ubuntu Music.

‘Amidst the many London guitarists, Karim Saber is one who’s playing I am most excited about. He’s got ferocious chops, a great repertoire and I really enjoy his writing’ – Ant Law

‘Karim is one of the most recognisable and distinctive guitarists to emerge on the UK jazz scene in recent years. His compositions, tone and ideas are unique to him and I absolutely love this new album he has put together. I think he will be a much sought after play once audiences get a chance to hear this beautiful set of original tunes’ – Chris Montague

‘From the opener, Blossom, it’s evident that Saber already has virtuosic abilities’ – Jazz Journal

‘The deep connection these young lads share is enviable, with each one of them locked in and focused on a mutual cause’ – Presto Music