Our new 2023 season opens with the internationally acclaimed clarinettist ADRIAN COX, a musician at the top of his game. Adrian is a leading exponent in the New Orleans idiom and has a rich knowledge of the history of the city and its most recognised clarinet figures. As a performer, Adrian has the ability to engage with his audience with an unrivalled feel for the music which, combined with his virtuosic technique, has led him to wide critical acclaim including Time Out declaring him “London’s most charismatic reeds man.” Joined by his core band, JOE WEB, piano; SHANE FORBES, drums; TOM FARMER, bass, they play the music inspired by these great New Orleans musicians.

This January meeting opens our new 2023 season and is our membership renewal evening. Doors open early at 7.00pm, so join us in a glass of fine wine and renew your membership for the coming year: annual membership is £15.

Buster Plays Buster is a show devised by London jazz drummer Buster Birch that debuted in March 2011 and involves The Buster Birch Quartet performing jazz standards live to the screening of a Buster Keaton classic silent movie. The music has been arranged for the group, scored out and sync’d to the movie, but also features plenty of improvised solos from the musicians. This creates a cohesive work which merges the two art forms in to a unique experience for the audience. The movie we will be showing is ‘STEAMBOAT BILL JR’from 1928 and the band line-up will be: JO FOOKS, sax;NEIL CASEY, piano;PETE RINGROSE, bass; andBUSTER BIRCH, drums. Mince pies will be served to further enhance the Christmas spirit.

Charlotte Glasson is a multi-instrumentalist, band leader and session player, playing all the saxophones, flutes, clarinet, bass clarinet, violin and viola. Versatile contemporary jazz and diverse originals are all laced with her bluesy, expressive sax work;indeed,her witty, exuberant, genre defying music restores one’s faith in true jazz. The band line-up will be: CHARLOTTE GLASSON, saxes; MARK BASSEY, trombone; CHRIS KIBBLE, piano; LLOYD COOTE, tuba and double bass; and SAM GLASSON, drums.

Thomas ‘Spats’ Langham was born in 1971 and spent his childhood in Buxton. Inspired by his Grandfather, he started Ukulele as soon as his fingers were big enough, turning to the Banjo at the age of ten. At 14 he was appearing with the Hot Spa Stompers, and soon after with Ged Hones Dixie Boys,who encouraged him to start guitar. With the loss of the outstanding pianist,Keith Nichols, in January 2021, remembered for his peerless interpretation of Ragtime as well as being a master of Fats Waller style stride piano, these ‘Five Nickels’ musicians have come together to keep his memory and music alive with jazz from the 20s and 30s played with the utmost authenticity and virtuosity. The band features: ‘SPATS’ LANGHAM and MARTIN WHEATLEY, guitars/banjos; MICHAEL MCQUAID and TREVOR WHITING, reeds; RICHARD PITE, tuba, bass and drums.

Terry Seabrook’s Quintet explores the music of one of the greatest contemporary jazz composers: Wayne Shorter. Shorter was one of Miles Davis’s most important sidemen and contributed many great original songs for that quintet. He has been a prolific composer throughout his career and written for all of the bands in which he played, including: Art Blakey’s Messengers, The Miles Davis Quintet, and Weather Report, plus those bands which he led. Terry’s outstanding quintet will feature: ANDY PANAYI, sax and flute;ROBBIE ROBSON, trumpet; SIMON THORPE, bass; PETER HILL, drums; and TERRY SEABROOK, piano. The quintet also plays some new music inspired by Wayne Shorter in the form of A Shorter Suite by Terry Seabrook.

Making a welcome return and featuring MIKE PIGGOTT, violin;JONNY HEPBIR and JASON HENSON, guitars; DAN SHEPPARD, bass; and SARA OSCHLAG, vocals; this band play an eclectic mix of jazz standards influenced by The Hot Club of France all blended into snappy exciting arrangements with more than a dash of musical interplay.Mike Piggott’s lilting glissando violin is a thrilling experience, together with JONNY HEPBIR and JASON HENSON'S irresistibly driving swing rhythms and melodic tête-à-têtes. These are guitarists of the highest order playing instinctively together; with Dan Sheppard’s musically benevolent double bass and Sarah Oschlag’s hushed vocals they are all musicians who love playing together, and it shows.

NAT STEELE is a jazz vibraphone player described by Clark Tracey as one of the best ‘vibes’ players this country has ever produced and returns to Steyning Jazz Club with his ever popular ‘Portrait of the Modern Jazz Quartet’, playing his own swinging take on the music of the iconoclastic MJQ, featuring some familiar and not-so-familiar tunes and arrangements taken from the MJQ songbook. Joining Nat are the pianist, GABRIEL LATCHIN; Italian bassist, DARIO DE LECCE; and the ever-swinging, STEVE BROWN on drums. So expect lots of swing mixed with a soupçon of classical influences.

THE PETE LETANKA TRIO makes a welcome return to Steyning Jazz Club playing a blend of standards and originals with an exciting new line-up with PETE LETANKA, piano; SAM BURGESS, bass; and JON ORMSTON, drums. SAM BURGESS is a highly in-demand musician who has played in the Ronnie Scott's House Band for over thirteen years and JON ORMSTON’S inventive drumming has become especially admired at both domestic and international jazz festivals. Pete's love of the great Oscar Peterson and his South African heritage, which runs deep in his music, ensures an exceptional evening of jazz.

Much travelled and returning from two tours to Australia and a memorable one to California, MARTIN BENNETT’S experience is incalculable. For many years an outstanding trombonist, he now leads from the keyboard, keeping his renowned vocals as part of the programme. The OLD GREEN RIVER BAND’S line-up will be: MARTIN BENNETT, piano/vocals; JOHN FINCH, trombone; STAN WILLIAMS, trumpet; SARAH SPENCER, reeds; HOWARD WORTHINGTON, bass; and BILL BUCK, drums. This is a hot Dixieland/Swing band with a mix of old heads and young blood, but with the shared intention of playing top class music with integrity and passion.

Steyning Jazz Club is honoured to host The Harry Strutters Jazz and Blues Band. Highly applauded and admired, the band specialises in recreating the jazz and hot dance band music of the 1920s and 1930s, with its characteristic drive, wit and allure. Having toured widely throughout the UK, Europe and Scandinavia they will feature the effervescent vocalist MARLENE HILL from America with MEGS ETHERINGTON on cornet and vocals; TONY CARTER, reeds; PAUL TAYLOR, trombone; MARTIN LITTON, piano; MAURICE DENNIS, banjo and guitar; GRAHAM COLLICOT, drums; and ALLAN SOKELL, sousaphone. Founded originally many years ago in Brighton, this is a band that now goes from strength to strength, providing an evening of irresistible swing, rhythm and glittering musicality.