Olney Jazz Club Announces “Great gigs coming up!”

Tuesday May 2nd 8.00pm

The Ben Holder Quartet

Ben Holder is one of the most gifted and exciting young jazz violinists in the UK. Taught classically from the age of six, he studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire. During his classical studies, Ben began listening to Jazz – classic masters such as Benny Goodman and Oscar Peterson and of course the great jazz violinists including Grappelli, Joe Venuti and the awe inspiring Stuff Smith. Alongside his early studies and later at college he embarked on a detailed analysis of these musicians techniques and the way in which they merged this most classical of instruments into the jazz idiom. Ben’s innate sense of swing rhythm (something which often eludes classical players) stems from those early listening sessions – and his various awards bear testimony to his abilities. A first call jazz violinist for many of the North’s top bands and studios.

Along with Guitarist, Jez Cook, Double Bassist, Paul Jefferies and Drummer – Malcom Garrett, The Ben Holder Quartet play swinging jazz from Louis Armstrong to Gershwin, Fats Waller to Grappelli, Ben’s own originals to The Beatles and everything in between. All this is of course done with copious amounts of energy & excitement along with some beautiful ballads thrown in for good measure!

Overall The BHQ are about having fun and taking the audience along for the ride, with music that will make you want to dance all night, just like the early jazz shows of the 1920s. After all, we are nearly back in the swinging 20s once again!

Fully Booked but call in case of late cancellations!

All tickets £12/£10 in advance from Carlton House Club, High St, Olney.
Tel: 01234 711348 or Phonebox Magazine, Stanley Court, Olney.

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Tuesday June 6th 8.00pm

Georgina Jackson and the Chris Ingham Trio

Georgina Jackson

Having sung in and led various sized bands with miscellaneous musicians in some very miscellaneous venues, Georgina decided to record and release her first CD. With support from Jazz FM (CD of the week) and Sir Michael Parkinson ”til there was you’ climbed to the dizzy heights of Number 8 in the HMV jazz charts. The critical success of her first album led to Georgina landing her dream job as resident singer with the Ronnie Scotts Jazz Orchestra,
where she performs most months.

Georgina’s long awaited second album ‘Watch What Happens’ (recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London) was released in June 2012, the first single ‘Change Partners’ shot to number 1 in the itunes Jazz Chart and the album fought the likes of Nina Simone and Miles Davies to get into the top 5! The London Evening Standard awarded ‘Watch What Happens’ CD of the week.

In May 2012 the Radio 2 BBC Big Band asked Georgina to perform a concert of the songs of Peggy Lee (one of Georgina’s heroines) this was broadcast in two half hour programmes on Radio 2 in August. A live concert/broadcast followed for BBC Radio 2’s ‘Friday Night is Music Night’ in which Georgina sang Irving Berlin songs including ‘They Say it’s Wonderful’ with the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Steve Vintner trio.

Georgina now works internationally as a cabaret artiste performing her entertaining trumpet/vocal shows. She is also to be found singing with the Echoes of Ellington Big Band and is in great demand performing up and down the country with her trio show and with guest soloist and workshop dates with Big bands both here and In Europe.

In 2016 she was one of the headline performers at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Hollywood, co-hosting the opening concert with Arturo Sandoval.

Don’t miss this superb artiste!

All tickets £12/£10 in advance from Carlton House Club, High St, Olney
Tel: 01234 711348 or Phonebox Magazine, Stanley Court, Olney.

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Tuesday July 4th at 8.00pm

“Piano Greats” – The Alan Haughton Quartet 

Alan Haughton Keyboard King

This is our take on some of the top numbers played by our favourite jazz pianists of the 20th century featuring Alan Haughton (piano), John Day (bass), Nick Millward (drums) and special guest Amy Roberts (flute, reeds).

Alan Haughton studied piano at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he was a prizewinner, and performed both solo and concerto concerts in the Dukes Hall, studying with Leslie England and Max Pirani. He is an established jazz pianist having worked with John Dankworth, the Terry Lightfoot Band, The Pasadena Roof Orchestra, The Krupa Connection, Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends, Richard Exall, Amy Roberts, Roy Williams, Julian Marc Stringle, Alan Barnes, Denise Gordon, Simon Spillett, Susan Valliant Speer, Greg Abate, Tina May to name but a few, as well as running his own band. He is an established composer/performer and has had over sixty music books published by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, Kevin Mayhew Publishers and Oxford University Press.

Amy Roberts from West Cornwall, was voted winner of the Rising Star Category in the British Jazz Awards in both 2009 and 2011, coming 2nd place in the same category in the 2010 and 2012 awards. She has played all over the UK and abroad at prestigious clubs and festivals, and is well known on the jazz circuit as a charismatic performer on flute, clarinet and saxophone. Amy currently leads her own band featuring some of the most exciting musicians on the jazz scene, as well as making guest appearences with other highly acclaimed bands. In July 2011 Amy graduated with a First Class Honours Degree from the Royal Northern College of Music, where she studied Classical Saxophone with Rob Buckland and performed with the RNCM Big Band under the direction of Mike Hall. She has been part of the Best Of Young Jazz Project in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, as a mentor for young people in the Worcestershire area. Amy was honoured to be featured and used as a cover girl in the Autumn 2011 Clarinet and Saxophone Society Magazine, after being interviewed by upcoming writer and musician William Upton. In January 2011 Amy became the first female musician to join the Big Chris Barber Band. Other projects include the Magnificent 7 Jazz Band, and the Richard Exall/ Amy Roberts Band.

Born in Birmingham Nick Millward was given his first drum kit at the age of 5 and was soon to be inspired by the likes of Gene Krupa, Ed Thigpen, Dennis Chambers and in particular the drummer he has styled himself on, Buddy Rich. Before joining Kenny Ball in 1999, he toured the world with many other bands, starting with an American rock cover band. Nick turned professional when he became a member of the Pete Allen Jazzband, with whom he played for 5 years. Later he played with Terry Lightfoot, then the “First Class Sounds Band” featuring Digby Fairweather. He also performs with “The Magnificent Seven Jazz Band” and is one of the jazz world’s most
sought after drummers.

In a 25 year career, John Day has become a fixture on the mainstream Jazz and Rhythm & Blues scenes. Playing and recording with the likes of Humphrey Lyttelton, Jamie Cullum and Clare Teal amongst others, he spent 11 years with “Blue Harlem” alongside Imelda May. He was a member of Acker Bilk’s “Paramount Jazzband” from 2005 until Acker’s retirement in 2013. Over the years John has played with The Kenny Ball band as deputy for Bill Coleman.  It’s great to have him playing double bass in “Piano Greats”. 

All tickets £12/£10 in advance from Carlton House Club, High St, Olney
01234 711348 or Phonebox Magazine, Stanley Court, Olney

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