From storming post-Coltrane energy to beautiful ballad playing, Los Angeles-based Benn Clatworthy has matured into a truly great tenor player. A favourite with our JazzLeeds audiences for many years for his emotional playing and his dry sense of humour, supported by a top-class rhythm section, he’ll be playing some tunes from his recent UK release, “The Pursuit”.

Born in Hastings in 1955, Benn Clatworthy grew up in London. He is the grandson of the famous theatre and revue artist, Gertrude Lawrence. As a teenager Benn took sax lessons from Ronnie Scott who recommended him to Berklee College, Boston. Benn’s distinctive, muscular saxophone and flute feature in his unique arrangements of standards from Cole Porter to Marvin Gaye, John Coltrane to the Beatles. His work credits include such notables as Cedar Walton, Lionel Hampton and Jimmy Cleveland. Benn has released eleven CDs to critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic.  A favourite with our jazz audience for many years for his emotional playing and his dry sense of humour, supported by a top-class rhythm section.

“While forty years in Los Angeles seem to have had little effect on expatriate Brit Ben’s Bow Bells speech, his tenor sax playing has acquired strong US characteristics, not least a tough personal tone and a wide emotional range that extends from ballad tenderness to gladiatorial torrents of controlled aggression at fast tempos.” Chris Lee

“…Scattering notes around the room with a deliciously dry loquacity in a fast-moving hard-bop manner” John Fordham

A fixture in Los Angeles area clubs since 1980, Benn Clatworthy was originally heavily influenced by late-’50s John Coltrane, but would soften his tone and sometimes sound a little like Warne Marsh with touches of Sonny Rollins.

 

Support

Support (7.30-8pm) is from Sophie Speed quintet with Sophie on tenor sax, James Boyes sax George McDonald piano Fergus Quill bass Richard Moulton drums.

The Sophie Speed Quintet is a dynamic and energetic ensemble led by tenor saxophonist Sophie Speed. Sophie’s original music blends the influences of jazz legends like Monk, Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, Art Blakey and Duke Ellington into an exciting, modern sound. As a recent graduate of the Jazz degree at Leeds Conservatoire (2023) Sophie is frequently playing across the UK and further afield including at notable venues such as Ronnie Scotts, Pizza Express and The Vortex as well as The Domicile and Konzerthaus in Germany. As well as running her own creative projects, Sophie can also be found playing in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band and the Tom Sharp Jazz Orchestra.