Doors: 7.00pm Music: 7.30pm

One might think at first that the idea of a ‘The Pocket Ellington’ – big band jazz played by a smaller ensemble – is something of a contradiction if not illogical. But then there’s the tunes and then there’s this particular group of musicians (under the musical direction of Alex Webb) and their love of the music.

Duke Ellington’s stature and influence as a pianist, composer and band leader is pretty much unsurpassed. Miles Davis is supposed to have said “At least one day out of the year all musicians should just put their instruments down, and give thanks to Duke Ellington”. So it was fascinating to see and hear this seven piece band interpret some of the best big band charts there are.

Born out of a love of the music of the Duke, The Pocket Ellington manages what ought to be impossible. But with Alan Barnes, Tony Kofi, Simon Finch,  Alex Webb and David Lalljee on hand, anything is possible. Veteran bassist Dave Green and powerhouse drummer Alfonso Vitale provide the swing. Great charts are presented in clever new arrangements which evoke the period but also offer solo space to these top-flight musicians. Their repertoire also includes pieces from artists and arrangers who were influenced by the Duke –Mingus, Monk and Gil Evans. It’s a big sound from a pocket band.

“A terrific band with a rhythm section as good as any on the planet” – Blue Light, magazine of the Duke Ellington Society UK

Alan Barnes’s unique musicianship, indefatigable touring and warm rapport with audiences have made him uniquely popular in British jazz. He has received over 25 British Jazz Awards and has twice been made BBC Jazz Musician of the Year. Alan has worked with legends such as Stan Tracey, John Dankworth, Humphrey Lyttelton, Freddie Hubbard and Scott Hamilton, made over thirty albums as leader and co-leader alone and his session work includes Bjork, Bryan Ferry and Michel LeGrande.

“His stylistic range is quite phenomenal… He has a wonderful capacity for suggesting a given style without actually imitating anyone” – Dave Gelly, Masters Of The Jazz Saxophone

“Barnes plays music that was radical 50 years ago but he infuses it with so much passion and energy you could believe it was minted on the spot, which is always part of the story with jazz” – John L. Walters, The Guardian

Tony Kofi is a British Jazz multi-instrumentalist born of Ghanaian parents, a  player of the Alto, Baritone, Soprano, Tenor saxophones and flute. Having ‘cut his teeth’ in the “Jazz Warriors” of the early 90’s, award-winning saxophonist Tony Kofi has gone on to establish himself as a musician, teacher and composer of international note. As well as performing and recording with Gary Crosby’s “NuTroop”  and “Jazz Jamaica”, Tony’s playing has also been a feature of many bands including The World Saxophone Quartet, Courtney Pine, Donald Byrd, Eddie Henderson, The David Murray Big Band, Sam Rivers Rivbe Big band, Andrew Hill Big Band, Abdullah Ibrahim, Macy Gray, Julian Joseph Big band, Harry Connick JR, Byron Wallen’s Indigo, Jamaaladeen Tacuma’s Coltrane Configurations and Ornette Coleman.

Dave Green, the bassist who grew up next door to Charlie Watts and toured with his quintet to USA, Brazil and Japan, is a British jazz legend who has worked with everyone from Humphrey Lyttelton, with whom he spent eighteen years, Scott Hamilton’s Quartet for over fifteen years and Stan Tracy. He is the only survivor of 1960’s British musicians who played with the great black pioneers of the music — Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins.

“No musician can have covered more of the British jazz scene than bassist Dave Green” – Dave Gelly, The Observer

£20/10 plus fees in advance, £20 on the door Book Tickets