Saturday 15th - Jazz Workshops & Performances
JENNIFER MASLIN
JAZZ VOCAL WORKSHOP
Saturday 10am-12pm
Glen Vue Community Hub
Jazz vocal taster workshop with Jennifer Maslin
This year we welcome Jennifer Maslin from Tunbridge Wells. Jennifer has forged a career as a professional performer and singing teacher. Specialising in Jazz and Classical Singing as well as a Solo and Session Violinist.
All levels welcome. Tickets £15, to be obtained in advance from Ticket Source.
VINCE DUNN
DRUM WORKSHOP
Saturday 10am-12pm
Glen Vue Community Hub
Drum workshop with Vince Dunn
For the first time, this year we are holding a Drum Workshop with the world renowned drummer, Vince Dunn. Vince Dunn is East Grinstead Jazz Clubs House Drummer. Alongside a varied performance career, Vince is equally passionate about education and teaching, running a busy and successful drum clinic.
Tickets £15, to be obtained in advance from Ticket Source.
IMOGEN RYALL & JULIAN NICHOLAS BAND
LIVE PERFORMANCE
Saturday 1pm-3pm
Old Dunnings Mill
Dunnings Road, East Grinstead, RH19 4AT
Sponsors: Old Dunnings Mill
IMOGEN RYALL - VOCALIST
London-born singer and lyricist, Imogen Ryall grew up in a theatrical environment but migrated toward music – attending the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Imogen is highly regarded by great artists Claire Martin O.B.E, Ian Shaw, Joe Stilgoe and Liane Carroll.
A regular in the London Jazz scene, Imogen has performed at famous venues such as the 606 Club, Jazz Café, Ronnie Scott’s and The Barbican Hall. She is a nominated artist for ‘Vocalist’ and ‘Album of the Year’ in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards, 2024.
JULIAN NICHOLAS _ SAXOPHONIST, COMPOSER
....is no stranger to fans of top-flight U.K. jazz” – Mat Snow, MOJO Magazine.
He has played with, amongst others, Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Corrie Dick, Arnie Lawrence, Carleen Anderson, Joe Lee Wilson, Eddie Henderson, Bobby Wellins, Liane Carroll, Nikki Iles, Pete Churchill, Eddie Parker, Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood Of Breath and Stan Tracey.
One of Julian’s mentors, the legendary Bobby Wellins, said of him
“…his beautiful and creative playing makes Julian one of my favourite tenor saxophonists.”
MARK EDWARDS - PIANIST
Has worked with top U.K. and U.S. names, including Johnny Dankworth, Bobby Wellins, Jo Harman, Scott Hamilton, Ken Peplowski, Jimmy Witherspoon, Claire Martin and Liane Carroll, Kirk Whalum and Jim Mullen.
“Pianist/programmer/producer/composer/arranger Mark Edwards is, by common consent, a ‘polymath’ musician of the highest standard, who has performed and recorded with many elite international artists and musicians from across the musical panorama.” Mark Ede
Touring the world over the last 10 years as pianist for Katie Melua, Mark’s three-decade ‘pop’ resumé also includes Paul Weller, Aztec Camera, Roddy Frame and Marc Almond.
GEORGE TREBAR NIGHTHAWKS
LIVE PERFORMANCE
Saturday 3pm-5pm
The Crown
East Grinstead High Street
Sponsors: The Crown
The quartet's music explores Jazz and the Cinema with unique arrangements of cinematic themes from movies including Midnight Cowboy, Taxi driver and Chinatown.
Nighthawks is the latest project of Bass Player George Trebar, featuring the talents of Matt Wates on Alto, Roy Hilton on Piano and Joe Edwards on drums. George comments. “I feel very privileged to work with these superb musicians who between them cover a vast range and set of experience performing composing and arranging.”
Matt is a multiple Jazz Award winner on Alto, Roy has played piano for Sonny Stitt and Buddy Greco and Joe is an in-demand drummer on the south coast jazz circuit. This band explores Film music within a classic Jazz Quartet from the music of Michel Legrand to Burt Bacharach and Elmer Bernstein from films such as Butch Cassidy, Taxi Driver and Thomas Crown affair, with arrangements by George.
There latest album Pages and Frames, explore the rich connections between Cinema, Literature and Jazz and was released on Rubicon in Nov 2025.
The band also perform their own compositions and an eclectic mix from the jazz canon. Nighthawks have played regularly at the Verdict Jazz Club in Brighton where they have recorded a live set forthcoming soon!
Since their inception Nighthawks have played to sold out audiences at the Verdict Jazz club, Fleece Jazz, Bell Jazz Club, Worthing Jazz Club, Ropetackle Arts and Jazz at All Saints in Brighton. Nighthawks played Love Supreme Festival in 2017. Watch this space and my live dates page for updates.
DJANGO CHUTNEY
LIVE PERFORMANCE
Saturday 5pm-7pm
The Engine Room
1st Floor, The OldMill, 45 London Road, RH19 1AW
Sponsors: The Engine Room
Django Chutney have been described as a virtuosic gypsy-jazz ‘manouche et trois’, with equal parts due respect for the genre, unruly chaotic energy and a huge dose of tongue-in-cheek humour.
The Brighton-based trio have been blowing away audiences since 2021. They create tightly woven, three-part vocal harmonies reminiscent of 1930s and 40s American vocal groups the Mills Brothers and the Ink Spots. This is combined with ridiculous guitar show-offery and double bass solos that drag Pops Fosters’ slap technique kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
Their repertoire is seemingly firmly rooted in the 30s Hot Club de France era, but will suddenly transport you through decades and styles from New Orleans jazz to Chicago blues and Parisian musette, effortlessly, respectfully, but most importantly, with true joie de vivre!
Drawing from Django’s repertoire, along with more modern tunes, 20’s blues, and the very-possible chance of some Black Sabbath, Django Chutney stream roller their audience with a forceful jazz-guitar sound that amazes and delights in equal measure.
BASIL HODGE JAZZ AFRICA FT TONI KOFI
HEADLINE CONCERT
Saturday 7pm
St Swithun's Church
Church Ln, East Grinstead, RH19 3AF
Presented by Being Neighbourly & EG Jazz Club
Basil Hodge Jazz Africa! - From Roots to Right Now !
An all-star band, led by keyboardist Basil Hodge, featuring Tony Kofi the award winning British jazz saxophonist and flautist.
Creating Jazz Africa showcasing the true roots of this ever popular and rather cool music called jazz. Jazz heritage goes back way beyond New Orleans, spreads across continents and oceans and over the years has evolved into some of the most evocative, inclusive yet diverse and innovative of all popular music.
Expect some familiar tunes, some audience participation and even the urge to dance but beyond anything else, expect an evening of phenomenal live music brought to you by the incredible Basil Hodge Quintet.
We promise this is not “Scary Jazz”! This is jazz for ALL the family. For young and for old. For those that have never seen jazz before. And for those who love an innovative, inspirational and exciting artform that’s quite frankly different every time it's performed.
The band will perform a range of music from Africa. It is Jazz fused with Afrobeat, Township and Funk from such artists as Felu Kuti, Manu Dibango, Abdullah Ibrahim. Expect high-quality improvisation, driving rhythms with djembes and shakers from these excellent musicians.
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Basil Hodge - Keyboards,
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Tony Kofi - Tenor and Soprano Saxophones
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Stuart Fiddler - Guitar
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Andrew John - Bass Guitar
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Winston Clifford - Drums
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Cheikh Diop - Djembe and Percussion
Our venue for this year's headline concert on the Saturday night is the beautiful St Swithun's Church in the heart of East Grinstead with parking close by .
a Grade II* listed building. The site had a church since the 11th century.
For those of you that experienced our live events last year at the church ,will know how atmospheric the church is with the lighting we use.
We will have a Bar open at 7pm and in the interval kindly supplied by Being Neighbourly
Book your tickets now to not miss out on the Jazz Africa experience via Ticket Source - £20
THE SUSSEX STOMPERS
LIVE PERFORMANCE
Saturday 10am-12pm
Starts at 1 Middle Row
Follow through the High Street
Sponsors: East Grinstead Town Council
A Sussex-based, toe-tapping ensemble playing numbers all in the New Orleans tradition. Follow The Sussex Stompers from 1 Middle Row, along the High Street, finishing at midday in Queens Square.
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Richard Boswell - Trumpet
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Alan Cresswell - Clarinet
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Paul Busby - Sousaphone
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Tony Still - Marching snare
THE JIVE ACES
LIVE PERFORMANCE
Saturday 12-1:30pm
High Street Market Square
Live Performance
Sponsors: The Jive Aces
The Jive Aces - renowned worldwide for their high-energy spectacular showmanship, their viral video ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ and for being the first live band to reach the final rounds of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’.
The Jive Aces have firmly established themselves the UK’s no.1 Jive & Swing band.
Find out more at JiveAces.org
Sunday 16th - Live Performances
PAUL RICHARD'S LATIN TRIO
JAZZ BRUNCH
Sunday 11am-1pm
Carlo Lounge
Unit E Queens Walk, East Grinstead RH19 4DW
Sponsors: Carlo Lounge
Already exciting and delighting audiences wherever and whenever he appears with his Latin trio. With exceptional musicianship, staggering interplay and fresh, unexpected arrangements he manages brilliantly to fuse latin, classical, jazz and samba into a thrilling musical experience.
On classical, nylon string guitar, Paul Richards is a virtuoso; effortlessly interpreting and reinventing the “chôros”, sambas and waltzes of composers such as Pernambuco, Cardoso, Villa-Lobos and Baden Powell. His technique and muscular musical sensibility, combined with superb improvisational skills is making Paul one of the most talked about guitarists on the scene at the moment.
Alongside Paul, the trio features Terry Pack on double bass Session musician and composer with nearly 50 years of professional playing experience. Terry has recorded and/or performed live with musicians from all over the world in every genre from folk to blues to jazz to classical to pop and rock.
Joining the trio is Tony Shepherd on percussion (Bobby Wellins, Jim Mullen, Oasis); well known and highly respected jazz musicians in their own right who bring an infectious groove and intensity to the music that has to be heard to be believed.
Already featuring in a number of musical festivals such as Love Supreme, Rye Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Guiting Music Festival, Tonbridge Castle Festival, and selling out Jazz Clubs including: The Verdict, Brighton and jazz @ Royal Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall, the Paul Richards Trio are a proven success with festival goers and Jazz aficionados ; receiving rave notices along the way:
“A gem on the stage. Paul Richards beautifully updated the Laurindo Almeida nylon-string Brazilian guitar style”. JazzWise Magazine
“A great album to listen to over the summer with lots of danceable tunes and relaxing grooves, 10/10 !” . Sussex Jazz Magazine
JENNY GREEN QUINTET
JAZZ LUNCH
Sunday 1pm-3pm
CHEQUER MEAD CAFE
De la Warr Road, RH19 3BS
Tickets: Chequer Mead Box Office 01342 302000
Closing the East Grinstead Jazz festival on Sunday 16th August with the popular lunch on the lawns of the Chequer Mead Café.
Lunch with Jenny Green Quintet ft Julian Nicholas on Sax Sunday 1-3pm. Ticket includes lunch platter.
Jenny Green sings with her East Grinstead Jazz Club House Band – Adrian York piano, Paul Whitten bass and Vince Dunn drums featuring Julian Nicholas on Sax.
For several years, the East Grinstead Jazz Club has been lighting up the Apron Café at the Chequer Mead Theatre every first Tuesday of the month. Its ongoing success is largely thanks to the passion and expertise of its curator, Jenny Green. An established jazz singer with two successful albums under her belt—and with performance credits at renowned venues such as Ronnie Scotts’ and Pizza Express Soho—Jenny brings her deep knowledge of jazz to every show.
Expect a cocktail mix of classic jazz and swing standards along with cool Latin Bossa’s to while away your Sunday afternoon. Joining Jenny this year is Julian Nicholas on Sax one of the most versatile and sought alto saxophonists on the British Jazz Scene.
'Green’s vocals are something of a revelation and her delivery of a range of different styles with the emotion and clarity required to truly tell vocal
stories is admirable.'
Sammy Stein award-winning music journalist
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
