Peterborough Jazz Club

Greg Abate (saxophone/flute), Nat Steele (vibraphone), Leon Greening (piano), Arnie Somogyi (double bass), Matt Skelton (drums)

We are delighted to welcome back to the Club after a gap of nine years the great USA saxophonist and flautist Greg Abate, always a great favourite for his emotionally charged, technically brilliant and expressive playing. Greg’s career spans over 40 years, starting as lead altoist with Ray Charles and Artie Shaw bands and then developing his solo career in the States. Steeped in bebop, but always melodic, he recorded his first album live at Birdland, New York in 1991 and subsequently has released 18 CDs under his own name, including two albums recorded with the great Phil Woods, the last being in 2016 shortly before Phil passed away.

Greg is also an adjunct Professor of Jazz Studies at Rhode Island College and is also a very active jazz clinician with sponsorship from the Conn-Selmer Instrument company. In the Downbeat magazine (USA) readers poll, Greg is frequently voted year on year as one of the top five saxophonists in the world.

Joining Greg for this concert will be the brilliant vibraphonist Nat Steele and a great rhythm section with top pianist Leon Greening and the very highly rated duo of Arnie Somogyi on double bass and drummer Matt Skelton. Don’t miss one of finest saxophonists in the world today leading an all-star quintet.

TICKETS from £24 available now: Key Theatre Booking Page

Sara Oschlag (vocals), Alex Garnett (saxophone), James Pearson (piano), Arnie Somogyi (double bass), Darren Beckett (drums)

For our Christmas Concert, we have a special evening with the superb vocalist Sara Oschlag, who many of you will remember was the vocal star in our Big Band concert featuring the Echoes of Ellington big band, when she sang the Duke Ellington/Ella Fitzgerald songbook to great acclaim.

Since turning professional 2003, Danish-born jazz singer Sara Oschlag has performed all over the UK as well as in Europe and America leading her own bands and also featuring as guest vocalist. Her influences include Shirley Horn, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan and Eddie Jefferson. Sara has been widely thought of as a great interpreter of songs in the jazz tradition and is also hailed as a musician’s singer due to her wonderful way of using dynamics, texture and rhythm. Her honest stage presence, expressive voice and effortless sense of swing have made her a firm favourite with the jazz audience, establishing her as one of the UK’s premier jazz vocalists.

Accompanying Sara is a great band, featuring super saxophonist Alex Garnett with a rhythm section led by top pianist James Pearson, making his first appearance at the Club, with one of the finest double bassists on the scene in Arnie Somogyi and, also making his first appearance at the Club, superb drummer Darren Beckett who has recently returned to the UK after many years working in the New York jazz scene.

TICKETS from £24 available now: Key Theatre Booking Page

Harry Allen (tenor saxophone), Fraser Smith (tenor saxophone), piano/double bass/ drums- to be confirmed

We are really pleased to welcome back to the Club after a gap of many years top USA tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, who has teamed up with British saxophone ace Fraser Smith for a short UK tour. Harry Allen has released over 70 albums as a leader and many more as a sideman throughout his illustrious career and formed a regular part in groups with jazz masters such as Ray Brown, Harry Sweets Edison, Hank Jones, Flip Phillips, Kenny Burrell and Warren Vache, amongst many others. He has also recorded with Tony Bennett, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Barron and James Taylor to mention a small few and has performed at jazz festivals and clubs worldwide, frequently touring the United States, Europe and Asia.

Fraser Smith has spent the last decade and a half establishing himself on the London jazz scene. With a focus on swing and straight ahead jazz, he channels the sound and language of the great saxophonists into his playing. Fraser has developed a cross channel collaboration with a group of excellent musicians on both the London and Paris jazz scenes.

TICKETS from £24 available now: Key Theatre Booking Page