Hidden Jazz Spots & Local Bands
A view from the rear of Swaffham Jazz Club
Swaffham Jazz Club is another of our favourite Norfolk Jazz Haunts. An intimate cosy spot where you can get nice and close to the band. It's another not-for-profit Jazz Club, run by volunteers; a place where you will always find a friendly welcome.
The Jazz Nights are held on the second Tuesday of every Month except during January and February. see the dates for 2025 below
The Jazz is held in the back room of Swaffham Conservative Club. Everyone is welcome, you do not need to be a member of the club to watch the jazz
The club bar has a wide range of beers, wines and spirits and also hot and cold non-alcohlic drinks.
Entrance is via the side-door, to the right of the club, £10 cash please, payable on the door.
There's ample parking to be found in and around the market square just a few minutes walk away from the club. You will also find a car park behind the club, accessed through the long alley off Beech Close – zoom out on the map at the bottom of the page to see exactly where.
The History of Swaffham Jazz Club
Geoff created this account of Swaffham Jazz Club's history for the Swaffham Newsletter and has allowed us to reproduce it here. Thank you Geoff (and Bar. for acting as sub-editor).
Norman and I started up the Jazz Club, in Swaffham, 10 years ago.
We met on Swaffham Arts Committee, where we discovered a shared love of Jazz. Having persuaded the rest of the committee to include a jazz event in the Swaffham Arts programme, we found it such a success that we thought we'd give a regular Jazz Club a go, and see how it worked out.
Norman found what seemed a suitable venue, but after a few sessions we realised it had its drawbacks. In a pub function room, above the kitchen, it was reached by steep, narrow, stone stairs, with a groove in the side wall as a ‘hard-to-grip’ hand rail. It was very difficult both for our audience and for musicians, with their drum kits, keyboards and sometimes double basses. It also seemed a bit of a fire risk. Neither was there parking close by.
Norman soon fixed up our present venue, which solved all the problems. Brilliant!
We decided on monthly sessions, as there are only so many jazz fans in any area. We reckoned midweek would be better than a weekend and found that Tuesdays, especially the second in the month, didn’t clash with similar events
.
We thought it would be more interesting to have a variety of different bands rather than a resident group (which is how Ronnie Scott’s London Club works).
Then we had to decide how much to charge. We thought a very affordable price of £5 would help to bring in enough people to cover our costs. At £10 now, it is still considered low compared to other live music. When we approached the Swaffham Iceni Partnership they were very enthusiastic and offered to help us with advertising — printing posters and allocating us a column for a monthly write-up in this Newsletter — which they still very kindly do.
The Club has become very popular with the musicians, often travelling from quite far afield. Many of them approach us, and having performed here, immediately ask to come back. They find our audiences very attentive and appreciative. The success of the Club over the past ten years, I think, demonstrates that we mostly got it right?
Swaffham Jazz Club Events: 2025
Jazz Signs
Tuesday 9th December - 7:30pm to 10 pm
£10 - Cash on the door
Jazz Signs
David Barker - Piano
Colin Borrill - Guitar
Ted Fuller - Bass
Terry Hope - Trumpet
Paul Mason - Drums
Emily Rowan - Vocals
Swaffham Jazz Club reopens on Tuesday March 10th 2026
As usual, there is no Jazz Club during January and February but we will be open on Tuesday 10th March at 7:30 for more fabulous local jazz.
Watch this space to find out who will be playing!
A few videos from previous events at Swaffham Jazz Club
"Wes Way - recorded at Swaffham Jazz Club, 8th July 2025"
The Chris Watson Band play a homage to Wes Montgomery
Chris Watson – guitar, Andy Clifton – drums, Peter Ravenhall
"Poova Nova - recorded at Swaffham Jazz Club, May 2025"
Dudley Moore's wonderful bossa nova, with vocal assistance! - The Chris Ingham Trio play Dudley Moore at The Swaffham Jazz Club.
Chris Ingham - Piano, George Double, Drums and Malcolm Creese on Double bass
"Days Of Wine and Roses - recorded at Swaffham Jazz Club, April 2025"
Recorded at Swaffham Jazz Club by Richard Exall with the Graeme Culham Quartet
Graeme Culham drums, Phil Brooke guitar, Richard Exall sax & clarinet, Mark Adams bass.
