We are delighted to present the fabulous tenor saxophonist Simon Spillett with his star studded quartet. Over a career stretching twenty-five years, multi-award-winning instrumentalist (BBC Jazz Awards, British Jazz Awards, Jazz Journal’s Album of The Year) Simon Spillett has cultivated a unique persona within British jazz. Leading both his own quartet and big band, and inspired by the classic Brit-bop of the 1950s and 1960s, his is a powerfully passionate style, its emphasis on straight-ahead jazz delighting audiences who like their music hard swinging, heartfelt and entertaining. Popular across the entire spectrum of the UK scene, from Ronnie Scott’s club to major festivals (the EFG London Jazz Festival), Simon’s communicative performances are a roller-coaster ride encompassing everything from high energy bebop to lyrical balladry, the whole tied together by his signature dryly witty stage presence. And he’s not only a gifted instrumentalist and band leader; he’s also become a champion of the music in all manner of ways, including writing a major biography of legendary British saxophonist Tubby Hayes (‘The Long Shadow of The Little Giant’), penning hundreds of accompanying notes for vintage album reissues, contributing essays to many periodicals and latterly becoming the ‘go-to’ expert of UK post-war jazz, featured in film documentaries and radio series including Jazz FM’s ‘History of British Jazz’. He has recorded four highly-regarded albums, the latest of which,’ Dear Tubby H.’, garnered a prestigious five star review in ‘Jazzwise’ magazine. His quartet tonight features a dynamic rhythm section showcasing UK jazz luminaries pianist Pete Billington, bassist Alec Dankworth and drummer Pete Cater.

Peterborough Jazz Club: Simon Spillett Quartet

Key Theatre

Our fourth concert with strings for the EFG London Jazz Festival features the music of four great British jazz talents of the 20th century.

In 1963 Tubby Hayes took popular standards such as I Feel Pretty, The Party’s Over and But Beautiful and arranged and recorded them with the intention of convincing BBC Television to commission a late-night show featuring himself centre stage on tenor saxophone and vibraphone alongside his then-girlfriend, the delightful singer Joy Marshall. Despite the arrangements being amongst Tubby’s best work, the BBC turned him down and so this music has never been performed in public until now.

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Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, Acker Bilk, George Shearing with Strings

Cadogan Hall 

Leading both his own quartet and big band, and inspired by the classic Brit-bop of the 1950s and 1960s, his is a powerfully passionate style, its emphasis on straight-ahead jazz delighting audiences who like their music hard swinging, heartfelt and entertaining.

Sunday Sessions: Simon Spillett Quartet

Stables Theatre Ltd

We are very excited to present this fabulous Big Band as a special Jazz Club event, to be held in the main auditorium of the Key Theatre. Hailed as “a living, breathing, positively fizzing jazz orchestra” (‘Jazz Rag’) the Simon Spillett Big Band burst onto the UK jazz scene 2021 with the purpose of revisiting the repertoire of the legendary British jazz icon, saxophonist Tubby Hayes, playing music Hayes’ bands played during the 1960s and early 1970s, much of which hadn’t been heard publicly since his death in 1973. The band is a genuinely ‘all star’ unit, comprising a line-up of stellar UK jazz soloists, many bandleaders in their own right, led with charisma and style by multi-award winning saxophonist Simon Spillett. The line-up includes trumpeter Mark Armstrong (director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra), Pete Long (leader of Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra) and Alan Barnes (winner of over 30 British jazz awards) along with a powerhouse rhythm section.

Simon Spillett

Events

Upcoming events

Nov 24, 2024

Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, Acker Bilk, George Shearing with Strings · Cadogan Hall

Feb 16, 2025

Sunday Sessions: Simon Spillett Quartet · The Stables

Feb 22, 2025

Peterborough Jazz Club: Simon Spillett Big Band · Key Theatre

Past events

Nov 10, 2024

Peterborough Jazz Club: Simon Spillett Quartet · Key Theatre

About

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