NEWS DECEMBER 2024

Greetings Jazz lovers,

How nice it was to welcome Vic Partridge and his merry fellows to play a set of New Orleans tunes for us at the November session. Ron King proved a strong lead on trumpet and John Scantlebury matched him on clarinet and sax, together with th ‘bone’ of Terry Williams stomping out the old songs with great gusto, reminding we old grey hairs of the time we first came to love the music we call jazz.

The audience responded to the exuberant and humour filled evening of music that resonated with them.

Our next event will be with our local favourite musician Dom Norcross with Elaina Hoss and the Numbers Racket.

This will be at the Plas Hotel on Thursday 16^th January 2025.

 Also of interest is the Event put on by the Queens Hall, Narberth on the evening of Friday 20^th December.

It will be the Cardiff Big Band known as the SIGLO SECTION and will feature Luke Andrews.

Tickets £19 BUT with a discount to £17 for Narberth Jazz Members.

Please contact Queens Hall – The Siglo Section ft. Luke Andrews or phone 01834 861212

You may have seen the BBC TV programme last week where Ursula Harrison – a bass player from Wales—became the winner of BBC Young Jazz Musician 2024.

Photo: BBC.

You may remember her from a performance she gave at the Plas last April, with the Eddie Gripper Trio.

So from all of the hipsters that bring you Narberth Jazz may I wish you a wonderful Christmas Tide and looking forward to an interesting and enjoyable New Years programme we hope to bring to you.

Big thank you to all for your support.

Which unfortunately reminds me that your Membership Renewal [or even joining application] is now imminently due for 2025.

To renew please ‘buy’ a renewal ticket from our website:-

Membership Renewal 2025Narberth Jazz

Or if you are joining or rejoining please use the web page Membership | Narberth Jazz where your details and permissions will be recorded for your application and our records.

You may pay direct to the Bank  via BACS or just ‘buy a ticket’ from Events / Tickets & Membership Renewal from the Web site  https://narberthjazz.wales/events/

Thank you and have a great Christmas and New Year.

The Narberth Jazz Team

Jazz News and posts for October /November 2024

Hello Narberth Jazz People,

Our Autumn season has so far been an absolute classic with Dale Storr and last month the great Alan Barnes with John Gibbons merry men.

Alan remembered playing in Narberth many moons ago, and I could not recall when it was so I looked out my old Queens Hall diaries and found that it was 1996 when he played a duo set with his long time piano partner Dave Newton. At that time the hall boasted an ancient upright piano which I arranged to be tuned some time before the gig. Dave was very kind about it’s shortcomings unlike Stan Tracey who’s legendary capacity for cursing was unleashed when he played with a Welsh 9 piece a little later.

We have found it difficult to find interesting local Trad jazz players to grace our  live music nights, and so we have asked a top notch bunch of Traddies from South Wales to come and play this month. Banjo and guitar Vic Partridge brings his Hot Five to delight us this time around with toe tapping tunes that you are sure to know.

You can see him here https://youtu.be/CwJ8CTf17KI?si=yetPebRtY9gUMSI6

playing Chinatown my Chinatown.

 ‘Lovely stuff from a quartet with attitude and a commitment to swing. Trad jazz alive and kicking. Great fun in abundance.’

This will be our last presentation of the year so make sure to be there on Thursday 21^st November.

Aberjazz in Fishguard are hosting live jazz jams hosted by Nick Hislam at Peppers on the first Wednesday of each month, starts at 7.30pm.

Pianist and accordionist George Whitfield hosts sing along sessions at the piano at the Star pub Narberth also on Wednesdays.

Don’t forget that The Queens Hall will be presenting a Christmas Dance with the Siglo Section big band. To take advantage of the Queens Hall offer

they would like to extend the concession price of £16 (+£1 booking fee) to all Narberth Jazz members. If any of your members would like to purchase, please ask them to call Box Office on 01834 861212 and quote Narberth Jazz.

Our festive dance gig will start the 2025 New Year with a bang on 16^th January with the legendary Dom Norcross and the Numbers Racket with Elaina Hoss

Happy Christmas!

AND looking forward to seeing you at our ‘gig’ /events throughout 2025.

From the team at Narberth Jazz.

Narberth Jazz News for September 2024

Hello Narberth Jazz people,

Welcome to the autumn season of our monthly live jazz sessions. We continue at the Plas Hotel Narberth who have hosted us so generously for the past few years. Don’t forget that members can suggest any changes to the NJ set up that they would prefer. We have used several different venues in the past and we are open to all suggestions.

Our next event at the Plas will be from the recognised expert on New Orleans piano styles and players, Dale Storr from Sheffield.

Dale is the best New Orleans player I’ve ever heard”~ Richard Hawley

Described by Jazz Journal magazine as the “piano man’s piano man…” and “a national treasure” , Dale Storr’s musical journey has now brought him recognition as one of the UK’s leading exponents of New Orleans piano.

Inspired by his parents record collection of early Rhythm n’ Blues and Rock n’ Roll, the evocative music of New Orleans quickly became a passion for the young pianist. He immersed himself into the styles of heroes like Dr.John, James Booker, Professor Longhair, Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino and Huey ‘Piano’ Smith to name but a few. His piano studies took him to Sheffield where he established himself as a highly sought after pianist backing many top blues stars from the U.K. and America.

However the music of his beloved New Orleans was always going to take precedence and from 2008 Dale went solo with his now acclaimed ‘Sounds of New Orleans’ show.

“Storr’s music is authentic barrelhouse pianism and singing and should be on the play list of all broad minded jazz lovers~ Jazz Journal magazine

We have enjoyed his intoxicating piano mastery, and sharing his encyclopaedic knowledge of the crescent city. Dale will draw you in with the rich history behind the music telling the often risqué stories of his much loved piano heroes.

He will be weaving his magic for us on Thursday 19^th September.

Next month we are proud to present one of the true stars of British jazz when Alan Barnes comes to play for us with the John Gibbon Trio on October 17^th.

Alan Barnes is a prolific international performer, composer, arranger, bandleader and touring soloist.  He is best known for his work on clarinet, alto and baritone sax, where he combines a formidable virtuosity with a musical expression and collaborative spirit that have few peers.

His range and brilliance have made him a “first call” for studio and live work since his precocious arrival on the scene more than thirty years ago.

His recorded catalogue is immense.  He has made over thirty albums as leader and co-leader alone, and the list of his session and side-man work includes Bjork, Bryan Ferry, Michel LeGrande, Clare Teale, Westlife, Jools Holland and Jamie Cullum. He has toured and played residencies with such diverse and demanding figures as Ruby Braff, Freddie Hubbard, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Ken Peplowski, Harry Allen and Conte Candoli.

In British jazz, the young Barnes was recognized – and hired – by the established greats of the time:  Stan Tracy, John Dankworth, Kenny Baker, Bob Wilber, and Humphrey Lyttelton.  But he is equally respected for his longstanding and fruitful collaborations with contemporaries such as David Newton, Bruce Adams, and Martin Taylor.

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, most recently in 2014 for clarinet, and has twice been made BBC Jazz Musician of the Year.

I was relishing the prospect of Barnes’s casually consummate musicianship, deadpan humour (he could be a comedian, if jazz ever fails him), and indomitable belief in a respected place for the music’s rich history in this eclectic and often forgetful world.
John Fordham – The Guardian.

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.

In November we bring you will bring the New Orleans band style back to Narberth with the Vick Partridge Five.

Don’t forget to get your tickets from

Events from 1st January – 21st NovemberNarberth Jazz

See You soon

Declan and the NJ team

Dale Storr to entertain us at the Plas Hotel on the 19th September.

Dale Storr – one of the UK’s leading exponents of New Orleans piano, with plenty of stories to tell about his much-loved piano heroes. So come and hear and see this virtuoso New Orleans pianist and story teller.

His encyclopaedic knowledge of the crescent city will draw in the audience with the rich history behind the music, telling the often risqué stories of his much loved piano heroes. Heroes like Dr John, James Booker, Professor Longhair, Allen Toussaint , Fats Domino and Huey ‘Piano’ Smith to name but a few.

“Storr’s music is authentic barrelhouse pianism and singing and should be on the play list of all broad minded jazz lovers”~ Jazz Journal magazine

July Jazz News and reviews.

Jazz on a summers afternoon.

Sunday the 28th of July saw our Narberth Jazz’s 4th annual garden party at Lampeter House.  Unlike last year, it was a beautiful day, with sun and blue skies.

So late in the afternoon we started the party with gypsy jazz from the Swinging Nettles.

“The Swingin Nettles” are a 4 piece gypsy swing band from South Pembrokeshire, who inspired by the swinging music of 1930s legends Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli, play the infectious rhythms of that time.

Next up it was the Keith Marshall Quartet with Angharad Sanders providing the vocal refrains who performed many well-known show standards for us. The quartet was a nicely balanced Piano / Reeds / Bass and drums, with Angharad weaving the melodic refrains.

Then it came time for the Keith  Marshall Little Big Band to take the stage.

The Keith Marshall Little Big Band is an exceptional jazz and swing ensemble with a big sound that creates memorable musical experiences. The band is based in South Wales, they produced a powerful sound, keeping the energy high. Their music bristles with expert musicianship and enthusiasm, including some memorable individual jazz solos. With vocals from both Angharad Sanders and Andy Matthews highlighting many show tunes and jazz standards.

The band’s extensive repertoire includes different styles of music that span decades: jazz, swing, ballads, as well as some arrangements of more recent popular tunes. The band delivered contemporary styles as well as the classics of jazz and swing. This group of exceptional musicians presents a big sound, delivering terrific  live music for our pleasure.

Altogether a wonderful afternoon / evening was had by all, beautiful weather, picnics and Pimm’s adding to the musical enjoyment . Narberth Jazz would like to thank Julian Williams for his hospitality and allowing us to user Lampeter House once again.

June Jazz News from Narberth Jazz.

Our usual ‘reviewer’ isn’t available at the moment so; as a poor substitute here goes.

Clark Tracey Quintet Play the Plas Hotel Narberth.

As the concluding part of their UK tour the quintet played their final event for Narberth Jazz at the Plas on the 20^th June and the only event that they played in Wales.

The concert was delivered in two cracking sets with enthusiastic appreciation and applause from the audience.

Clark was kind enough to send us this after returning home:-

One of my new favourite venues!  We really enjoyed playing there and the hospitality from everyone was outstanding.  Thank you!

Good luck with the venue – I’m always keen to perform there again in any guise so please always bare me in mind.

The final quintet line up consisted of –

Clark Tracey – drums

Simon Allen – Tenor / soprano sax

RJ Gilbert – alto

Dave Newton – piano

Al Swainger – bass

Next up for Narberth Jazz will be our forth Garden Party at Lampeter House on SUNDAY 28^th July. Doors 3pm music 4-9pm

The weather man would suggest that towards the end of the month it may!! be like real summer.

Now the usual plea from the committee

We have 7 local people on our organizing group and we would welcome anything that you could offer to help / support / run Narberth Jazz.

If you have a little spare time please call Gordon on 01437 541277 for an informal chat. It can be good fun!

Other news from the County.

Tenby Jazz are very hopeful to resume their ‘dinner jazz’ events shortly

Don’t forget the Aberjazz’s Fishguard Jazz & Blues Festival from 22^nd to 26^th August.

On the airwaves:

BBC Sounds

A new series called ‘The Power of Jazz’ hosted by Jeff Goldblum ( no mean piano player) explores the relationship between jazz and rock, hip-hop, dance and pop.

It reminds me of a series of records in the 60’s called ‘Jazz for people who hate jazz’.

Tune in and enjoy

Best wishes to you all

From the NJ team

Welcome to your May Narberth Jazz Newsletter.

Dear Jazz people,

What a month – I hope you were able to enjoy the sunny weather and multi coloured night skies thanks to the solar storms.  Last month’s April gig with Eddie Gripper trio seems ages ago, and although it was a fascinating evening of tremendous piano playing from the young musicians, there were a number of empty seats in the room.

On the 16^th of May we had a good turnout for the brilliant Welsh guitarist, James Chadwick together with our favourite local hero on tenor sax, Dom Norcross.

There was a small interruption mid-way thru the evening for a small birthday presentation to our ‘President’  Declan,  with Dom providing suitable musical accompaniment!!

For our June Thursday (the 20^th) we present, for your enjoyment, an amazing group of some of the best of UK jazz musicians.

The are the Clark Tracey Quintet featuring this amazing line up:—

Alan Barnes – Alto Sax

Andrew Cleyndert – Bass

David Newton – Piano

Simon Allen – Tenor Sax

All lead by Clark Tracey.

Excitement is building for the Swansea International Jazz Festival next month centered around Sir Karl Jenkins celebrating his origins as sax player and songwriter with Soft Machine. He went on to become a contemporary music composer with many acclaimed pieces to his name. The festival looks to be the strongest ever with lots of free events as well as ticketed concerts. https://www.swanseajazzland.co.uk/ourtickets/cat_1824544-2-SWANSEA-INTERNATIONAL-JAZZ-FESTIVAL-2024.html

So events to look forward to and events to remember.

We are well under way in putting together our FOURTH  Garden Party at Lampeter House.

Which this year will be on July 28^th a Sunday.

Now the usual plea!!

We have 7 local people on our organizing group and we would welcome anything that you could offer to help / support / run Narberth Jazz.

If you have a little spare time please call Gordon on 01437 541277 for an informal chat. It can be good fun!

Best wishes from the NJ team

April Greetings Jazz lovers,

After a cracking couple of gigs with The Charles Mingus group and Dave Jones quintet we carry on with The Eddie Gripper Trio on 11^th April.

Eddie was born in Oxford but moved to Cardiff in 2018 and has since become a valued composer and player in Wales. This young and talented pianist’s debut album has received enthusiastic revues from the jazz press including Jazzwise magazine who said ‘In it’s maturity of approach and deftness of execution, Home is a significant achievement by any standards’ He has been touring all over the UK for the last few months and lands here for us on Thursday 11^th.

Listen here https://eddiegripper.bandcamp.com/album/home

Our May event features a brilliant Welsh guitarist, James Chadwick together with our favourite local hero on tenor sax, Dom Norcross. James is the leader of The J4 quartet who have toured Wales playing the music of the Beatles with a jazz twist. He also performs in a duo format with John Stowall and is involved in education projects and Jazz Explorers (The new name for Jazz Cymru). This will be a great evening’s entertainment.

Listen here https://youtu.be/l8_9oFTDRt8?si=yhF7vzqWxAJUkHJD

We have now produced a flier for the summer programme (Thanks Ben) which shows a very strong line up for the next few months including Clark Tracey and the great Alan Barnes in October.

Tenby Jazz are still homeless so unable to continue with the Jazz Brunches at the moment.

Something different that you might enjoy comes to Letterston hall on  Friday 12th April, a new play about growing up, healing and rock n’ roll. ‘The Band Back Together‘ by Barney Norris tells the story of Joe, Ross and Ellie who used to be in a band and are drawn back together for one night only to play a benefit gig in their home town. The former bandmates find a community reeling from a poisoning and a pandemic.

Will the old songs still work their magic? And just how far has time thrown these friends from their younger selves?

Doors 7pm Show 7.30pm. Adults £12 Children £6.

Have you heard the new Radio3 Jazz programme that goes out 4 nights a week introduced by Soweto Kinch, and if so what do you think of it ?

We have 7 local people on our organizing group and we would welcome anything that you could offer to help / support / run Narberth Jazz.

If you have a little spare time please call Gordon on 01437 541277 for an informal chat. It can be good fun!

Best wishes from the NJ team

March Jazz News

Greetings Jazz lovers,

The February jazz gig proved that jazz in Wales is in the hands of some jolly talented and enthusiastic young people. The Mingus Project was very well received by a full room at The Plas, and their live CD is highly recommended.

Several of your committee members will attend a meeting with music teachers and pupils this week hoping to advance our youth band project. More news on this later.

Our next gig features a quintet of players all of whom have put in the work to be recognised on the national jazz scene as creative masters.

Pianist and composer, Dave Jones leads his fine band with Andy Hague (trumpet doubling flugelhorn), Ben Waghorn (tenor saxophone), Ashley John Long (bass) and Ryan Thrupp (drum kit). We know and enjoy Dave’s original tunes and his recent take on the music of Kenny Garret.  (PICTURE)

“ … a funky bass and drum groove and a punchy, horn driven theme, with trumpet and tenor later diverging to deliver some scintillating horn interplay that mixed fire with subtlety, qualities that Jones also brought to a sparkling piano solo.” – Ian Mann, JazzMann 26/02/2023

Please note that Narberth Jazz will be holding its AGM at The Plas Hotel at this event on the 21st March 2024, at 7pm; before the gig at 8pm and you are welcome to attend and have your say on the running of the charity.

Apparently Tenby Jazz are having trouble with their venue, The Imperial hotel and will be unable to hold a Jazz brunch this month.

Swansea Jazz has moved to a new venue, Cu Mumbles, 7 Castleton Walk Arcade, Newton Rd, Mumbles, Swansea SA3 4AX Their next event features The Dave Jones Quintet on 6^th. March.

Renowned saxophonist and rapper Soweto Kinch is to front a new-look jazz show on BBC Radio 3.

The Birmingham-born musician will host Jazz Now alongside singer Emma Smith and Irish trumpeter Al Ryan every Monday night from 4 April.

It replaces Jazz On 3, which has been running for 18 years. That show’s host, Jez Nelson, will move to Jazz FM.

Kinch said he wanted the new show to “shake up our jazz world with a bit of controversy”.

Its remit is to explore the “vibrant new and underground jazz scene” – broadcasting from car parks and dance music clubs as well as established jazz venues.

Finally a beautiful tribute to Stan Tracy can be found here https://youtu.be/Vnwpzhs6FI8?si=NSi4-_2uiEufJfsm

Have a good launch into spring and we look forward to seeing you soon

Best wishes from the NJ team.

JAN FEB NEWS 2024

New Year greetings to all Narberth Jazz members and friends, we hope it’s going to be a good one with more peace – lots of good music and less war. Yes this old world is in a terrible state, but we can only look after ourselves and each other and hope that our leaders will do what’s right for the world.

The January gig featuring Hot Club Gallois was a resounding success and certainly blew the post-Christmas blues away for all who came. The band just get better every time they play for us and make me aware of how lucky we are to have them here to bring the joy of superbly played Hot Club music to us all. We will try and get them back later in the year.

Turning to preview the future programme is a delight as we have some marvellous music lined up for the next few months. Our next evening features the 8 piece band – The Mingus Project led by bassist Cameron Saint. They play the original music and arrangements and jazz standards created by the legendary jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus. They capture the spirit and energy of Mingus’ music, from his bluesy roots to his avant-garde experiments.

Hailing from Cardiff, the 8 incredible young musicians, all perfecting their art at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with tuition from some of the best Jazz artists in the UK. Each member shares a love for Charles Mingus’ compositions and brings something new to these pieces.

So join us for a night of unforgettable jazz, as The Mingus Project take the stage at the Plas Hotel Narberth, on Thursday 15th February.

Our March event features the pianistic skills of composer Dave Jones who will be familiar to regular attenders.

This time Dave brings his quintet to celebrate his 60^th birthday with two different sets of music.

Firstly a clutch of his own tunes newly arranged for this line up, followed by trumpeter Andy Hague’s recent arrangements of Kenny Garrett tunes. Jones’s current quintet features Andy Hague (doubling flugelhorn), Ben Waghorn (tenor saxophone), Ashley John Long (bass) and Ryan Thrupp (drum kit) the same personnel of their highly acclaimed live album recorded at Pizza Express, London.

Unfortunately Tenby jazz Sunday lunchtime session has been cancelled.

There is more bass action in Fishguard on 3^rd Feb when Thomas Marsh from St Davids, Thomas Marsh is an up and coming bassist and composer, now based in Birmingham.

A couple of other listening opportunities for you are firstly, Danish pianist Soren Bebe who is offering his serene trio music at a bargain price from his website  https://sorenbebe.com/

Norwegian guitarist  Hedvig Mollestad who is known as Oslo’s queen of heavy jazz is worth exploring on YouTube https://youtu.be/ugdendi43ZE?si=xHxrQHkaVvJPtgGH

We hope that you remembered to renew your membership for ‘24, but if not you can do it here Membership Renewal 2024Narberth Jazz

Best wishes to you all

The NJ team