Although only recently formed, this band is made up of four of the UK’s finest Jazz musicians, all of whom have played and recorded extensively throughout the UK and further afield, and who can be seen performing regularly in London’s most famous jazz clubs, both as sidemen and with their own projects.
The band pays tribute to the often overlooked history of saxophone/ Hammond organ combos which, following the hard bop period, gave way to the late sixties rise of “soul jazz” notably bands led by Jimmy Smith, Grant Green, Jack McDuff, Stanley Turrentine and Shirley Scott, to name a few.
You will hear classic, swinging jazz with blues, gospel and RnB influences, with some rarely played tunes from the classic Blue Note and Riverside catalogue.
The project is led by Mark Crooks, a top-tier saxophone player who has performed with artists ranging from Tony Bennett to Sir Simon Rattle, Lady Gaga to Dame Cleo Laine at venues from Ronnie Scotts in London to the Lincoln Center in New York.
Line-up: Mark Crooks (tenor sax), Colin Oxley (guitar), Pete Whittaker (organ), Matt Home (drums).
“…an excellent group featuring the superb saxophone sound of Mark Crooks...the band were in fine swinging form...extremely expressive..”
“Crooks’s tenor rises to the challenge...a performance that strikes a balance between muscle and lyricism.”
“...the quartet is everything you could wish for – swinging, supple and, most importantly, always appropriate. Their mastery of the subtle differences in style is impressive”
Doors 7pm / Music 8.30pm / Tickets £16 / £10 for members
All seating/tables are first come first served.