Music Spoken Here

Allexa Nava
2025-11-27 19:30 - 22:30 (Europe/London) | The Marr’s Bar, 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR1 1TA, United Kingdom
Fiery saxophonist, flautist and composer from Peru making her mark on the UK scene
I first saw London-based Peruvian saxophonist, flautist and composer Allexa Nava when she performed with the all-female Latin band Colectiva at the Brick Lane Jazz Festival in 2024. She has since been forging her solo career with the release of her debut EP ‘No Language’ in February this year, appearing on the Future Jazz Showcase program at The Jazz Cafe in London in April and plenty of other live performances in the UK and abroad. She has also been a fixture performing in the band for the “Paradise Under The Stars” Cuban experience show in London and is a regular performing and recording buddy of the young trumpeter Poppy Daniels.
Allexa will be performing with her quartet featuring Emile Hinton on keys, Jai Patel on trombone and Cassius Cobbson on drums.

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here is proud to offer exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are ticketless, just show up on the night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Sunday Service with Czafari.
2025-11-30 16:30 - 19:00
West Midlands alternative R&B singer-songwriter brings storytelling to life through evocative music influenced by Lianne La Havas, Lily Allen and Eryka Badu
Czafari. is an alternative R&B singer-songwriter from the West Midlands who brings storytelling to life through her evocative music. “Songwriting is a way for me to release the thoughts in my head while exploring the nuances of my voice,” she shares. Influenced by a diverse range of artists, including Lianne La Havas, Lily Allen, and Erykah Badu, Czafari. blends soulful melodies with a distinctive, eclectic style that sets her apart.
At just 17, Czafari. debuted her first EP, Human Legitimation, on SoundCloud. The electronic R&B project delved into themes of love, identity, and social dynamics, showcasing her talent for introspection and lyrical depth. A performer since the age of four, she honed her craft through local singing competitions and talent shows, cementing her passion for connecting with audiences.
Since releasing Human Legitimation in 2016, Czafari. has gained recognition with airplay on BBC Introducing West Midlands and BBC Radio 1Xtra. Her live performances have taken her across the UK, including opening for Detroit-based multi-instrumentalist JMSN. With a sound that resonates deeply and a voice that captivates, Czafari. continues to carve out her space in the world of alternative R&B.

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here is proud to offer exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our events at The Marr’s Bar are ticketless, just show up on the evening and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £12.

Eddie Parker's Airborn
2025-12-11 19:30 - 22:00
Original music ranging from mysterious further reaches of tonality to funky grooves and beautiful ballads, with influences from Schoenberg to Santana
Airborn began life as “a posh covers band”, playing music by Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, John McLaughlin and Keith Jarrett. Pretty soon, former Loose Tubes flautist Eddie Parker began to write original music for the combination and the Airborn Suite emerged. The music ranges from the mysterious further reaches of tonality to funky grooves to beautiful ballads, with influences from Schoenberg to Santana.
The band features former Music Spoken Here featured artist Rob Luft on guitar, Dave Manington on bass and Jay Davis on drums.

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here is proud to offer exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are ticketless, just show up on the night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Davide Giovannini's Minas Project
2026-01-08 19:30 - 22:00
High energy, original Brazilian jazz in a tribute to Minas Gerais, the home of Toninho Horta, Milton Nascimento, Beto Guedes and Lo Borges

We are really excited to be kicking off 2026 with this delightful musical journey to the south-east Brazilian state of Minas Gerais from drummer, vocalist and composer Davide Giovannini, returning to The Marr’s Bar with his own band after performing to a full house with TRYPL in January 2025.
Giovannini has worked with artists including Steve Winwood, Lisa Stansfield, Paul McCartney, Björk and Roy Ayers, but it was his time in Brazil with guitarist Toninho Horta that inspired the Minas Project – a collection of original compositions that reflect the spirit of Minas’ music, with beautiful melodies that float on a rich harmonic bed, spiced up by dynamic solos that enrich the tunes with fire and emotions.
The all-star lineup also sees the return to the Music Spoken Here stage for saxophonist Paul Booth (appeared with TRYPL in 2025 and HOOP in 2024), pianist Neil Angilley (Steve Taylor’s Fusion Phew, 2024) and bassist Davide Mantovani (Tristan Banks Quartet, 2023). Completing the lineup and appearing for the first time with us is guitarist Guille Hill.

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Detroitwich Funk Machine
2026-01-22 07:30 - 22:00
The music of James Brown, Tower of Power, Herbie Hancock, The Brecker Brothers, Blood Sweat and Tears, Kenny Garrett and more brought to life by an amazing 9-piece local band

Co-led by Droitwich-based Californian bassist Tom Clarke-Hill and saxophonist Andy Shillingford from Stourbridge, Detroitwich Funk Machine have raided the archives of 70s and 80s funk, jazz-funk and fusion to deliver an outstanding and entertaining show featuring the music of James Brown, Tower of Power, Herbie Hancock, The Brecker Brothers, Blood Sweat and Tears, Kenny Garrett, Mike Stern and many more.
Tom Clarke-Hill features on vocals, bass and entertaining banter while Andy Shillingford heads up the top-shelf West Midlands horn section that sees the return of saxophonist Chris Bowden and trombonist Dave Sear who both appeared in April 2025 (Chris with his Hypnos Files band and Dave with The Boom Yeh), along with saxophonist Pelham Wood and trumpeter Alex Astbury (of the Digbeth Jazz team). On the polyphonics are Tom Morgan (guitar) and Arran Shanghavi (keys), with Andy Brotherton completing the lineup on drums.
If you enjoyed Hoop (Nov 2023), FNUK (Jan 2024), Steve Taylor’s Fusion Phew (May 2024), Impossible Conversations (Feb 2025) or The Boom Yeh (Apr 2025), you are going to love Detroitwich Funk Machine!

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Ankora
2026-02-12 19:30 - 22:00
8-piece ensemble featuring the future stars of British jazz

Eight ambitious young musicians that met through Tomorrow’s Warriors – a London-based artist development organisation – were selected to perform as the Tomorrow’s Warriors Frontline ensemble, under the direction and tutelage of drummer, composer and educator Romarna Campbell.
Ankora is the exciting new step the ensemble are taking to launch into the London jazz scene. The name is derived from the Latin word for ‘anchor’ (anchora): a symbol of groundedness, hope and a connection to roots. These connotations are expressed through their repertoire of both originals and covers of powerful jazz tunes. The name links to an alternative meaning in Italian, ‘again’, marking the momentum of their rebirth as they continue their musical and artistic journey.
The band, whose average age is just 20, features 2024 BBC Young Jazz Musician finalist Klara Devlin on trumpet and drummer Miranda Radford, who both appeared on our stage when Miranda brought her quartet up in February 2025. Mali Sheard (sax), Keira Chakraborty (flute), Hannah Clifton (trumpet), Tami Adebanjo (guitar) Kezia Abouma (piano) and Holly Reinhardt (bass) complete the line-up of exceptional young players at the start of promising careers in the British jazz scene.
The band’s influences include the legacies of Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson and Wayne Shorter, while branching out to the more contemporary mastery of Esperanza Spalding, Geri Allen, Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts and Kenny Kirkland. The ensemble takes inspiration from the spark and power of these jazz legends, compositionally and in their playing.
Collectively, the members of ‘Ankora’ have already made their mark on the jazz scene through performances at venues such as Love Supreme Jazz Festival, We Out Here, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Dizzy’s Jazz Club (NYC), The Vortex, Brick Lane Jazz Festival and The Jazz Café. Ready for more, the unique, powerful voice of the ensemble is excited to embrace the wonder and diversity of today’s jazz scene.

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Abacus
2026-02-26 19:30 - 22:00
Four-horn fronted sextet of familiar faces on the Birmingham scene combining concepts from small group to big band jazz.
ABACUS is a project run by Birmingham based Saxophonist, Composer and Improvisor Liam Brennan. Formed in 2022, the project concept was heavily influenced by Omer Avital’s Asking No Permission which featured a 4-horn frontline. The music aims to combine concepts from both the Jazz small group tradition as well as the Big Band lineage. It features some of the most exciting improvisors from Birmingham and London.
The band fuses influences from composers such as John Hollenbeck, John Taylor and Oliver Nelson, also incorporating techniques from Scandinavian folk music and contemporary classical composition. Liam is currently studying a masters in composition and improvisation, and is currently based in Oslo, Norway. Their debut album will be released in early 2026, which is a live recording from a performance in Birmingham in 2023.
The sextet are Liam Brennan and James Romaine (alto sax), James Borland (trumpet), Simeon May (tenor sax/bass clarinet), Josh Vadiveloo (bass) and Kai Chareunsy (drums).

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Sungrass
2026-03-12 19:30 - 22:00
Trumpet led explorations through a rich world of soulful hooks and improvisation leaning into gospel, fusion and soul

Box fresh Bristol and London based 4-piece Sungrass are ready to cook up a storm with their first appearance in Worcester. Drawing inspiration from the melodic sensibilities of contemporary jazz artists such as The RH Factor, Pat Metheny and Butcher Brown, their original music also leans into influences from Gospel, Fusion, and Soul. At times sincere and heartfelt, at others blistering with energy, this group is not one to miss.
The band released their debut single “Intention” in November 2025 with an EP due out this year. The lineup includes Matthew Hill on trumpet, who appeared on our program in March 2023 with Laimu, Lucian McCauley on keys, Ollie Hatch on bass and George Milnes on drums. As a new band they have already played gigs in Bristol, Bath and London, and individually are involved in various other projects that have performed at Forwards Festival, Trinity Centre, Bristol Beacon, 91 Living Room, 606 club, Jazz Cafe, Ronnie Scott’s and EFG London Jazz Festival.

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Romarna Campbell Trio
2026-03-26 19:30 - 22:30
Jazz and hip-hop infused consciousness from an astoundingly creative drummer and her trio
Romarna Campbell is an irrepressible force for good in music and in life. An Olivier Award-winning composer, drummer, and music educator, Romarna hails from Birmingham and is now based in London. Known for her dynamic artistry, she has toured globally with acts like Fever Ray, Benjamin Clementine, and Courtney Pine, gracing stages such as the Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House.
In 2020 she self-released “25 Songs For My 25th Birthday” which she co-wrote, co-arranged, and co-performed with Soweto Kinch, Tomeka Reid, Sumi Tonooka, and Lady Sanity, among others. Her single “Inherently Political” is a super-charged sonic assault on racism, released in the same year.
A Berklee College of Music alumna and mentor, Romarna is deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians. Mentored herself by Dr. Gary Crosby OBE, Terri Lyne Carrington, Neal Smith, and Billy Kilson, she now leads the Tomorrow’s Warriors Frontline Ensemble and has worked with the Ladywood-based Notebenders.
Romarna’s mission is to create music that reflects our current reality with artistic integrity, inspiring the next generation, especially those from diverse socioeconomic, racial, and gender backgrounds, to find opportunities and solutions to follow a similar path.
Her trio for this performance features Mutale Chashi (bass) and Andy Bunting (keys).

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Philip Clouts Quartet
2026-04-09 19:30 - 22:30
Original music rooted in South Africa, soaking up joyful calypso, bluesy middle-eastern praise songs, exuberant Cuban dance and tuneful gospel while honouring jazz heroes
Cape Town-born pianist/composer Philip Clouts’ South African roots have inspired a voyage of discovery that has led to him soaking up the joyful passion of Caribbean calypso, the bluesy melodies of middle eastern praise songs, the exuberant sway of Cuban dance music and the tuneful essence of Gospel while honouring jazz heroes including Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and Charles Lloyd.
As a key member of the popular London-based world jazz ensemble Zubop and its offshoot ZubopGambia, with BBC World Music award-winner Juldeh Camara, Clouts created a solid body of work with African roots and since moving to Dorset in 2006 he has responded to his new surroundings with impressionistic compositions that complement his world music interests, resonating with strong themes and packing a mighty rhythmical punch.
The latest CD from the Philip Clouts Quartet is one of the first wave of releases on the jazz imprint from prestigious label Odradek Records. On this album, entitled Umoya (named from the Zulu word for life force), Clouts’ African inspirations extend beyond Cape jazz to Gnawa music and Afrobeat, and further to pan-European folksong and soul-jazz. Joined by rising star saxophonist Samuel Eagles, bassist Marcus Penrose and drummer Ted Carrasco, he brings his musical journey alive with superb musicianship and infectious vigour.

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Poppy Daniels
2026-04-23 19:30 - 22:30
‘Go-to’ trumpet player on the London scene brings her own music blending London roots with jazz, latin and hip-hop.
Londoner Poppy Daniels has become an integral part of the UK jazz scene, and ‘go-to’ trumpet player for the likes of Blue Lab Beats, Daniel Casimir, Celeste, Jordan Rakei, Arlo Parks, Hak Baker and more, at world renowned venues at home and abroad.
After an extensive career thus far, Poppy is now focusing on her own music, blending her London roots with jazz, latin and hip hop influences. In 2025 she released her debut EP ‘Keep On Going’, on the progressive Jazz Re:freshed label. The EP was co-written with bassist Alley Lloyd (Colectiva, Fleur East, Poppy Ajudha, Yasmin Lacey) and features Allexa Nava, who played for us in November.
Poppy will be performing with her band featuring Eddie Lee (keys), Kian Cardenas (guitar), Patrick Hand (bass) and Lox (drums).

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Shapeshifter Trio
2026-05-14 19:30 - 22:00
A new trio featuring three very special creative voices of the UK scene
Saxophonist, clarinetist and composer Mark Lockheart (Loose Tubes, Polar Bear) brings his new project Shapeshifter to Worcester, featuring Huw V Williams (Di-Cysgodion, George Crowley, Laura Jurd) on bass and Jay Davis (Alex Hitchcock, Laura Jurd, Rob Luft) on drums.
This new trio creates a unique sonic experience, shifting moment to moment, gracefully and spontaneously stitching together sound landscapes and grooves. The three members share the writing credits alongside a few carefully chosen works by Bill Frisell, Joe Henderson and Paul Motion.
Taking the exploratory spirit of groups like Polar Bear and Malija, the band move together through a common language of jazz, rock, classical and free improvisation exploring dark textures and dramatic musical shifts as they revel in the unexpected.

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Tomorrow's New Quartet
2026-05-28 19:30 - 22:00
One of the most exciting jazz bands emerging from the British scene

Tomorrow’s New Quartet is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting jazz bands emerging from the British scene. Taking inspiration from Chick Corea’s ‘Return To Forever’ and Keith Jarrett’s ‘European Quartet’, Tomorrow’s New Quartet has been thrilling audiences all over the country with its engaging brand of modern jazz.
Led by drummer / composer Rod Oughton, the band released its debut album ‘All Together, Now!’ on the Ubuntu Music label in 2022. Following a successful launch tour, which culminated in a sold-out show at Pizza Express Dean Street, the album was named ‘Editor’s Choice’ by Jazzwise Magazine, and dubbed ‘very fresh’ by Jumoké Fashola on BBC Radio 3.
The band features several young heavyweights from the next generation of British jazz, namely Tom Smith on Sax, Sam Watts on piano and for this performance, Pete Komor on electric bass.
“A terrific performance from a hugely talented quartet” The Jazz Mann
“A quartet for today as well as tomorrow” Jazzwise

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

V6 Organ Trio
2026-06-11 19:30 - 22:30
Hot, fiery, swingin’ and groovin’ organ trio from The Midlands
Following his debut appearance at The Marr’s Bar with Detroitwich Funk Machine in January, Arran Shanghavi returns on Hammond Organ with the hot, fiery, swingin’ and groovin’ V6 Organ Trio – a new collaboration with guitarist Jamie McLeish and Jono Hilliam on drums.
Shanghavi brings the bluesy, funky style we all know and love! McLeish, with ‘the finest ear in The Midlands’, adds harmonic and melodic richness while Hilliam, with his big band background, adds a huge sound and exciting energy into the small ensemble setup.
Expect to hear tunes you know, tunes you don’t and some you never thought you’d hear in this setting!

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Alex Hitchcock Quartet
2026-06-25 19:30 - 22:30
“Tumbling with ideas, impulsive improvisations and swinging, left-field energy” – MOJO Magazine
We are delighted to welcome Alex Hitchcock back to the Marr’s Bar for the third time on our program. He first appeared with Resolution 88 in November 2022 and, as a mentor for Dan Lockheart on the Jazz Central Mentoring Scheme, he performed with Dan’s quintet in September the following year. This time, following sold-out album launches in New York and London, he’s back with his own cutting edge quartet performing music from his new album, Letters From Afar, a sonic correspondence across emotional, geographic, and artistic distances.
Described as “leading the charge of new jazz music being created in the UK” (BBC Jazz World), “an astonishingly quick thinking virtuoso” (Jazzwise magazine) and “tumbling with ideas, impulsive improvisations and swinging, left-field energy” (MOJO Magazine), saxophonist and Ivor Novello-nominated composer Hitchcock is a leading voice on the international jazz stage. Emerging from London’s fertile jazz scene and shaped by inventive collaborations across Europe, the US, and further afield, he has built an international reputation for music that balances real-world urgency with formal and stylistic exploration.
The group’s sound draws as much from film and visual art as from music itself: shimmering bitonal harmonies that bloom and fracture; layered textures of colour, density, and rhythmic asymmetry; loops and motifs that build, collide, and dissolve. Hitchcock has carved out a distinctive space in contemporary jazz – at times intense and chaotic, at others disarmingly sparse and direct. Beneath the surface of the quartet’s notated forms lies a deep commitment to free improvisation, creating music both tightly sculpted and thrillingly fluid.
This is music for curious, open-minded listeners drawn to art at the edge of beauty and disruption. Fans of Caroline Davis, Tyshawn Sorey, or Peter Evans will find familiar terrain, though this is a group never content to stay in one place for long.
The quartet features Will Barry on piano, Freddie Jensen on bass Ananda Brandão on drums.

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £15 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach
