Re:play Session 1 | CANCELLED
2025-09-11 19:30 - 22:30 (Europe/London) | The Marr’s Bar, 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR1 1TA, United Kingdom
Due to a medical emergency in the band and after exhausting all other options, this gig has unfortunately been cancelled.

Re:play Session 2 | Tom Ford
2025-09-25 19:30 - 22:30
A diverse mix of genres with an emphasis on improvisation and elements paying tribute to The Police, The Smiths, Allan Holdsworth and Milton Nascimento
Our Re:play series, featuring five select bands from our 2022/23 season of Music Spoken Here at the Marr’s Bar, continues with Tom Ford. Tom made his first appearance in September 2022, the third event on our nascent program at the time!
Tom Ford has been a steady member of the UK jazz scene for the past 10 years having regularly performed at Ronnie Scotts, Jazz Cafe, 91 living room and more as well as being a regular sideman for Reuben James, Jas Kayser and Jay Phelps. He has also been welcomed into the US and European jazz scenes respectively touring and recording with Chris ‘daddy’ Dave’s Drumhedz, Keyon Harrold, Pet Eldh’s Projekt Drums amongst others. Outside of jazz he also writes and produces for many people in both the jazz and commercial world, having worked across the world in LA, NY, Europe and Brazil.
His return coincides with a new album “Goodbye Forever”, which he sees as a rebirth creatively and artistically, moving away from his past sound and ideas and transitioning to a new version of his creative self. His music is a diverse mix of genres and influences but with a heavy emphasis on improvisation, even though there are elements paying tribute to The Police, The Smiths, Allan Holdsworth and Milton Nascimento.
Tom will be joined by Christos Stylianides on trumpet, Daisy George on bass (who both appeared with Jas Kayser and Chums in January this year) and Nathan Shingler on drums, along with MC Chase Alex from Chicago.

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 Elle-J Walters Band
2025-09-28 16:30 - 19:30
Captivating, dynamic vocalist and her band exude energy, elegance and soul through the songs of Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Donna Summer and more
After a break over the summer, our Sunday Service is back to bring you the best in soul, gospel, RnB and reggae on the last Sunday of the month. We are getting started with Elle-J Walters and her band, performing soul, disco and groovy classics from Glen McCrae, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Donna Summer – you get the gist!
A regular weekend headliner at The Jam House in Birmingham, Elle-J Walters is a dynamic and multi-talented performer whose voice and presence has captivated audiences across the UK and beyond. Elle-J has supported major touring acts (Alexander O’Neal, Shalamar, The Real Thing, Loose Ends, Aswad and Hot Chocolate), fronts several high-end function bands (City Beat, Total Groove, Detroit Soul Collective) and features with local full jazz orchestras The Crash Collective and Swingshift 10. She was also one of the original cast members of the hit musical show Lost In Music, performing at Hammersmith Apollo and Indigo at O2 in London, Millennium Centre in Cardiff and Symphony Hall in Birmingham.
Elle-J will be performing with a full band featuring Anne Tinsley (sax), Nathaniel Coxon (keys), Steve Sheldon (guitar), Wayne Matthews (bass) and Tash Buxton (drums).

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.

Re:play Session 3 | Robert Castelli & BOOM!
2025-10-09 19:30 - 22:30
Get carried away into the world of Afro-Cuban music, West African rhythms and jazz-rock of the seventies and eighties
We are delighted to have Robert Castelli return with his BOOM UK band for the third show in our Re:Play series featuring five select bands who performed in the first year of Music Spoken Here at The Marr’s Bar.
Hailing from New York, with Italian heritage and now living in Spain, third-generation drummer Robert named his band BOOM inspired by the short-lived 1979’ Trio of Doom’ (John McLaughlin, Tony Williams and Jaco Pastorius). The concept is based on the energy of the music.
Robert explains: “Sometimes you go to a club and there’s a band playing and you hear people talking and glasses clinking. Then you see another band, they are not louder, but all of a sudden, an electricity goes through the room and everybody is quiet. That’s Boom.”
The UK BOOM lineup features Francesco LoCastro on guitar, Marco Marconi on piano and Jonny Wickham on bass. While this will be the second appearance of BOOM on the Music Spokem Here program, it will be the third appearance for both Francesco who brought his own quartet up in May 2023 and Jonny, who appeared with Steve Taylor’s Fusion Phew in May 2024.

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

Re:play Session 4 | Resolution 88
2025-10-23 19:30 - 22:30
Original tunes steeped in 70s jazz-funk of Herbie Hancock featuring lashings of Fender Rhodes
Delighted to welcome Resolution 88 back to The Marr’s Bar for the fourth session in our Re:play series featuring five select bands and artists that played in our 2022/23 season when we were just getting started.
Resolution 88 have established themselves as one of the UK’s leading exponents of funk jazz. Their music fuses the sound of the modern London jazz scene with the inspirational greats of the 70’s such as Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters and the classic Mizell Brothers productions on Blue Note and is synonymous with the beautiful sound of the Fender Rhodes.
The lineup features bandleader Tom O’Grady on keys and sees the return of Tom Smith on sax (Tom was a last minute dep when Tristan Banks played for us in April 2023). The lineup is completed with Tiago Coimbra (bass), Oli Blake (percussion) and Ric Elsworth (drums).

TICKETSMusic 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 Onika Venus
2025-10-26 16:30 - 19:30
A unique vocal style, outstanding musicianship and shades of old school reggae, RnB, pop, and funk
Onika Venus is a singer and songwriter from South Manchester in Jamaica, now based in the Forest of Dean. Introduced to live music at an early in age in her home village of Resource, she quickly learnt that music reaches people in a way that nothing else does. Ever since her first performance, her soulful voice and reggae style has been capturing the hearts of audiences across continents.
With a unique vocal style and outstanding musicianship, Onika now performs her multi-genre music across the UK with her band. Expect to hear shades of old school reggae, RnB, pop, and funk – as well as a few surprises.
A seasoned performer, Onika has worked with the likes of Seanie B from BBC1 Xtra, Tubby T and Miss Dynamite (under the stage name ‘Lady Posh’), and fronted the band Slyde, who were nominated best new act at the Break Beat Awards.
In 2021, Onika released her first solo album ‘Everything You Are’, which has been supported by BBC Upload with regular radio plays. In 2023 she released her second, ‘Midnight Remedy’.

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.

Re:play Session 5 | Rosie Frater-Taylor
2025-11-13 19:30 - 22:30
An electrifying force in contemporary British jazz weaves rock, alt-pop, neo-soul, new-school jazz, and folk into her singular sound
Making her third appearance at The Marr’s Bar, virtuoso guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Rosie Frater-Taylor returns for the final session in our Re:play series featuring artists who performed for us when we were just getting started. Rosie’s trio played the final gig of our first year on 22nd December 2022. She since returned with Steve Taylor’s Fusion Phew in May last year.
Rosie wrote, recorded, produced and released her debut album ‘On My Mind’ in 2018, comprising eight original songs with her playing guitar, ukulele, bass and singing with her dad Steve Taylor on drums. That was followed up by ‘Bloom’ in 2021 that included covers of Stevie Nicks’ Dreams (which has received over 2m streams) and Crazy by Seal.
Her third album ‘Featherweight’, released last year, draws on the legacy of luminaries such as Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny and Steely Dan, while incorporating modern, rock-tinged influences like John Mayer, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Madison Cunningham. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page lauded her exceptional “connection with the guitar” following her performance at the Gibson Garage launch in February last year.
Rosie will be performing in her trio with Jonny Wickham on bass and 2016 Young Drummer of the Year Tom Potter.

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

Allexa Nava
2025-11-27 19:30 - 22:30
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, Perfect Houseplants, 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, Airborn, 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

Check out our ‘Piece Talks video interview with Mark

And here are a couple of videos of Shapeshifter in the studio…

MSH Birthday Bash with Tomorrow's New Quartet
2026-05-28 19:30 - 22:00
We’re celebrating 4 years of Music Spoken Here at The Marr’s Bar with 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.
For this performance the band features Harry Brunt on sax and Pete Komor on electric bass (both from Howl Quartet), with Sam Watts on piano.
“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

Boomslang
2026-09-10 19:30 - 22:30
High-intensity jazz virtuosity with the driving energy of drum & bass, the weight of hard rock, and the sonic edge of electronic production

Boomslang is a UK-based jazz fusion powerhouse pushing the genre into new territory. Led by bassist Kyle Welch, the band fuses high-intensity jazz virtuosity with the driving energy of drum & bass, the weight of hard rock, and the sonic edge of electronic production.
Known for their uniquely interactive live performances, Boomslang thrive on real-time musical conversation — twisting complex harmony, breakneck rhythms and deep grooves into something unpredictable and electrifying, with Nat Evans on EWI adding soaring, otherworldly lead lines that blur the line between human and machine. Joined by Nathan Thomas and Dom Holyoake, Boomslang’s music sits at the crossroads of Tribal Tech’s precision, Chick Corea Electric Band’s fusion legacy and Squarepusher’s boundary-breaking intensity — delivering a sound that’s as technically fearless as it is physically moving.
Boomslang don’t just play jazz fusion; they rewire it.

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

Frederico Heliodoro
2026-09-17 19:30 - 22:30
Progressive modern music from Brazil, combining jazz, electronic music, rock & blues with echoes of Milton Nascimento, Toninho Horta and Beto Guedes
I’m delighted we were able to secure an additional night at The Marr’s Bar, outside our regular fortnightly programme, to accommodate Brazilian multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer and composer Frederico Heliodoro, as he performs just three dates on the UK leg of his current international tour.
Frederico was born in Rio de Janeiro, grew up in Belo Horizonte and spent a few years in São Paulo before returning to Rio, where he currently lives. Celebrating ten years of international touring, Frederico presents a new concert featuring music from his albums The Weight of the News, Máximos Eventos and Gávea Days Compact, alongside recent compositions written in Rio de Janeiro. The new material reflects a growing connection with the city, its atmosphere, its neighbourhoods and its particular sense of mystery, heard in pieces such as Fantasia Carioca and Ciclo do Leme.
Bringing together different moments of his artistic journey, the program moves between older and newer works while maintaining a strong personal voice shaped by years of performing and collaborating with artists such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Milton Nascimento, Louis Cole and Zé Ibarra. Rather than looking back, this concert offers a glimpse of where that journey has arrived today.
Frederico, on lead bass and vocals, will be joined by Birmingham legend Tom Ford on bass, Nathan Shingler on drums and Laurie Milton on keys.

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £18 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Living In Shadows
2026-09-20 16:30 - 19:00
Straddling the line between popular accessibility and the “Quark, strangeness & charm” of progressive rock
Formed by award winning vocalist Zoë Gilby and multi-instrumentalist Andy Champion as a studio project during COVID lockdown, Living in Shadows released their eponymously titled debut album in 2020. In 2024, their follow up album ‘Neon Burning’ on Lamplight Social Records saw a development in their original identity, building confidence in a more progressive sound.
“If you want an album that stops you questioning about which genre of music it fits into and has the prowess to captivate you from a melodic and musical capability point of view, look no further than…this banger of an album.” – The Progmeister
“If you’re looking for something innovative in the cross-over prog area then start here.” – Martin Burns, DPRP
The duo on the recording has been expanded to a five-piece band for their increasingly popular live performances, fronted by Zoë with Andy on bass and synths, Mark Williams on guitar, Ben Lawrence on keyboards and John Bradford on drums.
Doors 4:30pm for 5pm start.

TICKETS
Admission for this event is £12 for Music Spoken Here Club Members and £15 for non-members.
No advance tickets, just turn up and pay on the door, cash or card.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Neil Angilley Trio
2026-09-24 19:30 - 22:00
A spellbinding, uplifting take on infectious rhythms from Brazil and Cuba, incorporating instrumental virtuosity and 3-part vocal harmony
I’m delighted to welcome virtuoso pianist Neil Angilley back to our stage, following his first appearance in 2024 with Steve Taylor’s Fusion Phew and, more recently, with Minas Project in January this year. This time, he brings his own trio featuring Minas Project leader, drummer and vocalist Davide Giovannini and bassist Davide Mantovani.
The Neil Angilley Trio have released five albums since 2007, most recently Live at the 606 Club – the prestigious London jazz venue which holds a special place in Neil’s heart. Their spellbinding live show incorporates instrumental virtuosity and 3-part vocal harmony, which adds a unique dimension to the sound, creating an uplifting take on infectious rhythms from Brazil and Cuba.
As an original member of Grammy Nominated band Down To The Bone, Neil has co-written and played on many of their albums, most recently The Sweetness, which charted at number one in the USA Billboard Charts for Jazz/Funk. Along with Davide Giovannini, he performs with Snowboy and The Latin Section, with other live performance credits including Vanessa-Mae, Maceo Parker, Lionel Richie, Lisa Stansfield and Three Friends (Gentle Giant) and Glastonbury main stage with Dame Shirley Bassey.
Davide Giovannini was on drums when the fantastic 7-piece TRYPL raised the Marr’s Bar roof in January last year, while Davide Mantovani made his Marr’s Bar debut with the Brazilian-infused Tristan Banks Quartet back in 2023. This really is a Latin powerhouse that you won’t want to miss!

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

Klara Devlin Quartet
2026-10-08 19:30 - 22:30
“One of the most amazing and unique new trumpet voices to emerge onto the UK jazz scene…I’ve never been this excited about a young musician” – Tony Kofi
We’re really excited to welcome rising star trumpeter Klara Devlin back to The Marr’s Bar for what will be her third appearance, having made her Worcester debut with the Miranda Radford quartet in February 2025 and returning with the phenomenal 8-piece Ankora a year later. This time she brings her own quartet, featuring Chris Outhwaite (keys), Tom Sheen (bass) and Emmanuel Ampong (drums).
Klara was a 2024 BBC Young Jazz Musician finalist, currently studying jazz at the Royal Academy of Music. She began playing trumpet at five and discovered jazz at eight. Her quartet, formed through Tomorrow’s Warriors, performs her original compositions and arrangements inspired by bebop, blues and free jazz. The Klara Devlin Quartet has appeared across numerous jazz venues and festivals, including The Jazz Café, Jazz In The Round, Pizza Express Soho, JazzLive at the Crypt and performances at the Brick Lane, We Out Here and Brecon Jazz festivals.
In the words of Tony Kofi: “Klara Devlin, remember her name, she is in my opinion one of the most amazing and unique new trumpet voices to emerge onto the UK jazz scene. To coin the famous quote ‘if ya ain’t got it in ya, ya can’t blow it out’. Klara Devlin definitely has it, and definitely blows it out of her horn! I’m about 2-3 jazz generations in front of her and I’ve never been this excited about a young musician, definitely a stylist who’ll be making new waves for the next generation.”

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £17 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Tristan Banks Quartet
2026-10-22 19:30 - 22:30
Blending the vibrant languages of jazz, Latin, and fusion with high-octane virtuosity and musical sensitivity from one of the most sought-after players on the international scene.
We’re delighted to welcome back drummer, composer and proprietor of Brighton’s award-winning Verdict Jazz Club Tristan Banks, following his first appearance with us in April 2023 on the album launch tour for ‘View From Above’, released on Ubuntu Music.
Tristan draws on over 30 years of experience as a sideman for many grammy award winning and multi-platinum selling artists (Roy Ayers, Steve Winwood, Dave Valentin, David Gilmour, Beverley Knight, Hexagonal, Peter King, Lewis Taylor, Guy Barker, Marcos Valle, Liane Carroll, Mike Lindup, Terry Callier, Da Lata, Jim Mullen, Carleen Anderson and Mayra Andrade). Since he was last with us, he has toured globally with Steve Winwood and James Mason.
Mixing influences from jazz, Latin and fusion, the Tristan Banks Quartet features Latin-jazz piano sensation John Crawford and bassist Davide Mantovani. This will be Davide’s fourth appearance, having returned with Minas Project in January 2026 and the Neil Angilley Trio in September and will be making his fifth appearance with Baiana in November. This performance will also feature the UK’s premier jazz flautist Gareth Lockrane.

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £17 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Baiana
2026-11-12 19:30 - 22:30
Brazilian jazz fusion, a vocal style reminiscent of Elza Soares and Gal Costa and a first-class lineup of the UK’s leading jazz musicians
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see this hugely popular band in The West Midlands!
Baiana is the Brazilian influenced project fronted by charismatic vocalist Laura Doyle, who has been winning fans across the country with her unique blend Latin jazz fusion. Singing in both Portuguese and English, Laura evokes a vocal style reminiscent of the great romantic torch singers of the 40s and 50s and the Brazilian greats such as Elza Soares and Gal Costa, singing of lost love and broken hearts.
Described as “The band we are all obsessed about” by 6 Music DJ Deb Grant, Baiana were a hugely popular draw at Love Supreme and Ealing Jazz festival, opened for Brazilian mega star Gilberto Gil on his UK tour, were awarded “Album of the week” on Jazz FM as well as spending and unprecedented 25 weeks collectively on the station’s A-List with three of their breakthrough tracks.
With a first-class line-up of the UK’s leading jazz musicians – Neil Angilley (keys), John Wheatcroft (guitar), Andres Lafone (bass) and Davide Giovannini (drums) – the show will feature songs from their standout self-titled album as well as some of the much-loved jewels from the treasure chest of Brazilian music.
This promises to be an unforgettable night of infectious rhythm, superb musicianship and beautiful song.

TICKETS
Admission for this event is complimentary for Music Spoken Here Club Members.
Non-members are welcome – just show up and pay £18 cash or card on the door.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Stone Cold Hustle
2026-11-26 19:30 - 22:30
Nothing but the heaviest funk grooves for the singular purpose of bringing people together and making them dance

Formed on the frontline of Bristol’s renowned jam scene, Stone Cold Hustle are emerging as one of the UK’s most dynamic and engaging funk bands. They play nothing but the heaviest funk grooves for the singular purpose of bringing people together and making them dance.
Whether tearing up the Peace stage at Glastonbury Festival, packing out a sweaty bar in the heart of the city, or sharing bills with funk legend Fred Wesley, Stone Cold Hustle perform every gig like it’s their last. Rooted in classic funk, their sound lands between bands like Lettuce, Vulfpeck, The New Mastersounds, and The Greyboy Allstars and they’ve already graced the stage at such well-respected London establishments as South London Soul Train and Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho.
The band features Andrew Hayes (sax), Jacob Houghton* (guitar), Martin Mexme (guitar), Max Killing (bass), Jim Davies (congas) and Cam Macdougall* (drums).
*You may remember Jacob and Cam from King Heron, who played for us in November 2024. Cam has also appeared with Slinky Machine, in March the same year.

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
