Corrie Dick
2023-11-02 20:00 - 23:00 (Europe/London) | The Marr’s Bar, 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR1 1TA, United Kingdom
Corrie Dick is at the rhythmic epicentre of a new era of innovative British jazz. Don’t miss this performance with his Sun Swells sextet
As a multi-instrumentalist who has recorded on piano, vocals, synth, guitar and trumpet, Corrie Dick’s writing is uniquely colourful and his playing shaped by many perspectives. The new album Sun Swells showcases all of this. Anchored by a rock guitar trio but with layers of fruity surprises, surging vocal melodies are counterpointed by mercurial horn playing.
He is lauded for his dynamism, his melodic slant and for his playfully subversive take on style and genre. An artist of prolific and varied output, Corrie has long been an essential component of Laura Jurd’s music including Mercury Prize shortlisted Dinosaur. He is a crucial co-pilot in Elliot Galvin Trio and Rob Luft Group and co-writes music with an abundance of artists including alternative Indie band Ink Line. He has studied the traditional and modern music of Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Benin and DR Congo alongside his prodigious creative companion, guitarist Rob Luft. Corrie is an original, open-minded, questing talent who is expanding the parameters of what it means to be a drummer.
His 2015 release Impossible Things, which skilfully fused Celtic folk and contemporary jazz with new takes on African rhythms culminated in sold out touring and concerts across the UK. Now Corrie resets for an album which further embraces the eclectic whims of a child of the iPod shuffle generation – finding cohesion among disparate elements.
For this show, Corrie is joined by Caius Williams (bass), Huw Warren (piano), James Kitchman (guitar), Joe Wright (sax) and Rebecka Edlund (vocals)
Line-up may be subject to change.

This is a ticket-free, “Pay What You Can” event. Just add this event to your calendar, show up on the night and pay what you can afford (£5 minimum, cash or card) on the door. Click here for more information on how we are cutting our costs and making exceptional live music affordable to all in Worcester.

Hoop
2023-11-30 20:00 - 23:00
Brassy, funky, groovy jazz juice for your soul from a 7-piece collaboration oozing talent with every beat!
Saxophonist, composer and producer Paul Booth (Steely Dan, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, Incognito, Jamiroquai, Gregory Porter, Chaka Khan) embarked on the project ‘Secret Sessions’ as an outlet for new music that is created, played and ultimately recorded by grouping like-minded artists and friends together. It works like this… Paul carefully selects highly talented musicians who turn up to the recording studio, only knowing the instrumentation of the music but not knowing who they will be playing with. The result is a dynamic cocktail of spontaneous, exciting and highly rewarding music.
Hoop emerged from the second of these sessions in 2019 with an incredible line-up! In the ‘engine room’ we have Ian Thomas (Seal, Steve Winwood, Incognito, Georgie Fame, Sting, Amy Winehouse, Mark Knopfler, Jim Mullen, ) on drums and Laurence Cottle (Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, Seal, Jason Rebello, Jim Mullen, James Taylor Quartet) on bass.
The horn section puts Booth alongside Ryan Quigley (Quincy Jones, Aretha Franklin, George Michael, Vince Mendoza, Kurt Elling) on trumpet and Nichol Thomson (Incognito, Tina Turner, Paloma Faith, Omar, Beverly Knight, Brand New Heavies, Jamie Callum) on trombone.
Chris Allard (Tim Garland, John Helliwell, Dave O’Higgins, Dame Cleo Laine, Sir John Dankworth, Carleen Anderson, Claire Martin, Jamie Cullum) on guitar and Ross Stanley (Jim Mullen Organ Trio, Will Vinson, Dennis Rollins, Guy Barker, Michael Janisch, Liane Carroll, Stan Sulzman, Clark Tracey) on keys rounds out this incredible band.
This is a ticket-free, “Pay What You Can” event. Just add this event to your calendar, show up on the night and pay what you can afford (£5 minimum, cash or card) on the door. Click here for more information on how we are cutting our costs and making exceptional live music affordable to all in Worcester.

Reed Bass Live
2023-12-14 20:00 - 23:00
In-demand Birmingham bassist brings his band playing original creations and 21st Century re-working of Jazz, Soul and Reggae classics
Born and raised in Birmingham, UK, Reed is one of the most versatile and charismatic musicians to come out of the city in recent years. In 1998, Reed graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire, earning a first-class Bachelors of Music degree, graduating with honours. Since then he has performed, recorded and programmed for many artists including Wiley, Soweto Kinch, Mis-teeq, Busted, Lighthouse Family, Heatwave, Musical Youth, Gabbidon (ex Steel Pulse), Lady Leshurr, The Drifters, Andy Hamilton and Relley C (X-Factor 2015), Sasha Simone (The Voice 2014), Hannah Barrett (X-Factor 2014), Adina Howard and Omar to name a few.
Outside of his duties as a session musician, Reed leads his own band, playing a mix of both original compositions and 21st Century re-working of Jazz, Soul and Reggae standards, fusing the ‘old skool’ with the new, weaving an intoxicating blend of harmony, rhythm and melody to create an electrifying aural experience. With a wide range of influences, his music has been described as a fusion of the grew up listening to (Gospel, Funk, Reggae and Soul) with the generous portion of current urban music (Hip Hop, R&B, Dancehall, Grime) served on a bed of Jazz. Over the last 5 years they have become a a regular fixture on the Birmingham live music scene and have performed at Mostly Jazz Festival, Birmingham Jazz Festival and Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
Reed is joined by Leon Small (drums), Sam Rogers (sax), Reuben Reynolds (guitar) and Faisal Ahmed (keys)

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering 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 £10-15.
All contributions for this event will be donated to Alzheimer’s Society, as a tribute to Music Spoken Here instigator Dave Fuller’s dad, who passed the day after our last show of 2022.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Check out this video of their performance in July, when they opened for Law of Three.

FNUK ft. Jason Rebello, Paul & Jeremy Stacey
2024-01-11 20:00 - 23:00
All-star line-up of friends playing their favourite fusion from Metheny, Holdsworth, Weather Report and more!
We are totally stoked to welcome this incredible band with some big names in the line-up to Worcester to play one of their rare gigs for us at The Marrs Bar!
FNUK evolved out of the Bournemouth jazz scene in the late 2000s and the band aims to perform three or four gigs a year, taking on challenging music that the members have fun preparing and playing. In this gig the group go back to their musical roots to perform an evening of classic jazz fusion as well as some contemporary compositions. Expect renditions of Metheny, Holdsworth, Weather Report and the like, but take a look at this incredible line-up!

TICKETS
CURRENT REGISTRATIONS:

40% of capacity
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are operated on a ticketless, ‘pay-what-you-can’ on the door model, which works well for most shows considering our typical audience size and venue capacity.
The suggested contribution for this event is £15-20.
For more popular shows like this where we may reach venue capacity, it is important that we monitor expected attendance to ensure the venue is adequately staffed and avoid turning people away at the door. We therefore request that you register interest in attending this event and we will provide regular updates by email. We will also provide updates through this event webpage, our standard mailing list and all our social media channels.
Music Spoken Here Club Members will be given priority if spaces become limited. You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Classically trained but inspired by Herbie Hancock, Jason Rebello released his debut album A Clearer View in 1990, produced by Wayne Shorter. He went on to release three more solo albums collaborating with Jocelyn Brown, Tony Remy, Cleveland Watkiss, Joy Rose and Maxi Jazz among many others. Following the untimely death of piano legend Kenny Kirkland, who was playing in Sting’s band since Dream of the Blue Turtles, Sting invited Jason to take his seat with the band in 1998, going on to record three albums and tour with Sting, including the live recorded All This Time concert at Sting’s home in Tuscany on the night of September 11, 2001. Sting introduced Jason to guitar legend Jeff Beck, who was looking for a keyboard player to follow Jan Hammer. Jason was recruited and toured with Jeff Beck for 6 years. In 2013 Jason released Anything But Look featuring Omar, Will Downing, Jacob Collier, Joy Rose, Pino Palladino, Troy Miller, Paul Stacey, Jeremy Stacey, Miles Bould, George Rebello and Xantone Black. His solo piano CD Held on Edition Records won best new CD in the 2016 British Jazz Awards. More recent projects include Duology last year with long-time friend and collaborator saxophonist Tim Garland.
Jeremy Stacey started learning piano at an early age but later switched to drums, playing the London jazz clubs by night while studying acting. He played drums on a number of Jason’s albums, was a member of The Lemon Trees with Guy Chambers, worked extensively with Sheryl Crow and was a member of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. He joined King Crimson in 2016 on drums, keyboards and backing vocals and toured most recently with them on Japan last year. Jeremy’s versatility has kept him busy throughout, working with well-known and varied artists including Neil Diamond, Tal Wilkenfeld, Steven Wilson, Madeleine Peyroux, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Wendy & Lisa, Amy Winehouse, Tina Turner, Tori Amos, Eagle Eye Cherry, Nene Cherry, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Waterboys, World Party, Aztec Camera, Gerard Presencer, Laurence Cottle, Tim Garland and Kenny Wheeler – believe me the list is much longer!
Paul Stacey is Jeremy’s twin brother – a guitarist, producer and actor. Like his brother he started learning piano and later switched to guitar. Equally as versatile, Paul has worked extensively with Oasis and Noel Gallagher, Black Crowes, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Madonna, Omar, Jamie Cullum, KT Tunstall, Beverly Knight, Eddie Reader, Elkie Brookes, Swing Out Sister, Robbie Williams, Brian McFadden, Wayne Krantz, Dave Binney, Jamie Murray, Laurence Cottle, David Preston, Jason Rebello, Pino Palladino, Tommy Smith, Mornington Locket, Mark Fletcher, Gary Husband, Rob Malarkey, Clare Martin, Georie Fame, Ian Shaw, Steve Topping, Iain Ballamy, Jim Mullen, Bobby Wellins and Kenny Wheeler. As an actor he has appeared in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sliding Doors, Macbeth at the Royal National Theatre, A Family Affair with Cheek by Jowl, Inspector Morse, Mysterioso and Men Behaving Badly.
Pete Case is a Bournemouth-based musician who began playing piano at the age of four. He befriended and played with Jeremy and Paul Stacey when they were teenagers and they all linked up with bassist Pat Davey many years ago to work in a band called Zen. In the mid-1980s Pete had a three-year spell working as a professional musician in London before completing his PhD and pursuing a career in the academic world (he currently leads research teams in the field of applied global health and has professorships at universities in Bristol, North Queensland and Singapore). Paul, Jeremy and Pete also met a teenage Jason Rebello and they became lifelong friends. Similarly, Pete met a teenage Tim Fulker when they both played in the Taverners’ Big Band, again in the 1980s. Pat, Tim and Pete formed FNUK in late 2000s and have been performing with the band since then.
Pat Davey has played bass guitar for over 45 years, covering many genres and touring in the UK and worldwide with various artists. In his early days he worked with The Tom Robinson Band and performed in The Blues Brothers in The West End. More recently he has been touring with Paul Young, Jim Cregan, Kenney Jones & Robert Hart and Terry Reid. Other artists he’s worked with include Rumer, Mike Rutherford, Rod Stewart & Ronnie Wood, Midge Ure, Jim Mullen, Mornington Lockett, Zoot Money and Mo Pleasure & The HHH Horns. Pat was also Musical Supervisor/MD for All Or Nothing The Musical about the life and times of ‘60s iconic band The Small Faces.
Tim Fulker is originally from Bournemouth and learned to play piano and violin from an early age, before taking up the clarinet aged 10. This led to a natural progression on to the saxophone at 17. After studying Music at London University, Tim went on to form the award-winning street jazz band Street Level, playing, amongst other venues, Cannes Film Festival, Edinburgh Fringe and London’s Waldorf Hotel. After a brief stay in London, where he recorded with Paul Hardcastle, Tony Hadley, and Dominic Miller, Tim moved to Ireland where he became part of the Cork music scene, getting to perform regularly at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. Highlights include playing with Louis Stewart and Spike Robinson. In 1998, Tim embarked on a 15-year sea voyage, spending many years as Musical Director on the QE2 liner, where he wrote and performed many arrangements for stars of Broadway and West End Musicals. Returning to terra firma, he joined Bournemouth “funksters” Groovemeister, whilst also touring Europe as lead alto sax with the Vegas based Definitive Rat Pack. Tim has also gigged with Sax Appeal. A founder member of FNUK, he considers this current project as his musical peak.
This is a rare opportunity to see these exceptional musicians play together up close and personal in a proper old-school music venue.

Eddie Gripper Trio
2024-01-25 20:00 - 23:00
Thoughtful compositions and minimalist improvisation from an exceptional 22 year old pianist emerging on the British jazz scene
Hailing from Oxford and now based in Cardiff, pianist, composer and educator Eddie Gripper released his debut album “Home” on the prestigious Ubuntu Records label in March 2023. Delightfully minimalist improvisation brings to life the stories behind each of his thoughtful compositions. He has worked as a performer, promoter and producer alongside top musicians on the UK jazz scene including Huw Warren, Iain Ballamy, Laura Hurd, Alex Merritt, Yuri Golubev, Eric Ford, Kevin Glasgow and John Parricelli – quite a CV for such a young man.
“A remarkably mature-sounding trio album from a pianist who is still only 22….Richly atmospheric” – London Jazz News
“In its maturity of approach and deftness of execution, Home is a significant achievement by any standards” – Jazzwise Magazine
“Gripper is a multi-faceted writer and his compositions are full of delightful and unexpected twists and turns” – The Jazz Mann
Eddie’s trio is completed with Ursula Harrison on bass and Patrick Barrett-Donlon on drums.
Doors 8PM. Show starts 8:30PM

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering 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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

The Plague Doctors Cure All
2024-02-08 20:00 - 23:00
Guttural bass lines, skronking sax, freeform guitar riffs and tribal drums, improvised jazzmetal never sounded so dangerous, healthy, fresh and essential

Certainly one of the most positive things to come out of those peculiar pandemic years, The Plague Doctors Cure All was formed in 2021 by Welsh-based saxophonist and local music community champion Lyndon Owen. Their music eschews classification, taking from rock, metal, funk, gothic and jazz in a fully improvised set that will drag you in from the start and kick the hell out of any musical preconceptions you may have, with relentless energy, sounds and theatrical visuals rarely presented to a jazz audience.
Owen delivers an expressive palette of sounds on tenor and soprano sax and Electronic Wind Instrument (EWI). Distinctive Worcester bass virtuoso and proper gent Liam Lee-Hynes throws himself with irrepressible energy into the entire performance, with Will Cass spilling ‘Frippish’ guitar all over the place as Andy Goodall pulls it all back and forth between funky grooves, lyrical solos and solid thrashing on the drums.
“This is a band with the potential to reach out beyond the usual jazz and improv demographic … although an improvising group the music of the Plague Doctors has a power and immediacy that should also appeal to adventurous rock listeners.” (The Jazz Mann)
Come down to have all your ailments cured in an evening of spectacularly original music!
Doors 8PM, Show starts 8:30PM

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering 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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

David Preston Mµ Trio
2024-02-22 20:00 - 23:00
Unpretentious, lyrical music from a superb, modern jazz guitarist that will appeal beyond the jazz audience.
Back in February 2023, we had the ‘Lowe-r’ third of the Preston-Glasgow-Lowe trio, drummer Laurie Lowe come and play for us with Yolanda Charles’ Project PH. This year we’re delighted to present the ‘front third’, co-leader and guitarist David Preston, with his new trio.
With over 150 concerts throughout the UK, Europe and Japan and two albums on the Whirlwind label under his belt with PGL, Preston has also been a sideman to top drummer Jeremy Stacey (King Crimson, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Steven Wilson, Tal Wilkenfeld, and FNUK, who performed for us in January). In 2023, Preston could also be found playing in several of Emma Rawicz’s line-ups, including ‘Inchyra’, which I caught at the 2023 Brick Lane Jazz Festival, and with internationally celebrated piano and drum virtuoso Gary Husband.
He has performed/toured/recorded with many US artists such as Grammy-Winning US jazz vocalists Melody Gardot, Curtis Stigers, Jesse Harris, and notable US based musicians Sy Smith, David Binney, Ingrid Jensen, Charnett Moffett, Patrick Cornelius and Tim Armacost.
This show will feature material from the Purple / Black album alongside some brand new material. Preston is joined by Joel Barford on drums and Conor Chaplin on bass.
Doors 8PM, Show starts 8:30PM

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering 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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Slinky Machine
2024-03-07 20:00 - 23:00
Progressive electric jazz fusion five-piece from the South West of England making their Midlands debut!
With the release of their album ‘Choose Your Froot’ in 2022 and opening for The Brand New Heavies at the Sidmouth and Rye Jazz & Blues festivals in 2023, Slinky Machine are on the ascent in the UK scene. We are delighted to bring this fantastic band up from the South West of England to play their repertoire of original compositions, fusion classics and re-workings of contemporary tunes for the first time in the West Midlands.
Formed by guitarist John Robertson (The Selecter) and bassist Pete Earle, this show features special guest, the incredible Brazilian percussionist CAIO MAMBERTI! Mamberti has performed with Stevie Wonder, Tania Maria, Paulinho da Viola, Monica Passos and others.
“Slinky Machine…WOW what an incredibly talented group of consummate professional musicians. These guys are in the ‘pocket’, know their craft and understand exactly how to entertain an expectant audience with ‘Funk Ladened Grooves’ that will get any audience on their feet dancing.” – Ian Bowden, Festival Director, Sidmouth & Rye International Jazz & Blues Festivals
Slinky Machine are Pete Earle (bass), John Robertson (guitar), Cameron MacDougall (drums) and Ian Kindred (keys), with special guest Caio Mamberti (percussion).
Doors 8PM. Show starts 8:30PM

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here are proud to offer exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are operated on a ticketless, ‘pay-what-you-can’ on the door model.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Headquarters of Groove
2024-03-16 20:00 - 23:30
Acid Jazz and Brazilian funk party vibes from this energetic West Midlands 7-piece
You won’t be able to sit still for this rare Saturday Music Spoken Here night at The Marrs Bar. Birmingham-based Headquarters of Groove had a great 2023 with several gigs at Hockley Social Club in Birmingham, two dates at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and a gig at the O2 Institute in Birmingham. This is a band that brings the dance to the floor with acid jazz, funk and latin favourites from Incognito, Brand New Heavies, Azymuth etc. along with a good supply of originals in the same groovy vein.
The lineup comprises André Bayliss (drums), Mahendra Patel (percussion), Ted Woodley (bass), Roy Linton (keys), Andy Thomas (guitar), John Sanderson (sax/flute) and Jodi Matthews (vocals).
Doors 8PM. Show starts 8:30PM

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here are proud to offer exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are operated on a ticketless, ‘pay-what-you-can’ on the door model.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Nye Banfield Quartet
2024-03-21 20:00 - 23:00
Flavours of 60s Blue Note records, 90s Radiohead, pre-war Vaughan Williams and contemporary New York jazz combine to create an intensely engaging sound
Hailing from rural Leicestershire with Welsh roots, graduating from Trinity Laban via Junior Birmingham Conservatoire and now bringing a fresh perspective to South East London, Nye Banfield is a profoundly creative saxophonist and composer who paints visceral scenes from his life and the people around him. Nye has a love for classical music and a deep affection for all art which speaks with a raw honesty. Combining his influences from jazz icons Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Ambrose Akinmusire, and mentor Mark Lockheart, Nye concocts an audio-feast of fluid improvisation and rich composition, leading the listener on a vivid journey.
The rhythm section for this performance features virtuoso brothers Robbie Moore on piano and Ewan Moore on drums, with Ben Crane (PYJÆN) on double bass, who together hold the tools to set the stage and your ears alight. Coming off the back of powerful performances at Love Supreme Festival, Pizza Express and The 606 to name a few, Nye is taking his music on the road. Whether he’s directing a quartet, quintet or sextet, the group creates a gripping and intense experience that rips up the rule books and speaks from a combined beating heart.
Doors 8PM. Show starts 8:30PM

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here are 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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Iain Ballamy's IBQT
2024-04-04 20:00 - 23:00
Loose Tubes and Bill Bruford’s Earthworks saxophonist brings his new quartet featuring rising star Rebecca Nash and world-class drummer Jeremy Stacey
I love musical connections, don’t you? Probably the first time I heard Iain Ballamy was on the Loose Tubes 1988 album ‘Open Letter’. That wonderful big band line up included Django Bates and Mark Lockheart, whose nephew Dan Lockheart opened our Autumn program at The Marr’s Bar in September 2023. Ballamy and Bates also played in Bill Bruford’s Earthworks in the mid eighties. Among other accolades, Bruford was drummer with Yes (1968-72 & 1990-92) and King Crimson (1972-24 & 1981-84). Fast forward some 40 years and Iain Ballamy is touring his new quartet IBQT, featuring King Crimson’s most recent drummer (one of three), Jeremy Stacey, who we had on the Music Spoken Here stage in January with FNUK, alongside twin brother Paul Stacey and pianist Jason Rebello!
Listed between Chet Baker and Count Basie in Geoffrey Smith’s BBC publication ‘100 Jazz Greats’, Ballamy has a rare and beautiful sound on the tenor saxophone, both captivating and instantly recognisable.
Since emerging in the early 80’s with Loose Tubes, Django Bates and Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, he has established himself as a player and composer of note on the world’s jazz stages and more recently as a contemporary classical soloist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and BBC Philharmonic Orchestras.
His remarkable new quartet IBQT features the unique rising star pianist Rebecca Nash, superb bassist Nick Pini and the internationally renowned drummer Jeremy Stacey. This concert is part of a tour organised by Jazz Midlands, partially funded through Arts Council England.
Ballamy’s concert repertoire covers a great range and his program will include past and present original works plus some unexpected re-workings of some classic songs that inspired his musical journey.
Ballamy is a professor of saxophone at the Guildhall school of music and Royal Academy of music and a recording artist for ECM records.
Doors 8pm / show starts 8:30pm

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here are 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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

You can check out his playing in this YouTube video with his 2020 quartet, with Huw Warren on piano. You may recall Warren appeared at The Marr’s Bar with Corrie Dick’s fantastic six-piece Sun Swells band in November 2023.

Sam Leak's 'Looking Glass'
2024-04-18 20:00 - 23:00
Four heavyweights from the London jazz scene playing jazz fusion influenced by Holdsworth, Weather Report and John McLaughlin.
We’re excited to announce the return of Sam Leak to the Marr’s Bar stage, this time around with his own band ‘Looking Glass’. You may remember Sam from his performance with Francesco LoCastro back in May last year. (You’ve probably seen the back of his head in the photo of LoCastro’s band that we use a lot for Music Spoken Here promo!). When I discovered he has his own fusion band with Nick Linnik and Laurie Lowe (who have also appeared for us at The Marr’s Bar in Yolanda Charles’ Project PH), along with bassist Flo Moore, it was a no-brainer to get them on the Music Spoken Here program!
London-based jazz pianist Leak’s eponymous 2011 debut album was listed in MOJO Magazine as one of the ‘Top Ten International Releases of the Year.‘ The 2013 follow up, “Places,” was described by the Guardian’s John Fordham as ‘surefooted creativity… way beyond respectful expertise,’ and by BBC Music Magazine’s Daniel Spicer as ‘assured and sophisticated acoustic jazz with deep roots in the tradition, that knows exactly what it’s trying to do – and succeeds.’
In 2018 Leak released “Adrift”, a duet with New York’s Dan Tepfer, a long-time collaborator of legendary veteran saxophonist Lee Konitz. Of this album, The Wire’s Marcus O’Dair has said: “Sam Leak and Dan Tepfer are two of the best pianists of their generation, and their convergence on this recording is astonishing.” The New York City Jazz Record have described it as “magical” and “constantly evolving and engaging.”
Expect space-age textures, intense interaction, and virtuosic improvising. From contemporary soundscapes to infectious grooves, this lineup brings something fresh to the music while maintaining a deep connection with its roots.
‘One of the brightest stars in the Jazz piano galaxy, a heavenly improviser, and a brilliant prospect for the future.‘ – Helen Mayhew, Jazz FM
“Heavyweights of the British Jazz scene” – Jamie Callum, BBC Radio 2
“Multi-faceted and smart as a pin …of a very high order” – MOJO ★★★★
“the music is magical… constantly evolving and engaging…” – The New York City Jazz Record
“The Royal Academy of Music’s jazz programme has produced a remarkable crop of newcomers in recent times: notably the Mercury-nominated pianists Gwilym Simcock and Kit Downes. Now comes Sam Leak, an artist of comparable promise…Leak is a subtle storyteller who keeps the grooves and colours changing.” – John Fordham, The Guardian
Doors 8pm, show starts 8:30pm

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering 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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Guido Spannocchi Quartet
2024-05-02 20:00 - 23:00
Exotica, Calypso, West African Grooves, Japanese Folk and a sprinkling of Jazz from this sought-after London quartet.
Following sold out shows at esteemed clubs across Europe, including Ronnie Scott’s and The Vortex in London, Porgy & Bess in Vienna and B-Flat in Berlin, we are delighted to welcome Vienna-born, London-based saxophonist Guido Spannocchi to Worcester for the first stop outside London of his 2024 tour.
Spannocchi studied jazz saxophone and classical flute at the prestigious Conservatoire in Vienna before further studies at the University of Vienna and Université Paris. He moved to London in 2011, developing his unique sound and repertoire influenced by the multicultural London scene and extensive touring in Japan, Brazil, Africa and across Europe. He has worked alongside greats such as Joe Zawinul, Bobby McFerrin and Orphy Robinson and, just as comfortably, with more contemporary artists including Rosie Turton, Nubya Garcia and Tony Kofi.
His own compositions have resulted in four studio albums released on his AudioGuido Records label, the most recent being Perihelion in 2021, which featured Jay Phelps on trumpet, Robert Mitchell on Wurlitzer and piano, Sylvie Leys on tenor sax, Michelangelo Scandroglio on bass and Tristan Banks (whose quartet played for us in April last year) on drums. In 2022, the live recording of his quartet’s performance at Porgy & Bess in Vienna was released, also on the AudioGuido label, to the following reactions:
“This is so fantastic I keep re-playing it” – Andy Hamilton, The Wire
“Buy it, play it, turn it up, sit back, and enjoy good jazz music played by an ensemble who know exactly what they are doing, led by a talented musician with generous arrangements. What, I ask is not to enjoy?” – Sammy Stein, Something Else
“Firmly embedded in the tradition of Jazz yet with a strong grip onto the present and a glimpse into the future” – Emily Saunders, Connects Music
The lineup on that 2022 recording has remained largely unchanged for this rare appearance in Worcester for Music Spoken Here that will introduce brand new compositions being played live for the first time outside of London! Spannocchi will be accompanied by pianist Danny Keane (Mulatu Astatke, Jason Singh, Nitin Sahwney and MD for Anoushka Shankar) and Pete Hill (Alfa Mist, Ashley Henry, Jo Harrop) on drums, with bassist Jason Simpson (John Etheridge, Tony Coe, John Horler) being the only change to the Vienna line-up.
Expect provocative, contemporary compositions that encompass classical music, grooves, tradition and avant-garde.

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering 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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Steve Taylor's Fusion Phew!
2024-05-16 20:00 - 23:00
Jazz-funk and fusion from world-class drummer featuring phenomenal guitarist and singer/songwriter Rosie Frater-Taylor.
Following the wonderful Music Spoken Here show from Rosie Frater-Taylor in December 2022, I was delighted to discover her parents have an outfit that includes Rosie in the line-up! I absolutely had to get them on our program and am totally stoked to finally be welcoming them to Worcester for the first time, following on from the release of Rosie’s new album Featherweight in February this year.
As premiered at EFG London Jazz Festival 2021, Steve Taylor’s Fusion Phew is the jazz / funk / fusion inspired line up from drummer Steve Taylor, described by Rhythm Magazine as “World class…a technician who grooves”. The band has collaborated with Omar and Ian Shaw to name a few. Prodigiously gifted singer-songwriter and virtuoso guitarist, Rosie Frater-Taylor features alongside the luscious vocals of Josie Frater, sax maestro and Parliamentary Jazz Award winner Phil Meadows, keyboard virtuoso Neil Angilley and bassist Jonny Wickham (who appeared for us with Robert Castelli back in March 2023).
Expect homage to the likes of Gil Scott Heron, Al Jarreau plus Steve & Josie’s “sparkling” (Janey Lee Grace, BBC Radio 2) self-penned originals.

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering 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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Secret Night Gang
2024-05-30 20:00 - 23:00
Uplifting, transcendent, jazz-inflected street soul from Manchester
Come and join us as we celebrate two years of Music Spoken Here at The Marr’s Bar with a very special show from British street soul masters, Secret Night Gang. Formed by Manchester natives and childhood friends Kemani Anderson and Callum Connell, this 7-piece collective spread their uplifting, transcendent, and genre-blending street soul sound through dynamic melodies and jazz-inflected soul prowess, renewing the musical frontiers of the genres.
Handpicked from Manchester’s vibrant live music scene in 2021 by legendary broadcaster, DJ, producer and label head Gilles Peterson, the band has been championed by a wide range of tastemakers, including Rolling Stone, Clash magazine, Jazz FM, Jamie Cullum and Bandcamp, just to mention a few. Their eponymous debut album in 2021 on Peterson’s Brownswood label was followed up last year with “Belongs on a Place Called Earth”, selling out shows at Ronnie Scott’s and the Jazz Cafe in London. They have also performed at the most progressive contemporary festivals including North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Primavera Sound, Love Supreme, We Out Here and Cross the Tracks.
Joining Kemani (vocals) and Callum (sax) will be Aaron Wood (trumpet), Nicola Guida (keys), Jack Duckham (guitar), Manny (bass) and Ruben Edwards (drums).

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here offers exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are operated on a ticketless, ‘pay-what-you-can’ on the door model, which works well for most shows considering our typical audience size and venue capacity.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.
For more popular shows like this where we may reach venue capacity, it is important that we monitor expected attendance to ensure the venue is adequately staffed and avoid turning people away at the door. We therefore request that you register interest in attending this event and we will provide regular updates by email. We will also provide updates through this event webpage, our mailing list and all our social media channels.
Music Spoken Here Club Members will be given priority if spaces become limited. You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Brandon Allen's Groove Band
2024-06-13 20:00 - 23:00
Groove, funk & fusion from a saxophone heavyweight at the height of his powers
We are delighted to welcome Australian/UK saxophonist and composer Brandon Allen to The Marr’s Bar with his Groove Band for an evening of groove, funk & fusion influenced by Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Harris, John Scofield, Tom Scott, David Sanborn and The Brecker Brothers.
Allen, who also heads up the Brandon Allen Quartet / Sextet and The Stanley Turrentine Project, has toured Internationally with the Kyle East band and performed with Eric Clapton, Paloma Faith, Omar Lyefook, Gary Husband, Adam Nussbaum, Stefano Di Battista, Ibrahim Maalouf and numerous others.
This relatively new band, which has already enjoyed two sold-out shows at Ronnie Scott’s, has an equally impressive collective CV. The lineup features Mike Outram (Carleen Anderson, Tim Garland, Chick Corea, Steven Wilson, Herbie Mann) on guitar, Hamish Balfour (Harvey Mason, Yolanda Charles’ Project PH, Tenderlonious, Odyssey, Faze Action, Bassically) on keys, Chris Attwell (Valmuz) on bass and Laurie Lowe (Preston GlasgowLowe, Robert Mitchell, Project PH).

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Hejira - Celebrating Joni Mitchell
2024-06-27 20:00 - 23:00
Celebrating the music of Joni Mitchell featuring Hattie Whitehead in a formidable 7-piece band
Hejira is a 7-piece band set up to celebrate and honour the masterpiece works of Joni Mitchell, mostly from the late ‘70s. Having released the albums ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’, ‘Hejira’, ‘Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter’ and ‘Mingus’ (regarded as her ‘jazz period’), Joni then toured briefly with a band formed from the crème de la crème of contemporaneous jazz musicians (Metheny, Mays, Brecker, Pastorius and Alias). The tour was recorded, producing the outstanding live album, ‘Shadows And Light’; it is from this album that the band Hejira is drawing the body of its repertoire. Comprising highly experienced jazz musicians, this band is fronted by the brilliant Hattie Whitehead who not only has – in her own way – assimilated the poise, power and beauty of Joni’s vocals, but also plays guitar with Joni’s stylistic mannerisms. Expect an evening of the ‘great’ songs from Mitchell’s back catalogue, such as ‘Amelia’, ‘Woodstock’, ‘A Case Of You’, ’Song For Sharon’ and ‘Edith And The Kingpin’.
Hattie is joined by Ollie Weston (tenor & soprano saxophones), Chris Eldred (keyboards), Pete Oxley (guitar), Dave Jones (bass), Rick Finlay (drums) and Marc Cecil (percussion)

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 operated on a ticketless, ‘pay-what-you-can on the door’ model, which works well for most shows considering our typical audience size and venue capacity.
The suggested contribution for this event is £15-20.
For more popular shows like this where we may reach venue capacity, it is important that we monitor expected attendance to ensure the venue is adequately staffed and avoid turning people away at the door. Seating is limited (around 50) and unallocated, although priority is given to Music Spoken Here Club Members. The remainder of the venue is standing room. You can choose to reserve your space now by pre-paying your chosen amount, or pay what you can on the door on the night. Club Members and pre-paid customers will be given priority admission on the night.
Pre-payment and registration for this event is now closed.
You can find out more about our admission and membership strategy at A New Approach

Check out these videos for an idea of what to expect on the night!

The Band
Hattie Whitehead – vocals and guitars
The band is fronted by the extraordinarily talented Hattie Whitehead, who not only sings masterfully with Joni’s pitch-accuracy, poise and dignity, but she also plays guitar much with the mannerisms of Mitchell (incorporating various open tunings – which lend an instant authenticity to the colour of the songs). Hattie grew up surrounded by music and musicians – her father is the outstanding saxophonist, Tim Whitehead – and has a career as a singer/songwriter outside of this band. In 2016, she won the ‘Emerging Talent’ competition at Glastonbury Festival. Her original songs have been listened to hundreds of thousands of times on various streaming platforms.
Pete Oxley – guitar
Pete grew up in a family of classical musicians, fell for jazz in his late teens, went on to study jazz at the Leeds College of Music, then moved to Paris in his mid twenties. It was there that he began gigging intensively and developing his career as a guitarist, composer and bandleader. He has produced 16 albums of critically acclaimed original music (including 7 with the Swiss guitar virtuoso, Nicolas Meier) and is one of only a handful of British composers to have their works included in the ‘European Real Book’ (Sher Publications). The Oxley-Meier Guitar Project continues to record and tour extensively throughout the UK and Europe.
Ollie Weston – saxophones
Since graduating from Leeds College of Music, Ollie has had a diverse career which has included education, session work and live performance. In the former of these, Ollie teaches at the Guildhall (London) and has major tutorial books published by Schott Music under the heading, ‘Exploring Jazz’. In the latter, Ollie has toured all over the world with such outfits as Amy Winehouse, Tim Minchin, Bonobo and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. He has also worked extensively in the West End, performing in Chicago, Dream Girls and in two critically acclaimed seasons at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Chris Eldred – piano and keyboards
Chris first came to prominence while playing in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), from 2008 to 2014. In the midst of that period, he was winner of the 2011 Yamaha Scholarship Award for Outstanding Jazz Musicians and graduated in the same year from Trinity College of Music with first class honours. With NYJO, he performed many high-profile gigs (such as at the Albert Hall Proms) and came to the attention of such established masters as Mark Lockheart, Jean Toussaint and Salena Jones, with whom he subsequently worked. He is now a regular performer at Ronnie Scott’s and is one of London’s most in-demand pianists.
Dave Jones – electric basses
Dave is one of the most brilliant bass players – on both electric and acoustic basses that the UK has produced! His deep musicianship has led him to work with, amongst others, John Etheridge, Bill Bruford, the BBC Big Band, Jacqui Dankworth, Willard White and Scott Hamilton. He is bandleader, arranger and composer of the ‘Dave Jones Nonet’, comprising the creme de la creme of UK jazz musicians. Dave is continually active in jazz education leading many courses at Richmond Jazz School where he also previously led the faculty and he is also regularly invited to teach on a number of international jazz summer schools.
Rick Finlay – drums
Rick’s career has seen him being perpetually occupied, dividing his time between London’s West End, education and performing as a jazz musician. In the former, Rick held the drum chair at Blood Brothers for twenty years and also played for The Little Shop of Horrors and Chess Time. As a freelancer, Rick has performed on many prestigious TV shows, including Parkinson, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and The Late Show. Rick has, for several years, been hosting the ‘Just East Jazz Club’ in North London, where he has accompanied most of the UK’s jazz glitterati!
Marc Cecil – percussion
Marc Cecil is a musician whose career has seen him work in myriad styles, performing at all sorts of premier venues, such as The Royal Opera House, Wembley Arena, The 02, Glastonbury Festival, The Jazz Cafe – Camden and Ronnie Scott’s. He was a member of “King Salsa”, the UK’s premier 12 piece salsa band for 17years. His extensive theatre work includes seasons with: Blood Brothers (west end), Billy Elliot (west end), Saturday Night Fever (west end), Footloose (tour), Streisand The Story (tour), The Chicago Blues Brothers (tour), Million Dollar Quartet (west end) and The Carpenter’s Story (tour). In the jazz arena, Marc has worked with a ‘who’s who’ top UK musicians, including: Jason Rebello, Neil Angilly, Nigel Price, Art Themen, Jim Mullen, Picante, Jacqui Hicks, Snowboy, Noel McCalla, Liane Carol, Lily Dior, Geoff Gascoyne, Laurence Cottle, Alan Barns, Henry Lowther, and the Derek Nash Quartet. Marc’s extraordinary drive, groove and use of sonic colours is an essential element of the whole Hejira soundscape.

Experience Beck
2024-07-06 20:00 - 23:00
A tribute to iconic, legendary guitarist Jeff Beck featuring music from the significant albums “Wired” and “Blow by Blow”
We’re no strangers to the music of Jeff Beck on the Music Spoken Here stage at The Marr’s Bar. In January, FNUK (which included Jeff Beck’s pianist of six years, Jason Rebello in the line-up) featured the astounding guitarist Paul Stacey playing Beck’s arrangement of ‘Goodbye Pork Pie Hat’ (see the video here), and played ‘Led Boots’ as an encore. Slinky Machine dedicated their performance of Billy Cobham’s ‘Stratus’ to the man in March, and in April, Sam Leak’s Looking Glass included ‘Love Is Green’ in their set.
So when drummer and band leader Ollie Usiskin contacted me about his new project Experience Beck, playing the music from his 1975 ‘Blow by Blow’ and 1976 ‘Wired’ albums that also featured in the 2007 ‘Jeff Beck performing this week at Ronnie Scott’s’ live album and DVD (featuring Jason Rebello, Vinnie Colaiuta and the 21-year-old Tal Wilkenfeld), I thought “Let’s do it!”. This show is our second trial of a Saturday night this year, with another band that we expect to have a broader appeal than our usual Thursday audience.
Ollie is joined by Guy D’Angelo on guitar, Aurelius Sciuka on keys and Rob Statham (who played in Francesco LoCastro’s band in May last year), on bass.

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Butcher's Brew
2024-07-25 20:00 - 23:00
Jazz, funk and Latin from some of the West Midlands’ finest
Ray Butcher started playing cornet at the age of eight and progressed through brass bands to study classical trumpet at Peter Symonds College in Winchester. Disillusioned with classical music, he took up piano for a while, playing in various cocktail bars and clubs including Stringfellows. He returned to trumpet, this time playing jazz, and moved to Birmingham, where he had a short stint with King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys in 1996. His career has also seen him perform with Dr John and Mica Paris.
Butcher’s Brew features some exciting players from the Birmingham scene, including pianist Tim Amann and saxophonist Sam Rogers, who have both been playing together with Ray in the Tim Amann xTet for many years. Sam has appeared on the Music Spoken Here stage at The Marr’s Bar before, with Reed Bass and as a special guest with Law of Three. The line-up is completed by Miles Levin on drums and Mike Green on bass.

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Torin Davies Quartet ft. James Maddren
2024-09-05 20:00 - 23:00
Rising Birmingham guitarist presents new project developed with Jazz Central Mentoring program
We are delighted to support the Jazz Central Mentoring program again this year, with a project from Birmingham-based rising star Torin Davies. The program accepts applications from young jazz musicians based in the West Midlands, from which a selection is made by a Jazz Central panel. This year, six successful candidates were selected and each paired with an established jazz musician as a mentor to work on a composition project that will be presented in individual gigs at various Jazz Midlands venues and together in a mini-festival at 1000 Trades in Birmingham 6-8 September.
This performance features guitarist and composer Torin Davies, an exciting young improviser and composer who has worked with some of the most prominent UK jazz musicians, such as Soweto Kinch and Mike Williams. He appeared at The Marr’s Bar last September when Dan Lockheart, a participant in the 2023 program, presented his project with mentor Alex Hitchcock.
Torin’s distinctive quartet, which features his program mentor James Maddren on drums, blends elements of 20th-century classical, jazz, rock, and folk music, creating a unique and captivating compositional style. For this performance, the quartet showcases the adventurous alto saxophonist George Garford and the lyrical bassist Asaph Tal.
The first set will explore musical themes inspired by the history of the Midlands (where Torin grew up and still lives). From the clamour of the Industrial Revolution, to pastoral scenes of Leafy Warwickshire, the quartet will take you on a sonic tour of the heart of England. The second set will feature an exciting selection of new compositions by Torin.

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Emily Francis Trio
2024-09-19 20:00 - 23:00
Original prog-jazz from an intense and immersive trio with influences as varied as FORQ, Porcupine Tree and Brad Mehldau
+ support from DJ Steve ‘Moore Fe Jazz’ Moore spinning the latest dance floor jazz, fusion, Latin, jazz funk and jazz house.
It has been a busy year for keyboard and synth ace Emily Francis, with the 10th anniversary re-issue of her trio’s debut album The Absent, a new EP Atomic released in May and touring with this trio and The Toyah and Robert Fripp show, including a performance at the Fields of Avalon stage at Glastonbury.
Her textured, playful and energetic compositions with collaborator and bassist Trevor Boxall are really brought to life with the irrepressible Jamie ‘Drum Cat’ Murray on drums. Their second album Luma, inspired in no small measure by David Bowie’s Black Star band, was described as “a thing of rare beauty” by Nick Hasted in Jazzwise Magazine.
This all-original music will appeal to fans of prog-rock, electronica and melodic jazz fusion and anyone looking to find something new and different.

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Wild Card
2024-10-03 20:00 - 23:00
“Energetic, unapologetic hybrid of funk, fusion and irrepressible swing” – AllAboutJazz
London-based organ trio Wild Card have been described as “fearless, because this feverish ensemble isn’t afraid to bring on the funk, the bop, the pop, the swing or Afro-Blue when they want to” (Mike Jurkovic on AllAboutJazz.com).
Formed in 2011 by French guitarist Clement Regert, the trio have recorded six albums and played more than 200 shows around the world, featuring guest artists including Graeme Flowers, Rosie Turton, Emma Rawicz, Poppy Daniels, Maddy Coombs and former Music Spoken Here performers Paul Booth and Alex Hitchcock. They were last up this way at this year’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival, where they performed at The Bottle of Sauce.
For this performance, Regert is joined by Chris Bland on keys and Filippo Galli (Wild Card’s regular drummer Sophie Alloway – the “goddess of groove” – is unfortunately unavailable for this gig due to other touring commitments).
“A sound that exhorts the still-seated grouches of the world to get up and get that booty shaking!” – Bruce Lindsay, AllAboutJazz.com
“Their approach is the diametrical opposite of navel-gazing jazz” – Peter Jones, London Jazz News
“It’s creative, refreshing and jam packed with energy…hot and cool but definitely Jazz.” – Simon Redley, Music Republic Magazine

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Jakub Klimiuk Quintet
2024-10-31 20:00 - 23:00
New project combining modern jazz, Scandinavian improvised music, Eastern European folk and contemporary classical
Polish guitarist Jakub Klimiuk, now based in London, made his first appearance on the British jazz scene at the EFG London Jazz Festival in 2022, performing music from his quintet’s EP “Reluctance”. He has performed in jazz clubs across the UK including Bristol, Brighton, Birmingham and St Ives, in addition to major jazz venues in London such as PizzaExpress Live and the Vortex.
With his quintet, Jakub fuses elements of modern jazz inspired by the New York scene with influences drawn from the Scandinavian improvised music scene. The resultant repertoire is a thrilling combination of scripted forms and improvised sections, constantly entwining melodic compositions and experimental sonic escapades.
“Jakub’s original compositions, his own playing and that of this fabulous band were also appropriately full of optimism and the promise of good days to come. Nights like this reassure us that the future of jazz is in safe hands.” – London Jazz News
Jakub’s quintet for this performance features Simeon May (tenor sax / bass clarinet), Cody Moss (piano), Huw V Williams (bass) and Adam Merrell (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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Chube
2024-11-14 20:00 - 23:00
Electro-acoustic fusion trio brings the harp into the 21st century
Chube is a young fusion band based in Cardiff led by Ben Creighton Griffiths (Electric Harp/Keys) with Ashley John Long (Basses) and Jon Bradford-Jones (Drums).
They draw their inspiration from a wide variety of artists and genres, writing electro acoustic music that pushes the boundaries of their instruments.
The harp features prominently in performances, and Ben uses effects processors to extend the sound palette beyond its regular, classical sound, incorporating characteristics from rock guitar to ambient synth and much in between. Combined with innovative percussion and groovy bass riffs, it all goes to creating a totally unique blend of jazz fusion.
This really is going to be something quite special! Put the date in your diary NOW and come down for an evening of exceptional live music.

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

King Heron
2024-11-28 20:00 - 23:00
An unapologetically different slant on the guitar trio format
King Heron are a guitar trio sprung from Bristol’s modern jazz scene, bringing together lyrical expression, hard-edged basslines and clanging rock to form their own distinct blend of progressive beats and fluttering soundscapes. Jacob Houghton’s perpetually melodic guitar phrases glide around Cerith Evans’ stoic low-end rumble and Cameron Macdougall’s deeply musical drum grooves. The clear-cut individuality in each of the musicians results in King Heron’s unapologetically different slant on the guitar trio form.
The group have shared stages with the likes of Oscar Jerome, Mdou Moctar and Lydian Collective, and performed at venues, clubs and arts centres across the UK. Their 2023 single ‘Stasis (ft. Andrew Neil Hayes)’ marked their first collaboration with a guest appearance from the Run Logan Run tenor player, in a raucous exploration that excitedly reflects a ‘Bristol sound’. Following 2023’s two single releases, the trio have their second EP, ‘Risky Business’, set for release in September 2024.
King Heron are most at home on stage. Always groove-oriented with an emphasis on improvisation, their live performances are captivating with tunes taking their own path and never being played the same twice. At the heart of their live sound is a deep trust and connection between three friends exploring a new jazz impression together.
“Great stuff!” – Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM)
“Gobsmackingly tight rhythm section” – Tom Robinson
“Bright, smooth, from King Heron. The EP that just oozes soul crafted by these musicians who clearly love what they do” – Adam Crowther (BBC Radio Bristol)

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Bryan Corbett's Instrumental Groove Unit
2024-12-12 20:00 - 23:00
Improvisation, hip grooves, beautiful melodies, unique musicianship, interplay and virtuosity
Having returned to playing from serious health issues and major surgery, renowned Birmingham-based trumpeter and flugelhorn player Bryan Corbett is back doing what he does best! His Instrumental Groove Unit is an original project full of improvisation, hip grooves, beautiful melodies, unique musicianship, interplay and virtuosity.
Bryan’s musical journey is a tapestry of diverse collaborations and artistic pursuits. As a sought-after session musician, he has lent his talents to some of the biggest names and acclaimed artists across various genres. From The Brand New Heavies, Us3, Tony Christie, Sigala & Ella Eyre to featured soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra and performing under his own name at jazz clubs and festivals around the globe. His remarkable versatility allows him to seamlessly transition between musical styles, from jazz and funk to soul, pop, and beyond.
This exciting new project introduces original material and a repertoire with emphasis on the ‘pocket’ of groove and freedom of improvisation. Bryan introduces the project as “A chance to play some original tunes and ideas coming to it from a different angle than I normally would”.
Featuring the outstanding talents of fellow Brand New Heavies band member Luke Harris on drums, Paul Deats on keys and Wayne Matthews on bass, this promises to be something not to be missed!

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

TRYPL
2025-01-09 20:00 - 23:00
Hot Latin vibes from top UK horn section in a 7-piece lineup
TRYPL was formed by three exceptional horn players who have worked together on numerous recordings and performances and share a love of Latin-jazz. The band name is derived from the founding members names – trombonist Trevor Mires (Jamiroquai, Incognito, David Sanborn, Alicia Keys), trumpeter Ryan Quigley (Quincy Jones, Aretha Franklin, George Michael) and saxophonist Paul Booth (Incognito, Jamiroquai, Louis Cole, Van Morrison). You may remember Paul and Ryan when they appeared in Paul’s band HOOP back in November 2023.
Speaking of the band’s eponymous 2020 album, our resident reviewer Ian Mann noted “There is much joy and energy in these effervescent and vivacious performances, but this is not just ‘party’ music, there is a high level of musical sophistication too.”
For this gig, the incredible three-piece horn section will be accompanied by the brilliant pianist Will Barry (2017 winner of the Musician’s Company Young Jazz Musician award in the company of other winners Tim Garland, Laura Jurd, Daniel Casimir and Moses Boyd). We will also see the return to The Marr’s Bar of bassist Davide Mantovani (he performed with Tristan Banks Quartet, April 2023) along with Davide Giovannini (Down to the Bone, Snowboy & The Latin Section, Jocelyn Brown, Roy Ayers) on drums and Andres Ticino on percussion.

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Jas Kayser & Chums
2025-01-23 20:00 - 23:00
A fiery 5-piece combining jazz, Afro-beat and Latin rhythms from an incredible young drummer
This event is the first in our “Up!Beat” series, celebrating drummer-led bands and focusing our minds, in an increasingly divisive and polarising world, on the positive things we have in common that unite us all.
Jas Kayser played on my first visit to 91 Living Room in London – the home of Jazz refreshed – back in November 2022. I spoke to her after the gig and emailed her manager right away to arrange a booking, but it took two years of persistence to line up this gig, so I am really stoked it is finally happening!
A conscientious student at the Julien Joseph Academy in the UK, Jas went on to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. While at Berklee, Jas caught the attention of Lenny Kravitz, who invited her to Paris to film his 2018 video ‘Low’. She also spent time in Panama with her Berklee mentor and Panamanian pianist Danilo Perez. In 2021, Jas won the Parliamentary Jazz Newcomer of the Year and Jazz FM Breakthrough Act of the Year awards and she released her debut album in 2022 on the Jazz re:freshed label for their ‘5ive’ series. She has featured with leading artists including Jorja Smith, Alfa Mist, Nubia Garcia and Shabaka Hutchings and most recently joining Lenny Kravitz on his 2024 tour, which will finish it’s South American leg in December, resuming in Europe from February.
Her ‘Chums’ lineup features Daisy George (bassist who appeared at The Marr’s Bar with Tom Ford in September 2022), Richie Sweet (percussion), Christos Stylianides (trumpet) and Jamie Leeming (guitar).

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Impossible Conversations
2025-02-13 20:00 - 23:00
The next generation making their mark on the jazz continuum
Impossible Conversations are five lads from Birmingham making their mark on the contemporary jazz world. Each of these young musicians bring their unique musical background and a combined love of jazz to create a sound that is both familiar, fresh and truly special with every performance. The band are already getting some great gigs around the West Midlands and played Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival in 2024.
The lineup includes Louis Hamilton-Foad (son of guitarist Paul Foad and grandson of the late saxophonist Andy Hamilton) on drums, Gabriel Amann (son of pianist Tim Amann, who played for us with Butcher’s Brew in July 2024) on trumpet, Sam Sharpe on bass, Alex Smith on keys and Ben Carter on sax.

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Check out their debut single 19:58 on Spotify

Miranda Radford Quartet
2025-02-27 20:00 - 23:00
Tomorrow’s Warriors Frontline drummer with her quartet featuring the stars of tomorrow
This event replaces the previously published Romarna Campbell’s Chaos Trio, which we have unfortunately had to postpone until later in the year.
Miranda Radford is a 19-year-old drummer who is most definitely ‘up and coming’ on the London jazz scene. She has studied with teachers such as Will Cleasby, Billy Hart and Julian Joseph and has been mentored at Tomorrow’s Warriors by Sultan Stevenson and Romarna Campbell. Selected for the Tomorrows Warriors all-female ensemble The Frontline, Miranda has been encouraged to explore the wonders and versatility of drums within the genre.
Her influences and inspirations include the work of jazz legends such as Tony Williams, Max Roach, Wayne shorter and Cedar Walton. Miranda has performed at venues such as Love Supreme, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Dizzy’s Jazz Club and more.
Her quartet, featuring BBC Young Jazz Musician 2024 finalist Klara Devlin on trumpet, Kyle Osborne on keys and Tom Sheen on bass, explores the works of Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton, Herbie Hancock, and Miranda’s own compositions.

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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach
