Miranda Radford Quartet
2025-02-27 20:00 - 23:00 (Europe/London) | The Marr’s Bar, 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR1 1TA, United Kingdom
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

Lekan Babalola's Sacred Funk 4tet
2025-03-13 20:00 - 23:00
Western jazz blended with Ghanaian and Nigerian dance styles, embracing a musical culture dating back centuries

Lekan Babalola is a two-time Grammy Award-winning musician, film director, and conceptual artist with over 40 years in the arts. Awarded his first Grammy in 2006 for performances on the late Ali Farka Toure’s album ‘In the Heart of the Moon’, he was awarded a second at the 49th Grammy awards in 2008 for his work on the American jazz diva Cassandra Wilson’s album ‘Loverly’.
Lekan started his career playing in the Yoruba Christian Church owned by his father. As custodians of Yoruba tradition his family taught him first hand Yoruba art and culture and this has influenced all his work. He also received a cultural and political apprenticeship from the late Fela Kuti.
The Sacred Funk project has been going several years with Lekan on percussion and his wife Kate Luxmoore on clarinet, joined by various other musicians in the past including Reed Bass, who has played for us in December 2023, and Christos Stylianides (trumpet) who will be appearing with Jas Kayser & Chums in January. In the current lineup we welcome back our friends Josh Vadiveloo (appeared with Dan Lockheart in September 2023) on bass and Reuben Reynolds (appeared with Reed Bass in December 2023) on 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

Rob Luft Quartet
2025-03-27 20:00 - 23:00
One of the most exciting and accomplished jazz guitarists in Europe today
Rob Luft is undeniably one of the most exciting jazz guitarists in Europe of his generation. Hailing from London, this award-winning virtuoso has garnered comparisons to legends such as John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia, and Kurt Rosenwinkel.
Rob is a true rising star, possessing a rare combination of talent as a guitarist, band-leader, composer, and captivating communicator. He won the Kenny Wheeler Award after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in 2016, followed by the release of his debut album “Riser” in 2017. Luft’s joy in music-making, humility, and ability to connect with other musicians quickly made him one of the most sought-after instrumentalists to emerge from the UK in recent years.
His highly anticipated third album “Dahab Days” was released on Edition Records in October 2023 and reveals Rob’s willingness to push boundaries and expand his sonic palette. Drawing inspiration from his time in Egypt’s Dahab region during the pandemic, he infuses the album with a unique ambiance that permeates his compositions.
For this performance Rob is joined by Joe Wright (sax), Tom McCredie (bass) and Corrie Dick (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

The Boom Yeh
2025-04-10 20:00 - 23:00
A thunderous powerhouse of jazz, funk, rock and Afrobeat
Stalwarts of the London music scene, The Boom Yeh are at the forefront of redefining British Jazz-Funk with their high level musicianship and electrifying live performances. Following the release of their third album Near-Earth Objects last year, we are delighted to bring them to Worcester for the first time.
Featuring musicians that have worked with Jamiroquai, The Brand New Heavies, Incognito, Alice Russell and Leroy Hutson, they have performed to sell out audiences at Ronnie Scott’s, EFG London Jazz Festival, The Elgar Room (Royal Albert Hall), Pizza Express Jazz Club (Soho) and Manchester Jazz Festival, garnering the support and praise of BBC Radio 6, Jazz FM and radio/club DJs far and wide.
Propelled by the powerhouse rhythm section of band leader/guitarist Jon Speedy, bass player Matteo Grassi and drummer William Francis, the band’s compositions are interspersed with the sophisticated horn arrangements of alto sax player Ian Bailey, with Dave Sear on trombone and Thomas Kleyn on baritone 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

Chris Bowden 'The Hypnos Files' ft. Neil Bullock & Louise Warren
2025-04-24 20:00 - 23:00
Maverick trailblazer who has chosen his own path in a 30 year career embracing jazz, soul, hip-hop and drum & bass
Emerging from the 90s Acid Jazz and Nu Jazz scenes in London, saxophonist Chris Bowden’s music has been described as “true future jazz”. Association with Gilles Peterson saw Chris in the “That’s How It Is” club night house band at Bar Rumba in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue, as well as working with K-Creative and 4 Hero, both projects releasing albums on Gilles’ Talkin’ Loud label.
As a gifted arranger on Jessica Lauren’s “Siren Song” album, he encountered Soul Jazz Records and went on to release his first album “Time Capsule” on the label in 1996. His work with The Herbaliser, one of the best known bands on the Ninja Tune label (run by Matt Black and Jonathan Moore – aka Coldcut), led to the release of his second album “Slightly Askew” on Ninja Tune in 2002. Featuring a 17-piece band including strings, Colin Buttimer (BBC) described the album as “ambitious, thinking music not afraid of expressing feeling. Chris Bowden is one of the UK’s great altoists and composers; Slightly Askew underlines this”.
Drug and alcohol addiction led Chris to return to his home town, Birmingham, but it wasn’t until 2010 that he resigned to making his first real attempt to get clean. Following a lengthy recovery program he describes as a desperate time with an uncertain future, with the support of friends and family he got back on his feet and has been clean and sober for the last 10 years.
In this time, he has established himself as an in-demand saxophonist and educator. His Quartet play all over the UK and he appears as a guest artist with a variety of groups. He has recorded two further albums, “Unlikely Being” on UK Vibe in 2018 and “The Hypnos Files”, described as “Brecker meets Beyonce”, on Rehab Records in 2022.
This special performance features Chris with a truly world class band – Louise Warren (vocals), Jim Watson (piano), Simon ‘Palmskin’ Richmond (keys), Chris Dodd (bass) and Neil Bullock (drums) – performing work from across his career.

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

Empirical
2025-05-08 20:00 - 23:00
“Still a reliable touchstone of contemporary British jazz at its most sophisticated” – Jazzwise
Empirical exploded onto the UK jazz scene with the release of their debut album “Empirical” in 2007. Former Jazz Warrior, saxophonist Courtney Pine, who released the album on his Destin-e label and also featured on bass clarinet, declared Empirical at the time as “the most exciting new jazz to come out of the UK”.
Indeed, the album was awarded Album of the Year (Jazzwise) and the band were awarded Best Jazz Ensemble in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards the following year (and again in 2016). Their follow up 2009 album “Out ‘n’ In” won the 2009 MOBO Jazz Album of the Year award.
The original line-up of Jay Phelps (trumpet), Nathaniel Facey (alto sax), Kit Downes (piano), Neil Charles (bass) and Shaney Forbes (drums) didn’t survive beyond the first album (Phelps and Downes left and Tom Farmer replaced the departing Charles on bass). By the release of their second album “Out ’n’ Out” (2009 on Naim), the core quartet comprised Facey, Forbes and Farmer, joined by Lewis Wright on the vibraphone and remained constant up until their 2024 album “Wonder is the Beginning” on Whirlwind Records, which also featured previous Music Spoken Here performers Alex Hitchcock (with Resolution 88 in November 2022 and Dan Lockheart in September 2023) and Jason Rebello (with FNUK in January 2024).
“Wonder is the Beginning” is a mature musical statement that shows the band’s fire is still undimmed and their commitment to maintaining the legacy while forging their own unique path is as strong as ever. Empirical’s trademark combination of complex, thoughtful writing and spontaneous improvisation is enabled by the absolute trust that comes from years of collective music making, and is at the heart of what makes Empirical stand out consistently on the musical landscape.
With Wright since moving permanently to the US, this album tour, which brings Empirical to Worcester for the very first time, has seen a couple of different lineups, including guitarist David Preston (who brought his trio to The Marr’s Bar for Music Spoken Here in February last year) and pianist Ivo Neame. For this performance, we are delighted to feature the vibraphone for the first time on our program in the very capable hands of the young Kenny Wheeler Prize winner Jonny Mansfield, along with the core members Tom Farmer and Nathaniel Facey. In a scenario not uncommon with the best jazz bands, Shaney Forbes has other touring commitments in May, so Luke McCarthy (of Jonny Mansfield’s Quartet) will take the throne for this one.

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

Karim Saber Quintet
2025-05-22 20:00 - 23:00
Ferocious chops, memorable, shifting tunes and dynamic playing
Born and raised in London, British/Iranian guitarist Karim Saber is steadily building a profile as both a performer and composer to watch. Known for his instrumental prowess and creativity, he established his quintet in 2021, featuring Alex Wilson (piano), Matt Cook (tenor saxophone), John Jones (bass) and Jack Thomas (drums), four of London’s most virtuosic and in demand young musicians.
His debut album ‘Transmission’ was released on Ubuntu music in January 2024 and a second album is scheduled to be released in late 2025.
‘Amidst the many London guitarists, Karim Saber is one who’s playing I am most excited about. He’s got ferocious chops, a great repertoire and I really enjoy his writing’ – Ant Law
‘Karim is one of the most recognisable and distinctive guitarists to emerge on the UK jazz scene in recent years. His compositions, tone and ideas are unique to him and I absolutely love this new album he has put together. I think he will be a much sought after play once audiences get a chance to hear this beautiful set of original tunes’ – Chris Montague

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

Sunday Service: Urban Soul Family
2025-05-25 16:30 - 19:00
A spectacular show full of soul, gospel and RnB
Who better to kick-start our brand new Sunday Service program of soul, gospel and RnB at The Marr’s Bar than The Urban Soul Family! This seven-piece collective of singers and musicians from the Midlands are regulars at Albert’s Schloss in Birmingham, they’ve supported saxophonist Kirk Whalum, Gregory Porter and Jools Holland, as well as headlining at The Jam House. This will be their first time in Worcester.
They will bring your weekend to a spectacular close with a brilliant show spanning soul, gospel, RnB and reggae that will have you up and dancing.

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 night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.

Dreamscapes
2025-06-12 20:00 - 23:00
Post-fusion, nu-jazz ensemble creating a musical experience of true freedom
DREAMSCAPES is a young UK-based post-fusion, nu-jazz ensemble formed by London-based guitarist Julien Durand. Drawing from a wide range of influences, their sound is immersive and rich in texture, creating a musical experience of true freedom.
Electric instruments and effects craft expansive soundscapes that shift from serene, ambient moments to powerful prog-rock grooves. Known for blending multiple songs into one, DREAMSCAPES seamlessly combine improvisation with intricate structures, pulling audiences into a deep, multi-layered journey. Each performance is distinct, offering an experience that’s as much felt as heard.
Following the release of their debut three-track EP in January 2024 that includes two original pieces and the band’s take on ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’, the band performed at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and EFG London Jazz Festivals last year and toured in September performing in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Kidderminster, Birmingham, Sheffield, London and Bristol.
The six-piece band features vocalist Lucy-Anne Daniels and sees the return of saxophonist George Garford to The Marrs Bar following his first appearance with the Torin Davis Quartet in September last year. The line is completed with Cenk Esen on keys, John Jones on bass and Jack Robson 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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

John Law's Re-Creations
2025-06-26 20:00 - 23:00
Familiar music re-imagined through an exceptionally accomplished jazz quartet
We’re wrapping up our summer program of exceptional jazz, funk & fusion with a covers band like no other! Re-Creations began as a fun project from pianist John Law, with the aim of playing lots of different tunes from different genres. It very quickly developed artistically to the point that it began to rival Law’s contemporary originals project ‘Congregation’ in terms of artistic excellence and spontaneous creativity.
The arrangements became more complex and interesting, while the fact that audiences almost always knew the tunes meant that the group was at the same time very accessible.
Along with some jazz classics, their repertoire includes pop, rock and indie from Pink Floyd, The Beatles, The Jam, Stevie Wonder and Radiohead and maybe the occasional well-known classical piece, all re-interpreted by this talented and accomplished jazz quartet featuring Parliamentary Jazz Award winning saxophonist Sam Crockatt, joined by Henrik Jensen on bass and Alex Goodyear 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 £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

Sunday Service: Danni Mayers
2025-06-29 16:30 - 19:00
Danni has created a unique sound mixing reggae, RnB and gospel to deliver passionate vocals and weave soulful melodies
Born in Manchester UK, Danni Mayers has spent the last 20+ years carving out a career as a session vocalist recording, performing and supporting a vast array of artists from around the globe including Loose Ends, Omar, The Lisa Marie Experience, Tippa Irie, Susan Cadogan Sugar Minott, Luciano, Backyard Dog, Sixth Revelation, Etana and Beenie Man. Danni has toured Europe playing at some of Europe’s biggest festivals including Summer Jam, Chiemsee (Germany), Rototom (Italy) and Cheltenham Jazz festival.
As a solo artist, Danni’s debut single “Summer Love” was released in July 2018. She performed headline shows at Pizza Express Live (Holborn) and The Jam House in Birmingham last year and has released further singles “Monday Blues” and “I Am Blessed”. Danni is no stranger to The Marr’s Bar either – she appeared as a guest vocalist when her husband Reed Bass performed for us in December 2023.
Her music has been described as a meeting of Jean Carne, Bob Marley and Erykah Badu in an urban UK city. Mixing Reggae, RnB and Gospel, Danni has created a unique sound to deliver passionate vocals and weave soulful melodies that you can’t help humming along to.
For this gig, Danni will be performing her own songs and some choice covers with her full, seven-piece band.

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 night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £12.

Re:play Session 1 | CANCELLED
2025-09-11 19:30 - 22:30
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, Polar Bear) brings his new project Shapeshifter to Worcester, featuring Huw V Williams (Di-Cysgodion, George Crowley, Laura Jurd) on bass and Jay Davis (Alex Hitchcock, Laura Jurd, Rob Luft) on drums.
This new trio creates a unique sonic experience, shifting moment to moment, gracefully and spontaneously stitching together sound landscapes and grooves. The three members share the writing credits alongside a few carefully chosen works by Bill Frisell, Joe Henderson and Paul Motion.
Taking the exploratory spirit of groups like Polar Bear and Malija, the band move together through a common language of jazz, rock, classical and free improvisation exploring dark textures and dramatic musical shifts as they revel in the unexpected.

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