http://www.kenilworthjazzclub.co.uk/

Kenilworth Jazz Club, Glasshouse Lane, Kenilworth (2026)

11/04/2026

B.D. Lenz & Kim Cypher Quartet - Monday, 13th April 2026

In April we present guitarist B.D. Lenz (from U.S.A) and Kim Cypher (sax & vocals) supported by Mike Green (bass) and Mike Cypher (drums).

KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Monday 13th April, 2026
Door time: 7:30pm, Start time: 8:00pm
Tickets: £15.00, Students £7.50 available on the door or online at https://wegottickets.com/event/696738 (includes booking fee)

Mix the sophistication of jazz, the grit of Blues, and the grooves of funk and soul, and you have the recipe for contempo-jazz guitarist B.D. Lenz. The New Jersey native has played guitar since his early teens, is a graduate of Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, and has studied with such masters as Mike Stern, Vic Juris, and Charlie Banacos along the way.

B.D. Lenz has released 13 highly-acclaimed recordings as a leader featuring greats such as Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Will Lee, Joel Rosenblatt, & Mark Egan. He says of his music, “ I work really hard on my writing. It’s important that the virtuosic musicianship of my band members have a context in which to show it off.” His latest studio recording, Manifesto, was a crowd funded effort that broke into both the Jazz and Jam radio charts.

His music has also been featured in hundreds of TV shows globally including Breaking Bad (AMC), Catfish (MTV), Pawn Stars (History), Chicago Fire (NBC), Real Housewives of Atlanta (Bravo), and Young Sheldon (CBS) to name just a few.

Lenz and crew have played thousands of gigs internationally. Select venues include Jazz at Lincoln Center (NYC), Iridium (NYC), Birmingham Jazz Festival (UK), Rochester Jazz Festival (NY), Swansea Jazz (Wales), Hull Jazz Festival (UK), Musikfest (Pa), Pizza Express (London UK), Scott’s Jazz (Belfast NI), Café Miles (Amersfoort NL), Deer Head Inn (Pa), The Verdict (UK), 27b Flat (Brugge BE), Jazzkeller (Frankfurt DE), PBS TV, and BBC Cambridge.

Kim Cypher last played at Kenilworth Jazz in 2024 and is one of the UK’s most exciting and exuberant saxophonists, vocalists, composers and band leaders. A regular performer on the London and UK jazz circuit and with success of two highly acclaimed albums, award-winning music videos, performance in New York and sell-out performances at world-renowned Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Kim has firmly secured a reputation for delivering the highest quality performance with incredible style, passion, energy, and charisma together with her renowned vivacious stage presence and warm connection with all audiences.

Photos © Ron Milsom

05/04/2026

We are proud to present guitarist B.D. Lenz In Concert featuring Kim Cypher (sax), Mike Green (bass) and Mike Cypher (drums).

KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Monday 13th April, 2026
Door time: 7:30pm, Start time: 8:00pm
Tickets: £15.00, Students £7.50 available on the door or online at https://wegottickets.com/event/696738 (includes booking fee)

Mix the sophistication of jazz, the grit of Blues, and the grooves of funk and soul, and you have the recipe for contempo-jazz guitarist B.D. Lenz. The New Jersey native has played guitar since his early teens, is a graduate of Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, and has studied with such masters as Mike Stern, Vic Juris, and Charlie Banacos along the way.

Lenz has released 13 highly-acclaimed recordings as a leader featuring greats such as Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Will Lee, Joel Rosenblatt, & Mark Egan. He says of his music, “ I work really hard on my writing. It’s important that the virtuosic musicianship of my band members have a context in which to show it off.” His latest studio recording, Manifesto, was a crowd funded effort that broke into both the Jazz and Jam radio charts.

His music has also been featured in hundreds of TV shows globally including Breaking Bad (AMC), Catfish (MTV), Pawn Stars (History), Chicago Fire (NBC), Real Housewives of Atlanta (Bravo), and Young Sheldon (CBS) to name just a few.

Lenz and crew have played thousands of gigs internationally. Select venues include Jazz at Lincoln Center (NYC), Iridium (NYC), Birmingham Jazz Festival (UK), Rochester Jazz Festival (NY), Swansea Jazz (Wales), Hull Jazz Festival (UK), Musikfest (Pa), Pizza Express (London UK), Scott’s Jazz (Belfast NI), Café Miles (Amersfoort NL), Deer Head Inn (Pa), The Verdict (UK), 27b Flat (Brugge BE), Jazzkeller (Frankfurt DE), PBS TV, and BBC Cambridge.

"...Part of the reason for his accessibility is that he not only fuses jazz and rock, he complements it with warm chords of funk, soul, and rhythm and blues..." – New York Times

"Bottom Line: Lenz is a real embodiment of a guitar hero...But just like jaguars are born to run, Lenz is born to play...leaving the listener breathless in their musical journey with him.

He is a big sound, a big talent...powerfully impressive taken all in all." – Jazz Inside Magazine

"While doing a live album, with such a diverse repertoire, poses risk, Lenz rises to the occasion, releasing an entertaining and engaging album that is sure to be included on this year’s
'Best of' lists for jazz guitar." – Guitar International

"...Lenz's music portrays his deep attachment to groove and rhythm as well as an uncanny ability to craft interesting and memorable melodies..." – All About Jazz

"...he has released six CDs, he has logged untold hours onstage and his music has been licensed for use in more than 100 TV shows. Even so, Lenz says his latest release, Hit It and
Quit It, represents a big step for him..." – BMI.com

"Contemporary jazz guitarist B.D. Lenz’s quartet lays down a funky, jamming vibe...integrating catchy good time grooves with moodier, blues-inflicted pieces" – JazzTimes

“…[Straight Up] is so there, so ideal, so darn near perfect that it makes a listener want to head straight up there in a pilgrimage to quality...” – JazzImprov Magazine

“...a solid guitarist and composer...["Straight Up"] features a distinctive contemporary style... – Newark Star-Ledger

“Lenz has mastered his instrument and his confidence overflows everywhere..." – All About Jazz

"The fact that Lenz is capable of being forceful one minute and gently introspective the next demonstrates that he is far from a one trick pony. Lenz keeps things unpredictable: he can
be edgy and assertive , or he can be vulnerable." – Jazz Inside Magazine

“...B.D. Lenz is the kind of artist that you really can’t describe in a few words. His style flows in the genres of Latin & rock, with nuances of jazz & funk, but even so, it’s all his
own." – Trenton Times

www.bdlenz.com
www.facebook.com/bdlenz
www.instagram.com/bdlenz
www.x.com/bdlenz

01/03/2026

'ROUND MIDNIGHT' - celebrating the music of Dexter Gordon & Herbie Hancock - 2nd March 2026 featuring Dom Franks (saxophones) and Alex Steele (piano) with Paul Jeffries (bass) and Euan Palmer (drums)

KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Monday 2nd March, 2026
Door time: 7:30pm, Start time: 8:00pm
Tickets: £15.00, Students £7.50 available on the door or online at https://wegottickets.com/event/692284

Award-winning saxophonist Dom Franks and dynamic Kenilworth favourite, pianist Alex Steele, combine to present a joyous celebration of the collaboration between saxophone great Dexter Gordon and pianist Herbie Hancock.

The band will explore music from Herbie Hancock's debut album, 'Takin' Off', which featured Dexter Gordon on tenor sax, as well as tracks from the film 'Round Midnight' which featured an Oscar-winning score by Herbie Hancock, and starred Dexter Gordon as a jazz musician living in Paris. The band's set touches on evergreen jazz standards such as Round Midnight, Body and Soul, and Driftin', as well as hard-bop classics made famous by Dexter Gordon, and classic 60s tracks by Herbie Hancock. The band celebrates the highlights of these two great jazz musician's legacies.

Saxophonist Dom Franks has played with some of the biggest names in jazz, soul and latin music. Swinging, melodic and funky, he is perhaps best known for his original group Dom Franks' StrayHorn, whose album 'Duality Pt. 2' (2025) received glowing reviews across the jazz press, and was playlisted on Jazz FM, One Jazz and BBC Radio 3. His musical partner Alex Steele is known for his flying socks, lightning bebop runs and soulful approach to standards. They are accompanied by a top flight rhythm section, well known to Kenilworth, of Paul Jeffries (double bass) and the hard-swinging Euan Palmer (drums).

You can find out more about Dom Franks, and hear clips from his previous albums here: https://domfranksstrayhorn.bandcamp.com/

‘Dom Franks proves himself a compelling force both as a saxophonist and as a composer…warm, supple saxophone work…the album remains compelling from start to finish’ - AllaboutJazz review of Duality Pt. 2, Sep 2025

‘Dom Franks, cool of tone, imaginative in ex*****on and a composer for today has created a vision that looks forward without any unnecessary trappings.’ - Bebopspokenhere, review of Duality Pt.2, Sep 25

'Such a high level of musicianship, and a wonderful turnout and audience response. Thank you all for making it such a great night, we loved it. - Fenner Curtis, promoter, the Steamin’ Jazz Club, Cheltenham, Oct 2025.

Photos © Ron Milsom

26/01/2026

Swing from Paris

KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Monday 2nd February, 2026
Door time: 7:30pm, Start time: 8:00pm
Tickets: £15.00, Students £7.50 available on the door or online at https://wegottickets.com/event/688967/ (includes booking fee)

Swing from Paris are a quartet of violin (Fenner Curtis), guitars (Andy Bowen and Sam Hughes) and double bass (Tomasz Williams), inspired by the great swing bands of the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s such as Benny Goodman, Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli and the Hot Club of France.

Their Parisian-flavoured jazz and gypsy swing has been delighting audiences for over 15 years: from major jazz festivals including Brecon, Cheltenham and the Django Reinhardt Festival at Samois sur Seine, to being seen on the BBC’s Hairy Bikers and performing at the opening of the award-winning Gloucester Services.

Their latest recording together is I Love Paris (2024), available digitally and on CD. Expect stylish jazz and vintage swing.

Watch:

La Mer https://youtu.be/qkWJ7F5OMmc

Under Paris Skies https://youtu.be/sYsmeUcq1RM

More on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/

Listen:

Spotify I Love Paris (2024)

Bandcamp swingfromparis.bandcamp.com

Album trailer https://youtu.be/6yReTaXRjGE

Socials:

Facebook facebook.com/swingfromparis

Instagram instagram.com/swingfromparisofficial/

TikTok tiktok.com/.from.paris

Web swingfromparis.co.uk/

More links linktr.ee/swingfromparis

Reviews:

“Their arrangements are consistently intelligent, interesting and inventive... their love for,

and knowledge of, their chosen material is wide and deep, but nevertheless they put their

own stamp on it.” – The Jazz Mann ★ ★ ★ ★

“Excellent band ... diverse numbers, smart arrangements ... successful partnering of

acoustic with electric guitar distinguishes the band’s sound ... symphonious violin, soulful

guitar and heart-rending bass” – Jazz Journal

“Awe-inspiring ... The band members have real rapport...I would highly recommend to any

jazz, or live music fan for that matter” – Swindon Link

“Clever interpretations and adaptations” – Nub News

“the band’s chemistry is palpable” – We Write About Music

“captures the essence of Parisian jazz and gypsy swing with remarkable virtuosity” – infomusic.fr

“both reverent to the past and refreshingly original” – musikepool

“a rich and immersive listening experience” – extravafrench.com

Audience comments:

“Absolutely wonderful. Don't miss it!” “A truly spectacular and accomplished group”

“Fabulous musicians, fabulous arrangements. Can't recommend enough!”

21/11/2025

CANCELLED - Butcher's Brew - Monday 1st December, 2025

KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Monday 1st December, 2025

*** Unfortunately this event has had to be cancelled but hopefully can be rescheduled to a date in the New Year ***

Ray Butcher is a jazz trumpeter who has performed with his own acts at jazz clubs such as the 606 Club, Ronnie Scott's, Matt and Phreds and many others.

Having performed worldwide, and making his first musical TV appearance on BBC TV aged 15, he has also performed the trumpet solo on the song ‘God’s Great Dance Floor’, for the Grammy nominated singer Martin Smith and also the version by Chris Tomlin, for the album ‘Burning Lights’ which topped the US album charts for one week in Jan 2013. The album was nominated for a Grammy award.

He has worked with New Orleans great Dr John, Mica Paris, Robbie Williams and many commercial artists.

He is joined by Tim Amann on piano, Ian Hill on saxophone, Mike Green on bass and Miles Levin on drums.

30/10/2025

The Greg Abate Quartet - Monday 3rd November 2025

KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Monday 3rd November, 2025
Door time: 7:30pm, Start time: 8:00pm
Tickets: £15.00, Students £7.50 available on the door or online at https://wegottickets.com/event/679959

Greg is based in the USA, a musician of brilliant international standing, and without a doubt, amongst the finest jazz players of his generation. After studying at Berklee in the mid 70's, Greg joined the Ray Charles band, and later the renowned Artie Shaw Orchestra. Since then, Greg has had an outstanding career as a band leader in his own right. His recent albums include a beautiful album with the late great Phil Woods, and his most recent album with the incredible pianist, Kenny Baron. As well as his touring work, Greg is also a composer, arranger, a Grammy-nominated recording artist and educator of considerable note, serving as an adjunct professor of Jazz Studies at Rhode Island College. His fluent and muscular playing is best described as "post hard bop", encompassing a classic approach to the material in the style of Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley and Phil Woods.

"Abate is not content to rely on stock bebop riffs ... his work has a feeling of constant invention and creativity.” Chicago Tribune

"A unique voice" Metro, San Jose

"One of the most exciting players around today" The Jazz Messenger

“Greg Abate is one of the most appealing saxophonists on the scene today ... the result is that he plays music with sweetness and daring.” New Jazz Recordings

Joining Greg, we have the flying socks, passion and innovation of Alex Steele on piano; the insuperable merchant of groove and swing, Mike Cypher on drums; and the beautifully melodic, lyrical and effervescent, Mike Green on double bass.

01/10/2025

The Burt Bacharach Jazz Experience: Featuring Alex Steele & Catherine Sykes Quartet

KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Monday 6th October, 2025
Door time: 7:30pm, Start time: 8:00pm
Tickets: £15.00, Students £7.50 available on the door or online at https://wegottickets.com/event/676352

New jazz interpretations of the music of Burt Bacharach featuring Catherine Sykes (vocals), Alex Steele (musical director, piano), Paul Jefferies (double bass), Euan Palmer (drums) plus special guest Dom Franks (saxaphones) on a few tunes!

This evening, we are delighted to welcome the brilliant ‘Burt Bacharach Experience’, a jazz evening exploring the incredible diverse compositions of Burt Bacharach, re-interpreted through the creativity of Musical Director, Alex Steele, on piano and the luscious vocals of Catherine Sykes.

Everyone knows the music of Burt Bacharach, with classics including The Look of Love, Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head, What the World Needs Now, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again and many more. They are classic songs, made famous by singers including Dionne Warwick, Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield and the Carpenters, and explored by jazz greats including Sonny Rollins and Brad Mehldau. From the 1950’s onwards, Burt Bacharach created a huge catalogue of compositions, featuring a very unique style of chords, harmonies and changing time signatures. It is this creativity in his compositions which has led his music to be greatly explored and appreciated by jazz musicians. Tonight, Alex Steele leads this new band, with a set of special arrangements of these classic songs, pushing the music more deeply into modern jazz territory. You’ll know the songs, but you won’t have heard them played like this before!

More than a thousand artists have recorded the songs of Burt Bacharach over many decades. This new ‘Burt Bacharach Experience’ takes us one step further into explorations of his beautiful music.

Leading the quartet, Alex Steele is a unique voice in jazz, well-known for his passion, energy and a deep sense of musicality as a jazz pianist. He has been inspired by his heroes, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock and Brad Mehldau, and through his own musical journey, he has found his own unique voice. Alex brings his own special sense of energy to audiences, exploring the beauty of improvisation, zest, passion and creativity in music.

Vocalist Catherine Sykes expresses one of her most significant musical influences as Ella Fitzgerald. Catherine says “I love the freedom and space of jazz music. There are no set rules, no boundaries, no definitive way to sing. Rhythm and melody can be played with, feelings explored, day-to-day worries lost in the wonderful world of the music. I love what I do”. When she’s not with Alex exploring the music of Burt Bacharach, Catherine sings with the Glenn Miller Orchestra UK, she tours around the world, and makes special guest appearances with the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Pasadena Roof Orchestra, Nick Ross Orchestra, Manhattan Orchestra, Fat Chops Big Band, Paul Barry Big Band, The Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra, and many more.

17/08/2025

100 years of Oscar Peterson with the Dean Stockdale Quartet

After a UK tour last year which included dates in London, Ireland and Paris, the Dean Stockdale Quartet returns to perform a new set of the music of legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, marking the centennial of his birth.

KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Monday 1st September, 2025
Door time: 7:30pm, Start time: 8:00pm
Tickets: £15.00, Students £7.50 available on the door or online at https://wegottickets.com/event/671419

The quartet features Tim Williams on Guitar, Gavin Barras on bass and Gaz Hughes on drums.

The show focuses on special new arrangements of Oscar’s music, in particular his original compositions and music from his most popular albums, showcasing his infectious swing and piano virtuosity, plus music from the quartet’s album ‘Celebrating Oscar’.

Dean Stockdale is a highly regarded jazz pianist, arranger and composer based in the North of England who is known for his sensitive, swinging style.

He regularly appears around the UK with his trio and some of the best names in UK jazz. His biggest influences in jazz are the piano styles of Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Gene Harris, Mulgrew Miller and Erroll Garner.

Dean continues to be in demand as a performer with his trio and quartet, and as pianist for touring jazz artists, accompanist for vocalists and as a teacher and session pianist.

2021 saw the release of his second trio album entitled ‘Promise the Moon’, which was featured on BBC Radio 3, Jazz FM and BBC Introducing.

His latest release ‘Celebrating Oscar’ is available now.

Kenilworth Jazz Club

11/04/2026

05/04/2026

01/03/2026

26/01/2026

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