Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz Club

26/03/2026

26.3.26
Hi Jazzers

Another great evening of trad jazz and blues at our Jazz Club, sadly missing Matt Palmer, who we send our condolences to for his recent family loss. The line-up therefore was Jon Stone (Trumpet, vocals), Dave Deakin (trombone), Terry McGrath (tenor, alto & soprano saxophone, trombone), Brian Mellor (banjo, guitar, vocals), Al Harris (double bass, vocals) and Tim Jones (drums).

We enjoyed the band’s take on the Dixieland standard ‘Careless Love’ with Jon on vocals, being copyrighted in 1921 by W. C. Handy as ‘Loveless Love’ and made popular in 1925 by Bessie Smith as ‘Careless Love Blues’. We had a number of up-tempo numbers including ‘Cake Walking Babies from home’, ‘Dark Town Strutters Ball’ and ‘Too Busy’ with Jon supplying the vocals on all three numbers. Al gave us vocals on the melodic jazz number, ‘It’s only a Paper Moon’ written in 1932 for the Broadway Play, ‘The Great Magoo’ and then we appreciated a trombone duet by David and Terry on the George Gershwin song ‘It’s Wonderful’. The dancers packed the floor for the 1926 Ray Henderson song, ‘Bye Bye Blackbird’, thus closing the first set.
The band commenced the second set with two Fats Waller numbers ‘Ain’t Misbehaving’ followed by ‘Blue Turning Grey’, featuring Terry on saxophone. Next, we had a duet featuring Jon on trumpet and vocals with Al on double bass to the 1918 song written by Leo Wood, ‘Somebody stole my Gal’ which became a number one hit in 1924 for Terry Weens and his Orchestra. A great version was enjoyed with Terry on soprano saxophone, of the Sidney Bechet instrumental ‘Si tu vois ma mere’, backed by Al on double bass and Brian on guitar, with Brian then taking centre stage on banjo and vocals with his rendition of the 1916 song by W.C. Handy, ‘Beale Street Blues’. Jon sang in German to the popular 1962 Kenny Ball song ‘So Do I’, and the band completed a fine jazz evening with an up-tempo version of ‘Dinah’.
Next Wednesday 1st April we look forward to Kevin Grenfell’s Jazz Giants featuring Paul Harrison, so until then take care and be kind to yourself and to others.
Best regards

Gary
Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz Club
PS. Thanks to Birmingham Urban Sketchers for their sketches.
Thanks to RSCTC for their support.

19/03/2026

19.3.26
Hi Jazzers

A different jazz evening at our Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz & Blues Club from the Cygnet Jazz Quartet, playing a mixture of modern jazz with their own stylish twist on the arrangements. This reminds us that jazz comes in various form and guises. The line-up of the four accomplished musicians was Diane Arthurs (vocals, tenor & baritone saxophone and flute), Paul Arthurs (drums), Emma Breese (piano) and Graham Niblett (bass guitar).

Diane was on vocals for the 1943 Nat king Cole number ‘Straighten up and fly right’, being one of the first hits for The King Cole Trio, which reached number one in the Harlem Hit Parade. There was a mellow version of the 1954 Errol Garner instrumental ‘Misty’, which was a hit in 1959 for Johnny Mathis, becoming his signature song. There was a catchy beat to the 1974 Cape Jazz song by Abdullah Ibrahaim, ‘Manneberg’, followed by a Duke Ellington song by Diane, ‘I’m checking out Goombye’. The band ended the first set with an up-tempo version of the Charlie Parker song, ‘My little Suede Shoes’.

Cygnet commenced the second set with the theme tune from the 1972 film ‘The Godfather’ composed by Nino Rota and a hit song for Andy Williams, titled ‘Speak Softly Love’ with individual solos by Diane on saxophone and Emma on tinkling piano. Diane continued on vocals with the 1945 Duke Ellington song ‘Lucky so and so’, a jazz standard covered by such artists as Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. Next was a lively version of ‘Samba D’Orfeu’ composed by Luiz Bonfa for the 1959 Black Orpheus film with a good drum solo from Paul. The band played a nice arrangement of ‘This Masquerade’ written by Leon Russell in 1972 and covered by Helen Reddy, The Carpenters and George Benson in 1976. A catchy beat was to the tune ‘Topsy’ a 1937 Count Basie composition, becoming a 1938 hit for Benny Goodman and also in 1958 for drummer Cozy Cole who released it as a two-part single with both versions charting. The band completed the evening with the 2009 up-tempo hit for Caro Emerald, ‘A night like this’ sung by Diane with gusto, and a number one hit in The Netherlands, Italy, Austria and Romania, with the song also being used in an on-line commercial for Martini (not many people know that, and probably do not need to!).

Well good jazzers, next Wednesday 25th March we welcome Matt Palmer’s Eagle Jazz Band, so until then be kind to yourself and to others.
Best regards.

Gary
Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz & Blues Club.
PS. Thanks to SCCT & RSCTC for their support.

12/03/2026

12.3.26
Hi Jazzers
We enjoyed some great melodic jazz by talented musicians last night from the Easy Street Spankers who had both a great front line as well as a driving rhythm back line. The band line up was Wil Robinson (trumpet, vocals), Liam Byrne (tenor & soprano saxophone clarinet), Rob Cotterell (drums), Andy Bramhall (banjo, guitar, vocals), Chris Bramhall (double bass) and Dave Deakin (trombone).

Wil was in good vocal form with the song ‘Carry me back to Old Virginny’ played with great tempo arrangement, the song being from 1878 by James A. Bland, and the song version in 1916 by Alma Gluck the first celebrity recording by a classical artist to sell a million copies. Next was a lovely arrangement of ‘Rose Room’ an instrumental jazz standard by Art Hickman in 1917 based on the Rose Room in St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco. The dancers were on the floor for a lovely 1944 Johnny Mercer song with Wil providing the vocals to ‘Dream’ (this song was a major hit in 1945 for June Hutton with the flip side being ‘Tabby the Cat’).
The band played some great driving beat songs including ‘Yes Sir, that’s my baby’, Nobody’s fault but mine’, and ‘Willie the Weeper’, and included were a couple of Duke Ellington tunes with ‘Saratoga Swing’ and ‘Rent Party Blues’. On vocals Wil did a great job on the 1961 Kenny Ball song ‘I still love you all’. Talking about a great job I need to mention here a fabulous interpretation was given of the Humphrey Lyttleton tune ‘Bad Penny Blues’ with Wil on muted trumpet and Andy on guitar playing a superb riff, (instead of the piano), ably supported by Chris on double bass and Rob on drums. Following this Andy provided the vocals on the Isham jones 1924 composition ‘It had to be You’, which featured in the 1942 film Casablanca sung then by Dooley Wilson, not forgetting the Daffy Duck version sung as he performs a st******se in the 1943 Looney Tunes cartoon ‘The Wise Quacking Duck’.
Wil was back on vocals for the 1929 Fats Waller song, ‘I’ve got a feeling I’m falling’, followed by a great tempo version sung by Andy of the 1955 Horace Silver composition ‘The Preacher’. The band ended a great jazz evening with the aptly named up-tempo song ‘Get out of here and go home’.
Next Wednesday the 18th March we welcome the Cygnet Quartet. Until then take care and be kind to yourself and to others.
Best regards
Gary

Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz Club.
PS. Thanks to SCCT & RSCTC for their support.

05/03/2026

5.3.26
Well, jazzers we were treated to jazz music of high quality with great verve and drive and some superb individual solos by Rich Bennett’s New Orleans Band at our Sutton Coldfield Jazz Club last night. The band line-up was Rich Bennett (band leader, trumpet, vocals), Graham Woodhouse (trombone), Zoltan Zagi (saxophone,), Warren James (banjo, guitar, vocals), Nick Ward (drums), and Simon Smith (double bass).

There were two gospel hymns in a row commencing with the ever popular ‘Lily of the Valley’ with Rich providing the vocals, the song being written in the 19th century for the Salvation Army by Charles Willian Fry, the second was sung by Warren called ‘My life will be sweeter one day’. This was followed by ‘One Sweet Day’ with Rich back on vocals, the song being first recorded and released in 1917 by Marion Harris. There was a blues jazz standard sung by Warren with ‘Make me a pallet on your floor’, who then alone on guitar, supported by Simon on double bass, gave another blues, first recorded in 1935 by Sleepy Joe Estes, titled ‘Drop down Mama’.
Rich was in great relaxed vocal form as evidenced in his version of ‘One sweet letter from you’, following up with ‘Mean to me’. There was a great up-tempo version by the band of ‘Too Busy’ including a super drum solo by Nick, the tune being first recorded and released in 1928 by Charley Straight’s Orchestra. Warren sang vocals to a sing-a-long number ‘I/we shall not be moved’, and the band played a lovely version of ‘All I do is dream of you’ a song first recorded in 1934 by Dick Robertson and Angelo Ferdinando’s Great Northern Orchestra, and also recorded in the same year by Al Bowlly with Ray Noble and his orchestra. The band finished a wonderful jazz evening with the 1931 Peter Van Steeden song ‘Home (When Shadows fall)’ the song being sung by Warren who is in good company, as the song has been famously covered by such artists as Sam Cooke, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong and Paul McCartney.
So jazzers on to next Wednesday the 11th March when we look forward to welcoming The Easy Street Spankers. Until then take care and be kind to yourself and to others.
Best regards

Gary
Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz Club.

PS. Thanks to SCCT & RSCTC for their support.

26/02/2026

26.2.26

Hi Jazzers

Another wonderful evening of melodic and rhythmic jazz from the popular Sauce City Jazz Band playing a variety of tunes to please everyone. The line- up was Geoff Sansome (band leader, cornet, vocals), Dave Woods (clarinet, soprano clarinet, tenor saxophone, vocals), Geoff Goodwin (trombone), Vic Partridge (banjo, guitar, vocals), John Edgar (sousaphone), and Dave Andrews (drums).

The rhythm was evident in the song, ‘I want a little girl’, sung by Geoff and first released in 1930 by McKinny’s Cotton Pickers. We were treated to several songs by Fats Waller including the 1934 ‘How can you face me’, then a great version of the popular song ‘It’s a sin to tell a lie’, sung by Vic, the song being written by Billy Mayhew in 1936 but popularised by Fats Waller. Another 1930’s Fats Waller song played well by the band and sung by Geoff was ‘When Somebody thinks you’re wonderful’, and previously a hit for Peter Skellern in 1978 and also covered by Bryan Ferry in 1999.

We enjoyed a couple of hymns including, ‘What a friend we have in Jesus’ and a lovely version with great tempo sung by Geoff, of ‘Streets of the City’. There was a Ken Colyer classic of ‘Black Cat on the fence’, followed by another lovely arrangement sung by Vic (playing his great hand-made banjo), with ‘I can’t give you anything but love baby’ (a song from 1928 by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields). We had a ring of dancers enjoying themselves to the song ‘Margie’ with Geoff providing the vocals, and this song was a hit for Eddie Cantor in 1921 being about his five-year-old daughter. Dave took the vocals for the ever-popular 1930’s song ‘I’m Confessing’ which was a UK number one hit in 1963 for Frank Ifield. The band ended a great jazz evening with the 1949 jazz standard written by drummer Paul Barbarin, ‘Bourbon Street Parade’ with a vocal duet by Geoff and Dave.

Next Wednesday 4th March we welcome Rich Bennett’s New Orleans Jazz Band so another jazz evening to look forward to. Until then have a good week, and be kind to yourself and to others.
Best regards

Gary
Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz Club

PS. Thanks to SCCT & RSCTC for their support.
Thanks to Birmingham Urban Sketchers for their sketches.

19/02/2026

19.2.26
Hi Jazzers,

Another excellent evening of jazz enjoyed by all, from the popular Roaring Twenties jazz band. Playing with great verve and including the excellent vocalist Suzanne James, feet were tapping and feet were dancing to the musical entertainment. The band line-up was David Hepworth (band leader, clarinet, and saxophone), Simon James (trumpet), Andy Bramall (banjo, guitar and vocals), Rob Cotterell (drums), Liz Hepworth (double bass) and Suzanne James (vocalist).

A good blues vocal jazz number performed by Suzanne was ‘Aggravatin’ Papa (Don’t you try to two time me)’, popularised in 1922 by both Bessie Smith and Sophie Tucker, followed by the 1924 hit ‘Hard Hearted Hannah’, made popular by Margaret Young and then a hit twenty-five years later by Peggy Lee. There was an up-beat tempo provided by the band to ‘Frog-I -More’ (also known as ‘Sweetheart O’ Mine’) and then another good blues number, ‘Coal Cart Blues’ composed by Louis Armstrong, but originally recorded and released by Clarence William Blue Five in 1925.

We enjoyed a vocal duet by Suzanne and Andy with ‘San (Gimme my dime back)’, first recorded and released in 1936 by The Blue Ridge Playboys, and there was a great up-beat version of ‘Willie the Weeper’, a vaudeville song from 1908 and recorded in 1927 by Louis Armstrong. The band provided a good instrumental adaption of the 1914, James Scott composition ‘Climax Rag’, with then Suzanne back with a sultry vocal version of the 1929 song ‘Mean to me’, continuing with another 1929 song, ‘Kansas City Kitty’ a hit in that year for The Original Memphis Five. Suzanne sang a jazz blues standard next with ‘Baby, won’t you please come home’, and not to be left out Andy vocalised well on the next song, ‘The blues my naughty sweetie gives to me’. The band’s finale was an earworm song written in 1925 by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn with ‘Yes Sir, that’s my Baby’, which I’m sure we were humming on the way home.

Next Wednesday the 25th February, we welcome Geoff Sansome’s Sauce City Jazz Band, so until then take care, and be kind to yourself and to others.
Best regards

Gary
Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz Club

PS. Thanks to SCCT & RSCTC for their support.

19/02/2026

GIG List. Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz Club: Live Jazz every Wednesday evening. 2026

Jan.28th Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers
Feb.4th Dave Browning’s Jazz Cats
Feb.11th Jake Legg Jug Band
Feb.18th Roaring Twenties
Feb.25th Geoff Sansome’s Sauce City Jazz Band
March 4th Rich Bennett’s New Orleans Jazz Band
March 11th Easy Street Spankers
March 18th Cygnet Quartet
March 25th Matt Palmer’s Eagle Jazz Band
April 1st Kevin Grenfell’s All Stars with Paul Harrison
April 8th Swing Kings
April 15th Warren James Lonesome Travellers
April 22nd TBA
April 29th Dave Wood’s New Orleans Bump
May 6th Richard Leach Street Band
May 13th Vals’ Birthday Party Bash (Members/Ticket only-Special Band)
May 20th Sheila Fawkes Café Orchestra
May 27th TBA
June 3rd New Orleans Hot Shot
June 10th Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Band
June 17th TBA
June 24th Louisianna Nights
July 1st Mark Challinor’s Wabash Jazz Band
July 8th Paula Jackman’s Jazz Masters
July 15th Mississippi Dreamboat

Doors open at 19:00: First Set. 20:00pm to 21.00. Second Set 21.30 to 22.30pm.
Boldmere Sports and Social Club, 323 Boldmere Road, Sutton Coldfield, B73 5HQ
Entrance £12.00
Email: [email protected]
Contact: Colin: 07966-745741

https://www.facebook.com/SuttonColdfieldTradJazzClub/

Live jazz music every Wednesday 8pm For dancing,listening or social. Only £12.00 entry. All welcome. No memberships.

12/02/2026

12.2.26
Hi Jazzers
We enjoyed an eclectic mixture of jazz, blues, gospel, music hall, minstrel and county/ folk music from five very talented musicians comprising The Jake Leg Jug Band, who not only played with a great togetherness but harmonised vocally together so well. The band line-up was Duncan Wilcox (band leader, double bass, vocals), Warren James (banjo, guitar, jug, vocals) Danny Blythe (clarinet, bass clarinet, harmonica, 8-string mandolin, vocals), Mike Owen (trombone) and Andy Henderson (cornet, frugal horn, percussion).
Warren was on vocals for both ‘Nobody’s business but mine’, and ‘Loving this man of mine’, the latter song being an early 1927 blues number featured in the stage show ‘Show Boat’, composed by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein 11. The dancers were brought to the floor by a 1923 hit for Isham Jones with ‘Who’s sorry now’ which was later an international hit in 1957 for Connie Francis reaching number one in the UK and number four in the USA. A change of style was next with a music-hall number, ‘Champagne Charlie’, vocalised by Warren and popularised in 1932 by Blind Blake, and also used in the film of the same name in 1944 which featured Tommy Trinder and Stanley Holloway. There were a number of melodic gospels during the evening sung by both Duncan and Warren that included, ‘I want Jesus to walk with me’, ‘I’m going to cross the river Jordan’, the jazz standard, ‘Just a closer walk with thee’ and ‘Light from the Lighthouse’, which had an early recording in the 1920’s by Blind Willie Johnson.
There was a great version by the band of the country-blues style number ‘Midnight Special’ popularised in 1934 by Lead Belly Ledbetter, and another of Ledbetter’s songs that the band sang in A Capella style to great effect was ‘Stewball’ (based on a famous race horse in the 18th century). A very nice version of a minstrel song was given by Warren with ‘Buffalo Gals’ and Duncan took the vocal lead with another up-beat gospel song with ‘Who rolled the stone away’. The band finished with a great sing-a-long Lead Belly number with ‘Goodnight Irene’.
Next Wednesday 18th February, we welcome The Roaring Twenties, so until then take care and be kind to yourself and to others.
Best regards
Gary

Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz Club.
PS. Thanks to SCCT & RSCTC for their support.
Thanks to Birmingham Urban Sketchers for their sketches.

05/02/2026

5.2.26
Hi Jazz Cats,

What a fabulous evening of top-class jazz entertainment by Dave Browning’s Jazz Cats who played with great verve and togetherness, also with some superb individual solos. The band line up was Dave Browning (band leader, piano), Allen Beechey (trumpet, vocals), Keith Donald (double bass), Brian Butler (trombone), Sarah Spencer (clarinet, alto and tenor saxophone, vocals), and Graham Smith (drums).

A nice up-tempo version of ‘Margie’ brought the dancers to the floor, the song being a hit in 1920/1 for both the Original Dixie Jazz Band and Eddie Cantor, followed by Sarah on vocals with a Jelly Roll Morton composition, ‘The Winin’ Boy Blues’. A great solo on trumpet by Allen was next up with ‘I don’t stand a ghost of a chance with you’ a song recorded in 1932 by Bing Crosby with Orchestral AccompaAniment, and there was a fabulous version of Jabbo Smith’s song ‘Absolutely’ sung with gusto by Sarah alongside with her brilliant saxophone playing. Sarah stayed on vocals for the 1927 song ‘Lonesome Road’, and then Allen provided vocal duty with the 1935 tune popularised by Fats Waller, ‘I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a letter’ (there were many recordings of this jazz standard including a rock and roll version in 1957 by Bill Haley and His Comets and also Paul McCartney in 2012). The band played a melodic version of ‘On the Alamo’ which was a number one hit in the US in 1922 for Isham Jones, and then Brian took centre stage with a trombone solo with the tune ‘On the road to home sweet home’. We all enjoyed a fabulous solo double by Dave on piano with ‘Grandpa’s Spells’ and Honeysuckle Rose where Dave’s fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard as if by magic, and the band finished a wonderful jazz evening with some individual solos from all band members with the tune ‘Hindustan’.

Next Wednesday the 11th February we look forward to the Jake Leg Jug Band, so until then take care, and be kind to yourself and to others.
Best regards

Gary
Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz Club
Thanks to SCCT & RSCTC for their support
Thanks to Birmingham Urban Sketchers for their sketches

05/02/2026

GIG List. Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz Club: Live Jazz every Wednesday evenings 2025/2026

Jan.7th 2026 Matt Palmer’s Gatsby Go Getters
Jan.14th Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends
Jan.21st Dave Wood’s New Orleans Bump
Jan.28th Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers
Feb.4th Dave Browning’s Jazz Cats
Feb.11th Jake Legg Jug Band
Feb.18th Roaring Twenties
Feb.25th Geoff Sansome’s Sauce City Jazz Band
March 4th Rich Bennett’s New Orleans Jazz Band
March 11th Easy Street Spankers
March 18th Cygnet Quartet
March 25th Matt Palmer’s Eagle Jazz Band
April 1st Kevin Grenfell’s All Stars with Paul Harrison
April 8th Swing Kings
April 15th TBA
April 22nd TBA
April 29th Dave Wood’s New Orleans Bump

Doors open at 19:00: First Set. 20:00pm to 21.00. Second Set 21.30 to 22.30pm.
Boldmere Sports and Social Club, 323 Boldmere Road, Sutton Coldfield, B73 5HQ
Entrance £12.00
Email: [email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/SuttonColdfieldTradJazzClub/

Live jazz music every Wednesday 8pm For dancing,listening or social. Only £12.00 entry. All welcome. No memberships.

29/01/2026

29.1.26
Hi Jazzers,

On a frosty moonlit January night, we were thoroughly entertained by jazz of the highest quality by three talented musicians and a great lady vocalist. That is the fabulous Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers with Emily Campbell. The line-up was Spats Langham (band lead, guitar, banjo, vocals), Danny Blythe (guitar, clarinet, harmonica, vocals), Malcolm Sked (bass, tuba) and Emily Campbell (vocals).

We heard many songs that are not played very often including the Cliff Edwards song (nickname Ukulele Ike) and sung by Spats, ‘Hang on to me, I like to hang you on my family tree’. Using two guitars for lead and rhythm we had a great version of the 1942 Fats Waller song ‘Jitterbug Waltz’, which Waller recorded using a Hammond organ. Spats was back on vocals for a blues number ‘Easy Easy Baby’ which had a packed dance floor, followed by Emily on vocals with the 1925 Irving Berlin composition ‘Shaking the Blues away’. Emily continued with a fine tempo song ‘Take another guess’, popularised in 1935 by Ella Fitzgerald. Another great tempo tune followed by Emily with the 1936 hit by Peggy Lee-and Benny Goodman, ‘Why don’t you do it right’.

There was a great version of an Al Bowlly song ‘Midnight, the stars and you’, which was used in the haunting closing scene from the film, ‘The Shining’. We enjoyed a Shelton Brooks 1917 number next with ‘Darktown Strutters Ball’, followed by Emily singing the 1935 composition ‘The Lullaby of Broadway’ used in three films that same year and winning the 1935 Academy Award for best original song. A gospel song was up next with the Sister Rosetta Tharpe classic and sung by Emily, ‘Who rolled the stone away’, and Emily then gave a superb and moving rendition of ‘His eye on the sparrow’. We heard a lovely duet by Spats and Emily with the 1944 song ‘Making Believe’ (a hit for the Inkspots with Ella Fitzgerald), and then some great guitar work and tempo with the tune ‘Hittin’ the bottle’. The band finished their fantastic jazz evening with Emily on vocals with the 1936 song first recorded by Louis Prima and popularised by Benny Goodman with ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’.

Next Wednesday 4th February we look forward to the second visit by Dave Browning’s Jazz Cats so until then take care, and be kind to yourself and to others.

Best regards

Gary
Sutton Coldfield Trad Jazz & Blues Club
PS. Thanks to SCCT & RSCTC for their support.