In the past we have been entertained by Renato D'Aiello with Phil Lee, The Sheena Davies Quartet, Greg Abate, Digby Fairweather, John Critchenson, Julian Mark Stringle, Alan Barnes, Craig Milverton, Zoe Schwarz with Rob Coral, The Charlie Hearnshaw Quartet, Katya Gorrie Band, Martin Dale Quartet and others.

The club is going from strength to strength and we have an excellent season 2006 planned.

Tipped as "One Of The Jazz Faces To Watch" in JAZZ UK magazine, and described in JAZZ REVIEW as "A formidable musician and composer playing and writing in an uncompromising Hard Bop style", Simon Spillett (born 1974) has risen meteorically in the past two years to become one of the most dynamic and distinctive tenor saxophonists on the UK jazz scene.
Starting as a teenager with saxophone lessons from BBC Big Band veteran jazzman VIC ASH, Simon became a professional musician aged 21 and worked his way through a very practical jazz apprenticeship which saw him playing at prestigious venues such as RONNIE SCOTT'S, THE 100 CLUB, THE SPICE OF LIFE, SMOLLENSKY'S, THE 606 and THE JAZZ CAFE.
His current quartet is one of the most energetic groups on the UK circuit and features three of the finest UK jazzmen: pianist JOHN CRITCHINSON, bassist ANDREW CLEYNDERT and drummer MARTIN DREW, who were the rhythm section in the last band led by one of Simon's heroes, the late RONNIE SCOTT.
His quartets have also included legendary former TUBBY HAYES associates SPIKE WELLS, TONY LEVIN and JEFF CLYNE.
Simon's driving and energised style has often been compared favourably with that of his idol, the late great TUBBY HAYES, arguably the most accomplished of the post-war British Bebop generation, and his approach does indeed share a similar love of dare-devil tempos and all-out, no-holds-barred, intensity.
His passionate commitment to unabashed straight-ahead jazz has attracted much attention and garnered him welcome praise. Added to these skills, he is also a rhapsodic ballad player. Above all, he remains a proudly "British" jazz musician.
Simon and his quartet are in demand at jazz venues across the UK and have played at many major festivals including THE HSBC BRECON INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL, THE SWANAGE JAZZ FESTIVAL, THE WIGAN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL, THE WAVENDON JAZZ FESTIVAL, THE SOUTHPORT JAZZ ON A WINTERS WEEKEND FESTIVAL, THE CLEETHORPES BEACHCOMBER JAZZ WEEKEND and others.
In early 2007, THE SIMON SPILLETT QUARTET released it's first album "INTRODUCING SIMON SPILLETT", produced by ALAN BARNES for the WOODVILLE RECORDS label (WVCD 116), featuring a mix of themes associated with TUBBY HAYES and Simon's own compositions. The album has received universal praise from the leading jazz critics and broadcasters (see above), as well as featuring on BBC Radio 2 THE BEST OF JAZZ and BBC Radio 3 JAZZ LINE-UP. The album also has regular airplay on the new UK digital radio station theJAZZ and in June was voted BBC MUSIC Magazine’s "JAZZ CHOICE”.
In June 2007, Simon received a nomination in the "RISING STAR" category in the BBC JAZZ AWARDS.
Tonight Simon will be joined by the popular Paul Harris Trio.