Tuesday, 12 December, 2017

8.30 - 11.00pm
£8 on the door

"If John Etheridge weren’t so brilliant he might be more famous. His versatility is confusing. What other guitarist could have begun his career as a member of Soft Machine and the Stephan Grappelli Quintet?" - Dave Gelly, Observer. John left Grappelli’s group in the early 80s. For the last twenty five years he has pursued a career involving associations with many of the great players - he has appeared with: Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Williams, Yehudi Menuhin, Pat Metheny and Nigel Kennedy. "I never wanted to be a star, just a highly respected musician like John Etheridge" - Sting, The Guardian. "One of the best guitarists in the world" - Pat Metheny.
Art Themen, orthopaedic surgeon (now retired) and illustrious saxman, remains a firm favourite on the British jazz scene with a pedigree as long as Southend Pier. Art was involved in the early British blues movement with Alexis Korner’s All Stars, Jack Bruce’s Band and Long John Baldry’s Hoochie Coochie Men. He has played and recorded with the bands of Michael Garrick, Graham Collier, Don Weller and in 1974 began a long association with Stan Tracey. He also toured and recorded with Charlie Parker alumni, Red Rodney and Al Haig. "Originally a Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins disciple..Themen has proved himself remarkably attentive to the saxophone styles of subsequent generations. The atonal whirlings of Evan Parker are evident, alongside John Coltrane's sheets of sound, and the full-bodied, vibrato-laden rhapsodising of long-gone swing stars such as Coleman Hawkins" - John Fordham, The Guardian.