Jazz Smugglers
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Could be good… Jazz Smugglers

Jerome Kern hated Jazz, but we are going to play him anyway, because we love his songs", say Sussex band, Jazz Smugglers. “We adore the songs, they are amongst the world’s finest, and they will be played for another 100 years” says band leader John Winkler.

He was one of the most prolific theatre music writers ever and his tunes such as All The Things You Are have become jazz standards. He introduced 4/4 rhythms, he was one of the pioneers of syncopation which led to jazz, and he used jazz progressions, but he hated it when jazz musicians played his songs with all their improvisations.

The octet, which has two saxes, trumpet, guitar, keys, bass and drums, together with a vocalist, will be playing their new show called Jazz Smugglers Play Gershwin and Friends, which is based on some of the loveliest jazz standards ever.

At the show there will be a bit of background chat about each of the composers who, as well as Kern, will include Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers and Duke Ellington with a lyricist, Johnny Mercer, added in for good measure.

The line up is,  Andrew Batchelar on alto sax, John Howes on baritone sax, Mike Birch on trumpet, Philip Gaillard on guitar, John Winkler on keyboards, Vic Crowley on bass, Robert Savary on drums with the lovely Maria Ball providing the vocals.

Jazz Smugglers will be playing on May 6, 7.30 at the Friends Meeting house in the Lanes.

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