We are grateful to Company of Friends for assisting with the publicity for our concerts.

In addition to playing at dances and functions we also put on concert performances in London and the South East of England. See details and photos of our most recent concerts below. Older gigs (back as far as when the web site started) are pictured on our Concerts Past page - big crowds at the Royal Festival Hall Foyer, in 1940s uniform at Polesden Lacey and more.

Upcoming concerts

The Thame Players Theatre is a vibrant venue for a wide programme of events, from plays to opera to jazz and also cinema. We will be upholding the jazz element on Saturday 11th October 2008. We are delighted that Bill and Angela Rennells will once again be joining us.

For previous lunchtime concerts in the Fairfield Halls in Croydon we have had good audiences in both the Ashcroft Theatre and the concert hall. This year on Tuesday 28th October 2008 at 1.05pm we are back in the Ashcroft Theatre. So far we have always had very good audiences, so with luck the Ashcroft will be good and cosy for all.

The audience for our annual concert for Age Concern on Thursday 30th October 2008 at the Nettlefold Hall in West Norwood is usually the most energetic of the year. Proceedings start at 1:30pm.

Lets hope we are lucky enough to have another packed house for out 13th annual visit on Friday 13th February 2009 to the lovely Barn Theatre, Oxted, Surrey. The theme is The Roarin' Twenties and we are delighted to be joined by The Bee's Knees 'with sequins a-glint and fringed hems vigorously swinging, these chic show-girls provide an act with a euphoric party atmosphere'.

The Broadway Theatre in Catford, South London, is a magnificent example of 1930's Art Deco architecture and a perfect venue for our style of music. The real thrill is sharing the stage with Peter Hammond who will be playing the Compton theatre organ that he will have completed restoring. Come and drink in the atmosphere at 3pm on Sunday 15th March 2009.

Recent Concerts

For further pictures see the links mentioned with some of the concerts below.

Graham and John (towering over the piano) listen appreciatively as Anne-Marie rehearses the choir

We were delighted to join the exciting Stevenage Ladies Choir in a combined concert with an American theme on Saturday 5th July 2008 at the beatifuland ancient St. Mary's Church, Hitchin. This concert, part of the Hitchin Initiative Festival, took place in one of the largest venues in Hitchin, but had plenty of folks attending to make it a great evening. Click here to see a publicity poster for the concert. Thanks to MD Anne-Marie for inviting us to join in such a fun concert in a delightful venue.

For Brighton Dome's summer organ spectacular on Sunday 29th June 2008 we joined world renowned theatre organist Simon Gledhill whisking the large audience  back to the 20s and 30s. BBC Radio 2's Nigel Ogden described Simon Gledhill's 'flawless technique, impeccable phrasing and unerring sense of musical good taste'. We provided the foil. The finale had cinema organ and dance band playing together, maybe for the first time in decades - thanks to Simon's fantastic rhythm and control it was tremendously exciting and brought the house down.

Back to Kent and the lovely Bradbourne House on Thursday June 26th 2008, again by kind invitation of the East Malling Research Station Music Club.

No we haven't changed costumes - here is John listening to the outdoor sound of Nat West Jazz

Titsey Place, Oxted, is one of the largest surviving historic estates in Surrey, yet is just 20 miles from the centre of London. Gates opened at 4pm on Saturday 21st June 2008 for an evening of jazz and swing in this beautiful location.  The cafe was cleared for the indoor music. The versatile Nat West Jazz Band also played outside as we did alternate sets.

The Chequer Mead Theatre in East Grinstead was nearly full of wonderful people supporting our concert in aid of St. Catherine's Hospice on Friday 20th June 2008. Much money was raised by these generous souls.

Special guest Jeanie Barton joined us for 'We'll Meet Again', singing the hits of Vera Lynn and Anne Shelton at the cosy Barn Theatre in Oxted, Surrey (very cosy as it was practically full once more) on Friday 14th March 2008. We included many songs from the home front by great artists such as Glenn Miller and Flanagan and Allen.

'Vera Lynn is the vocalist most remembered from that time...in Jeanie Barton they found a voice with remarkable resemblance (and the glamour to go with it)...It was a wonderful programme'. Derrick Graham, Surrey Mirror. Click here to see the review.

We have been on the magnificent bandstand in Eastbourne a few times. On Febuary 29th 2008 we leapt into the Underground Theatre which provided a great turnout despite the wet conditions.

'Give us a tune boys' said Robbie Coltrane as we prepared to play to passengers boarding the QE2. And the band played on... Having played in the Queen's Room of the QE2 as guests settled on board ready to sail to New York on the first leg of her final world cruise on 6th January 2008 (before becoming a floating hotel in Dubai), we returned to the departure hall to do an extra set for those passengers still working their way through the increased health and security red tape. We had the choice of playing on the QE2 or the new Queen Victoria which was sailing in tandem with QE2 to meet up with Queen Mary 2 in New York. With QE2 retiring in November we thought we would help send her off.

It was Christmas in Hollywood for our 2007 Winter World Tour (of 2 of East Anglia's renovated theatres) starting at the Fisher Theatre in Bungay, Suffolk, on Saturday15th December and proceeding to the charming Headgate Theatre in Colchester on Saturday 22nd December. We think we were competing a bit with Strictly Come Dancing but a good time was had by all.

A tight squeeze through the audience onto the stage once more as we returned to the Comrades of the Great War Club Coulsdon (Surrey) for another jazz night on Thursday 8th November 2007.

We were delighted to be on stage with Company of Friends once more in Anything Goes at the Chequer Mead Theatre in East Grinstead, 23rd - 27th October 2007. It made us think of our weekend on the Queen Mary 2 last year (except the celebrities the passengers were desperate for in the musical really were on the Queen Mary 2).

Our fourth lunchtime concert at the well connected Croydon Fairfield Halls on Tuesday 23rd October 2007 seemed almost like a full length concert with a big hall to fill with sound for a large audience, and was more than a warm up for our appearance in the Chequer Mead Theatre that evening.

Another energetic Age Concern afternoon concert at the Nettlefold Hall in West Norwood on Monday October 15th 2007.

Over to Maidenhead for an evening concert at the Norden Farm Centre for the Arts on Saturday 6th October 2007. We were delighted that BBC Radio Oxford's Bill and Angela Rennells were again with us with Bill helping to compère. The theatre is excellent: not only just the right size and acoustic but also with a great bunch of people running it. Photo of the band in performance by Matt, superb sound man and ace bulb squeezer.

Another evening at the sublime Bradbourne House on Thursday 5th July 2007, once more by invitation of the East Malling Research Station Music Club. No sunshine this year, but plenty of warmth inside from the capacity audience.

Into our 2nd decade at the lovely Barn Theatre in Oxted, 7:45pm Friday 23rd March 2007. Nice to see some new faces: maybe they read the double page spread about the band in the March issue of Surrey Life Magazine.

Poster for the Boy Friend - click the poster above for a bigger version

'Oh no, how revolting!' was our favourite line, uttered by Lady Brockhurst as we laid into the sultry Tango. Having provided the music for Company of Friends' lively production of The Boyfriend at the Chequer Mead Theatre in October 2005 the show moved on to the Hawth in Crawley Tuesday 20th February to Saturday 24th February 2007.

We were told our afternoon concert for the 2006 Celebrating Age Festival on Thursday 26th October 2006 at the Nettlefold Hall in West Norwood attracted the biggest audience of the festival. And a celebration it was, plenty of dancing, some of it very energetic, and lusty singing. Great fun.

We had a fun night at the friendly Comrades Club in Coulsdon, Surrey on Thursday 19th October 2006.

Two slightly windy evenings on Eastbourne Bandstand on 13th July and 31st August 2006. For the 2nd evening the canvas 'walls' had been removed so passers by once again stopped to watch and listen as in our 2005 concert. So Bud Flanagan was right after all in singing the best things in life are free (which you coincidentally will find on our imminent 2006 CD).

The Rhythm and Ragtime Ball was at the The Spa Hotel, Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells on Friday 23rd June 2006: a Black Tie event in aid of the Hospice in the Weald. Another magnificent setting...

We took our theme of Rhythm is Our Business for our 7th visit to the stately Bradbourne House on Thursday 8th June 2006 by kind invitation of the East Malling Research Station Music Club. We celebrated the music of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra (including some surprises). Bradbourne House provides an elegant yet cosy atmosphere for all kinds of music, and with cloudless skies the setting was perfect.

The Grand Lobby of Queen Mary 2, picture by Roxanne (Cunard)

We played at embarkation on the Queen Mary 2 for the Somerfield Charity Ball (21st-23rd April 2006), and had a nautical theme on deck as we headed for a weekend cruise to Guernsey. Click here for a few images from the mini-cruise, including some great names of British Jazz who were entertaining on board.

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Another good turn out at Croydon's Fairfield Halls for the Tuesday lunchtime concert on 11th April 2006. Its a big hall and a big stage so its great to see so many faces out there. Thanks to sound man Rob not only for his expertise on the amps, but also for a few snaps for the scrap book.

We marked our10th anniversary at the gorgeous Barn Theatre in Oxted, Surrey, with a programme of music celebrating Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. The show on Friday 31st March 2006 was entitled Rhythm is Our Business. We were an orchestra again with Dan on fiddle, and once again the theatre was packed.

It was A Christmas in Hollywood in the afternoon of Sunday 4th December 2005 at the Kenton Theatre in Henley-on-Thames. We were delighted that broadcaster Bill Rennells was on hand to help introduce the show. This is the bicentenary of the Kenton and we just love playing in this type of venue.

Click here for details of even older gigs - back to when the website started.