Ben Playford Trio
Vocal and piano-led band play well-loved jazz and blues standards, plus up-tempo numbers with rock-a-billy tendencies
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Ben Playford and his trio evoke the output of the Nat King Cole Trio and Mose Allison. Although their repertoire includes many well-known and well-loved jazz and blues standards, it also includes up tempo numbers with rock-a-billy tendencies. With fresh arrangements, riveting improvisational interplay and modern influences this trio’s got a little something for everyone.
Rob Stringer Quartet
The Rob Stringer Quartet includes four of the UK’s top live jazz performers and will feature reimagined popular songs as well as classic jazz and blues standards.
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The Rob Stringer Quartet includes four of the UK’s top live jazz performers and will feature reimagined versions of songs by The Beatles, Prince, Ray Charles, Fats Domino & Elvis Presley as well as the classic standards of Sinatra, Billie Holiday and Dean Martin with a sweet, funky and soulful New Orleans-tinged sound.
Raised in a musical household, Rob Stringer began studying classical piano at the age of six, but soon found himself drawn to jazz music, and influenced by the greats; from Fats Waller and Frank Sinatra to Miles Davis and Harry Connick Jr, and everyone in between. Rob has toured the world for many years performing at prestigious venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Radio City Music Hall and Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.
He is currently touring his own new Billy Joel tribute show 'Celebrating Billy Joel - America's Piano Man' in theatres around the USA.
Rob prides himself on presenting audiences with a sound that is both musical and authentic but always inclusive and entertaining, often performing classic hits and modern tunes and reworking them with a jazzy twist!
Joining Rob are 3 stellar performers on the North West jazz scene; Billy Buckley on guitar, Ed Harrison on double bass and Dave Walsh on drums (who has a pizza named after him at Matt & Phreds).
Bring your dancing shoes!
BD Lenz
B.D. Lenz not only fuses jazz and rock, he complements it with warm chords of funk, soul, and rhythm and blues.
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Even if you've never heard of American jazz guitarist B.D. Lenz it's very possible you've heard his music before - it's been featured on hundreds of TV shows around the globe. He's released eleven recordings of his unique brand of funky jazz that fuses virtuoso musicianship with expert songwriting. Joining B.D. will be James Rosocha (bass) and Joe Falcey (drums). Together, this trio will keep you surprised with their eclectic mix of jazz standards, original jams, and pop classics.
"Part of the reason for his accessibility is that he not only fuses jazz and rock, he complements it with warm chords of funk, soul, and rhythm and blues." New York Times
Los Chichanos
Mixing a rich percussion section, powerful vocals, vintage guitar solos and mesmerizing Peruvian melodies, Los Chichanos perform “chicha” or Jungle Cumbia.
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The band behind Edinburgh’s underground fiesta scene, Los Chichanos formed to heat up their audiences with pumping live Latin music. Mixing a rich percussion section, powerful vocals, vintage guitar solos and mesmerizing Peruvian melodies from the Amazon and the Andes, Los Chichanos perform “chicha” or Jungle Cumbia. The style of music has experienced a worldwide boom in recent years, and it’s clear why – tropical vibes, jungle sounds, experimental guitar-driven songs, '60s organ leads and all the raucous rhythms of live cumbia & salsa! This music was written to make bodies move and minds travel.
With members from Brazil, USA, Australia and the UK, the international combo formed in Scotland in 2021. Their shows regularly reach capacity across Edinburgh, popular amongst lovers of Latin music and late night dance circles. Using traditional cumbia rhythms and full-powered percussion on congas, bongos, guira and kit, the group mixes experimental electric guitar and iconic nostalgic organ sounds, exploring ‘60s psychedelic and surf influences… The result? A hugely danceable setlist that transforms any night out into an infectious tropical fiesta. Let Los Chichanos lead you on their jungle expedition across the Latino dancefloor and deep into the misty South American rainforest.
Tonight, Los Chichanos perform "chicha", a genre also known as Jungle Cumbia which originated in 1960s Peru. Join the live fiesta of rich Latin percussion, vintage electric guitar and organ with mesmerizing melodies from South America and the raucous rhythms of live cumbia & salsa.
Line Up:
Sandino Borges - guitar / vocals
Conal McIntosh - bass / vocals
Georgia Ollier - keys / vocals
Andy Cooke - congas / vocals
Tim Leslie - drums / vocals
Georgia Crandon
A true 'Rock Chick’, that’s establishing herself firmly within the ‘MOD’ and Northern Soul retro scene.
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Georgia Crandon has performed on some exceptional stages including The Liverpool Philharmonic, Birmingham Symphony and a sell out performance at the iconic Royal Albert Hall. Touring the UK, she's had the support of her formidable fan base, including the affectionately named 'Essex Massive'.
Described as 'refreshingly different' by the Evening Standard and 'A nano second ahead of the pulse' by BBC Radio Essex, Georgia takes inspiration from the greats - the stage presence of Presley, the vocal prowess of Joplin and the flamboyant style of Bolan. Her compositions are fresh with an unrivalled retro style meaning her demographic appeal is both young and old.
Georgia now embarks on her new journey signing with Static Wax Records following some spectacular main stage performances in 2021 supporting Soul II Soul, Shaun Ryder's Black Grape, The Dualers and Northern Soul act, The Signatures.
Tonight, Georgia Crandon is accompanied by her phenomenal support band, performing a mixture of original compositions from her 4 EP releases and up-beat covers from the likes of, Blondie, The Jam, and beyond. Drawing comparisons to the retro vibes of Winehouse, and flamboyancy of Bolan, Georgia is electric on stage. A true 'Rock Chick’, that’s establishing herself firmly within the ‘MOD’ and Northern Soul retro scene.
St. Barbe
St. Barbe create a rich and expansive sound world fuelled by high-octane improvisation, ethereal textures and complex beats.
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Dissolving the lines between jazz, rock and electronic music, St. Barbe create a rich and expansive sound world fuelled by high-octane improvisation, ethereal textures and complex beats. Their debut E.P ‘Shapeless’ was released in January 2021 and garnered support from Spotify’s editorial jazz playlists as well as earning them a feature in Guitar Magazine.
Their live set draws on the compositions of ‘Shapeless’ and an eclectic range of new material, offering an immersive blend of extended improvisations and intricate trio arrangements that move freely from delicate melodicism to full-throttle fusion.
"Injecting their brand of jazz with a healthy shot of alternative rock, St. Barbe deliver a slick, fresh take on the genre that brings it straight into the twenty-first century.” - Guitar.com
Ben Haskins Quartet
Exploring open, melodic compositions and stretched out improvisations the band draws influence from improvised music on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Led by guitarist Ben Haskins, the band has come together through jam nights, mutual projects and a love for improvised music. After a first successful gig at Hyde Park book club over a year ago the group has steadily gigged on the Leeds circuit and by doing so have found a sound that lends itself to the intimate setting of the guitar and tenor led quartet. Exploring open, melodic compositions and stretched out improvisations the band draws influence from improvised music on both sides of the Atlantic, taking inspiration from John Coltrane, Shabaka Hutchings, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Guiliana, and John Abercombie. After finally recording in January 2019 the band released their Debut EP ‘Candescence’ on the 10th of September.
The band has grown out of the rich jazz scene Leeds has been offering for so long now. All alumni of Leeds College of Music, the members are active musicians on the Leeds scene. Featuring musicians from Vipertime, Tete De Pois and Slow Lorris to name a few.
Yubaba
Adding their own arrangements and twists to Funk, Soul, and Reggae hits from the 80’s to today.
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After absolutely raising the roof of M&P’s for their first gig with us back in November, we are incredibly excited to welcome Yubaba back to the club!
Yubaba are North Wales’ and the North West’s premier Funk & Soul act. This vocal-led 6 piece band never fail to get audiences of all ages moving with their infectious mix of Funk, Soul, Ska and Reggae.
With a mighty repertoire spanning from classic grooves to more modern chart tracks, Yubaba add their own arrangements and twists to Funk, Soul, and Reggae hits from the 80’s to today.
From The White Stripes, to Amy Winehouse, to The Beatles, to James Brown, to Aretha Franklin, to Junior Senior, and so far very beyond…
The hugely competent line up of vocals, saxophone, guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums promise to ignite the atmosphere of our little backstreet jazz club from song one. This is to be a Saturday night in the company of a fantastic band whose awesome showmanship and skill will get you dancing in your seat, then on the dance floor, then all the way home.
Zang
A brilliant vocal-led fusion of floorfilling Dance, House, Garage, Rock, Pop, R&B and Funky music.
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ZANG are a rollicking 5-piece party band, featuring sassy soulful vocals, deep funky bass, groove ridden drums, seductive searing guitar and lip-smackingly delicious piano, rhodes and organ - playing a brilliant fusion of floorfilling Dance, House, Garage, Rock, Pop, R&B and Funky music.
Expect to be moved, excited and delighted with a selection of ZANGED up party bangers designed to make that ass move, shake and quake. Loads of classics, mixed with some cool and quirky selections, all styled up and supercharged for your entertainment. Do not miss this!
Lovers of Kings Of Convenience, Moloko, Ginuwine, Prodigy, Beyonce, Arctic Monkeys, Prince, Hendrix, Alison Limerick, Queens of the stone age, Spice Girls, and Prince, to name but a few… This is for you.
Arun Ghosh
Indojazz sensation Arun Ghosh returns to Matt & Phred’s, as he celebrates the release of brand new record, Seclused in Light.
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Indojazz sensation Arun Ghosh returns to Matt & Phred’s. It’s a homecoming, album-launch concert for the award-winning clarinettist, as he celebrates the release of brand new record, Seclused in Light.
A leading light in British jazz, Arun and his band deliver a passionate sound driven by soaring melodies, hypnotic rhythms and transcendental textures.
Arun grew up in Bolton, and cut his teeth within Manchester’s vibrant jazz scene. Since then he has released four acclaimed albums, and toured nationally and internationally. Tonight’s show reunites him with fantastic musicians from Manchester and Leeds scenes: Dave Walsh (drums) Gavin Barras (double bass) and Jamil Sheriff (piano), and introduces rising star, Marcus Joseph on alto saxophone.
Twice awarded Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards, Arun’s musical style takes a multi-era / multi-genre approach; where numerous strands of jazz join forces with a myriad of musical influences: from jungle to punk, blues to Bollywood…and beyond.
This open-eared aesthetic and musical philosophy, and his bringing together of South-Asian raags (melodies) and taals (rhythms) with jazz culture and instrumentation, has led him to be considered a renowned innovator of modern IndoJazz.
A charismatic and communicative performer, Arun Ghosh’s shows are always special, spontaneous and moving events - especially here in Manchester ; this is a gig not to be missed!
Mr. Green
A band of professional musicians from Manchester who came together over their love of jazz-funk.
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Mr. Green’s Jazz-Funk Revival
Mr. Green is a band of professional musicians from Manchester who came together over their love of jazz-funk. The band started as a homage to the legendary Blue Note Records guitarist Grant Green. As the band grew they encompassed music from other great jazz-funk artists ranging from the sixties up to the present day. Their repertoire mixes funky beats, hectic solos and cool melodies with just a hint of fusion. Expect music from The Meters, George Benson, Grant Green, Cory Wong, The New Mastersounds and more.
For this gig, the band was joined by two special guests: the accomplished funkster Stephen Wilcock on saxophone and flute, and the amazing vocal talents of Martin Connor singing classics from artists like Sly and The Family Stone and The Isley Brothers.
Dan Burnett & His Band
With influences stemming from the soul, acoustic, and blues genres, Dan’s songs will take you on emotional journeys about love and life.
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Our pre-Valentines Day Special at M&P’s, featuring one of our all-time favourite singers and his band. Dan on vocals and our grand piano, joined by Jase Brooks (bass), and Erroll Rollins (drums) for an evening of stunning Soul, Jazz, and Blues - perfect for lovers, friends, and everyone in between.
With influences stemming from the soul, acoustic, and blues genres, Dan’s songs will take you on emotional journeys about love and life.
Playing regularly throughout the year, Dan is also a library music composer for film and TV. He has co-written and recorded music which featured on ‘Stolen’ (Nicolas Cage), and ‘Supernatural’ (USA TV series), among many others. Since 2014, Dan has been an international endorser of Kawai Pianos.
Expect to hear Dan and the band's favourites from their musical upbringings in Soul, Blues and Funk. On top of this, you’ll get to hear some of Dan’s absolutely mesmerising original material which we at M&P’s are in love with.
Blackstone/Quintana/Steadman
This young guitar trio draw influence from blues, bop and New Orleans to bring a fiery energy to their compositions.
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Nonunonu
NONUNONU are a guitar-led trio who bring together elements of jazz, hip-hop and funk to create their own original sound.
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Groove based jazz guitar trio NONUNONU are heavily influenced by Black American music. They bring together elements of jazz, hip-hop and funk to create their own original sound. The band have already been making waves, playing gigs around the North west including Manchester Jazz Festival, Manchester International Festival and Lancaster Jazz Festival.
Expect Blistering drum solos, steaming bass lines and groovy tunes, Nonunonu are ones to watch! On this occasion the band will be performing mostly original material alongside arranged versions of compositions from the likes of Herbie Hancock, Alan Holdsworth and many more.
Baiana
Born in Liverpool and blessed in Rio, Baiana is the band with the totally tropical twist, bringing the music, glamour and charm of vintage Brazilian jazz and pop to every show.
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Born in Liverpool and blessed in Rio, Baiana is the band with the totally tropical twist, bringing the music, glamour and charm of vintage Brazilian jazz and pop to every show. The band has played sold-out shows in London’s jazzland and got national coverage after a series of sell-out gigs at the Edinburgh Festival. Baiana is all about the thrill of Brazil and will be playing classic Bossa Novas, seductive sambas and Latin-inspired arrangements of well-known standards. Sometimes reflective, always full of passion, this will be a night of infectious rhythm, superb musicianship, and beautiful song.
Laura Doyle, the front lady of Baiana, became an entertainer after studying clowning with the great Philippe Gaulier in Paris and developed her unique voice and style on the "underground cabaret" scene in London and elsewhere. She fell in love with Brazilian music while living in Rio where she rubbed shoulders with some of the world's most famous people, including Fidel Castro and Sophia Loren. A born-entertainer, Laura's colourful costumes and charismatic performances always have audiences shouting for more.
Drummer and multi-instrumentalist Vidar hails from Norway and was a member of alt-pop darlings Wave Machines who released two critically-lauded albums and played at Glastonbury and other major festivals. Guitarist Micky is one of the most respected “gypsy jazz” guitarists on the British jazz scene and has performed for many years with Django luminaires such as Gary Potter, Romane, John Jorgenson and violinist Daniel John Martin. Bassist Jesse is a much in-demand bass player and vocalist, at home in a intimate jazz club or playing a major festival. He has recorded and toured with artists such as Louis Berry, Marcus & Martinus, Ray Quinn, China Crisis and Ninet Tayeb to name but a few.
Jamie Brownfield Quartet
From the original New Orleans Street Beat tunes such as “The Happy Feet Blues” through to their own compositions you can hear the roots of the music we listen to.
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Jamie Brownfield Quartet consists of British Jazz Awards star, Jamie on Trumpet, George King on Piano, Gavin Barras on Double Bass, and Jack Cotterill on Drums. This fresh and exciting quartet have a vast range of experience in different styles of music and have come together to play their own mix of New Orleans street beat, swing & reggae.
Emily Capell
With a wide range of influences from Dolly Parton to The Clash, Emily has brought a new genre of country, ska, doo wopp and pop to the music scene.
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A singer-songwriter and musician from North West London. Emily Capell has it all, the voice, the talent and the beehive. Supported on this show by Gina Larner and Chris Tavener, it's set to a fantastic night all round.
With a wide range of influences from Dolly Parton to The Clash, Emily has brought a new genre of country, ska, doo wopp and pop to the music scene.
Since starting out in 2010 Emily has released 3 EPs entitled ‘Who Killed Smiley Culture?’, ‘Who Framed Winston Silcott?’ and ‘Who Stands With Latasha Harlins?’. The much-anticipated debut album ‘Combat Frock’ was released in October 2019 which included Emily’s single ‘I Found A Footballer To Marry Me’. The album was a huge success only growing her fanbase and cementing her credentials as the new singer to watch.
Rowland & The Moveable Feast
Many have commented as to how Rowland Jones creates a conversation with the audience via his finely crafted melodic songs.
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Many have commented as to how Rowland Jones creates a conversation with the audience via his finely crafted melodic songs. Iain Patience described him in Blues Matters (UK) as 'an experienced blues man, who knows exactly what to do with this music' Jones' music though clearly emerging from the blues shows a wide range of influences, and his songs have been favourably compared to John Martyn, Mose Allison and Jim Croce.
Martin Connor & His Band
Martin Connor is a powerful soul vocalist and songwriter, with roots and inspiration in Soul, Jazz, Gospel, Hip-Hop, and Reggae.
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Martin Connor is a powerful soul vocalist and songwriter, whose raw talent and attitude to his music has earned him a fantastic reputation among audiences and fellow musicians alike. With roots and inspiration in Soul, Jazz, Gospel, Hip-Hop, and Reggae, Martin and his 4-piece band take to the stage to fill the room with a hugely rich and well-defined sound which demonstrates the passion and prowess of this group of musicians.
Nick Dewhurst Band
Jazz, Fusion, Funk and Pop. Expect to hear a mixture of the band’s spin on pop tunes from the 80’s through to today, Nick’s original tunes, plus some jazz standards!
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The Nick Dewhurst Band plays Jazz, Fusion, Funk and Pop. Featuring a group of musical friends who all met through the Birmingham Conservatoire and West Midlands jazz scene, you can expect to hear a mixture of the band’s spin on pop tunes from the 80’s through to today, Nick’s original tunes, and some jazz standards for good measure!
Expect the night to start off with some of Nick's original jazz and fusion tunes, but then get your dancing shoes on as the evening gradually develops into a big Saturday night party, with pianist Tom Lindsay singing some classic pop and soul tunes, and the band playing some great arrangements of big pop tunes by artists such as Basement Jaxx, Moloko, Pink, Stevie Wonder, and lots more!