Swansea International Jazz Festival
Septemeber 4/5/6 & 7, 2025

A High-Octane Tribute to the Jazz Couriers
Get ready for a session of blistering bebop, swinging standards, and tenor sax fireworks as The Jazz Scurriers take the stage in a thrilling tribute to the legendary Jazz Couriers!
Formed specially to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Ronnie Scott's, this powerhouse quintet channels the spirit of Ronnie and Tubby Hayes with electrifying energy and virtuosity.

• Simon Spillett – Tenor Saxophone
• Peter Long – Tenor Saxophone
• Dave Cottle – Piano
• Alun Vaughan – Bass
• Paul Smith – Drums
Award-winning bandleaders Simon Spillett and Peter Long go head-to-head in a dazzling display of saxophone mastery, with driving virtuosic rhythmic support from James Pearson, Ed Richardson and Tim Thornton.
Enjoy timeless tunes like Cheek To Cheek, Love Walked In, and The Serpent, as well as some of Tubby's later standards including Suddenly Last Tuesday and Finky Minky, brought together with witty anecdotes and behind-the-scenes tales from the frontmen themselves.
Expect up-tempo tenor jousting, bell notes bouncing off the walls, and cascades of bebop brilliance lighting up the night. This is jazz at its most joyful, most virtuosic, and most groovy.
Don't miss this unforgettable evening of classic British jazz – book your tickets now!

Experience an unforgettable evening of world-class jazz with the Paul Booth Quartet, presented by Swansea International Jazz Festival.
Internationally acclaimed saxophonist Paul Booth brings his dynamic quartet to the stage for a night of soulful, sophisticated, and electrifying jazz.
His ability to blend into any musical surrounding coupled with his talents as a multi-instrumentalist has led to him being regularly chosen to perform with many well-known artists. He has toured, performed and recorded around the world with legends like Steely Dan, Carlos Santana, and The Eagles.
Paul currently performs his own music, which blends tradition with innovation, creating a rich musical journey that captivates audiences worldwide.
Joining Paul are three of the UK's most sought-after jazz musicians:

• ROSS STANLEY - Keyboards

• LAURENCE COTTLE - Bass

• IAN THOMAS - Drums

Together, they deliver a powerful performance of original compositions infused with global influences and deep improvisational flair.
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Triple H Horns, an all-star band with horn section and vocalists Wayne Henandez and Kedma Macias & Mo Pleasure

• Kedma Macias – Vocals

• Wayne Hernandez - Vocals

• Mo Pleasure – Keys

• Paul Beavis – Drums

• Pat Davey – Bass Guitar

• Harry Greene – Guitar

• Nick Mead – Trumpet

• Jacob Shaw – Saxophone

• Patrick Hayes – Trombone

Formed in 2016, Triple H Horns have performed and recorded worldwide with some of the world's biggest names including Chaka Khan, Christina Aguilera, Davido, Hamish Stuart and film composer Tyler Bates.
Bringing to Swansea International Jazz Festival a thrilling night of horn-heavy music from Chaka Khan, Earth Wind and Fire, Average White Band to name but a few, they will be backed by an all-star band featuring Mo Pleasure. One of the greatest multi-instrumentalists of his generation, Morris "Mo" Pleasure has been at the forefront of American popular music for the last three decades. Mo began his professional career playing with Ray Charles before moving on to work with the likes of George Duke, Christina Aguilera, Chaka Khan, Mary J Blige, Natalie Cole, David Foster. He is currently Musical Director for the iconic Bette Midler.

In 1993, Mo became a member and the Musical Director of legendary group Earth Wind and Fire, and featured (playing keyboards, trumpet and guitar) on Janet Jackson's 2001 "All for you" tour. In 2009, as keyboardist for Michael Jackson's highly anticipated "This Is It" tour, he performed at the pop legend's memorial concert in Los Angeles. Along with the rest of the This Is It band, Mo is immortalised in the eponymously titled film, the best-selling musical documentary of all time.

Mo's first offering as a solo artist, Elements of Pleasure, was released in 2006 to great critical acclaim. The release expanded his worldwide following and established him as a producer and multi-instrumentalist with an unmatched flair for synthesizing seemingly disparate elements into a single cohesive musical statement. His long-awaited second solo effort, Mo' Elements of Pleasure is a much more intimate work, drawing upon years of personal experiences all over the world and features the likes of Roberta Flack, Ali Woodson and Philip Bailey.

The incredible Kedma Macias will be performing vocals with the band. Kedma, from Aberystwyth, is already taking her opportunities in the spotlight to rapturous applause and critical explanation as both a solo artist and a session singer. She has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry such as Jermaine Jackson, Bebe Rexha, Alfie Boe, Michael Ball, Diana Ross, Ant & Dec, Gareth Malone and Peter Andre. Most recently, Kedma was among a select group of singers chosen to perform alongside Grammy award-winning artist Ariana Grande for her recent televised one-hour special at the BBC. Kedma is probably best known for her performance of Queen's Somebody To Love on BBC One's Pitch Battle with Welsh choir Sgarmes, which had the judges out of their seats and Gareth Malone standing on his desk!

Join us at Swansea International Jazz Festival for an unforgettable session with the London Django Collective as they bring the timeless music of Django Reinhardt to life.
London Django Collective features a band of incredibly talented musicians, including:

• Matt Holborn - Violin

• Harry Diplock - Guitar

• Sol Grimshaw - Guitar

• Simon Read - Bass

This afternoon concert will celebrate some of Django's most intriguing recordings from the late 1940s, immersing you into the rich musical heritage of one of jazz's greatest legends.

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Don’t miss Five-Way Split, a new jointly led band featuring some of the finest contemporary jazz bebop musicians in the UK, at this year’s Swansea International Festival.

• Quentin Collins – trumpet

• Vasilis Xenopoulos – saxophone

• Rob Barron – piano

• Matyas Hofecker – bass

• Matt Home - drums

Five-Way Split is fronted by internationally renowned trumpet star Quentin Collins, Greek saxophone phenomenon Vasilis Xenopoulos and the golden touch of pianist Rob Barron. Added to this is virtuosic double bassist Matyas Hofecker and hard-swinging drummer Matt Home. 

The band’s vision is to carry on the lineage of groups like Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers as well mirroring the New York contemporary-bop scene. From this inspiration, the band presents a sound that respects the tradition of the hard-bop era whilst also bringing it up to date for today’s audience.

With an extensive repertoire of carefully crafted and imaginative original compositions, along with cool, swinging material by greats like Jimmy Heath, Cedar Walton and Horace Silver, Five-Way Split delivers some of the best swinging and soulful music in contemporary jazz you’ll really want to hear live.

Jazz Reimagined with Brit-Pop Swagger and Welsh Soul
Step into a gig of genre-defying brilliance as Joe Webb, one of the most exciting pianists on today's jazz scene, brings his electrifying trio to Swansea International Jazz Festival.

• Joe Webb – piano
• Will Sach – bass
• Sam Jesson – drums

With a magnetic stage presence and jaw-dropping improvisational skill, he is redefining what it means to be a modern jazz artist and has toured the world including performances at Ronnie Scott's, Blue Not China, Jazzwoche Burghausen, and London Jazz Festival.
Born and raised in Neath, Joe Webb moved to London in 2013, where he has established himself as an active and influential figure in the jazz scene. Hailed as a rockstar of the jazz world, he fuses the elegance of traditional jazz with the bold spirit of 90s Brit-pop and the rich textures of his Welsh heritage.

The Joe Webb Trio has earned a stellar reputation for their ability to blend the old and the new, captivating audiences with every note. Whether you're a jazz purist or a newcomer to the genre, this is a performance that promises to surprise, delight, and inspire.

Two musical powerhouses. One electrifying band. A night you won't forget.
Join us live as arranger/saxophonist Simon Niblock and drummer/composer Elliott Henshaw bring their explosive musical chemistry to the stage with their sensational project: Spice Fusion.

• Elliott Henshaw - Drums

• Simon Niblock  - Alto Sax/Flute

• Simon Bates - Tenor & Soprano Saxes/Flute

• Paul Newton - Trumpet/Flugel

• Malcolm Melling - Trumpet/Flugel

• Chris Traves - Trombone

• Miranda Wilford - Vocals

• James Treweek - Keyboards

• James Pusey - Guitar

• Laurence Cottle - Bass

Born from decades of performing, writing, and recording with the some of the biggest names in the business, Spice Fusion is more than a band, it's a musical experience. Since 2013, Simon and Elliott have curated a dynamic collective of the UK's finest session musicians.
You've heard them with legends like: Björk • Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, George Michael, Joss Stone, Quincy Jones, Robbie Williams, Shirley Bassey, Van Morrison, and many more.
And you've seen them on your screens: The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, Strictly Come Dancing, and The Royal Variety Show.
Now, it's your turn to witness the magic, live and up close. Expect jaw-dropping solos, tight grooves, and a genre-defying setlist that blends jazz with touches of funk, soul, and pop into one irresistible performance.
Whether you're a die-hard music lover or just looking for a good night out, Spice Fusion delivers the goods.

Swansea International Jazz Festival presents sophisticated, high-energy jazz with the Will Barnes Quartet - a group known for its exciting, contemporary style of jazz.

• Will Barnes – Guitar
• Jack Gonzalez – Piano
• Clovis Phillips – Double Bass
• James Batten – Drums

A tight collective of highly experienced jazz instrumentalists, the Will Barnes Quartet's carefully selected sets typically consist of timeless laid-back swing tunes, punctuated by sharply focused fiery passages that delight.
Will's playing is always in high demand, and in this quartet, he explores his love of guitarists such as Grant Green and Wes Montgomery - expect moments of fire among the chilled-out groove!

Three albums that have influenced Will's playing include:
• Night Train, Oscar Peterson Trio (1963)
• Jim Hall & Pat Metheny, Jim Hall and Pat Metheny (1999)
• Midnight Blue, Kenny Burrell (1963)

Their sound is fresh, consistently breathing new life into some classic works, alongside Will's memorable compositions that leave audiences wanting more.

Swansea International Jazz Festival presents the Power of Gower Festival Big Band.
Join us for an afternoon of swing, soul, and sizzling brass as the Power of Gower Festival Big Band takes the stage!

• Dave Cottle - Piano/MD

• Elliott Henshaw - Drums

• Alun Vaughan - Bass

• Sarah Meek - Vocals

• Chris Bowden - Lead Alto Sax

• Maddie Penfold - Alto Sax & Flute

• Simon Bates -  Tenor Sax & Flute

• Julian Tucker - Tenor Sax & Flute

• Andy Isherwood - Barton Sax

• Nick Mead - Lead Trumpet/Flugel

• KevinWedrychowski Lead Trumpet/Flugel 

• Neil Martin - Trumpet/Flugel

• Derek Lawton - Trumpet/Flugel

• Graham Woodhouse - Lead Trombone

• Laurence Cottle - Trombone

• Lloyd Pearce - Trombone

Dave Cottle brings together some of the finest jazz/session musicians from across South Wales and beyond to perform big band classics from the likes of Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Big Band, Gordon Goodwin, Bill Holman, Ted Heath, Count Basie and more.

They'll be joined by Sarah Meek on vocals for an afternoon of bold arrangements, classic tunes from the golden age of swing, and toe-tapping energy.

We welcome the Tango Jazz Quartet to Swansea International Jazz Festival for a spellbinding performance that fuses the fiery soul of Argentinian tango with the rich improvisation of jazz.

• Ezequiel Vargas - Drums

• Gustavo Firmenich - Tenor Saxe & Clarinet

• Martin Rao de Vita - Bass

• Santiago Villalba - Piano

This isn't just a concert; it's a musical journey as the band seamlessly blend the passionate melodies and rhythms of traditional tango with the harmonic depth and spontaneity of jazz. The result? A sound that's both nostalgic and refreshingly modern. With 10 albums and countless international tours under their belt, Tango Jazz Quartet have graced the stages of the world's most prestigious jazz clubs and festivals. Their music transcends borders and now, they're bringing it Swansea.

Their recent project paid tribute to the legendary Astor Piazzolla, the revolutionary composer who transformed tango into "nuevo tango" by infusing it with jazz and classical influences. Expect to hear some of these stunning arrangements live! Tango Jazz Quartet have also dived deeper into the roots of tango, celebrating the timeless work of Carlos Gardel, one of Argentina's most iconic singers and composers.

Whether you're an avid jazz fan, a tango lover, or simply looking for a unique live music experience, you'll find this is the gig for you.

Swansea International Jazz Festival presents The Wonder of Stevie.
Step into a world of timeless grooves, unforgettable melodies, and pure musical joy as The Wonder of Stevie pays tribute to one of the greatest artists of all time—Stevie Wonder.

• Noel McCalla - Vocals

• Derek Nash  - Saxes

• Nick France - Drums

• Neil Angilley - Keyboards

• Tim Cansfield - Guitar

• Jonathan Noyce - Bass

This electrifying live show presents the mesmeric vocalist Noel McCalla, voted one of Britain's top soul singers, alongside award-winning saxophonist Derek Nash and a powerhouse band of top UK musicians, who have previously performed with a wide variety of music legends including Bill Withers, The Bee Gees, Eric Clapton, Amy Winehouse, Booker T Jones, and Gregory Porter among others. Together they will bring a rousing end to this year's Swansea International Jazz Festival, performing Stevie's most iconic hits like Superstition; Signed, Sealed, Delivered; Isn't She Lovely; I Wish; Master Blaster; and many more.

The Wonder of Stevie is more than just a tribute—it's a heartfelt celebration of Stevie Wonder's extraordinary legacy. With rich vocal harmonies, tight horn sections, and infectious rhythms, this show captures the spirit, soul, and sheer joy of Stevie's music.
Whether you're a lifelong fan or discovering his genius for the first time, this is a night of music that will lift your spirits and get you dancing.