Doors 7.30pm
Gary Crosby OBE double bass / Camilla George alto saxophone / David Kayode tenor saxophone / Joti trumpet / Harry Brown trombone / Shirley Tetteh guitar / Emily Tran piano, organ / Rod Youngs drums / Satin Singh percussion
What better way to bring mjf's 30th anniversary celebrations to a rip-roaring close: it’s all about the good times!
Formed in 1991 by Gary Crosby OBE – bassist, band leader and nephew of Jamaica’s legendary guitarist Ernest Ranglin – the mighty Jazz Jamaica have rightly earned their reputation as "one of the UK’s leading good-time bands" (The Independent) from their many exuberant live performances and dynamic album releases over the past three decades.
Crosby's concept was to create a quintessential fusion of mento, ska, reggae, and jazz, playing classic and modern jazz standards alongside Jamaican folksongs, and it is his leadership and drive that continues to ensure the evolution of Jazz Jamaica. The band has grown in members and repertoire, filling concert halls and delighting audiences across the country with tours of Catch A Fire, a celebration of the music of Bob Marley, and The Trojan Story, which featured many of the best-loved tunes from the seminal Trojan Records label.
“Jazz Jamaica…Well known for blowing the roof off live shows. A joyful, cosmopolitan tribute.” - Jazzwise
“Jazz Jamaica should be permanent ambassadors to the United Nations of Good Times.” - Cheltenham Jazz Festival
“Britain’s finest big band.” - The Times
