JAZZ vocalist Suzanne Mellard returns to the Lion on Sunday for the lunchtime session. Suzanne's stunning vocal talents have been featured with many notable jazz stars: Bill Watrous, Mundell Lowe and Dave O'Higgins among them, and she's performed with John Dankworth and Cleo Laine at The Stables, Wavendon. Suzanne formed her first quartet in the late 1990s, singing jazz standards.
TALENTED saxophonist Amy Roberts won the 2011 British Jazz Award as Rising Star and has appeared at many British and international jazz clubs and prestigious festivals. Her quintet plays at Risley Park Traditional Jazz Club, Derby Road, Risley, on Wednesday. Amy, from West Cornwall and a student at the Royal Northern College of Music, made her first visit to New Orleans during Mardi Gras in 2007 where she was lucky enough to play in clubs on the famous Bourbon Street. This breathtaking quintet features Tom Kincaid (piano), Jim Swinnerton (bass) and Nick Milward (drums) plus phenomenal reedsman John Hallam.
RICHARD Exall's Shooting Stars is a relatively new band formed in 2008 from musicians already established on the UK traditional scene. The group makes its first appearance for Nottingham Rhythm Club in the Stadium Leisure Snooker Club, Nottingham Road, Basford, on Thursday. The front line, made up from members of the Chris Barber Big Band, features Exall (reeds), Pete Rudeforth (trumpet) and Bob Hunt (trombone). The AShooting Stars' rhythm section, from the Pasadena Roof and Cotton Club Orchestras, is: Graham Roberts (banjo/guitar), Graham Read (bass/tuba/bass sax) and John Watson (drums).
MELODY Baku plays her two local monthly gigs in the coming week; first with her group Take 4 at The Goose at Gamston on Tuesday and at the Earl Of Chesterfield, Manor Lane, Shelford, on Wednesday, where she will be accompanied by guitarist Paul Martin.
NEXT Friday, Beeston JazzClub presents one of the UK's foremost jazz trombonists, Dennis Rollins, and, with BoHoP keyboard maestro Neil Hunter absent for the club's April gig, another club favourite is featured – award winning guitarist Matt Chandler.