An Exciting Evening of Jazz Guaranteed with these Exceptional Musicians coming together for one night only 🎶
Not one but 2 FrontLiners will Entertain you on Friday, 6th November at Kingsclere's Fieldgate Centre. RG20 5SQ.

Adult Ticket price is £13 and foc for under 18 and disabled. MU concessions.
Enquiries mailto:kizand1976@gmail.com or text KJC to 07968387702 (tel:07968387702)
Free Parking for all / Fully Licensed Bar.

Kingsclere Jazz Club are super excited to bring to the stage The Vibraphone Virtuoso the one and only Roger Beaujolais.

For aficionados, vibraphonist Roger needs no introduction, he is quite simply the UK’s most celebrated trailblazing player of ‘Vibes’...

Roger started playing vibraphone aged 24 & first played in public aged 28. He is completely self-taught. Aged 30 he turned professional & became the first person to be able to make a living from solely playing vibraphone in the UK.
 
He originally gained recognition with 80’s jump jive favourites The Chevalier Brothers (also featuring Ray Gelato) whose musicianship & anarchic brand of humour took them all over the world. Ignored by the jazz scene in the UK they played at the Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Stockholm Jazz Festival & jazz festivals in Belgium, France, Italy, Finland & Norway. We also played on numerous TV & radio shows in the UK (including “The Old Grey Whistle Test”) & many others around the world in Japan, Switzerland, Denmark & France.
 
After a brief spell with chart topping Fairground Attraction in 1989, Roger formed latin-jazz outfit the Beaujolais Band who released 2 top selling albums on Acid Jazz Records. These were outsold by his jazz/funk/soul albums as Vibraphonic released on Acid Jazz again. Vibraphonic were then signed to Disney’s Hollywood Records in USA for 2 more albums before Roger concentrated on writing & performing acoustically with his Quintet/Quartet.
 
Roger has worked as a sideman in many projects & has played alongside many of the top jazz musicians in the UK including Pete King, Jim Mullen, Denys Baptiste, Cameron Pierre, Tony Remy, Jason Yarde, Mark Lockheart, Gwilym Simcock, John Etheridge, Alan Barnes, Tony Kofi, Tommaso Starace, Dick Pearce, Ed Jones, Simon Spillett, Seb Rochford, Pete Long, Gilad Atzmon, Trevor Tomkins, Simon Allen, Mornington Lockett, Theo Travis, Zoe Rahman, Brandon Allen, Alex Garnett, Jay Phelps & many more. He also played with Slim Gaillard in the 1980’s.
 
Roger has so far released 22 albums (with his 23rd album coming out in 2026 – a quartet album featuring pedal steel guitar legend, BJ Cole) & is also a prolific writer with over 250 tunes recorded & released over the years.
 
He has played on numerous pop sessions including with Robert Plant, Morrissey, Kirsty MacColl, Roni Size, Paul Weller, Guy Chambers, Fairground Attraction, Alexander O’Neal, Omara Portuondo, Tony Allen, 4 Hero, Ed Motta, Brian Kennedy, Duffy, Rumer, Mary Coughlan, Graham Coxon, Shola Ama & Alison Limerick amongst others.
 
Roger has been involved with the reformed Fairground Attraction in 2024 & toured Japan with them in June/July 2024 & was part of their 14 date UK tour in autumn 2024. He is also featured on their new album which was released in September 2024.

'It's got to be Perfect' !! And it will be for sure with this calibre of musicianship.. 👌

Kingsclere Jazz Club are featuring not one but 2 FrontLiners and on vocals we have multi instrumentalist Vic Cracknell.

Vic Cracknell is an award-winning singer, musician and songwriter from Farnham, Surrey. A professional musician for 21 years Vic sings solo accompanying himself on piano or guitar, leads his dance band the Vic Cracknell Swing Band (popular with jive dancers), has his own jazz quartet and occasionally sings with Big Bands. Although Vic has performed in various pop genres either solo or with his band for many years his particular love is singing songs from the Great American Songbook. He has an admiration for the great songwriters like Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Harry Warren, Johnny Mercer and others. His favourite vocalists include Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder.
 
As a songwriter Vic has released four albums of mostly pop orientated original songs but is stepping out with his “Jazz Session” EP to be released soon. This will contain four swinging jazz originals and some Great American Songbook standards. Tracks were recorded live in the studio with a jazz trio at Surrey University and feature Andy Sturmey on piano.
 
As well as performing Vic’s other musical activities have included curating the Rustic Stage at Weyfest Music Festival, hosting jazz jams, showcase nights and open mics. These have given many emerging artists an opportunity to play. He received the “Innovative and Unique Award” for his album Kindness in 2022. He has also received a “Services To Farnham” award from the Mayor of Farnham.

Kingsclere Jazz Club look forward to welcoming these 2 FrontLiners at their next Concert on Friday, 6th November at The Fieldgate Centre in Kingsclere. RG20 5SQ  

As well as these 2 A-Listers Fronting the Quintet we have an Awesome Lineup in the KJC Rhythm Section with Andy Sturmey on Piano.

Andy began playing the piano at age 5 and joined NYJO at 15. Classically trained at the Royal Academy of Music and Goldsmiths' College.
Andy was the first student to perform a full Jazz piano programme for his finals alongside a classical one.

Andy has enjoyed a distinguished international career performing worldwide with icons like Elton John, George Michael, Diana Ross, George Benson, Rod Stewart, Chuck Berry, James Last to name but a few.

He has worked extensively in all the Top West End London musicals backing legendary performers including Michael Crawford (Phantom) Elaine Paige (Cats) Brooke Shields & Michael Hasselhoff (Chicago) Michael Ball (Les Miserables) Denise van Outen, Alfie Boe etc etc

Andy has appeared on many tv and radio broadcasts for the BBC and played for members of the Royal Family in private and public engagements.

He has performed at some of the great Music Venues eg The Royal Albert Hall, Madison Square Garden, Casino de Monte-Carlo, Ronnie Scotts, Vortex, 606, PizzaExpress, 100Club, Baked Potato, Blue Note, etc

On Bass we have the incredible Phil Berry.
Phil is a seasoned double bass player and educator and provides  the deep, resonant foundation that grounds the entire ensemble. Phil has been described as the 'heartbeat' of the band.
His impeccable timing and rhythmic drive keep the music moving forward.

Completing the Rhythm section on Drums we have drum maestro Barry Cook.

Barry started his professional career playing in MECCA Ballrooms. Shortly after he started touring with The Drifters.
Other tours followed including - The Three Degrees, Gerrard Kenny, Gloria Gaynor, The Supremes, Billy Paul, Ben E King, Martha Reeves, Marv Johnston, Cannon and Ball, Cilla Black, Joe Longthorne, Bradly Walsh, Tommy Copper, Lilly Savage, Harold Melvin and The Bay City Rollers!

He has also worked on numerous TV Shows including - Pebble Mill At One, Noel Edmonds House Party, Blue Peter, Top
of the Pops, The Wogan Show, The Tube, This Morning, The Brian Conley Show, The Alan Titchmarsh Show and The Oliver Awards for the BBC.

Barry has played on in 17 west end musicals including - The Genius of Ray Charles, The Haymarket, Guys and Dolls. The Piccadilly Theatre. The Rat Pack, Savoy Theatre, Summer Holiday, A Tribute To The Blues Brothers, Whitehall Theatre, Blood Brothers and recently 5 Guys Named Moe for Cameron Mackintosh, a show he first performed 25 years ago.

In 2019 Barry joined ABBA Tribute Band Bjorn Again and toured the USA, Europe, Australia and the UK, and in recent years 10 UK tours with strictly star Brendan Cole. Freelance work includes - Monte Carlo Sporting Club Big Band, Barry Mannilow, Blenheim Palace, McFly, Metropolis Studios. The Royal Command Performance for The Prince of Wales plus gigs at Ronnie Scotts with Lance Ellington and Gary Williams etc.

A Wealth of Experience between these superb A-Lister musicians promises to be a night to remember..

They will raise the roof of The Fieldgate Centre in KIngsclere.
And we Invite you all to join us on Friday, 6th November In Kingsclere.
Music from 7.30pm / Doors 7pm / Licensed Bar / Free Parking / Don't miss this one 🎶