The Music of Ronnie Scott & Tubby Hayes Celebrated by The Purcell School with Special Guest Simon Spillett

The Music of Ronnie Scott & Tubby Hayes
Celebrated by The Purcell School with Special Guest Simon Spillett
Also featuring Mark Nightingale

Two giants of British jazz take centre stage in this vibrant celebration of the music of Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes — pioneers whose partnership and friendship helped define the sound of British jazz in the 1950s and 60s.

This special concert sees acclaimed saxophonist Simon Spillett join forces with The Purcell School Jazz Ensembles and Big Band, alongside guest trombonist Mark Nightingale, for an exhilarating programme drawn from the Tubby Hayes Big Band library and the iconic Jazz Couriers repertoire. Together, they bring this thrilling music to life with energy, authenticity and fresh perspective.

For over 15 years, The Purcell School Jazz Department has been at the forefront of training young jazz musicians for professional careers. Its distinguished alumni include Grammy Award winner Jacob Collier, BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year Alexandra Ridout, Jas Kayser, Kit Downes and Seth Tackaberry. Under the leadership of saxophonist and Head of Jazz Simon Allen, and a faculty of leading performers and educators, students develop exceptional instrumental and compositional skills, gaining places at major conservatoires before going on to successful performing careers.

Special guest Simon Spillett is one of the UK’s most respected jazz saxophonists, celebrated for his commanding tenor sound and deep-rooted connection to the British jazz tradition. An award-winning musician and a fiercely swinging improviser, he has worked with an array of leading figures from the British jazz scene, including Sir John Dankworth, Stan Tracey, Alan Barnes, Bobby Wellins and the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra, and has performed at major venues and festivals across the UK and internationally. Alongside his performing career, Simon is an acclaimed jazz writer, historian and broadcaster, the author of the definitive biography of Tubby Hayes and a presenter on BBC Radio 3.

Mark Nightingale is an internationally acclaimed jazz trombonist, highly respected writer and one of the UK’s most in-demand studio musicians. He has performed with an extraordinary range of jazz and popular music artists, including John Dankworth and Cleo Laine, Georgie Fame, Ray Brown, Clark Terry, Charlie Watts, Steely Dan, Sting, Tom Jones and Frank Sinatra. A multiple winner of the British Jazz Awards, Mark is also widely recognised for his educational work, producing a substantial catalogue of study material and concert repertoire for musicians of all standards.

An evening of superb music-making, rich jazz heritage and outstanding young talent — not to be missed.

Tickets are available from the Watford Palace Theatre box office here.