Duncan Lamont *Birthday Gig* WITH Tina May, Sarah Moule & Esther Bennett

Saxophonist and composer Duncan Lamont is one of Britain’s most respected musicians, having performed with Henry Mancini, Benny Goodman, Gil Evans, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Count Basie. In addition to his achievements as a performer he is also one of the UK’s most important contemporary jazz songwriters – he has received a Grammy nomination for soundtrack composition, published numerous song books and his songs have been recorded by the cream of singers (Cleo Laine, Blossom Dearie, Mark Murphy, Norma Winstone, Richard Rodney Bennett and Natalie Cole to name but a few). In addition to all of that, he has been commissioned to write or arrange countless orchestral pieces, his saxophone compositions are used by the Associated Board of Music for educational purposes and, most importantly of all…he wrote the theme tunes to children’s TV series Mr Benn and Spot! Tonight we will be featuring Duncan’s songs in the company of three of the finest singers on the scene. Tina May is an award-winning vocalist who has established a well-deserved reputation on the UK scene as a jazz singer of great sophistication. From collaborations with musicians such as Stan Tracey, Dave Newton and Colin Towns through to work with the likes of Ray Bryant and Tony Coe, her pure toned voice and faultless delivery have earned her the respect and admiration of both audiences and musicians alike. With more than a dozen CD’s to her name she is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading vocalists, producing some remarkable gigs and albums. Sarah Moule A wonderful, sophisticated singer with a smooth and poised style, Sarah is without doubt one of the UK’s leading jazz vocalists, very much in the classic, post-Ella Fitzgerald/Sarah Vaughn mould. One of the best interpreters of songs in the world (according to the late great lyricist Fran Landesman) Sarah worked closely with both Fran and Simon for over a decade, recording four highly acclaimed CDs featuring their work. Vocalist Esther Bennett has been performing on the London Jazz scene for a good few years now. Singing a mixture of jazz standards and more modern material, she combines an innate sense of musicality with a studied knowledge of the jazz idiom and her CD "Just in Time" (the title track of which has been played on Smooth FM and Radio 2) was produced by jazz vocalist of the year Ian Shaw. The show we are featuring tonight, “The Other Side of the Rainbow”, premiered in New York to excellent reviews and it is with great pleasure we welcome our dear friend and colleague Duncan Lamont to perform it here at the Club. Not surprisingly the accompanying trio consists of some of the finest musicians in the UK and as tonight is also Duncan’s birthday, expect a lively atmosphere, plenty of fun, some great music and some very Special Guests! Worth booking for this one…

“Tina May...one of the best jazz vocalists anywhere today” The Observer;
“Sarah Moule...subtle and intelligent vocalist… honeyed in sound, smooth in timing and pitch” The Guardian;
“Esther Bennett’s many virTue include a seductive vibrato..a smokily appealing lower register…and a winning sense of humour” Jazzwise