Norden Farm Jazz Club: Simon Spillett Quartet at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts

Over his twenty-five year career Simon Spillett has worn
almost as many hats as it's possible to wear within jazz; multi-award-winning
instrumentalist (BBC Jazz Awards, British Jazz Awards, Jazz Journal's Album of
The Year), quartet and big band leader, recording artist, author, historian,
record producer, archivist, magazine columnist and latterly blogger.

However, for all these varied skills he identifies most
strongly as a powerfully swinging, straight-ahead tenor saxophonist, one
capable of taking the audiences who hear him on a roller-coaster ride
encompassing everything from energetic bebop to heartfelt balladry.

And it’s in this guise that he’s become a solid fixture on
the UK jazz landscape, regularly playing sold-out gigs at major festivals (EFG
London Jazz Festival, Brecon, Swanage, Scarborough, Wigan etc.) and world
famous club venues (Ronnie Scott’s).

A charismatic performer, gifted with a dry observational
wit, he’s never lost sight of the fact that jazz is entertainment as much as
self-expression and whether playing, writing or articulately holding forth on
his favourite subject – UK jazz history – he’s an infectiously passionate
communicator.