Swing Jazz With Pete Long's Pocket Basie Band In Brighton | Loulou Swing At Margate Mercury Launch

Pete Long's Pocket Basie Band at Swing City Brighton

Last week I had the pleasure of playing with Pete Long's Pocket Basie Band for Swing City in Brighton, East Sussex.

This was another popular Swing dance event that attracts dancers from all over the country. Unlike the one we did in Hammersmith, London in the Summer with Pete's full Orchestra, the Pocket Basie Band is a smaller, compact six-piece outfit.

Specialising in a lot of Count Basie's groovy big band arrangements (with a few surprises thrown in), Pete has cleverly arranged everything for a much smaller band. With Pete and James Davison on tenor sax and trumpet respectively taking care of the horn parts while Colin (piano), Joe (bass), Richard (drums) and myself on guitar laid down the backbeat.

The dancers go mad for it! A really great night to be part of and especially as part of such a HOT band.

Here's a short video compilation from the evening put together by the lovely Marta of Swing City.

Here's a couple of shots from the evening, thanks to Jonathan Somarib for the fab pics.

If you'd like to see more action shots of the night they're all on the Swing City Facebook page.

There was more swing jazz with a Django Reinhardt vibe last week when Loulou Swing played for The Margate Mercury's Winter issue launch in The Waste Land Bar at The Albion Rooms in Cliftonville, Margate in Kent.

This was the first time they'd had a Jazz Duo playing at this super cool indie venue owned by cult rockers The Libertines. We went down well, had a lot of fun and did our best to swing like the clappers!

Here's Louise and I in mid song.

Loulou Swing at The Albion Rooms, Margate for The Margate Mercury Winter issue launch party.

I was also chuffed to be asked to do this issue's Thanet Island Discs column. Three songs only is quite tricky AND they have to be Margate related.

Jonny Hepbir's Thanet Island Discs in The Margate Mercury.

I rounded off my weekend playing a Solo set of Gypsy Jazz favourites at the legendary FEZ micro pub in Margate High Street. Always an enjoyable session and a great way to round off a busy week.

Jonny Hepbir Gypsy Swing Guitarist at Fez Margate.

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