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Simon Spillett Quartet – new album and live in London 23 February

by 26 Comments

23/02/2025

Sensational jazz writer and classy old-school Modern jazz quartet leader Simon Spillett has a new album out – ‘Up In Town’. It’s a big deal, because he has a long held antipathy to recording, often loathing the results, but rather likes this one.

He’s also ‘up in town’ on 23 February at Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho. His quartet has been having a good run lately – including a recent sold out Ronnie Scott’s. But his punters clearly don’t like pizza. The show looks like being for a ‘select’ audience. If you’re within travelling distance, give it a go.

Here’s what Simon (not as dour as some may think) has to say about the show on his social media page:

Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho
Sunday February 23rd 2025
A concert by the Simon Spillett Quartet launching its new album
‘Up In Town’ (Mister PC Records) featuring the music of Tubby Hayes.
As well as the quartet with Pete Billington, Alec Dankworth and Pete Cater and the opportunity to purchase the new album ahead of its official release date there are a host of attractive diversions including:

* Italian cheese on toast
* unpronounceable desserts
* a range of incapacitating beverages
* face painting
* mystery prizes
* musical chairs
* acrobatic staff
* jazz board games
* fancy dress competition
* holographic jazz legends
* reiki healing
* challenge Alec

If you’d like to purchase a ticket in advance please do because, quite frankly, sales for this night have atrophied, to put it politely.

If you enjoyed our recent gig at Ronnie Scott’s and think you can stand another evening of frenzied saxophone playing and middling humour do come along. And tell all your friends. I’ve told both of mine.

Thank you.

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Comments

  3. Seen/heard Mr Spillett a few times in different band combinations. Last time was in October at the B3 Lounge. He’s always well worth catching. A very high-energy player who can cool it down beautifully for ballads.
    Also saw his piano player Pete Billington (the other one) do an Xmas show the year before last. He’s very good.
    This is just within my budget (no gigs over £30) and the Pizza Express is a good venue, so I’ve got myself a ticket.

  4. Sounds great. Thanks Colin.
    You probably already know but there’s a ‘new’ Tubby Hayes release coming this spring on Jazz In Britain – Live at the Antibes Jazz Festival, 1962. Simon Spillett is doing the liner notes.

  6. Dear Mr. Twang,

    Thanks for the kind comments above re: writing and saxophone stuff.
    I can only apologise for appearing repeatedly grumpy while in your presence. Perhaps I can offer something by way of an explanation? Here goes;

    I AM A GRUMPY B*ST*RD.

    I hope that makes matters clear.

    Please do feel free to approach me if I ever play at the end of your road again. I’ll be only too happy to behave with complete indifference to you if you purchase a copy of the new album and will of course offer to sign it while failing to respond to any attempt at small talk.
    One must give audiences what they expect!

    Yours with a face like a smacked a****
    Simon Spillett (tenor saxophone)

        • ‘September in Scarborough’ – brilliant! Sounds like the title of one of those themed compos Bob Stanley does for Ace with photos of broken down bus shelters in Bognor and suchlike on the covers. 😀

          What would the subject of that comp be, I wonder?

          ‘September in Scarborough, 1976 – Fag-end Glam from the North East’?

          Obviously, the cover photo would have to be a desolate promenade and run-down pier out of season, or an Ena Sharples-like seaside landlady standing with a shopping bag from a long-forgotten grocery store outside a clapped-out boarding house.

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