Jazz to blow away the Covid blues

The highly regarded John Donegan Jazz Sextet will celebrate the return of live music with a concert in Rickmansworth on Wednesday, September 22.

The sextet will perform some of the stand-out tracks from John's most recent releases - A Kite for Kate, which was dedicated to his youngest daughter, and Siamsa Vol.1and 2, two albums that were inspired by his native Ireland.

The Three Rivers Music Society audience will also get a preview of new compositions that the popular Chorleywood jazz pianist wrote during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

“The pandemic was a difficult time for everyone, not least myself,” John said. “Not being able to play with other musicians and in front of an audience was a real loss. Performers feed off the reactions of the audience and their fellow instrumentalists. It’s a musical conversation.

“However, the lockdowns also gave me an opportunity to be creative and I wrote sufficient material for two new sextet albums, a new Siamsa album (Vol. 3) and a fourth album – The Elegy Suite – in memory of all those artists who died during the pandemic. The first of these new albums should be recorded by the end of the year.”

John’s sextet includes some of the outstanding talents on the British jazz scene. At the Rickmansworth concert, John and his regular playing partner Paul Jefferies (double bass) will be joined by Alex Hitchcock (tenor sax), Jamie O’Donnell (alto and soprano sax), Steve Fishwick (trumpet and flugelhorn), and Steve’s twin brother, Matt (drums).

Alex Hitchcock is an award-winning saxophonist and composer. His own quintet won the Conad Jazz Contest in Umbria, Italy, in 2018. Jamie O’Donnell is a prolific composer who studied at the Guildhall School of Music. Steve Fishwick has been lauded by Wynton Marsalis, the great American trumpeter, who said: “I can't think of another trumpet player that can do what he does." Matt Fishwick studied at the Royal Academy of Music and is now one of London’s leading jazz drummers.

The concert will be held at the Baptist Church in High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1EH. It will begin at 7.30pm. Tickets £16 via Eventbrite or at the door. Reduced price for members. Free entry for under-25s.

For more information visit http://trms.uk/