From storming post-Coltrane energy to beautiful ballad playing, Los Angeles-based Benn Clatworthy has matured into a truly great tenor player. He was a huge hit with our Guildford Jazz audience on his last visit in 2013 (!), for his emotional playing and his dry sense of humour, we are delighted to welcome him back with a top-class rhythm section featuring the fantastic ALEX HUTTON on piano and MATT HOME on drums.

Playing from the songbook of Blue Note and more contemporary jazz, his tone is extraordinarily beautiful, and his melodic ideas come from the heart. As someone said recently 'It’s as though he’s talking to us and telling us a story through the saxophone!’

Born in Hastings in 1955, grandson of the famous theatre and revue artist, Gertrude Lawrence, Benn Clatworthy grew up in London. As a teenager he took sax lessons from Ronnie Scott who recommended him to Berklee College, Boston. Benn’s distinctive, muscular saxophone and flute feature in his unique arrangements of standards from Cole Porter to Marvin Gaye, John Coltrane to the Beatles. His work credits include such notables as Cedar Walton, Lionel Hampton and Jimmy Cleveland. Benn has released eleven CDs to critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic.

“While forty years in Los Angeles seem to have had little effect on expatriate Brit Ben’s Bow Bells speech, his tenor sax playing has acquired strong US characteristics, not least a tough personal tone and a wide emotional range that extends from ballad tenderness to gladiatorial torrents of controlled aggression at fast tempos.” Chris Lee

“…Scattering notes around the room with a deliciously dry loquacity in a fast-moving hard-bop manner” John Fordham

Pre gig menu from Mandira’s Kitchen (please see the Event Info tab for the menu)

Please click the tabs for more information

EVENT INFO

The performance is upstairs in Guildford Pavilion, The Sports Ground, Woodbridge Road, Guildford GU1 4RP

Please note there are no physical tickets, just give your name on the door when you arrive. There’ll be seating reserved for you.

Doors open and supper available from 7pm, performance 8pm to about 10:15pm (with interval). Licensed bar. Seating is cabaret style and there is a lift for disabled access.

Pre-gig Menu from Mandira’s Kitchen: (please select chicken or vegetarian )

TICKETS

Full Price £20 /Guildford Jazz Members £18

Students £7 / Student Members £5

Meals £13

WHO'S PLAYING?

BENN CLATWORTHY - tenor sax

ALEX HUTTON - piano

MATT HOME - drums,

Marianne Windham on bass

DIRECTIONS

The performance is upstairs in the Pavilion building at the Guildford County Cricket Club, The Sports Ground, Woodbridge Road, Guildford GU1 4RP

For sat navs please check the postcode takes you to Wharf Road. There’s a car park alongside, entry from Wharf Road. If you’re approaching from Guildford town centre, Wharf Road is on the left just before the Sports Ground. If you’re approaching from the A3/Ladymead there’s no right turn into Wharf Road, but continue to the next roundabout to double back.

The car park next to the Pavilion holds about 40 cars (to enable emergency access, cars can only park in the marked bays). Unless it’s very wet, the overflow car park at the far end of the Cricket ground will be open.

To access the overflow car park, turn left as you come out of Wharf Road and carry on along Woodbridge Road towards the railway bridge, and the entrance to the ground is just before the end of the green fence that runs along the perimeter of the ground, next to the Woodbridge Café.

You might prefer to use one of the larger public car parks which are just a few minutes walk away: the open air Mary Road Car Park (GU1 4QU) or multi-storey Bedford Road Car Park (GU1 4SJ)

SEATING

Seating is either in front row settees/armchairs, central round tables, or rear high chairs/tables. Seats will be reserved for you when you book. If you’re a Guildford Jazz member, please let us know if you have a seating preference in on the booking form. Notes on the layout:

Front row: Seats 1 to 5 are sofas or armchairs

Middle tables: Tables 6 to 23 and 32 are small tables , each seating 4 (for bookings of 1 or 2 seats, we’ll seat you at a table with others, please let us know if you have friends coming who you’d like to sit with!).

Rear tables: Tables 24 to 29 are tall tables suitable for 2 people, with high stools.

Groups: Table 31 and 32 are suitable for larger group of 6 or more

High stools : 30 and 34 are single high stools (no table) , suitable for 1 to 3 people