We start the year at The Bear Club after a well-earned break with tenor sax maestro Fraser Smith who joins with his crack quartet.
Fraser is a regular at some of London’s leading clubs and has brought his own band to Ronnie Scott’s on numerous occasions. He’s signed to the esteemed UK jazz label Ubuntu Music and his latest album ‘Lifeline’ was ranked in the Top 25 jazz albums of 2025 by The Times.
With a focus on swing and the straight ahead, he channels the sound and language of the big tenor men like Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray and Illinois Jacquet. His music harks back to the golden ages of jazz, from 40s Kansas City through to 60s New York whilst managing also to be bang up to date.
Born in Birmingham and raised between the Midlands and Wales, Fraser first picked up the sax at the age of fifteen. He came across the music of Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong and Ike Quebec via the Woolworth's bargain bucket, and after studying hundreds of their solos, now considers himself a 'practical scholar' - bringing these sounds of a bygone era to a modern stage.
Featuring Fraser Smith (tenor sax), Rob Barron (piano), Steve Brown (drums) and Simon Read (bass).
“[Lifeline!] is a total success on its own terms. Smith’s command of his chosen idiom is undisputed and in Barron, Read and Brown he has three other masters of their chosen jazz field.”
“[Smith] is very much his own man whilst at the same time advancing the tradition.”
“Read with strong, centred basslines and the steadfast Brown crisp and to the point, but above all, it’s the superior piano of Rob Barron that stands out, his playing brim-full of ideas, each solo a mini-master class in boppish expression.”
Doors 7pm / Music 8.30pm / Tickets £16 / £10 for members
All seating/tables are first come first served.