Pete Allen Jazz Band Dates May 2025

Here is the newsletter for May. The band has recently completed a new album, which will be released in September and launched at the Pizza Express, Dean Street, London. Here are the details: 4th November at 8pm – doors open at 6pm.

Here is a link https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/pete-allen

In May I am off to Gran Canaria to work with my old chum Richard Leach but you are in the good hands of the Pete Allen House Band with some wonderful guests.

The House Band at the Bowlers Arms on the 4th of May is Roger Marks (trombone), Chris Hodgkins (trumpet), Jim Newton (drums), Dave Hanratty (bass), James Clemas (piano), and Max Brittain (banjo and guitar). Two terrific guests will join the House Band.

Ron Drake on Clarinet and sax.

Ron’s father Ted Drake, plays banjo and guitar and, encouraged by his father Ron, began playing clarinet at the age of eleven taking up the saxophone six years later. He spent three years with the Yorkshire Jazz Band before moving to London to join the Alan Elsdon Band and was with Alan for ten years until 1987. The Alan Elsdon Band was the most frequently band recorded on BBC Radio at that time.

In the eighties and nineties Ron freelanced with various bands including George Chisholm, Keith Smith’s Hefty Jazz, the Rod Mason Band, Bob Bates Band, Cambell Burnaps Band, depped in Laurie Chescoue’s Good Time Jazz and depped many times over the years with Alex Welsh Band.

Gill Cook

A warm and engaging performer, Gill has developed her own inventive ways of interpreting jazz and Latin. Gill’s rich vocals and innate musicianship delights audiences across the Country. Gill has worked and performed with some of the UK’s finest musicians at prestigious jazz clubs and festivals, including Pizza Express, Bulls Head in Barnes and Ealing Jazz Festival.

Gill has recorded for Mainstem Records and her work over the years has featured Liam Dunachie, Nigel Price, Geoff Gascoyne, Barry Green, Winston Clifford, Steve Waterman, Arnie Somogyi, Tim Whitehead and many more.

“The true mark of a jazz singer isn’t the ability to perform a song, but the ability to take ownership of it. …today, Gill Cook sounds very much like the future of British jazz,”Jazzreview.com, USA

You can hear Gill Cook singing “Cry Me A River” and hear “You’ve Changed” at Gill Cook  

May Dates 2025 

Sunday 4th May The Bowlers Arms, (Presidents Suite), Falkland Cricket Club, Wash Common, Newbury, RG14 6TW, Pete’s House Band + Ron Drake and Gill Cook – 2:30 to 5pm. Admission £15 at the door, Tel: 01635 47658, plus you get a complimentary “Salute to Humphrey Lyttelton CD”. The House Band’s lineup is Chris Hodgkins (trumpet), Roger Marks (trombone), Jim Newton (drums), Dave Hanratty (bass), James Clemas (piano) and Max Brittain (banjo and guitar).

Thursday 15th May  The Old Picture House, Harbour Road, Seaton, Devon, EX12 2LZ. Showtime – 3pm to 5.30pm. Pete’s House Band. 3pm to 5:30pm. Admission £15 at the door, Tel: 07899 925194.  Plus you get a complimentary “Salute to Humphrey Lyttelton CD”

The House Band at the Old Picture House on the 15th May is: lineup of Chris Hodgkins (trumpet), Trevor Whiting (sax), Jim Newton (drums), Dave Hanratty (bass), James Clemas (piano) and Max Brittain (banjo and guitar). The House band will be joined by special guest Gill Cook on vocals.

The band is playing at the Pizza Express again on the 4th November at 8pm – doors open at 6pm. Here is a link https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/pete-allen
The Pete Allen Band will be launching their new album.

Do you know anyone with computer skills who would lend Jane and myself a hand to set up and populate a bandcamp page for the band? Bandcamp is an online music distribution platform. Chris is unable to help due to a pile of work commitments – but his bandcamp page will give you an idea https://chrishodgkins.bandcamp.com/music

If you would like to help please contact myself or Jane at allenpete886@gmail.com or nana.macgregor@btinternet.com.

If you know of anyone who would like to be on the emailing list for future events please email me at this address: allenpete886@gmail.com

Jane has set up a YouTube account and you can see recordings of the Pete Allen Band here: https://www.youtube.com/@PeteAllenJazzBand-lb8tl

Please don’t forget you can purchase my CD’s and my autobiography, “On the Beat” at all the gigs or email Jane (from Newbury) for copies:- nana.macgregor@btinternet.com

Further details of the Pete Allen Band at: https://peteallenjazz.com/.  

I hope you will support the House Band

Best wishes

Pete

NEW YOU TUBE CHANNEL!!

I’ve created a new You Tube channel called Pete Allen Jazz Band latest videos.  It contains videos of Pete and the band from October 23 2023.  Have a look and suscribe to the channel if you like!

Janexx

Pete’s CD “45 years on!” 

You can buy it at all of his gigs or order it from Pete:- 

peteallenjazz@tiscali.co.uk or tele: 07899 925194.