Music: Adrian Cox Trio ft.LIVE Illustration by Con McHugh
2025-01-30 20:45 - 23:00 UTC | Hen & Chicken Studio
Adrian Cox Trio | Makin’ Runs | SPECIAL ft. Live Illustration with Con Mchugh
In association with the Bristol Jazz Festival
“Makin’ Runs,” the latest project by internationally acclaimed clarinetist Adrian Cox, delves into alternative ragtime repertoire from the early jazz era, aiming to capture and express the timeless essence of the music.
According to legend, “Makin’ Runs” is a tune attributed to Buddy Bolden, heard by Bunk Johnson in New Orleans. The phrase symbolises Bolden’s vision for inventive improvisations whilst never repeating himself.
The trio endeavours to emulate that spirit, crafting tight yet dynamic arrangements that honour the music’s original intent, allowing ample room for improvisational fire.
The program includes compositions by Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet, Jelly Roll Morton, Barney Bigard and many more.
The trio is completed by the incredible talents of
Will Sach (double bass) & Alex “Honey” Boulton (guitar).
The fourth member of this project came through a collaboration with master illustrator Con McHugh.
Adrian had become familiar with Con’s work through his Bristol Jazz Festival offerings. His vision for the Makin’ Runs artwork was incredible and he has been instrumental in creating the feel for this project all the way through. Tonight, Con will appear in the flesh to create live imagary as the band play through their concert. This is not to be missed……

Jazz: Jon Lloyd Quartet
2025-01-30 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Since their previous visit in Feb 2023 the Jon Lloyd Quartet have released their album Earth Songs, which has been met with huge critical acclaim and has achieved close to a million worldwide track streams.
“The interplay between the quartet members is magical, instinctive… creating music of often startling beauty.” – Peter Vacher, Jazzwise magazine, 2024, **** album review
“A set which channels deep feeling with considerable power … a mood of patient exploration as beguiling as it is beautiful.” – Jon Turney, London Jazz News, 2024
Saxophonist Jon Lloyd arrived on the UK free jazz scene in the early 1990s and rose to prominence with recordings on Leo records and HatHut, and with many UK and European concerts with his quartet comprising John Law, Paul Rogers and Mark Sanders. Highlights during this period included Berlin’s FMP Festival, several Arts Council tours and the 1993 Contemporary Music Network tour with the Bill Frisell Band. Over the years Jon has embraced contemporary composition, abstract improv and jazz, but in the last decade has developed his music towards the European Jazz aesthetic, notably recording “Vanishing Points” in 2013 with Asaf Sirkis, Tom Farmer, John Law and Rob Palmer.
John Law is one of the outstanding pianists in the UK. His solo, duo, trio and quartet projects have played throughout the UK and Europe for 30 years, and has played with many of the greats of UK jazz: Asaf Sirkis, Yuri Goloubev, Andy Sheppard, Tim Garland, Paul Dunmall. His most recent projects include “Congregation” with Ashley John Long and James Mainwaring, “Re-Creations” with Sam Crockatt and “Renaissance” with Jon Lloyd and Patrick Dunn. John and Jon Lloyd have enjoyed a 30 year musical relationship, collaborating on many varied projects.
It’s first time at the club for bassist Nick Pini. Nick has an incredible CV but has been sucked in to the strange jazz vortex of Frome, so is living relatively nearby. He has worked with Laura Marling, Ethan Johns, Nick Mulvey, Tom Jones, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Seth Lakeman, Ramin Karimloo and Will Butterworth whilst keeping a keen hand in the UK’s rich and diverse jazz scene. He has also recently moved into roles as MD and in string arranging and production.
Alex Goodyear is a rising star of the drums and is rapidly gaining national and international recognition, having toured Europe and Israel in late 2022. His dynamic performances have made him a favourite at many UK jazz venues.

Jazz: Sam Crockatt Trio
2025-01-23 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Saxophonist Sam Crockatt returns to the ​club with his new trio line-up.
Having graduated from the Royal Academy, Sam Crockatt formed a band with Gwilym Simcock, Oli Hayhurst and Ben Reynolds leading to debut recording Howeird in 2008, which won a Parliamentary Jazz Award later that year. Flood Tide followed commended by The Guardian for it’s “Haunting lyricism”. Citing John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins and Lee Konitz among his musical influences, Sam’s ability to marry his understanding of past masters with contemporary styles keeps him constantly in demand and has taken him to stages at the EFG London Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Kragujevac Jazz Festival (Serbia) and WDR Festival (Cologne). He also appears on albums by vocalist Kaz Simmons and pianist Sam Leak. In 2011 Sam and his young family moved to Mells in Somerset, the peal of the bells in his new home village inspiring the title track of most recent recording Mells Bells – the album has drawn praise from such eminent publications as The Guardian, Jazzwise Magazine, The Telegraph and The Financial Times.
“Mells Bells further burnishes Crockatt’s substantial reputation” – The Guardian.
Bassist Henrik Jensen moved from Denmark to London in 1997 and is a graduate of the Royal Academy. He has toured the world from Tokyo to Moscow with various modern jazz projects and also as part of the band for close harmony group The Puppini Sisters. Henrik has previously appeared at the club as band leader with his quartet Followed By Thirteen and trio featuring Danish pianist Esben Tjalve.
Drummer Dave Smith has now appeared at the club quite a few times with various bands. He has performed with US jazz greats such as Eddie Henderson and Donny McCaslin, but is possibly best known for his time with Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters.

Jazz: Alex Merritt Quartet
2025-01-16 20:00 - 22:30 | Chicken Shed
Amazing new line-up put together by phenomenal saxophonist Alex Merritt.
Back in 2016 Alex’s debut album ‘Anatta’, featuring legendary American drummer Jeff Williams, received critical acclaim as a “promising debut, of striking quality” from the Guardian’s John Fordham and was praised as “one of the best UK jazz recordings I’ve heard this year” by Marlbank’s Stephen Graham on its release. Since then he has released a further two albums, The Fresh Sound Ensemble’s Common Threads, and Mind Ear Ladder from the quintet Alex co-leads with trumpeter Steve Fishwick. The Merritt/Fishwick Quintet previously played at the club as part of their Arts Council funded tour in 2022.
Elliot Galvin emerged in the 2010s and has been recognised as one of the finest pianists of his generation. His critically acclaimed trio have released 4 albums to date being named one of the 2018 albums of the year in both Downbeat and Jazzwise Magazines and winning the prestigious European Young Musician of the year Award in 2014. Elliot is a prolific sideman touring internationally and recording with Shabaka Hutchings, Norma Winstone, Marius Neset, Mark Lockheart, Emma Jean Thackray and the Mercury Nominated band Dinosaur, amongst many others.
Will Harris is one of Bristol’s finest bassists, who somehow manages to juggle the twin careers of musician and medical doctor. Some years back now Will completed a Masters at the Royal Academy, which allowed him to make many contacts in London, so he is often to be found playing in the capital – notably with saxophonist Matt Anderson and the big band of trumpet star Simon Gardner [Strictly Come Dancing, Robbie Williams etc].
Jeremy Stacey is a huge star in the world of drumming. He started his career by wowing the London jazz scene alongside his twin brother guitarist Paul in the Stacey Brothers. Another musician who has been sucked in to the mysterious Frome jazz vortex, Jeremy frequently performs in his new home town with sax legend Iain Ballamy. Prior to this however, he became one of the UK’s top rock and pop session drummers with an astonishing CV which includes Sheryl Crow, the Finn Brothers, Nick Harper, Noel Gallagher, The Waterboys, Thomas Anders, Echo & the Bunnymen, Eurythmics, Joe Cocker, Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes, Adam F, Andrea Bocelli, Patricia Kaas, Susanna Hoffs, Mike Scott, Robbie Williams, Aztec Camera, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nerina Pallot and for a bit of jazz Claire Martin (Take My Heart, 1999). So you should probably come to hear him.

Jazz: Andy Hague's Double Standards
2025-01-09 20:00 - 22:30 | Hen & Chicken Studio
To ease us in to the new year we launch with Andy Hague’s Double Standards, focusing on some less commonly played melodic standards with maybe a couple of originals thrown in for variety.
A rare appearance at the club for pianist Dale Hambridge who is always super busy – he has previously played at the Hen and Chicken with Jingu Bang, and has long associations with performers such as Moonlight Saving Time, We Are Leif, Nick Malcolm and Lucy Moon.
Danish bassist Henrik Jensen has led his own bands several times at the club and has appeared on the Double Standards CD since 2020. Drummer of the moment Ryan Thrupp completes the line-up
