Dockenfield resident and trombonist Andrew Butcher is bringing his 16 piece jazz orchestra, The Barnes Big Band, to play at St Mary’s Church, Frensham on the evening of Saturday 23rd November. Established decades ago, and made up of professional and semi-professional musicians, it plays a wide ranging and accessible repertoire, from the music of the Count Basie Orchestra right through to more modern compositions, many of which have been written specifically for The Barnes Band by musicians associated with the band over the years.

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The programme for the Frensham concert will include music from the American big band jazz legends Thad Jones, Sammy Nestico, Buddy Rich & Lennie Niehaus. Plus original music composed for the band by Eddie Harvey & our current lead alto saxophone, Steve Darlington.

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The band counts among its current and former players some of the finest jazz musicians in the London area. The band is led by Andrew Butcher who has played with the band for 15 years but took over from Stan Reynolds in 2018, a trumpet player with the legendary Ted Heath Orchestra. Although not set up for regular public concerts, the Barnes Big Band plays in public a few times a year. In addition to the upcoming Frensham concert, it recently played a fundraising concert for Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice at the Hampton Estate in Seale, plus at the Barnes Fair, St Nicholas Church in Chiswick, The Hampton Hub club and Hallgrove School.

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The concert will start at 7.30 pm but the bar will be open from 7pm and will remain open throughout the concert. Tickets are £25 and include canapes that will be served at the interval. Proceeds from the concert will go towards Frensham and Dockenfield Churches.