Ticket link: The Burt Bacharach Jazz Experience: Featuring Alex Steele & Catherine Sykes Quartet

New jazz interpretations of the music of Burt Bacharach featuring Catherine Sykes (vocals), Alex Steele (musical director, piano), Paul Jefferies (double bass), Euan Palmer (drums)

This evening, we are delighted to welcome the brilliant ‘Burt Bacharach Experience’, a jazz evening exploring the incredible diverse compositions of Burt Bacharach, re-interpreted through the creativity of Musical Director, Alex Steele, on piano and the luscious vocals of Catherine Sykes.

Everyone knows the music of Burt Bacharach, with classics including The Look of Love, Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head, What the World Needs Now, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again and many more. They are classic songs, made famous by singers including Dionne Warwick, Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield and the Carpenters, and explored by jazz greats including Sonny Rollins and Brad Mehldau. From the 1950’s onwards, Burt Bacharach created a huge catalogue of compositions, featuring a very unique style of chords, harmonies and changing time signatures. It is this creativity in his compositions which has led his music to be greatly explored and appreciated by jazz musicians. Tonight, Alex Steele leads this new band, with a set of special arrangements of these classic songs, pushing the music more deeply into modern jazz territory. You’ll know the songs, but you won’t have heard them played like this before!

More than a thousand artists have recorded the songs of Burt Bacharach over many decades. This new ‘Burt Bacharach Experience’ takes us one step further into explorations of his beautiful music.

Leading the quartet, Alex Steele is a unique voice in jazz, well-known for his passion, energy and a deep sense of musicality as a jazz pianist. He has been inspired by his heroes, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock and Brad Mehldau, and through his own musical journey, he has found his own unique voice. Alex brings his own special sense of energy to audiences, exploring the beauty of improvisation, zest, passion and creativity in music.

Vocalist Catherine Sykes expresses one of her most significant musical influences as Ella Fitzgerald. Catherine says “I love the freedom and space of jazz music. There are no set rules, no boundaries, no definitive way to sing. Rhythm and melody can be played with, feelings explored, day-to-day worries lost in the wonderful world of the music. I love what I do”. When she’s not with Alex exploring the music of Burt Bacharach, Catherine sings with the Glenn Miller Orchestra UK, she tours around the world, and makes special guest appearances with the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Pasadena Roof Orchestra, Nick Ross Orchestra, Manhattan Orchestra, Fat Chops Big Band, Paul Barry Big Band, The Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra, and many more.

* Photo © 2025 Ron Milsom

After a UK tour last year which included dates in London, Ireland and Paris, the Dean Stockdale Quartet returns to perform a new set of the music of legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, marking the centennial of his birth.

The quartet features Tim Williams on Guitar, Gavin Barras on bass and Gaz Hughes on drums.

The show focuses on special new arrangements of Oscar’s music, in particular his original compositions and music from his most popular albums, showcasing his infectious swing and piano virtuosity, plus music from the quartet’s album ‘Celebrating Oscar’.

Dean Stockdale is a highly regarded jazz pianist, arranger and composer based in the North of England who is known for his sensitive, swinging style.

He regularly appears around the UK with his trio and some of the best names in UK jazz. His biggest influences in jazz are the piano styles of Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Gene Harris, Mulgrew Miller and Erroll Garner.

Dean continues to be in demand as a performer with his trio and quartet, and as pianist for touring jazz artists, accompanist for vocalists and as a teacher and session pianist.

2021 saw the release of his second trio album entitled ‘Promise the Moon’, which was featured on BBC Radio 3, Jazz FM and BBC Introducing.

His latest release ‘Celebrating Oscar’ is available now.