Jazz at the Venue!

This week (on Tuesday 15th) I've got a local (to Cheltenham) gig. My swing band featuring the wonderful combined talents of Patsy Gamble on saxophone, Mike Cypher on drums, Wayne Elliot on bass, Mike Croshaw on guitar and Suzy Jacoby on vocals will be performing at The Venue Jazz Club at The Wheatsheaf, Old Bath Road. We have some new arrangements of some old standards such as 'At Last', 'Fools Fall in Love' and 'Smile' so I hope you can make it.
After that I'll be off to Colchester with the Newhart and Lehrer show on Thursday before returning for some private gigs over the weekend. Next week however will be manic(timetabled around watching the football), with rehearsals and performances for 'Killer - the Jerry Lee Lewis Story' (Alnwick Playhouse on 26th), 'Seance' (Blackfriars Arts Centre on 25th). And of course my birthday (well I had to get that in didn't I!).
Just a mention that our annual shows - 'Jazz on a Summer's Evening with Peter Gill and Friends' at the Open Air Festival, Tuckwell Theatre in Cheltenham on July 15th and August 1st are selling well and if you need tickets you should get them immediately. There is reasonable availability for July 15th but August 1st is practically sold out. The Box Office number is 01242 258002.
See you soon!
Pete

Let The Good Times Roll!

So this Saturday (May 15) the 'Let The Good Times Roll' show will be on at The Conquest Theatre in Bromyard and it looks like being another near sellout. But that's only the start of a busy week ahead. On Monday night we're rehearsing for 'Killer - the Jerry Lee Lewis Story' which has its first show of the season on June 11 in Boston, Lincs. Tuesday I'll be hosting The Venue Jazz Club in Cheltenham, Friday I'm up in Easingwold for the 'Newhart and Lehrer' show and then on Saturday and Sunday we'll be in Dumfries with the same show for two performances at the Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival.

Back from the Easter break!

After a week away with my son in the Isle of Wight it was back to work with a vengeance. Last Friday saw the premiere of my new play 'Seance' at The Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells and this Saturday I will be in Wallingford with 'Let The Good Times Roll' for a sell out performance at The Corn Exchange. In between times we saw the wonderful Kim Cypher Band at The Venue Jazz Club on Tuesday and Thursday and Friday of this week I will be featuring at Cheltenham's fabulous Ruby Cantonese restaurant as they celebrate their 20th anniversary.

Happy Easter!

With Easter almost upon us I've got a week full of gigs so hopefully I'll catch up with you at one or other of them .... although not the first one! During the day on Tuesday I'll be at Cheltenham General Hospital trying to alleviate some of the misery of those unfortunate to be there with music therapy. Then Tuesday evening it's the monthly jam at The Venue, Wheatsheaf, Old Bath Road , Cheltenham when I'll be joining Paul Newman and the rest of the house band. Thursday the jazz trio will be in Bristol during the day for a private party and then on Friday evening Mike Croshaw and I will be at The King and Queen Inn at Longcot near Faringdon. If you're in the vicinity of Cirencester on Saturday I'll be with the swing band at The Stratton House Hotel and finally on Sunday lunchtime I'll be playing at The Sudbury House Hotel in Faringdon.
But, if I don't get to see you - have a very happy Easter! x

A Late Blog!

A busy weekend last weekend followed by Cheltenham Festival this week has made me a little late with everything.Tuesday brought another great night at The Venue Jazz Club when The Paul Buck Trio were joined by the lovely Catherine Sykes. This week will end with Andy and I going down to Dorset for more sketches and songs from the Bob Newhart and Tom Lehrer repertoire. You can catch us at The Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis on Saturday or The Regents Centre, Christchurch on Sunday.

Lots of work - lots of play!

I spent last weekend travelling about 800 miles around northern France and Belgium for a little bit of sightseeing. It was meant to be a mini holiday to get some energy back, however I have returned shattered! Nevertheless it is a good week looming with a weekend packed with gigs and shows. On Friday and Sunday I'll be working with Andy Meller again with our comic 'Newhart and Lehrer' show - first in Hemel Hempstead then in Potters Barr. On Saturday I'll be doing our rock n roll show 'Let The Good Times Roll' in a church! Brent Knoll Church. And to think that they used to call it the devil's music!!! Also on Sunday, as it's Mothering Sunday, I'll be playing some background piano music at the lovely Sudbury House Hotel in Faringdon.

Annual pilgrimage

After a busy weekend up in Cumbria performing 'Talbot House' to near sell-out houses (well the theatre only held 80!) I'll be off later this week to visit the real house in Belgium when I make my annual trip to Ypres - it's always good to get a bit of history and culture, and believe it or not it's not just about looking at graves! Before then though we've got The Venue Jazz Club on Tuesday night in Cheltenham which I'll be hosting. This week we have the wonderful Patsy Gamble and her band to look forward to, so hopefully I'll see you there.

A bit of jamming and a bit of acting.

So this week starts with me lining up with the fabulous Cheltenham guitarist Paul Newman at his monthly blues jam night at The Venue, Old Bath Road, Cheltenham. Also in the house jam band will be Paul Woolley on bass, Rob Peacey on sax and from Mundo Pequeno, Paul Arthurs on drums. All this takes place on Tuesday night. Then on Friday I'll be travelling up to the Lake District again, this time to perform in 'Talbot House - a home from home' which will be at The Heron Theatre in Beetham. A two night engagement, we have been promised overnight accomodation with the local amateur dramatic society ...... could be a very interesting weekend!

Back at The Subtone

For the first time in almost four years I'll be back at The Subtone Nightclub in Cheltenham in the piano bar this Saturday night for three hours of cheesy piano sing-alongs. Before then I'll be hosting, as usual, The Venue Jazz Club on Tuesday night when John Beckingham (father of actor Simon Pegg) will be performing with his jazz and blues band - great 30s, 40s and 50s swing jazz.
We're now heavily into our rehearsal schedule for new play 'Seance' but on Wednesday I'll be taking a couple of days off to go to London to see 'Wicked'.
So - a real bag of work, rest and play this week!

Jazz at The Royal Oak

After a fabulous weekend up in the Lakes where we performed in Keswick at The Theatre by the Lake - surely one of the best theatre locations in the country, and discovered an inspiring jazz cafe called Zeffirelli's at Ambleside, I'll be staying in Gloucestershire for the rest of this week. The only public gig is up at The Royal Oak in Gretton for a bit of laid back jazz with lovely saxophonist Caroline Priestley on Friday.

Jazz, rehearsals and gigs!

After a great weekend of shows I'll be looking forward to hosting 'The Venue Jazz Club' in Cheltenham on Tuesday when star saxophonist Dom Franks will be performing with his new combo 'Dom Franks' Strayhorn'. Rehearsals then on Thursday in preparation for a new show about the life of Jerry Lee Lewis which will be starting a tour in June and then on Friday up to the Lake District to perform with Andy Meller 'An Evening with the humour of Bob Newhart and Tom Lehrer' at the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.

Start of new tour

Andy and I will be starting our new 'Bob Newhart and Tom Lehrer' tour this Friday at The Artrix in Bromsgrove. Before that I'll be in the house band for the jam at The Venue in Cheltenham and then on Saturday I'll be in Abingdon with Suzy Jacoby and Heatwave for a private function. In between I'll be finishing off a new play and a children's show both of which are due to be aired for the first time in April.