More about the band

Andy Derrick is a multi-award winning trombonist who has worked alongside such great musicians as Dennis Rollins (Boneyard), Alan Barnes (Marbella Jazz Suite) and Mark Nightingale (John Patrick Big Band).

Andy has also had a long career backing many fine musicians including Joe Lovano, Toots Thielmans, Andy Martin, Bobby Shew, Georgie Fame and UB40.  As a classical performer Andy has also recorded and performed with many professional orchestras and conductors including the CBSO, RLPO, Sir Simon Rattle and Tadaki Otaka.  He studied at the Birmingham and Paris Conservatoires and is a former member of both MYJO and NYJO.  He received the Don Lusher Best Trombonist award at the 2005 BBC big Band Contest.

Andy uses an early Michael Rath R1 trombone with a custom made Parke mouthpiece.

Mike Kemp At the first live jazz he ever attended when he was fourteen years old, Mike decided to take up piano on hearing Billy Kyle with Louis Armstrong’s All Stars.

Best known these days for leading this piano, double bass and drums trio, he started learning his craft in home town Coventry jazz clubs and dance bands before travelling around France, Germany, Spain and Morocco to play for the American military firstly with The Doug Richford Quartet.

Making his first BBC radio broadcast in 1967 with the Trevor Jones Jazzmen, Mike went on to The MillionAirs Big Band, backing name cabaret acts aboard QE2, Bob Kerr’s Whoopee Band, Pete Allen’s Jazz Band and the Benny Green Quartet. He has played with the bands of Alan Elsdon, Steve Lane, Brian White, Alan Gresty, Terry Lightfoot and The Pasadena Roof Orchestra. His trio played to great acclaim at the Culture Centre in Chicago. Currently Mike is regular pianist with Sticky Wicket’s Fabulous Swing Band.