After establishing itself at new venue the Key Theatre last year, Peterborough Jazz Club kicks off 2025 with the first of five concerts in the coming months.

First up, on January 31 – and now in the main auditorium with more tickets made available – top bandleader, composer and pianist Chris Ingham brings his fabulous sextet ‘Rebop’, fresh from sold-out performances at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho.

This mighty repertory band presents a concert which examines and plays music from Miles Davis’s most fertile decade, the 1950s. This iconic music will be played with the classic front line of trumpet, alto and tenor saxophone and features the fine trumpeter Paul Higgs, who has worked with Chris Ingham on many of his projects, along with the young, exciting saxophonists Harry Greene and Tom Smith making their first appearance at the Club.

On February 22, also in the main auditorium, is The Simon Spillett Big Band Plays Tubby Hayes.

The Peterborough Jazz Club line-up from January to May at the Key Theatre

placeholder image — The Peterborough Jazz Club line-up from January to May at the Key Theatre

Hailed as “a living, breathing, positively fizzing jazz orchestra” (‘Jazz Rag’) the Simon Spillett Big Band burst onto the UK jazz scene 2021 with the purpose of revisiting the repertoire of the legendary British jazz icon, saxophonist Tubby Hayes, playing music Hayes’ bands played during the 1960s and early 1970s, much of which hadn’t been heard publicly since his death in 1973.

The band is a genuinely ‘all star’ unit, comprising a line-up of stellar UK jazz soloists, many bandleaders in their own right, led with charisma and style by multi-award winning saxophonist Simon Spillett. The line-up includes trumpeter Mark Armstrong (director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra), Pete Long (leader of Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra) and Alan Barnes (winner of over 30 British jazz awards) along with a powerhouse rhythm section. Peterborough Jazz Club has the Tim Lapthorn Quintet taking you on a tour of Latin American Music on March 15 in the Studio theatre.

This genre, with its rich tapestry of sounds, blends indigenous, European, and African influences, and has captivated audiences worldwide for centuries. From salsa and merengue to cumbia and bachata, Latin music continues to evolve and inspire listeners around the globe. At the helm of this new ensemble is Tim Lapthorn, a highly gifted and expressive jazz pianist, widely regarded as one of the finest talents on the British scene. His bluesy, lyrical sound sets him apart from his peers, and his unique style reflects his deep passion for harmony.

April 11 sees the Ralph Moore Quartet ‘The Homecoming Tour’ welcomed to the Club. Moore’s musical journey began when he moved to the U.S. in 1972 as a teenager, dedicating himself to the saxophone. After attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, he embarked on a career as a jazz musician and later received the Lenny Johnson Memorial Award for outstanding musicianship. Rounding off the first half of 2025, on May 9, is Quentin Collins/Brandon Allen Quartet playing music from the great Blue Note era. Expect to hear timeless classics by Art Blakey, Jimmy Smith, Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson, and Herbie Hancock. Tickets on sale at www.keytheatre-peterborough.com