The music of JIMMY GIUFFRE
MARK CROOKS tenor sax & clarinet
COLIN OXLEY guitar
SIMON READ double bass
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7:30 p.m. Friday 6 March 2026

Mark Crooks

Originally a writer and arranger for Woody Herman, JIMMY GIUFFRE  was a unique improviser on clarinet and saxophone, playing a pared-down, bluesy and ‘down-home’ style of jazz.
He described his music as ‘Swamp Jazz’ and recorded great original tunes such as The Train And The River , Gotta Dance, Crawdad Suite and That’s The ay It Is . His trio featured Jim Hall on guitar and Ralph Peña or Ray Brown on bass .

Much in demand as both leader and sideman, MARK CROOKS has performed with artists ranging from Tony Bennett to Sir Simon Rattle, Lady Gaga to Dame Cleo Laine at venues from Ronnie Scotts in London to the Lincoln Center in New York.

Mark’s clarinet soloist appearances include the TV special “A Swingin’ Christmas “ with the John Wilson Orchestra , and the JWO’s Gershwin in Hollywood album , recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall in 2016, as well as the famous clarinet solo in Rhapsody in Blue at the Proms in 2024 with the Sinfonia of London.

As tenor sax soloist , Mark performed Focus, the seminal Stan Getz album with string orchestra and rhythm section as part of the 2021  London Jazz Festival in at Cadogan Hall in London.

Currently Mark is enjoying playing in ‘Jazz At The Movies’ with singer Joanna Eden, Jazz Samba with guitarist Nigel Price , and with his own quartet in concerts around the UK.
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He also features in ‘Getz, A Musical Portrait’ with the Chris Ingham Quartet , drummer Matt Skelton’s Blackhawk Quintet , and a tenor sax- vibraphone sextet with vibes virtuoso Nat Steele.

Colin Oxley

Simon Read

Mark Crooks