Scarborough’s illustrious home of goodtime music is 25 years old this month. Organiser Mike Gordon marks the occasion.

This year Scarborough Jazz will have been running for twenty-five years, fifty nights a year – and in the history of British jazz clubs that’s quite an achievement!

In that time some great players have performed in Scarborough – Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Gene ‘The Mighty Flea’ Connors, Mundell Lowe, Martin Taylor, Peter King, Gerard Presencer, Don Weller, Clare Teal, Stacey Kent, Jack Purnell, Alan Barnes, Anita Wardell, Tina May and many others.

To celebrate, a fantastic jazz party will take place at the Cask on Sunday 19 April. From midday until 9pm in the Sigma Bar some of the finest players who have starred for Scarborough Jazz will perform backed by three great rhythm sections. The programme will include Jim Birkett, Thom Whitworth, Frank Brooker, General Cluster, Joel Purnell, Chris Hodgkins , Ron Burnett, Greg Wadman, Stony Jazz, Pat McCarthy, Jon Taylor, Martin Jones, Jim Corrie, Julie Edwards and Kevin Dearden.  Entry will be £5 at the door.

Barnes storming

The highlight of the day will be from 9.30pm until midnight in the Sigma Bar when the stunning The Alan Barnes Quintet will entertain. What a line-up: – Alan (clarinet and saxes, pictured above), Bruce Adams (trumpet), Robin Aspland (keyboards), Alec Dankworth (bass) and Bobby Worth (drums). These are truly top-class UK musicians. Limited tickets (which are selling quickly) at £12 are available at club nights on Wednesdays at The Cask, at Mojos, from Mike at (01723) 379818 or from The Bookshelf on Victoria Road.

From midday onwards in the upstairs Cask bar some of the best student jazz in the area from University of Hull, Leeds College of Music and Newcastle University will be performing. Entry to this is free. A wide range of food will be available.

This will be an incredible day to remember – and one not to be missed.

By the way, the history of Scarborough Jazz is nicely documented in a display in the Library where Dennis Hitch has scoured the archives for an exhibition illustrating the performers and venues over the last 25 years.