Formed in 2004, Jazz in Reading, is a not-for-profit association of six jazz enthusiasts dedicated to bringing the best of contemporary ‘live’ jazz to the stage of the Progress Theatre, Reading and promoting jazz activity by local musicians across the Thames Valley via its website and social media site. A list of artists who have appeared on the Progress stage reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of the UK ja
zz scene, covering the gamut of styles from perennial favourites like Art Themen, Alan Barnes and Tony Kofi to the ‘cutting edge’ innovations of rising stars such as Xhosa Cole, Jonny Mansfield and Alex Hitchcock. When ‘Live’ activity was curtailed by COVID-19, Jazz in Reading joined forces with Guildford Jazz and several other jazz societies to present a series of hugely successful ‘Livestream’ gigs with such musicians as Trish Clewes and Dave and Judith O’Higgins, which were viewed by online audiences across the UK and beyond. We hope to resume ‘live’ jazz at the Progress Theatre later this year, or early in 2022. Aptly described by guitarist John Etheridge as a ‘bijou theatrette’, it’s a perfect venue with excellent sound and lighting, a well-stocked bar and an intimate atmosphere loved by audiences and musicians alike. Meanwhile, check out the Gig Calendar on the website (www.jazzinreading.com) for details of gigs and livestreams taking place locally and for links to the many livestream sites that have emerged during Lockdown. Please contact the team via [email protected] if you would like to sign-up for the e-mailing list, advertise a gig of your own on the Gig Calendar, or would like to book a band for a private function or event. May we leave the final word to award-winning vocalist Ian Shaw, ‘Organisations like Jazz in Reading,’ he commented, ‘provide the glue which holds the British jazz scene together.’
