St Mary’s Jazz Evenings: “The Tough Tenors”

The St Mary's jazz evenings continue on Friday 6th June with an evening celebrating two greats of the tenor saxophone, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Johnny Griffin, who released a number of legendary albums under the name of the "Tough Tenors", in the 1960s. These incredibly energetic and vibrant records are some of the highlights of the Hard Bop idiom. Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis is known for his work in the Count Basie Orchestra, as well as featuring on a huge list of great jazz records as both bandleader and sideman, and Johnny Griffin was one of the great pioneers of Hard Bop, known for his long-time collaborations with Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey, and many others.

The band for this lively evening will feature a quintet of some of the finest young talent on the London jazz scene, featuring tenor saxophonists Zach Sholapurkar and Jacob Wilson. They will be joined by a swinging rhythm section led by Hugo Jennings. Tickets are £10, and there will be a bar selling refreshments. Doors open at 7:30pm, and the music will start at 8pm.

Zach Sholapurkar is a young and talented saxophonist based in London. He is studying at the Royal Academy of Music and has already performed with legends of British jazz such as Tony Kofi and Rachael Cohen. He was also a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra Academy Big Band. His influences include Joe Henderson, Joe Harriott, Charles McPherson, and Charlie Parker. He has appeared at various jazz venues and festivals, such as the Battersea Jazz Festival and the Eltham Jazz Club, where he impressed audiences with his confident and expressive playing. He is one of the rising stars of the London jazz scene and a pupil of Gareth Lochrane, who often features him in his quartet.

Jacob Wilson is one of the most talented up-and-coming tenor saxophonists on the London scene today. Playing music since the age of nine, he found a passion for the saxophone at around 13, and decided that he wanted to study music further and pursue a career as a professional jazz musician. Since moving to London in 2022 he has been carrying out his studies at Trinity Laban, alongside beginning to establish himself on the London jazz scene. He has performed at venues such as Pizza Express Dean Street, The Pheasantry, The Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall, The 606 Club, Alfie’s Club Soho, The Vortex Jazz Club, as well as We Out Here Festival and Brick Lane Jazz Festival. Following a lesson with his long-time hero, Grant Stewart, in January 2025, he was offered a place to study at his prestigious "Tribeca Institute": an exclusive intensive programme which runs for a 12-week semester right in the heart of New York City. This school was set up by Grant to “help exceptional young musicians whose goal is to take their playing to the next level”.

Hugo Jennings is a jazz pianist, singer and bandleader, orchestral conductor, teacher, and music curator. He has established himself as a respected name on the London jazz scene, through his playing, knowledge of the history of the music, and his work organising many gigs across town. His music is inspired by Barry Harris, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Cedar Walton, Thelonious Monk, the Great American Songbook, and a variety of other jazz and classical composers. He has appeared alongside high-profile British artists such as Alex Garnett, Steve Fishwick, Tom Smith, Fraser Smith, Sam Braysher, and countless others, as well as American musicians including Adam Moezinia and Chuck Redd. In addition to his performing as a jazz pianist and singer, Hugo also works as conductor of Social London Orchestra and the South London Jazz Orchestra, and is the Founder and Director of the Battersea Jazz Festival.

• Lineup: Zach Sholapurkar, tenor sax; Jacob Wilson, tenor sax; Hugo Jennings, piano; TBC, double bass; Kai MacRae, drums
• Listen to the Tough Tenors on YouTube
• Doors 7:30pm; Music starts 8pm.