Rye Jazz Festival is thrilled to have Tom Chaplin and his band performing as part of this year’s December concerts in Rye on Thursday, December 15 at St Mary’s church – which is the most stunning venue and we know how very special this concert will be for Tom and for his many fans.
It is the first time the Hastings-born singer and composer and former Rye resident, has stepped outside Keane, the anthemic, multi-million-selling British band that scored five number-one albums between 2004 and 2013.
Tom’s new solo album The Wave, debuted in the UK charts at No 3 in October 2016 and features 11 incredibly honest and uplifting songs written by Tom, produced by Matt Hales (Aqualung, Lianne La Havas) and recorded in Pasadena, California and London.
Driven by his unmistakable voice, The Wave is a powerful album that has had critical acclaim. The Sunday Times Culture section made it Album Of The Week, saying it was: “Incredibly beautiful and affecting”. The Daily Telegraph called it: “The most gorgeous, anthemic, uplifting music of Chaplin’s career,” and the London Evening Standard, the Sun, Q and Mojo all awarded it four stars in their reviews.
To take his live show on the road, Tom has assembled an array of top musicians, who are all multi-instrumentalists, able to switch what they play as the richly layered songs demand. His band features musical director, drummer and programmer Sebastian Sternberg; Rosie Langley on violin, synths and guitar; classically trained pianist and violinist Tobie Tripp, and Beau Holland on guitar, synths and piano.
Jazz festival director Ian Bowden said: “We would like to acknowledge the kind support of WS Wright and Art Joinery and Glazing based in Rye as sponsors of the Tom Chaplin concert. We are also working closely with our charity partners Charity For Kids based in Hastings, to raise awareness for the fabulous work that the charity does but to also to raise funds at the concerts.”
The four concerts in this winter series are being presented in the stunning and historic setting of the 900-year-old St Mary’s church and audiences are guaranteed a close-up-and-personal live music experience.
Other concerts include rock keyboard legend, Rick Wakeman on December 8, who will be performing a specially prepared and intimate programme for this unique performance on acoustic piano. Rick joins us hot on the trail of his winter sell out US tour.
On Friday December 9, the London Community Gospel Choir and special guest, the UK queen of soul, Mica Paris, perform a truly magical, inspirational and uplifting concert with a diverse programme of gospel and soul. Expect Christmas classics such as: Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Little Drummer Boy and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen with Mica performing a selection of her hits and much more that will have you rocking in your shoes.
On Wednesday, December 14, acclaimed UK jazz singers Ian Shaw and Claire Martin perform their special jazz Xmas Cracker concert which will be an evening packed with winter warmers and classic songs from both the jazz and pop canon.
Expect 1930s New York, 1940s Christmas cinema evergreens, the gloss of Fifties Hollywood (Nat King Cole, Doris Day, Eartha Kitt), the celebrated 1960s Brill Building (Carole King, James Taylor) to the darker spirits of the more contemporary writers (The Pogues, Nick Cave, Joni Mitchell).
VIP packages and are also available and for tickets and information go to: www.ryejazz.com
Photo: Tom Chaplin Music