Sassoon's World...

17-piece Big Band launch!

2011-09-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

I am launching a new 17-piece big band version of the "Tribute to Ray Charles" gig. The band just keeps getting bigger. It's hard to believe that I've only gigged the 11-piece Ray Charles show once in the last 18 months (Goostrey, October 2010), but all that is about to change.
I have a promotional video that is coming out in a fortnight's time, and this will be the first opportunity I've had since the first gig to promote the project and accrue gigs.
The 17-piece launch will be at The Cinnamon Club, Bowdon, Cheshire (http://www.thecinnamonclub.net) on Friday 25th November. Book your tickets....

New album finished ..

2011-03-11T04:46:00.000-08:00

At long last.. 8 months in the making and my debut solo album "...coming out" is coming out. Going to press next week; artwork being done (I hate photos) and all being well, I will be launching it at "Club 43", The Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Peter St, Manchester on 31st March! Only 70 places available and they've sold half of them already... looking forward to it!
I had a very weird experience at 7pm last night in that after 8 months of obsession, I had 'nothing to do' for the first time. Must get a life! Any suggestions?.....

new website live!

2011-02-27T06:49:00.000-08:00

I've now officially been re-born. My new name is www.jeremysassoon.co.uk

Me and Miss Hughes...

2011-02-21T07:51:00.000-08:00

2 gigs this week with the wonderful Sarah Ellen Hughes, Jazz singer from London http://www.sarahellenhughes.co.uk

We play at Smiths Restaurant, 1-3 Church Rd, Eccles M30 0DL tomorrow night (Tues 22nd Feb) at 7.30pm

Then on Friday (25th), Sarah guests with me and my quartet on my regular Cinnamon Club residency, The Firs, Bowdon, Cheshire (£10).

Don't miss it!!

New Residency at Stock

2010-02-18T08:43:00.000-08:00

The Jazz Prescription, my Live Jazz agency will be providing music for Stock Restaurant in Manchester City Centre on selected Friday nights. Stock has a great reputation for food, and the management sound great and have a good attitude to the music. We're starting in April, and I'll be doing the first gig on April 9th... looking forward to it. Cheers Alison. Check out my gig guide on http://www.thejazzprescription.co.uk

My arm hurts

2010-02-18T08:33:00.000-08:00

I hate that typhoid jab!!

CD's, CD's, CD's...

2010-02-07T15:17:00.001-08:00

We sold a golden 100 over this weekend. We may even break even by 2013 at this rate! If you haven't already, check out the CD at http://www.sassoonandbentley.com and donate to a worthwhile charity ... one of us is a scouser with children...

CD Launch at The Cinnamon Club last night!

2010-02-06T06:30:00.000-08:00

Well ... regarding my last dilemma in my last post...the answer is I drank ... indeed, a skinful of Zubrowka and Apple Juice ... the drink of kings (Polish kings). Unfortunately, I have no recollection of playing the last 2 tunes of the gig last night, but the evening was fantastic; the band was mega, and it was sold out. Thanks to my "Portuguese mafia"; Nuno, Paulo & Marco who made the evening by depositing a tray of 12 shots on the stage... and then another 12... in the middle of the gig. Many thanks to Orli who prevented me from getting into my car... Clitheroe gig tonight. Will be altogether a more sensible affair... I hope.

2 days to go to CD launch

2010-02-03T04:56:00.000-08:00

Well... 2 days to go until "Bacon or Pastrami?" enters the ether. The CD launch has been sold out for over a week, so all looking good. I have Sara Dowling sitting in for Zoe Chiotis on backing vocals on Friday.. they're both great singers. I think we may learn a couple of new tunes for Friday if we have time. It should be a mega night. The thing is....Should I drive? .. or drink? That's the big question..

Scousers... Bentley, Rooney...

2010-01-28T09:04:00.000-08:00

Just hours before my new CD (recorded with my scouse singer/friend Paul Bentley) arrived on my Manchester doorstep, Rooney scores that last minute winner against the "biggest-club-in-the-world-elect" (Gary Cook)..... Maybe I should consider eating my 2008 words about Liverpool's claim to have been the Capital of Culture.... but then again, maybe not.

February 2010... a good month?

2010-01-28T07:47:00.000-08:00

Hi music lovers

I don't know what's come over me this month... I'm feeling strangely chipper. As you know, it's totally out of character for me to feel optimistic, but I can't seem to shake it off. I keep consoling myself with the idea that everything could go horribly wrong, but I thought I'd do this month's newsletter while the chips are up.

There are a few shreds of evidence to support this fleeting feeling of happiness, so I'll explain and let you be the judge;

1) The debut "Sassoon and Bentley" album is complete; the first 1000 copies have just been delivered today and the CD will be launched at The Cinnamon Club a week on Friday, 5th February

2) The CD launch night has completely sold out with 2 weeks to go. I did warn you to book early, and hope you bought your tickets. The alternative is to come to The Grand in Clitheroe the very next night (Saturday 6th Feb).

3) If you didn't buy your tickets in time, I have 2 free invites for the launch, and, because I'm in a good mood, I'm hosting a newsletter competition to win the free tickets... see below.

4) I've built a new website, dedicated to promoting the Sassoon & Bentley album and related activities. Go check it out at http://www.sassoonandbentley.com. Sassoon and Bentley also have a new presence on myspace thanks to the new page http://www.myspace.com/sassoonandbentley . You can listen to 4 complete tracks off the album which I've uploaded onto this page. (the website only has clips).

5) I have another 12-piece Ray Charles gig organised, this time at LIPA (The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts) in conjunction with Liverpool Jazz. The date will be 11th April.... Tickets are not yet on sale, but this time, please, when I say book early, please book early. For those of you who've already seen the show, I'm preparing a whole set of new tunes to add to the repertoire for this one.

6) I've decided to put the 5-piece band back into Matt & Phreds Jazz club for a couple of dates .. April 23rd and June 18th, so we will have a regular gig at the Cinnamon Club and Matt & Phreds, arguably Manchester's two premier jazz venues.

7) Dimitris bar is re-opening in February with a new 'bigger' look, having knocked through into the former Jowata restaurant, so we'll be back there on Friday February 12th. La Vina is restarting its live music and we'll be there Friday Feb 19th

In addition, I'm taking the global promotion of the new CD very seriously, and see an emerging market in Asia and Australasia, so at great expense, I'll be making a 3 week business trip to Bali, and then Sydney from 22nd Feb to 16th March to shift some product onto the exiled convicts. This obviously means there'll be no UK gigs to offer you over this period, but if anyone fancies joining me for a cocktail, I'll be gigging at The Hyatt Hotel, just under the Harbour Bridge in Sydney on Saturday March 13th. True. Check this place out ... it looks ridiculous! http://www.sydney.park.hyatt.com

And finally, don't forget my gig with Pete Boyle this month (my infamous Manchester United songsmith gigging partner). We'll be gigging in Cork, Ireland on 20th February. Don't miss it

Well, that's about it for news. Better go take my Lithium to avoid any longlasting happiness.

Don't forget to check out those new websites http://www.sassoonandbentley.com , http://myspace.com/sassoonandbentley