Jazz at Progress
Since 2012, Jazz in Reading has been programming fantastic monthly jazz gigs - featuring leading British and international jazz stars - at Progress Theatre here in Reading under the Jazz at Progress brand.
We feature some of the finest soloists, singers and band leaders in the UK and beyond who are supported by a bevy of talented musicians. Expect some great evenings of live modern jazz, right here on your doorstep.
Scroll down for further details of these irresistible gigs.
Check out our new Gallery page for images from some of the great gigs we've put on at Progress.
Jazz at Progress | Perfect Stranger “Unfinished Business” Album Tour | Buy tickets
Friday 25 October 2024 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Perfect Stranger “Unfinished Business” Left to right: Paul Michael bass guitar | Eddy White guitars | Shanti Jayasinha trumpet & flugelhorn | Jonas Golland drums | Alcyona Mick keys | Chris Sansom […]
Jazz at Progress | Steve Waterman Latin Jazz Quartet | Buy tickets
Friday 27 September 2024 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Steve Waterman trumpet & flugelhorn John Donaldson piano** Rob Stratham bass Buster Birch drums For a couple of decades, Steve Waterman has been regarded as one of Britain’s finest and most versatile […]
Jazz at Progress | Jazz Suite: Under Milk Wood | Buy tickets
Friday 12 July 2024 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £17.00 (£15.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Ewen Baird tenor saxophone Martin Pickett piano Steve Kershaw double bass Mike Goff drums Siân Goff & Tom Neill narrators Under Milk Wood You’ve heard the original Radio Drama and seen the Play – now […]
Jazz at Progress | The Gaz Hughes Trio: The Nuclear Bebopalypse Tour | Buy tickets
Friday 21 June 2024 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Gaz Hughes drums Andrzej Baranek piano Gavin Barras double bass The Gaz Hughes Trio: The Nuclear Bebopalypse Tour Gaz Hughes is a renowned jazz drummer and band leader, who first gained wide […]
Jazz at Progress | Five-Way Split | Buy tickets
Friday 10 May 2024 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Quentin Collins trumpet & flugel horn, Vasilis Xenopoulos tenor saxophone, Rob Barron piano, Matyas Hofecker bass, Matt Home drums. Five-Way Split is a new jointly-led band featuring five of the finest contemporary […]
Jazz at Progress | Arbenz + Hart + Pursglove = Conversation | Buy tickets
Friday 22 March 2024 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Jim Hart vibraphone, percussion Florian Arbenz drums, percussion Percy Pursglove trumpet/flugelhorn Perhaps best known for his work with trio VEIN, or with American greats Dave Liebman and Dave Osby, Swiss and internationally […]
Jazz at Progress | Jean Toussaint Quartet | Sold out
Friday 9 Febuary 2024 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Jean Toussaint saxes Peter Billington on a real piano Paul Jefferies double bass Simon Price drums Jean Toussaint Quartet Jean Toussaint, born in the West Indies, raised on Saint Thomas Island (of the […]
Jazz at Progress | Moscow Drug Club | Sold out – sorry!
Friday 22 Dec 2023 Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Katya Gorrie vocals | Jonny Bruce trumpet | Mirek Salmon accordion Andy Bowen guitar | Andy Crowdy bass Moscow Drug Club is a curious musical place where certain elements of 1930’s Berlin Cabaret, […]
Jazz at Progress | Music Is: Chris Biscoe Plays Mike Westbrook | Buy tickets
Friday 10 November 2023 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Chris Biscoe saxophones Kate Williams piano Mike Outram guitar Dave Whitford bass Eric Ford drums Music Is: Chris Biscoe Plays Mike Westbrook The inspiration behind Music Is is a simple one: to […]
Jazz at Progress | Partners in Time – Historic Sax/Trumpet Partnerships | Buy tickets
Friday 6 October 2023 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Breaking News: We have a real piano for Leon – and if you need a reminder of his amazing playing, check here Karen Sharp saxes Stuart Henderson trumpet/flugelhorn Leon Greening piano Raph […]
Jazz at Progress | The Horace Silver Project | Buy tickets
Friday 30 June 2023 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions, £9 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Freddie Gavita trumpet Clare Hirst sax Andrea Vicari piano Marianne Windham bass Matt Fishwick drums The Horace Silver Project A celebration of the distinctively funky soul jazz of the legendary hard bop […]
Jazz at Progress | Leon Greening Trio plus guest Alex Garnett | Buy tickets
Friday 28 April 2023 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions, £9 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Leon Greening piano Alex Garnett sax Adam King bass Steve Brown drums Leon Greening studied piano at Leeds College of Music and the Guildhall. His extraordinary solos, inspired by the likes of […]
Jazz at Progress | Zoë Gilby Quartet | Buy tickets
Friday 17 March 2023 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions, £9 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Zoë Gilby vocals Mark Williams guitar Andy Champion double bass John Bradford drums Newcastle- based jazz vocalist and songwriter Zoë Gilby – Parliamentary Jazz Awards Jazz Vocalist of the Year 2019 – […]
Jazz at Progress | Gary Willcox’s Drummer/Composer Project | Buy tickets
Friday 3 February 2023 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions, £9 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Chris Batchelor trumpet Julien Siegel saxes Gareth Williams piano Oli Hayhurst bass Gary Willcox drums Gary Willcox has created an exciting project to provide a glimpse of the contribution that drummers have […]
Alan Barnes’ “Copperfield” – A Dickensian Jazz Suite | Buy Tickets
Friday 16 December 2022 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions, £9 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Alan Barnes and Dave Newton plus six more top UK musicians Alan Barnes sax, clarinets Bruce Adams trumpet Mark Nightingale trombone Robert Fowler sax, clarinet Karen Sharp sax, clarinet David Newton piano […]
The Nat Steele MJQ Quartet: Portrait of the MJQ | Buy tickets
Friday 25 November 2022 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions, £9 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Nat Steele vibraphone Gabriel Latchin piano Dario Di Lecce bass Steve Brown drums Nat Steele, vibraphonist and co-founder of the Bop Fest Jazz Festival, who grew up in Reading, brings his quartet […]
The Power Of Three | Buy tickets here
Friday 21 October 2022 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions, £9 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Tommaso Starace reeds Jim Watson piano Dave Chamberlain bass Always on the look out for musicians who have something new to add to the jazz genre, we are pleased to present a […]
Jonny Mansfield Quartet | Buy tickets
Friday 16 September 2022 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions, £9 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Jonny Mansfield vibraphoneNoah Stoneman pianoWill Sach bassDave Hamblett drums Jonny Mansfield is an award-winning percussionist and composer. He has worked with international artists such as Chris Potter, Orlando Weeks and Yazz Ahmed, […]
Alban Claret & Evan Clegg – The Collection | Buy tickets
Friday 8 July 2022 Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £16.00 (£14.00 concessions, £8 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Alban Claret guitar Evan Clegg trumpet Duncan Eagles tenor sax Luke Fowler double bass Kuba Miazga drums Do you like the idea of the bebop tradition being brought bang up to date? Then […]
The Alex Hitchcock Quartet | Buy tickets
Friday 13 May 2022 Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions, £9 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Alex Hitchcock tenor sax Noah Stoneman piano Joe Downard bass Myele Manzanza drums ‘An incredible saxophonist, with something very unique and original to say’ – Walter Smith III Since his first gig as leader […]
‘Wakey Blakey’ with the Ingham-Davison Sextet | Buy tickets
Friday 8 April 2022 Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. James Davison trumpet Rory Ingham trombone Mark Lockheart tenor sax Will Barry piano Adam King bass Felix Ambach drums ‘Wakey Blakey’ is a new band led jointly by Rory Ingham and James Davison playing the music […]
John Horler – A Tribute to Bill Evans | Buy tickets
Friday 4 March 2022 Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. John Horler piano | Alec Dankworth bass| Ronnie Jones drums Jazz at Progress will mark the sixtieth anniversary of Bill Evans’ seminal album ‘Sunday at the Village Vanguard’ with ‘A Tribute to Bill Evans’ led by […]
Vasilis Xenopoulos Dexterity Quintet: The Dexterity Album | Buy tickets
Friday 28 Jan 2022 Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Vasilis has played as sideman for Jazz In Reading with bands at Progress, notably with Nigel Price, but this is the first time as leader. He always gets a great reception and the band he has […]
Clark Tracey Sextet | Buy tickets
Friday 26 November 2021 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Featuring Mark Armstrong trumpet, James Wade-Sired trombone, Tom Ridout reeds, Gareth Williams piano, James Owston bass, Clark Tracey drums Clark Tracey is an excellent, highly experienced, award-winning drummer, bandleader, composer and arranger. He grew up in […]
Andrew McCormack’s Graviton | Buy tickets
Friday 22 October 2021 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Featuring Andrew McCormack piano, Noemi Nuti vocals, Josh Arcoleos sax, Conor Chaplin electric bass, Joshua Blackmore drums “Andrew McCormack is an extraordinary British pianist and a great composer as well … amazing technique.” […]
Jazz at Progress | Clark Tracey Quintet | CANCELLED
Friday 3 July | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7.30pm | £16.00 (£14.00 concessions) plus max 5% booking fee Alexandra Ridout or James Copus trumpet, Sean Payne alto sax, Elliot Sansom piano, James Owston bass, Clark Tracey drums Clark Tracey is an excellent, highly experienced, award-winning drummer, bandleader, composer and arranger. He grew up in a […]
Jazz at Progress | Andrew McCormack’s Graviton | CANCELLED
Friday 17 April | Progress Theatre, Reading |7.30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus max 5% booking fee Andrew McCormack piano, Noemi Nuti vocals, Josh Arcoleos sax, Conor Chaplin electric bass, Joshua Blackmore drums Internationally acclaimed pianist/composer Andrew McCormack has built a diverse and hugely successful career with appearances at major festivals and concert halls all […]
Jazz at Progress | Finding Home: Kate Williams’ Four Plus Three meets Georgia Mancio | Buy tickets
Friday 6 March | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Kate Williams piano, Georgia Mancio voice, Oli Hayhurst bass, David Ingamells drums, John Garner & Marie Schreer violins, Francis Gallagher viola, Sergio Serra cello ‘A triumph of integrity and classy musicality’ – The Guardian **** Finding Home is […]
Jazz at Progress | Xhosa Cole Quartet | Sold Out
Friday 31 January | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £16.00 (£14.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Tenor saxophonist Xhosa Cole, BBC Young Jazz Musician 2018, brings together an all-star quartet featuring some of finest talent based in the UK. Alongside fellow finalist and bass player James Owston, powerhouse drummer Jim Bashford and Canadian, […]
Jazz at Progress | A Jazz Christmas Carol by Alan Barnes | Buy tickets
Friday 20 December | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Jazz at Progress is delighted to bring you a very special Christmas performance of Alan Barnes’ A Jazz Christmas Carol based on Charles Dickens classic novel. The band comprises the cream of British jazz musicians: The Alan Barnes […]
Jazz at Progress | A Jazz and Film Night Tribute to Blue Note | Buy tickets
Friday 22 November | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £14.00 (£12.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Jazz at Progress celebrates the 80th anniversary of the iconic Blue Note record label with live jazz from the Stuart Henderson Quintet and a film presentation of the acclaimed documentary Blue Note – A Story of Modern […]
Jazz at Progress | Quentin Collins Sextet | Buy tickets
Friday 18 October | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Quentin Collins Sextet Hot on the heels of the London and Paris launch dates of his new album ‘Road Warrior’ in September, Quentin Collins brings his all-star sextet to the Progress Theatre as part of his 15-gig […]
Jazz in Reading and Bracknell Jazz present Mark Lockheart’s Orchestral Jazz Suite ‘Days on Earth’ | Buy tickets
Friday 27 September | Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park Arts Centre | 7:45pm | £23.00, Members/Senior Citizens/Unemployed £22, NUS students £10.00, School and music groups of 5+ £5.50pp. Disabled with companion tickets available. Photo by Dave Stapleton Jazz in Reading and Bracknell Jazz have joined forces to present Mark Lockheart’s epic orchestral jazz suite in […]
Jazz at Progress | The Scott Willcox Ten-Piece Big Band | Buy tickets
Friday 20 September | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £17.00 (£15.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Scott Willcox leading, Gabriel Garrick, Andy Gibson trumpets, Martin Gladdish trombone, Samuel Eagles, Bob McKay, Julian Costello, Pete Hurt saxophones, Dave Frankel keyboard, Andy Cleyndert bass, Gary Willcox drums Scott Willcox makes a welcome return to Jazz […]
Jazz at Progress | Greg Abate & the Craig Milverton Trio | Buy tickets
Fri 12 July | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Greg Abate alto saxophone, Craig Milverton piano, Sandy Suchdolski double bass, Nick Millward drums Multi-reeds player, Greg Abate hails from Rhode Island USA and has been touring the UK most years: very popular and a regular […]
Jazz at Progress | Paz | Buy tickets
Fri 21 June | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Photo: Zoë White Photography Geoff Castle keyboards, Matt Wates alto sax, Dominic Grant guitar, Rob Statham bass, Chris Fletcher percussion, Les Cirkel drums Legendary latin-jazz-funk fusion outfit Paz, formed in 1971, has recorded eleven critically acclaimed […]
Jazz at Progress | The Orphy Robinson Quintet: Bobby Hutcherson Project | Buy tickets
Fri 17 May | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Featuring (new to Progress) Orphy Robinson vibes & marimba, Robert Mitchell piano, Dudley Phillips bass, Rod Youngs drums. Plus the ever popular Tony Kofi reeds. The renowned USA vibes player Bobby Hutcherson died aged 65 in August […]
Jazz at Progress | Henry Lowther’s Still Waters | Buy tickets
Fri 12 Apr | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £17.00 (£15.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Henry Lowther trumpet & flugelhorn, Pete Hurt tenor saxophone, Barry Green piano, Dave Green bass, Paul Clarvis drums ‘Still waters run deep and beneath the calm there’s plenty of musical passion.’ Is there anyone that Henry Lowther […]
Jazz at Progress | Get the Blessing | Buy tickets
Fri 22 Mar | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £18.00 (£16.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Pete Judge trumpet, Jake McMurchie saxophone, Jim Barr bass, Clive Deamer drums In line with our policy here at Jazz in Reading to offer you a wide spectrum of the jazz scene – now for something completely […]
Jazz at Progress | Portrait of Cannonball featuring Tony Kofi | Just one wheelchair space left
Fri 22 Feb | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Tony Kofi alto sax, Alex Webb piano, Byron Wallen trumpet, Andy Cleyndert bass, Alfonso Vitale drums and Deelee Dubé guest vocalist. Alto-sax master Tony Kofi fronts this loving celebration of the jazz giant (in every sense) Julian […]
Jazz at Progress | Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble present ‘The Spirit of Trane’ | Sorry – Sold Out
Fri 18 Jan | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £16.00 (£14.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble present “The Spirit of Trane” Gilad Atzmon tenor sax, Frank Harrison piano, Yaron Stavi double bass, Enzo Zirilli drums The constantly touring sax supremo Gilad Atzmon, who The Times once described […]
Jazz at Progress | Steve Fishwick Quintet with special guest from New York, Grant Stewart | Buy tickets
Fri 23 Nov | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £17.00 (£15.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Steve Fishwick trumpet, John Pearce piano, Jeremy Brown bass, Matt Fishwick drums and Grant Stewart tenor saxophone UK trumpet star Steve Fishwick will be joining forces with special guest from New York, Grant Stewart to present […]
Jazz at Progress | Elftet | Review
Friday 28 September, Progress Theatre, Reading Jonny Mansfield vibes & leader, James Davison trumpet & flugelhorn, Rory Ingham trombone, Tom Smith alto saxophone, Sam Rapley tenor saxophone & bass clarinet, Dom Ingham violin & vocals, Ella Hohnen Ford vocals & flute, Laura Armstrong cello, Oliver Mason guitar, Will Harris bass guitar, Boz Martin-Jones drums. We […]
Jazz at Progress | Jam Experiment | Buy tickets
Fri 31 Aug | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £16.00 (£14.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Chosen in the Shape of Jazz to Come in 2018 in Jazzwise, Jam Experiment is an award-winning band based in London, UK. Formed in 2014, they have appeared on BBC Radio 3 and Jazz FM numerous times, […]
Jazz at Progress | Martin Speake Quartet ft. Ethan Iverson | Buy tickets
Fri 27 Apr | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Martin Speake alto saxophone, Ethan Iverson piano, Fred Thomas double bass, James Maddren drums Ethan Iverson, pianist with the game-changing US jazz outfit ‘The Bad Plus’, joins Martin Speake and his trio for this incredible evening of […]
Jazz at Progress | John Law’s Re-Creations | Buy tickets
Friday 5 January | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £16.00 (£14.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Sam Crockatt saxophones, John Law piano/keyboards, James Agg bass, Billy Weir drums/percussion Re-Creations is John Law’s latest project, featuring well known tunes from the worlds of jazz and pop. It features Parliamentary Jazz Award winner saxophonist Sam […]
Jazz at Progress | Moscow Drug Club
Fri 24 Nov | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £16.00 (£14.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Katya Gorrie vocals, Jonny Bruce trumpet, Mirek Salmon accordion, Will Edmunds guitar, Andy Crowdy bass Moscow Drug Club… … is a curious musical place where certain elements of 1930’s Berlin Cabaret, Hot Club de France, Nuevo Tango & […]
Jazz at Progress | Alex Hitchcock Quintet
Fri 22 September | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £14.00 (£12.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Will Barry – piano, Jay Davis – drums, Alex Hitchcock – sax, Joe Downard – bass, James Copus – trumpet We have decided that it is time for Jazz In Reading to give opportunities to young jazz […]
Jazz at Progress | Jazz Stars of the Future: Tom Smith Septet | Sold out!
Fri 18 Aug | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7:30pm | £15.00 (£13.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee. Tom Smith alto sax, Alex Hitchcock tenor sax, Alistair Martin trumpet, Olli Martin trombone, Will Barry piano, Daisy George double bass and Dave Storey drums. Jazz in Reading is delighted to announce that, in conjunction with Marc Edwards […]
Jazz at Progress | The Derek Nash Acoustic Quartet plus special guest Martin Shaw | Just one ticket still available!
Fri 27 Jan 2017 | Progress Theatre, Reading | The Derek Nash Acoustic Quartet plus special guest Martin Shaw | Derek Nash saxes, Martin Shaw trumpet & flugelhorn, Dave Newton piano, Geoff Gascoyne bass, Sebastiaan de Krom drums | 7.30pm | £16.00 (£14.00 concessions) plus maximum 5% booking fee Derek Nash – saxes Derek is […]
Progress Theatre
www.progresstheatre.co.uk | The Mount, Off Christchurch Road, Reading RG1 5HL
Bar at all gigs from 7:00pm. Drinks may be taken into the auditorium during performances.
Progress Theatre is a self-governing, self-funding theatre group founded in 1947, maintained by volunteers. The Theatre itself is an intimate 95-seat venue. It is the oldest operating theatre in Reading and has a fully licensed bar. There is wheelchair access to the Theatre with a space for disabled patrons. In 2011 Sir Kenneth Branagh became the Patron to Progress Theatre.
