The Pocket Ellington ft. Tony Kofi & Alan Barnes

This acclaimed Duke Ellington tribute returns to PizzaExpress Live with stellar vocalist Marvin Muoneké, 'The Young Man with The Old Soul’. With new takes on classic Ellington standards – including Sophisticated Lady, I’m Beginning To See The Light, I Got It Bad – and of course, Take The A Train – Marvin and the group celebrate one of the greatest song catalogues in jazz.

Born out of saxophonist Tony Kofi and pianist Alex Webb’s shared love of Ellington, The Pocket Ellington manages what ought to be impossible – creating a classic Ellingtonian sound with just four horns and a rhythm section. But with Kofi, Alan Barnes (reeds), Simon Finch (trumpet) and David Lalljee (trombone) on hand, anything is possible. Veteran bassist Dave Green and powerhouse drummer Winston Clifford provide the swing, while rising vocalist Marvin Muoneké explores the classic Duke songs.

Great charts from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s – Main Stem, Harlem Air Shaft, Cotton Tail, Chelsea Bridge, Such Sweet Thunder and others - are presented in clever new arrangements which evoke the period but also offer solo space to these top-flight musicians. The repertoire also includes pieces from artists and arrangers who were influenced by the Duke – Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk and Gil Evans. It’s a big sound from a pocket band.

""A terrific band with a rhythm section as good as any on the planet"" - Blue Light, magazine of the Duke Ellington Society UK