Hugo Jennings Big Band

The Hugo Jennings Big Band is fast gaining a reputation as one of the most swinging and unique voices on the London jazz scene. This performance will see some of the very finest musicians in Britain perform a broad variety of repertoire, including scenes from Jennings's new show "Romeo and Juliet in Swing", featuring original arrangements of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. They will also perform arrangements from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Oliver!, and the Sound of Music, as well as big band classics from the Duke Ellington and Count Basie Orchestras, the Dizzy Gillespie big band and Terry Gibbs Dream Band, and much more.

The Hugo Jennings Big Band features an all-star lineup of some of the most established names in British jazz today, alongside many of the shining young talents of the London scene. They will be presenting a broad programme of original arrangements as well as classics and hidden gems from the 20th Century big band repertoire. For the first time since its premiere at the Clapham Grand to open the 2026 Battersea Jazz Festival, the band will perform material from "Romeo and Juliet in Swing"; Jennings's brand new show featuring original jazz arrangements of music from Prokofiev's ballet "Romeo and Juliet", described as "a unique and fascinating project which most certainly deserves a far wider audience" by UKJazzNews.

Other music will include tunes performed by the Duke Ellington and Count Basie Orchestras, the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, and the Terry Gibbs Dream Band, and many more. In addition, they will be playing original arrangements of music from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Oliver!, and the Sound of Music, which they memorably performed to a sold out PizzaExpress Soho in 2025.

Hugo Jennings is a jazz pianist, singer and bandleader, orchestral conductor, teacher, and music curator. As with many of his gigs as a leader, he will be presenting a programme which showcases jazz’s rich history in an entertaining and informative way for the audience. Hugo 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 as Founder and Director of the Battersea Jazz Festival. His music is inspired by Barry Harris, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Cedar Walton, Duke Pearson, 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, Ruben Fox, Quentin Collins, Dave O'Higgins, Steve Fishwick, Tom Smith, Sam Braysher, and countless others, as well as American musicians including Jerry Weldon, Gabrielle Stravelli, Pat O'Leary, 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.

""This is a unique and fascinating project which most certainly deserves a far wider audience and I, for one, certainly hope to see this swing spectacular back on the stage soon"" - UKJazzNews