West End Swings - The Sam Every (Little) Big Band

Ella Fitzgerald cast as Maria? Frank Sinatra cast as the Artful Dodger?

Tonight, PizzaExpress Live regulars, the Sam Every Big Band, joined by acclaimed UK singers James Hudson and Helena Debono, return for a night celebrating the greatest hits from the West End stage, all like you've never heard before. Marrying the iconic big band sound with classic hits from shows like Mary Poppins, My Fair Lady, West Side Story and more - this is a night of classic MT tunes, with a jazzy twist that's not to be missed.

The Sam Every Big Band is one of the most exciting young big bands performing in the UK today.
After making their London club debut in 2019, they have obtained a 100% sell-out record at all of their Jazz club performances, making serious waves in the UK jazz industry. They are regular performers at PizzaExpress Live in Soho, and have performed multiple sell-out shows at the world-famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London’s Soho.

They are a projects-based band, performing a variety of unique sets, entirely compiled of original arrangements for the band, featuring acclaimed UK singers. So far they have worked with the award-winning Emma Smith, Iain Mackenzie, Katie Birtill, Freddie Benedict and many more. The band also regularly appear on the festival scene, most notably frequently headlining the Twinwood Music Festival, in Bedfordshire.

In 2025, the band embarked on their 2nd UK tour, as repeat recipients of Arts Council England funding. Performing new reimaginings of everything from Guilty Pleasures to TV Themes, the band performed at some iconic UK venues like Eastside Jazz Club (Birmingham) and Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (Liverpool). The band are also regular performers at the EFG London Jazz Festival; opening the festival for Pizza Express Jazz Club in 2023 with UK singin'g starlet Emma Smith before most recently headling two houses at Toulouse Lautrec Jazz Club for the festival in 2024.

Outside of live performing, during the 2020 lockdown, the band remotely recorded a 5-track Christmas EP, named “Christmas Is Here.” A mixture of original songs and arrangements by band leader Sam Every, the EP was digitally released to critical acclaim. It quickly gained multiple listens across BBC Radio and was used in several Christmas adverts in 2020 and 2021 across ITV, Channel 4, BT Sport and SKY TV.