Helena Debono and Charlie Bates Big Band

After a string of sell-out shows, London’s prominent jazz duo are back at PizzaExpress Live with their big band. Their album ‘A Thousand Nights’, released in 2024, features a 55-piece orchestra in some of London’s most iconic studios. This album has received great reviews and has been Jazz FM Track of the Week and was launched on BBC Radio 3. Debono’s remarkable vocals accompanied effortlessly by Bates’ arrangements and a Big Band of the highest calibre, tickets will sell fast for this one as it is sure to be a night not to miss. Charlie Bates is a multi-award-winning composer, arranger, and pianist based in London. Since the release of his debut album in 2017—praised by The Guardian as “impressive and inventive”—he has built a diverse and successful career both as a performer and a writer. As a pianist, he has appeared across Europe as well as on BBC TV and radio, earning a reputation for his expressive and versatile playing. Alongside his performing work, Charlie is in high demand as a composer and arranger, creating music for leading ensembles including the NDR Bigband and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, as well as contributing to projects in television, film, and other media. In 2023, he released A Thousand Nights, a collaborative album with vocalist Helena Debono, featuring a 55-piece orchestra. The album was met with widespread acclaim and was selected as Jazz FM’s Track of the Week, marking another standout moment in his career. Helena Debono From South West London comes Helena Debono, a young jazz vocalist. She has been captivating audiences with her emotional renditions of Jazz standards and her own original music since she was a teenager. Her natural, effortless vocals have already received acclaim amongst the UK Jazz scene and leaves audiences wanting to hear more. She has performed at many venues including Ronnie Scotts, PizzaExpress Live Soho and Holborn, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival and many more. In July 2021 Helena released her debut album called ‘Right Here’ which is a mix of Jazz standards and her own originals. The album received great reviews and has over 30k streams on Spotify. She performed a Sold-Out Album Launch show at PizzaExpress Live Holborn and her band were invited to perform a livestream from Ronnie Scotts which has over 5k streams. Helena graduated with a BA (hons) first class degree in Jazz Music from Leeds College of Music. She has performed at many venues in Leeds including the Brudenell Social Club and Hifi. In 2019 Helena became the Female vocalist for The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), during this time she was interviewed by Emma Smith for BBC Radio 3 “Jazz Now”. She is now the Vocal Coach for NYJO. In the Summer of 2019 Helena was thrilled to perform with ‘The London Gay Big Band’ at London Pride in Trafalgar Square. She has also performed with ‘The Puppini Sisters’. ""Helena’s singing displays great musicality, relaxed beauty and tone, and of course that immaculate timing"" - London Jazz News