Jazz Steps

JAZZ STEPS
Date: Sunday, 18 May 2025, 12.30-7pm
Location: Oxhey Village

About the event

Jazz Steps is the final day of the Watford Jazz Junction Festival (10-18 May).

An amazing afternoon of free live music across Oxhey Village, inside and out. 10 stages across 6 family-friendly pubs, Oxhey Bowls Club, St Matthews Church Hall (new for 2025) and on Oxhey Green (Lower Paddock Road, WD19 4DS).

Walk, talk, drink, eat, meet, socialise, dance and hear amazing live music!

We'll be at The Railway Arms, The Load of Hay, The Royal Oak, The Villiers Arms, The Rifle Volunteer, The Victoria, The Oxhey Bowls Club, St Matthews Church Hall as well as on Oxhey Green with our main stage.

30 acts will be playing (including grassroots & local artists performing multiple styles across jazz, blues, ska and more) as well as professional acts including The Ten Bells Rag Band, saxophonist Tony Kofi, and a closing show from The City Funk Orchestra.

So, whether you're looking to settle into a seat at one of our participating pubs for the day, or walk around all the stages we promise you a super inclusive, family-friendly and safe event. (And if you want to avoid being inside an environment with alcohol, do note that most of our stages are outside.)

There's no need to buy tickets (because there aren't any!). We do have free wrist bands though at all venues to help you feel part of the event. And if you RSVP on our website by 'registering for tickets' that will help us in our planning.

Our website
https://www.watfordjazzjunction.com/event-details/jazz-steps

What's on?

On Oxhey Green
This year we'll also be creating a very special Watford Community Space. There'll be a focus on health and wellbeing, but will also provide information about lots of amazing local charities and community groups working in the town.

You'll find lots of food and drinks options, activities for young people, plus pop-up performances including a special primary schools performance featuring talented jazzers from Bushey Manor and Greenfields Primary, where we've been teaching jazz and improvisation. We can't wait to hear them!

Main stage

12.30pm - Ten Bells Rag Band (trad jazz with a modern New Orleans twist)

3.00pm - Tony Kofi's 'A Portrait of Cannonball' (modern jazz)

5.30pm-7pm - City Funk Orchestra (funk)

Elsewhere

The Load of Hay - hosted by John Watson
Sensational jazz pianist John Watson leads his trio (The Langham, The Ivy) across a range of accessible and well-known jazz favourites, including a guest pop-up performance from singer Esther Bennett.

St Matthew's Church Hall - new venue
A traditional dance hall vibe with 2 big bands (The Herts Big Band and Easy Street Big Band) and blues from the brilliant Biscuit Brothers. Plus we've arranged for leading jazz dancer Alison Brewerton to help teach and direct people through some easy to learn moves.

Railway - hosted by No Trixx
No Trixx, Big Massive, Beluga - 3 cutting-edge groups bringing the freshest jazz and crossover music from the capital to Watford for one afternoon.

Royal Oak - hosted by Watford Jazz Workshop
A Watford Jazz takeover - a rolling jam featuring many of Watford's best grassroots musicians.

Victoria - DJ takeover
An afternoon of soul, jazz and more spun by some amazing DJs.

Elsewhere (at the Rifle, Villiers, Oxhey Bowls Club) you'll be able to hear Neil C Young Trio (jazz/blues fusion), Brass Bound (funk/jazz), The Fabulous Red Diesel (jazz and all sorts!), The Out of Handers (bebop and standards) with many more to be announced before May.

Logistics

Weather
As always, cross your fingers for fair weather but we will go ahead come rain or shine so bring a brolly if it looks dodgy. Heavy rain will deter some of our displays, and a tornado may deter all of us!

Support and funding
Jazz Steps Around Oxhey Village is kindly supported by: Arts Council England, Watford Community Grants, Watford Community Housing, Watford Council , and the generosity of many people through our . Our HUGE thanks to all.

Travel and access
Oxhey Village is easily reached by traveling to Bushey Rail Station (based in the heart of Oxhey Village) with frequent mainline and Overground trains.

Parking is limited in Oxhey Village so we would recommend parking elsewhere and jumping on an Overground train (2 minutes from Watford High Street station to Bushey Station) or taking a bus. The Village is served by the 142 and 258 bus routes.

If you have a Blue Badge, we can accommodate a limited number of vehicles directly onto Oxhey Green BUT you must register with us before hand or you may be turned away by our stewards. Please email .

More info about our main stage acts

Ten Bells Rag Band (12.30pm, Oxhey Green): traditional
Returning to Jazz Steps after a foot-stomping performance in 2022, the Ten Bells have continued to hold residencies across the capital leading to a memorable performance on the London Louisiana stage for the 2024 EFG London Jazz Festival. Expect an infectious mix of trad jazz with a modern twist.

Hailing from East London, the Ten Bells play hard swinging traditional jazz rooted in the streets of New Orleans. This is horn heavy vintage jazz 'played with a groove that swing dancers love and a freshness that excites', The Syncopated Times. It's NOLA jazz from the soul of Frenchman Street, via the Mile End Road! Line-up: James Conway (trumpet), Simon Conway (trombone), Chris Newstead (clarinet), Paul Staples (guitar), Stefano Galaragga (bass), and Matt Danby (drums).

Tony Kofi's 'A Portrait of Cannonball' (3pm, Oxhey Green): modern jazz
‘An absolute blast, one of the most exciting gigs of the year.’ London Jazz News

This acclaimed project, a loving celebration of the jazz giant Julian ‘Cannnonball’ Adderley has had a unanimous critical reaction: ‘Hard-bop heaven’ Jazzwise, Breathtaking’ Northern Sky, ‘The best gig that I’ve seen at Progress’ Jazz In Reading. The band has played to capacity audiences at Ronnie Scott’s, The 606, The Hideaway, and The Vortex, as well as at the Swanage, Southport, Wigan and Ealing Jazz Festivals.

In May 2020 alto saxophonist Tony Kofi’s ‘A Portrait of Cannonball’ released the show's debut album Another Kind of Soul, winning the Presto Music Award for a best jazz album. With Andy Davies (trumpet), Alex Webb (piano), Hamish Moore (bass) and Alfonso Vitale (drums) the group traces the explosive music of Cannonball from his first session as leader in 1955 through work with Miles Davis to the soul-jazz of the 1960s. The repertoire includes Adderley brothers classics like Things Are Getting Better, Work Song, Del Sasser, Sack o’Woe and many others.

City Funk Orchestra (5.30pm, Oxhey Green): funk & soul
The capital’s best loved and most popular funk & soul dance band plays to packed houses throughout London and the south. They are regularly booked for festivals having opened for the Average White Band and Kid Creole and the Coconuts. This year you'll also be able to see them at the Saturday Love Festival and at the Cropredy Festival in Oxfordshire.

CFO's sound centres around the ‘golden age’ of soul and funk from the 70s to the 90s featuring the most loved floor fillers of Chaka Khan, Luther Vandross, Maze, SOS Band, Shalamar, Gap Band, and The Emotions. Their line-up features two of the best soul singers in the UK with Imaani (Incognito & BVs with Chaka Khan) and Mary Pearce (Culture Club, Primal Scream, Roy Ayres, Calvin Harris... yes, she’s the voice of Ready For The Weekend) plus Nial Tompkins (guitar), Carl Hudson (keys), Matt Pegg (bass), and Geoff Dunn (drums).

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Oxhey, Oxhey Green, Watford, United Kingdom