@splashpointjazz April 2025 News Splash

South Coast seafront looking towards Seaford and the Seven Sisters
Photo by Neal taken from the newly-re-opened i360 in Brighton 😃

IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING 😃

And guess what? It is! 
The song of that name was first heard in the 1945 film ‘State Fair’, with the music written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. This was their only original film score, and it was a huge hit. The film was re-made in 1962 with additional songs by Rodgers. 
‘It Might As Well Be Spring’ reached Billboard magazine’s Best Seller chart on November 8, 1945. It lasted 12 weeks there, peaking at number 5, and has been a perennial hymn to Spring ever since. It’s been recorded by just about everyone of note since then – memorable versions include those by: Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Julie Andrews, Kenny Dorham and Bill Evans.  

When Neal plays at hotels and restaurants people often make requests, and sometimes they actually ask him to play certain tunes. It’s just possible that if enough people leave a little note on the piano top at Seaford on April 14th, requesting ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’, he might as well just play it. And that would be SPJC’s welcome to the loveliest season of the year, and our way of slamming the door on what has been, by anyone’s standards, a long, horrible winter. 

Thanks to all of you who crowded in for our Seafoird Splash Point Jazz Club’s 10th Anniversary gig! It was one helluva night!

Also, we’re celebrating the completion of Neal’s 18-month tenure as Musician-in-Residence at the gorgeous Raffles London at the OWO (Old War Office). Neal was hand picked by the GM to play for the opening and every week since… originally just for 6 months… but we managed to expand it to feature fortnightly “Neal’s Jazz Nights”, 2 vocal/piano sets per day and an 18 month stay, and supplying a guitar/vocalist for the main restaurant. Not to mention various high-end private soirées for VIPs/celebs, and a party for the owners of the hotel!

With that experience, and now free of the commute(!), there are some very exciting new opportunities already coming along for Neal… not least trips to Italy and Germany this month… we’ll keep you posted. 

Oh, and want a reminder of SPJC in action during March? Look no further, we have photographic evidence below.
And when you’ve feasted your eyes on that, scroll down to the April listings.


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PREVIOUSLY SEEN AND HEARD @splashpointjazz last month



Splash Point Jazz Club Seaford celebrated its 10th Anniversary 🎂 with a lovely  
musical chocolate cake (Thank you Florence House!❤️) at our…

  
…RIOTOUS, high-octane gig with violinist Ben Holder! with Neal, George Trebar (bass) and Joe Edwards (drums)



Neal with guest Jane Tuff (sax) at the Relais Cooden Beach Hotel jazz lunch



  
Miles Danso and Neal at Raffles London for “Neal’s Jazz Night”; Outside the hotel



  
Our Eastbourne club featured two giants of the UK jazz scene: Alan Barnes (saxes/clt) and David Newton (pno), raised to even greater heights when Andy Panayi joined them on flute!


We rounded the month off with a lovely lunch gig for Mothers’ Day, at Relais Cooden Beach
feat. Andy Williams (gtr) and Neal.


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THE LISTINGS @splashpointjazz
N.B. Correct at time of Press, but please always check our online calendar for any last-min changes.
(https://splashpointmusic.com/events/)


JAZZ CLUB GIGS IMMINENT

Monday 14 April – Splash Point Jazz Club, Seaford have Roger Beaujolais (vibraphone) 
with the Neal Richardson Trio feat. Alison Rayner (bass) and Sophie Alloway (drums)
at The View at Seaford Head Golf Club BN25 4JS

Wednesday 30 April – Splash Point Jazz Club, Eastbourne have Zoe Schwarz (vox) / Rob Koral (gtr) band, feat. Nigel Thomas (bass) and Tony Shepherd (drums) at the Fishermen’s Club BN22 7AA


THE MAGIC CALENDAR:   (For more info and up to date checking, please see https://splashpointmusic.com/events/ )

APRIL

6 APR, SUN

12:30 – 15:00

COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Oz Dechaine (pno/vox) solo

13 APR, SUN

12:30 – 15:00

COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Lucy Pickering (pno/vox) solo

14 APR, MON

19:00 – 21:30

SEAFORD – Splash Point Jazz Club: Neal’s Trio & Roger Beaujolais (vibes)

18 APR, FRI

19:00 – 21:00

HENFIELD – Dinner Jazz – Neal Richardson, Tottington Manor

20 APR, SUN

12:30 – 15:00

COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Sue Richardson (tpt/vox) and Terry Seabrook (pno)

Sunday, April 20

13:00 – 15:30

BUXTED – Jazz lunch – Jane Tuff (sax) & Neal

23 APR, WED

All day

BREMEN (Germany) – Neal at JazzAhead Festival/Conference (Day 1/4)

24 APR, THU

All day

BREMEN (Germany) – Neal at JazzAhead Festival/Conference (Day 2/4)

25 APR, FRI

All day

BREMEN (Germany) – Neal at JazzAhead Festival/Conference (Day 3/4)

26 APR, SAT

All day

BREMEN (Germany) – Neal at JazzAhead Festival/Conference (Day 4/4)

27 APR, SUN

12:30 – 15:00

COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal and Miles Danso (bass)

30 APR, WED

20:00 – 22:30

EASTBOURNE – Splash Point Jazz Club: Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral Quartet

MAY

3 MAY, SAT

19:00 – 21:00

SEAFORD – Dinner Jazz – Neal Richardson (pno/vox) with Oz Dechaine (double bass)

4 MAY, SUN

12:30 – 15:00

COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal and Alex Eberhard (gtr/vox)

11 MAY, SUN

12:30 – 15:00

COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal (pno/vox) solo

12 MAY, MON

19:00 – 21:30

SEAFORD – Splash Point Jazz Club: Neal & Sue Richardson (trumpet/flugelhorn)

16 MAY, FRI

19:00 – 21:00

HENFIELD – Dinner Jazz – Neal Richardson, Tottington Manor

18 MAY, SUN

12:30 – 15:00

COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal and Sue Richardson (tpt/vox)

25 MAY, SUN

12:30 – 15:00

COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal and Miles Danso (dbl bass)

28 MAY, WED

20:00 – 22:30

EASTBOURNE – Splash Point Jazz Club: Freddie Gavita Quartet

OUR VENUES:

COODEN – The Relais Cooden Beach Hotel TN39 4TT
Sunday lunch jazz overlooking the beach, at 12.30pm
Table Bookings: 01424 842281

SEAFORD – Splash Point Jazz Club, The View, Southdown Rd BN25 4JS. 01323 890139
Tickets: On the door or in advance from www.wegottickets.com/splashpointjazz
or Seaford TIC, Church St, Seaford 01323 897426

EASTBOURNE – Splash Point Jazz Club, at the Fishermen’s Club BN22 7AA
Tickets: On the door or in advance from www.wegottickets.com/splashpointjazz 

HENFIELD – Tottington Manor, Edburton Rd BN5 9LJ
Dinner jazz at this stunning country location in the middle of the South Downs
Table Bookings: 01903 815757

SEAFORD – The Old Plough, 20 Church St, BN25 1HG
Table Bookings: 01323 872921

BUXTED – Buxted Park Hotel, Station Rd, TN22 4AY
Table Bookings: 01642 706606

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Neal & The Splash Point Jazz Mob
@splashpointjazz