Dear Jazz Aficionados
Here we are in May – renowned for two Bank Holidays, and pole dancing.
And May 2026 in particular for Splash Point Jazz Club Eastbourne’s 100th gig! It’s on Wednesday 27th May, and it’s the Mark Nightingale/Freddie Gavita Quintet ‘Brass Generations’. So a Red Letter Day for SPJC and Eastbourne.
Mr Nightingale will also appear at our Seaford Club this month in Neal’s stellar septet, as part of the Artemis-like launch for Neal’s new album project “The Light Catcher”.
Aside from that, you might find that May is lifting your heart for other reasons – Lily of the Valley is the flower for anyone with a May birthday, and your gardens might also be bursting with azaleas and rhododendrons, foxgloves, bluebells and wisteria (and if you’re a gardener you’ll already have the Chelsea Flower Show on your calendar for May). Oddly, the first Saturday in May is also World Naked Gardening Day (yes, really…) so bear (bare…) that in mind when you’re tackling those brambles at the end of the veg patch.
Just along the coast the Brighton Festival covers (up) much of the month of May, with the Fringe Festival catering for our jazz needs. Much of the latter being organised heroically by our Splash Point Jazz friend/trumpet ace Chris Coull.
And it’s a ‘Happy Birthday’ to the following jazz musicians born in May: Shirley Horn, Bing Crosby, Benny Goodman, Keith Jarrett, Miles Davis, Fats Waller, Peggy Lee, Clint Eastwood and our own Humphrey Lyttelton.
April was a good month too – see pictorial evidence of this below – and then behold!… The May Listings!
| Previously seen and heard @splashpointjazz last month |
Neal’s Trio featuring Jo Fooks and Miles Danso at Croydon Clocktower Jazz (Photos by Brian O’Connor)
Worthing Pier Pavilion Jazz Night feat. Adam Glasser (harmonica and keys) and the Alex Eberhard Trio
(Alex on drums, Neal on keys and Marianne Wyndham on bass)
Our regular Sunday lunch residency at Relais Cooden Beach ventured outside for the first time this year!
They even carried the piano out for us!
JazzAhead 2026! Neal made tracks (by train!) all the way to Bremen, Deutschland, to attend and play at the world’s largest jazz conference/festival!
Zoe Gilby Quartet at our Eastbourne Splash Point Jazz Club L-R: Terrie Collie, Zoe, Ted Carass, Nick Lenner Webster, with Andy Panayi guesting on sax. (Photos by Jon Chapman and Pam Keen)
COMING UP @SPLASHPOINTJAZZ…
IMMINENT JAZZ CLUB GIGS
Monday 11 May – Splash Point Jazz Club, Seaford have the Neal Richardson Septet – celebrating his new project “The Light Catcher” with a stellar 7-piece band guaranteed to raise the roof! www.wegottickets.com/splashpointjazz
Wednesday 27 May – Splash Point Jazz Club, Eastbourne have Mark Nightingale and Freddie Gavita’s “Brass Generations” Quintet www.wegottickets.com/splashpointjazz
Wednesday 10 June – Worthing Pier Atrium, Worthing have Imogen Ryall (vox) with The Alex Eberhard Trio feat. Neal Richardson (pno), Marianne Wyndham (bass) and Alex Eberhard (drums) https://wtm.uk/book/instance/1422002
Wednesday 24 June – Splash Point Jazz Club, Eastbourne have Ben Crosland’s ‘Threeway’ feat. Ben (gtr), Steve Waterman (tpt/flgl), Steve Lodder (keys) www.wegottickets.com/splashpointjazz
Monday 13 July – Splash Point Jazz Club, Seaford have national treasure Art Themen (sax), with the Neal Richardson Trio feat. Simon Thorpe (bass) and Sophie Alloway (drums) www.wegottickets.com/splashpointjazz
Wednesday 29 July – Splash Point Jazz Club, Eastbourne have Edison Herbert (gtr) Quartet www.wegottickets.com/splashpointjazz
Ticketed gigs are at www.wegottickets.com/splashpointjazz
May
2 May, Sat 19:00 – 21:00
SEAFORD – Old Plough – Alex Eberhard (gtr/vox) with Miles Danso (double bass)The Old Plough 20 Church St, Seaford, BN25 1HG, England
3 May, Sun 12:30 – 15:00
COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal with Miles Danso (dbl bass)
10 May, Sun 12:30 – 15:00
COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal with Luke Rattenbury (gtr)
15:00 – 17:30
EASTBOURNE – Jazz Sunday @ The Fish 
– George Trebar Trio + Julian Marc Stringle
11 May, Mon 19:00 – 21:30
SEAFORD – Splash Point Jazz Club – Neal Richardson “The Light Catcher” Septet
* * Album project launch! * *
17 May, Sun 12:30 – 15:00
COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal Richardson (pno/vox) solo
24 May, Sun 12:30 – 15:00
COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal with Sue Richardson (tpt/vox)
27 May, Wed 20:00 – 22:30
* * * * 100th Eastbourne Splash Point Gig Celebration! * * * *
EASTBOURNE – Splash Point Jazz Club – Mark Nightingale / Freddie Gavita Quintet
28 May, Thu 15:00 – 17:00
SEAFORD – Afternoon Jazz Tea with Neal Richardson (solo piano/vox) – The View
31 May, Sun 12:30 – 15:00
COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal with Adam Glasser (harmonica)
June
7 Jun, Sun 12:30 – 15:00
COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal & Sue Richardson (tpt/vox)
10 Jun, Wed 19:30 – 21:30
WORTHING – Imogen Ryall with Alex Eberhard Trio – Jazz Night at Worthing Pavilion Atrium
14 Jun, Sun 12:30 – 15:00
COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Alex Eberhard (gtr/vox) solo
15:00 – 17:30
EASTBOURNE – Garden Gig @ The Fish – Marc Crooks Trio
21 Jun, Sun 12:30 – 15:00
COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal & Sue Richardson
24 Jun, Wed 20:00 – 22:30
EASTBOURNE – Splash Point Jazz Club – Ben Crosland’s Threeway
28 Jun, Sun 12:30 – 15:00
COODEN BEACH – Jazz Lunch – Neal with guest
Thanks for helping us keep music live!
The Splash Point Gang
