Jazz in the Stables offers Petworth Festival fun - how to get your tickets

Jazz in the Stables will be one of the Petworth Festival highlights, with a line-up featuring Natty Congeroo and the Flames of Rhythm, The Boneshaker Band and The West Sussex Youth Big Band on Saturday, July 23 from 6pm.
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One of Europe’s top swing bands, The Flames have gained a reputation as a top festival/party swing band for their high-energy performances and immersive crowd experiences.

The repertoire of the band includes explosive interpretations of classic hot jazz, swing, rhythm ’n’ blues and Gospel numbers from the golden era of 1930s-40s.

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As well as a reputation for a hot authentic sound, the band is w ell known for its unique sense of style and presentation with its members dressed to the nines in sharp and eccentric tailored vintage attire.

And then there’s Natty himself who, as he says, is more than prepared to jump off the stage and lead his horn section into the crowd.

“I don't think we have done Petworth before,” says Natty. “It came about through members of the band, I think. We've been together for more than ten years, maybe 12 years and we play the 1930s and 1940s Harlem swing and hot jazz kind of music. I've always been involved in jazz and blues and Jamaican music and I just love all kinds of music. I don't differentiate between different kinds of music really but what I love about the music of that era is the phrasing and the instrumentation, the style, the songs and the song-writing.

“I'm also visual artist. I paint and I draw and I sculpt and I've always been interested in that whole era of the 1930s and 1940s and that whole style. I have always loved music from blues to jazz, Duke Ellington to Cab Calloway and all those big bands. It's more of a style thing really. It's the whole jazz and journey from art deco to surrealism. There are so many different types of songs from that era, the Gospel songs, the spiritual songs and also some love songs and some comical songs. And we write our own songs as well in that style.”

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Obviously it's great to be back out there: “In the lockdown of course we couldn't perform but I just made more art. I was doing more painting but now we're back full throttle which is great and we are excited to be performing properly again. We got back to it around the end of last September and I think people are just really excited to be going out again enjoying live music again. We're certainly really enjoying it and there is a great energy. But we always perform with great energy and we love to energise the crowd and I sometimes jump off the stage. We just have great fun.

“We have recorded a few albums over the years as well. We've done a mixture of originals and versions of other people's music. And we've got a few things knocking around right now that we might record. The band is based in London and there are six of us.”

Tickets from the Petworth Festival. There will be a bar selling wine, Langham’s ale and soft drinks, and a stall selling hot drinks and baked goods. Note that the auditorium is outside, so dress appropriately for the weather. Fixed unreserved seats are provided.

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