Another Memorable Evening Ahead at The Duck and Ball

The Phil Brown Swingtet returns for its monthly session

Tthe band performing during the August show. Picture: Tim Wacher

August 29, 2026

The Phil Brown Swingtet returns to The Duck and Ball on Thursday 17 September, continuing its run of third-Thursday sessions. The band’s easy rapport with its audience, its breadth of repertoire and the sheer pleasure it takes in live performance have made these evenings a highlight of the local music calendar, drawing regulars who know they are in for an entertaining and generously varied programme.

The Swingtet is led by trombonist Phil Brown, whose long experience and relaxed authority set the tone for the group. His son Lester brings bright, lyrical trumpet and flugelhorn playing, while Mark Aston supplies a rich palette of reed colours across clarinet, alto, tenor and baritone sax. Anthony Cox anchors the ensemble on electric bass, and brothers Andrew and David Clancy provide the rhythmic and harmonic engine on piano and drums. Together they cover an impressive sweep of jazz styles, moving comfortably from early traditional numbers to mainstream swing and modern classics. It is part of the band’s charm that whatever your preferred corner of the jazz world, you will hear something played with affection, skill and a sense of fun.

The Swingtet’s sessions are also known for their roster of guests, many of whom have become familiar faces. Vocalists Diane Slater, Isabel Saunders, Teresa Jennings and Stephan O’Goodson appear regularly, with the occasional contribution from Tim Wacher, who also joins on trombone. Trumpeter Chris Hodgkins is a frequent collaborator, as are members of the extended Clancy family: Pete Clancy on trombone and Steve Clancy on clarinet and tenor sax. Eric Gilchrist’s alto sax and Dave Alison’s clarinet and baritone sax add further colour, ensuring that no two evenings sound quite the same.

The most recent session on 20 August offered a typically wide-ranging programme. The band opened with Duke Ellington’s “In a Mellow Tone”, followed by Lew Pollack’s 1914 classic “That’s a Plenty”. A relaxed reading of the traditional “Tin Roof Blues” led into a tender version of Gershwin’s “Summertime”, before Neil Hefti’s “Cute” and the parade favourite “Bourbon Street Parade” brought the first set to a close. The second set began with Nat Adderley’s “Work Song”, after which guests Chris Hodgkins, Pete Clancy and Steve Clancy joined the band for lively renditions of “Running Wild” and “Careless Love”. “Bernie’s Tune” and “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” followed, before Tim Wacher took centre stage with a playful twist on Gershwin’s “Our Love is Here to Stay”, reimagined through Allan Sherman’s comic rewrite “Your Mother’s Come to Stay”. The evening ended with Lil Armstrong’s “Struttin’ with Some Barbeque”, driven by a standout performance from drummer Dave Clancy.

Adding to the atmosphere were Dan Guest’s Lindy Circle Dancers, whose elegant swing dancing has become a cherished part of these nights.

With its welcoming setting, accomplished musicians and a programme that honours jazz’s past while celebrating its living tradition, the Swingtet’s return on 17 September promises another memorable evening at The Duck and Ball.

Entry to the Duck and Ball’s jazz evenings is free, with sessions running from 8pm to 10.30pm. Parking is available, and buses E3, 190 and 533 stop nearby. The venue, located at 12 Riverside Drive (W4 2SP) opposite Dukes Meadows, occupies the pavilion of Chiswick Cricket Club.