The Phil Brown Swingtet Set for Another Night of Jazz

Popular monthly sessions at The Duck and Ball continue

The band performing with guest vocalist Sarah Pellew during the September show. Picture: Tim Wacher

October 3, 2026

The Phil Brown Swingtet return to The Duck and Ball in Riverside Drive on Thursday 15 October, filling the pavilion of Chiswick Cricket Club with the jazz that has made these monthly sessions a favourite for local music lovers. The band will continue to play on the third Thursday of every month, and judging by the atmosphere at their recent performance, they will have no shortage of eager listeners.

The Swingtet is a six-piece ensemble with an impressive breadth of style, moving easily from traditional New Orleans rhythms to Basie-inspired swing and modern jazz standards. Phil Brown leads on trombone, joined by his son Lester on trumpet and flugelhorn, Mark Aston on an array of saxophones, Anthony Cox on electric bass, and brothers Andrew and David Clancy on piano and drums. Their collective experience gives the group a relaxed confidence, and whatever style of jazz you favour, the evening always feels like time well spent.

Regular guests often drop in, adding their own colour to the music. Vocalists Diane Slater, Isabel Saunders, Teresa Jennings, Stephan O’Goodson, Sarah Pellew and Tim Wacher appear from time to time, as do instrumentalists Chris Hodgkins, Pete and Steve Clancy, Eric Gilchrist, Dave Alison and many others. The result is a rotating cast of musicians who treat each session as both a performance and a reunion.

At the 17 September session, the band opened with “Crazy Rhythm” and “Some of These Days”, before moving into Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, sung by Phil. John Dankworth’s “Curtain Up” followed, then a beautifully shaped “On Green Dolphin Street”. Their original signature tune, “Basin Street Blues”, arrived with a playful nod to Wallace and Gromit, and the first set closed with Duke Ellington’s “I’m Going to Go Fishing”.

The second half began with guest vocalist Sarah Pellew, who offered a tender “Autumn Leaves” and a luminous “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, complete with its rarely heard introductory verse. She was joined by Chris Hodgkins and Eric Gilchrist, along with members of the band. Pete Clancy stepped in for “Running Wild”, before Lester led a birthday tribute to Phil. The band then launched into “Struttin’ with Some Barbecue” and “Honeysuckle Rose”, wrapping up the night with Charles Mingus’ “Jelly Roll” and the Benny Goodman favourite “All the Cats”, driven by Dave Clancy’s superb drumming.

Adding to the joy of the evening were Dan Guest’s Lindy Circle dancers, whose exuberant swing dancing brought the music to life and delighted the audience. Their presence has become a highlight of these sessions, and they are warmly welcomed whenever they appear.

Entry to the Duck and Ball’s jazz nights is free, with sessions running from 8pm to 10.30pm. Parking is available, and buses E3, 190 and the new 209 stop nearby. The venue, located at 12 Riverside Drive opposite Dukes Meadows, offers excellent food and a relaxed event space — an ideal setting for an evening of live jazz played by musicians who clearly love what they do.