"A talented banjo player, guitarist and singer of vintage skiffle, jazz, country, rock 'n' roll and blues music of the 1920s, 30s, 50s and 60s" with his own band – The Lonesome Travellers
The Jakes at Doveholes Jazz Club – nr Buxton and Macclesfield
Hi there, Warren here from The Jake Leg Jug Band.
So that is month one completed, and we survived it.
The Jakes are delighted to announce that our new album is almost finished, it is now in the finishing touches stage – an album of 20s and 30s gospel songs, all performed in the wonderful jazz, blues and ragtime style of the time…… We can’t wait to update you of its release.
If you wish to join us at a show then you can find us at the following venues this month!
TUE 06 FEB 2024 OLNEY JAZZ CLUB (MILTON KEYNES) 8.00pm, 1 x 50 min sets The Carlton House Club. www.olneyjazzclub.com
FRI 17 FEB 2024 THE VENTURE THEATRE (ASHBY DE LA ZOUCH, LEICESTERSHIRE) 8.00pm, 2 x 60 min sets. www.ashbyventuretheatre.org.uk
Kicking off this New Years Eve with two shows! The first is in Uttoxeter and then we sprint across the Midlands to Moseley, Birmingham…
Then everything goes mad with a very busy January with my brethren of The Jake Leg Jug Band, The Lonnie Donegan Story (now in it’s second sell-out year) as well as Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics and other Hit Parade Heroes concerts.
Across all the shows that I will play with in 2024, their are performances at many of the UK’s biggest and best festivals, jazz and blues clubs, some of our most beautiful theatres and even performances on the continent are being arranged and sorted.
You can find details for all of these great shows on the websites listed at the bottom of this update.
Also, the tour dates for the shows that I will appear on are all listed below, so if you can and wish to come along and enjoy a night of REALLY FUN MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT, then hop on down.
Warren James – January Tour Dates
JANUARY 2024
Wed 3 – Sutton Coldfield, Jazz Club – Warren James Skiffle Group
Sat 6 – Hanley, HMV, In store concert – Jake Leg Jug Band – 2pm
Sat 6 – Warrington, Private Booking – Warren James – 8pm
Sun 7 – Coventry, Jazzamatazz, Ansty Club – Jake Leg Jug Band
Tues 9 – Leeds, New Orleans Jazz Club – Jake Leg Jug Band
Thur 11 – Chaddersley Corbet, Swan Inn Jazz Club – The Lonnie Donegan Story
Fri 12 – Gloucester, Cafe Rene – Jake Leg Jug Band
Sat 13 – Walthamstow, Ye Olde Rose & Crown – Jake Leg Jug Band
Wed 17 – Bristol, The Old Duke – Jake Leg Jug Band
Thur 18 – Bristol, The Old Duke – The Hit Parade Heroes
Sat 20 – Kings Heath, Hare & Hounds – Warren James RnR Duo with Stevie Barr
Sat 20 – Doveholes, Jazz Club – Jake Leg Jug Band
Sun 21 – Coventry, Jazzamatazz – Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics
Tues 23 – Stoke on Trent, Studio Day
Sat 27 – Bollington, Arts Centre – Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics
Sun 28 – Coventry, Jazzamatazz, Solihull – Warren James Skiffle Group
Wed 31 – Northallerton, Romanby Jazz, Swing & Cabaret Club – Jake Leg Jug Band
We are delighted to wish all of our followers a very happy New Year from: Duncan Wilcox (double bass), Liam Ward (harmonica, etc) and Warren James (guitar & banjo).
This is our new newsletter for all of our followers, and you can still follow us on Facebook and Instagram
This update previously came from our harmonica and etc player, Liam Ward, but it will now come directly from myself, the guitar and banjo player in the band (now that I’ve learnt how to use our authentic 1920s and 1930s HD laptop and keyboard, by Hewlett-Packard)
I look forward to keeping you updated with all of our extensive tour dates around the UK during 2024.
Roots music – especially the unique blend of swinging jazz, blues, ragtime and gospel tunes that we play really needs your support this year, so we do hope that you will continue to escape the mad world and enjoy what we do live on stage in our own little mad, but fun, corner of the world.
For those who don’t – you are always able to cancel these updates at the very bottom of the email by clicking where it says unsubscribe – it is that simple – but you will miss out on a life-time of fun, authentic roots music, and we’ll all be sad forever and ever… Think of the three starving blues musicians that you will leave stranded…
Anyway, wacky humour aside, the year ahead is going to be epic for the Jakes and we do hope that you will come along with us on the journey.
Blisworth – Northamptonshire
The 2023 The Most Storming Year for The Jakes
With only one gig left in 2023, its time to reflect on what has undoubtedly been the best ever year ever for the band.
After 12 years of hard work, this year has been a real good one for us.
122 live shows, the release of our 8th album, our first BBC Radio 2 airplay (thanks again Cerys Matthews) and lots of appearances at new festivals, theatres, arts centres and clubs. We’re eternally grateful for everyone who’s put us on or put us up this year and we look forward to seeing you all next year.
With over 80 gigs already in the calendar, as well as another new album, it looks like more of the same.
During the year we made a few short video series called TOP JUG, it was a wacky way of showing you life on the road with The Jake Leg Jug Band – the behind the scenes of live and travel around the lovely United Kingdom – you can still see those among our other videos by clicking here
A huge thank you from the heart of our bottoms and a Merry Christmas and happy New Year.
Some live shots from 2023 – where you there?
January 2024 Tour Dates – If we are near you then why not come along and join us for a fun show and blast of live entertainment.
New Years Eve I shall share a gig with my fellow band mates – Baby Jools Aldridge, without doubt Europes top New Orleans jazz and blues drummer. Star of the west end production, The Million Dollar Quartet, Jim Swinnerton on double-bass, Moseley’s own Stevie Barr on bass guitar, plus other musical guests, including DJ Dylan Gibbons.
New Years Eve Party
This will be a cracking end to an amazing year and a fabulous start to 2024, for us all, with some members of my close musical family. Hosted by Karen Plant at The Fighting Cocks in Moseley, Birmingham – get on down for 9pm
We are absolutely delighted that last Monday, on the BBC Radio 2 Blues Show, hosted by Cerys Matthews, a track by The Jake Leg Jug Band was featured. This is great news for us as we have been trying to get the attention of the BBC national networks for many years and finally we have. HUGE THANKS to Cerys and her team.
Well, after a year of sell-out shows with The Lonnie Donegan Story, more than 150 gigs with The Jake Leg Jug Band, many more sell-outs with Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics and even more great concerts with the Hit Parade Heroes and finally, performing a 3 days residency with Jeremy Huggetts “Back to the 60s” week… I’ve averaged over 1500 miles per week and entertained people in all parts of the UK! This is now my last month of 2023, and I still have 16 concerts to complete! No rest – my last concert date will be on December 23rd, and then a short Christmas break leading to two New Years Eve concerts and immediately back out on the road very early in the new year. My December dates are listed below and I hope to see you soon
Here we are, the start of another month and as you can see I’m as busy as ever… 2024 already had over 100 concerts booked, and more are coming in. This is where you can find me in November.
We have released two Travelogue episodes with some quirky behind the scenes footage and fun with The Jake Leg Jug Band on the road – watch episode 2 now, and episode 1 is on our YouTube channel as well. Remember to like and subscribe!
Warren James 