The Smittys Big 4

Smitty’s Big Four is the feisty little brother of the Kansas Smitty’s House Band. While the House Band draws its main inspiration from Count Basie’s hard swinging late night jam sessions in 1930s Kansas City, the Big Four is interested in the music of Sidney Bechet and the upbeat swing of New Orleans. The Big Four’s unique combination of trumpet, soprano sax/clarinet, guitar and bass, separates the group from traditional Dixieland groups with the omission of drums and piano. This streamlined formation allows the band to navigate New Orleans and swing standards with unparalleled energy and tightness while maintaining the melodic integrity of the canon. The band features anything from four to eight players, covering repertoire from giants of the genre including Count Basie, Fats Waller, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstong and Sidney Bechet.

The Kansas Smittys have quickly established themselves as the most exciting young jazz band in London, having already played venues including Ronnie Scotts, the 606 Club, the Vortex Jazz Club, Annabel’s and The Servants Jazz Quarters, and also hosting their own pop-up events at The Peckham Liberal Club and the Vault Theatre Festival 2014.

“London’s new Swing Princes” – Evening Standard

“Cocktails or Conservatories? If jazz is going to survive, it needs more bands like this one” – The Sunday Times