"What a brilliant club" - Forbes 2025
THE VERDICT
APPJAG Jazz Venue of the Year 2024
The Verdict is a multi award winning grass roots music venue, the only full time Jazz venue outside of London in the south of England, it has been named as one of the best jazz clubs in the World by Star Insider. Weekly hosting the best in jazz music with Top International acts, playing blues, swing, funk, Latin Jazz and fusion.
Tristan Banks Quartet
“A powerhouse behind the kit — Tristan Banks delivers performances of breathtaking fire and precision.” — JazzTimes
Blending the vibrant languages of jazz, Latin, and fusion, Tristan Banks is a dynamic drummer, percussionist, and composer whose high-octane virtuosity and musical sensitivity have made him one of the most sought-after players on the international scene. With more than 30 years of professional experience, Banks brings a rare combination of technical brilliance, deep groove, and stylistic authenticity to every stage he steps onto.
Equally at home in intimate jazz clubs, major concert halls, and arena tours, Banks has built a distinguished career as both a bandleader and an elite sideman. His playing reflects a lifelong immersion in rhythm—from straight-ahead swing to Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, funk, soul, and contemporary fusion—delivered with precision, fire, and infectious energy. His performances are known for their intensity and interplay, balancing explosive power with subtle dynamics and refined musical conversation.
Throughout his career, Banks has collaborated with an extraordinary roster of internationally acclaimed artists across multiple genres. These include Roy Ayers, Steve Winwood, Brian May, Van Morrison, and Marcos Valle, among many others. His versatility has also led to performances and recordings with leading figures in jazz and soul such as Guy Barker, Beverley Knight, and Carleen Anderson.
As a composer and bandleader, Banks channels this wealth of experience into music that is rhythmically adventurous and melodically compelling. His original work fuses intricate rhythmic frameworks with soaring improvisation, creating performances that are both musically sophisticated and immediately engaging. Audiences can expect tight, telepathic ensemble playing, exhilarating solos, and a deep connection to the roots of jazz while pushing confidently into modern territory.
Praised for his professionalism, adaptability, and unmistakable feel, Tristan Banks continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Whether anchoring a legendary artist’s band or leading his own projects, he delivers performances that are vibrant, fearless, and unforgettable—an artist whose passion for rhythm drives every beat.
Paul Booth is the in-demand sax man on today’s music scene. His ability to blend into any musical surrounding coupled with his talents as a multi-instrumentalist has led to him being regularly chosen to perform with many well-known artists. Paul has toured, performed and recorded around the world with Steve Winwood, The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, The Allman Brothers Band, Bonnie Raitt, Chaka Khan, Kylie Minogue, Jamiroquai, Gregory Porter, Barry Manilow, Warren Haynes, Marti Pellow, Derek Trucks, Eddie Henderson, Geoffrey Keezer, Clarence Penn and Ingrid Jensen.
John Crawford is one of the finest Latin/Jazz pianists on the scene, and brings impressive technique and musicianship to his blend of jazz, flamenco and Latin. He has worked with the likes of Latin legends Airto Moreira and Giovanni Hidalgo as well as UK based artists such as Snowboy and Roberto Pla. In addition his non-Latin work includes gigs with the likes of Bjork, Tanita Tikarem and Kirsty McColl.
Since Davide Mantovani’s arrival in London in 1991, he has built up a solid presence on both live and studio scenes, playing with some illustrious Jazz, World and Pop artists around: Lisa Stansfield, Tony Allen (Fela Kuti), Baaba Maal, Seckou Keita, Zoe Rahman, Jim Mullen, Andy Sheppard, Jason Rebello, Natacha Atlas, Mulatu Astatke, Nana Vasconcelos, Alex Wilson, Kuljit Bahmra, Justin Adams, Cheick Lô, Baseckou Kouyate, Cheo Feliciano, Herman Olivera, Aster Aweke, Jean Toussant (Jazz Messengers), Antonio Forcione and many others.
The Jazz Physicians
The Jazz Physicians is a vehicle for expression beyond genre boundaries — expansive, expressive and unmistakably individual.
“It’s jazz… but not as we know it.”
The Jazz Physicians is a bold, genre-defying trio made up of three musicians better known for shaping the sound of contemporary Pop and Electronica than operating within the traditional jazz sphere. This is no standard piano trio — nor are they trying to be. Instead, The Jazz Physicians channel their formidable collective experience into a project that celebrates improvisation, groove and musical freedom, while drawing on the sonic sophistication of their diverse careers.
At the helm is pianist and composer Aidan Glover, a Greenwich-based writer and producer whose credits include work with Ella Henderson, Rhys Lewis, Kelli-Leigh and Hajaj. All of the trio’s original material is penned by Glover, and his writing forms the backbone of the band’s sound — harmonically rich, rhythmically fluid and cinematic in scope. His background in production brings a contemporary edge and textural awareness that subtly reimagines the traditional jazz format.
On drums is Andy Gangadeen, a powerhouse performer whose career spans collaborations with artists such as Jeff Beck, Massive Attack, Spice Girls and Labrinth. As Musical Director for Rudimental and long-standing rhythmic force behind Chase & Status, Gangadeen brings explosive energy, precision and deep groove to the trio’s dynamic interplay. His instinct for both subtlety and power gives the music its propulsive drive.
Completing the lineup is bassist Nick Cohen, whose extensive touring and recording career includes work with Ernest Ranglin, Jack Bruce and Matt Bianco. A founding member of the Ronnie Scott's Blues Explosion, Cohen combines melodic sensitivity with an unshakeable groove, anchoring the trio while leaving space for adventurous exploration.
Their repertoire blends striking original compositions with imaginative reinterpretations of contemporary and classic works — from the bold swing of Neal Hefti and the vibrant Brazilian flair of Tania Maria to the timeless songwriting of Burt Bacharach and the smooth sophistication of Bob James.
