Cowshed Beginnings
Cowshed Jazz – “The Ronnie Scotts* in the Country”
The eccentric owners “Field of Dreams” in his own backyard.
Tucked away, just off the A505 near Ashwell is one of North Herts best kept secrets – the surprising but very exclusive and intimate Cowshed Jazz Club.
Operating just one evening per month, with a remit to raise funds for 3 important local charities, all profits from tickets will go to Mind, The 'Herts Young Homeless' Charity and North Herts Samaritans.
With advice from Industry leading Sound and Lighting Engineers, the venue - which was originally part of a 17th Century Dairy – boasts one of the best Sound Stages in the Home Counties in its architecturally soundproofed exterior.
Host Lawrie Alderman in association with local Jazz impresario - Marco Marconi presents an exciting programme of just 9 exclusive events in 2025, on the last Friday of the month featuring big names in the World of Jazz. Booking is imperative as the venue is only licensed for a limited number of people and no one will be allowed on the property without a ticket.
For those travelling from afar, we have local hotels to which we can recommend transport after the event, or to Ashwell & Morden train station with links to Kings Cross(50 mins) or Cambridge (20mins).
*Please note there is no affiliation between Ronnie Scotts and Cowshed Jazz aside from musicians who play at both clubs.
The Next Live Event at Cowshed Jazz Club 2025
Claire Martin IG4
Friday 31st October
Claire Martin has established herself as a tour de force on the UK jazz scene gaining many awards, including winning the British Jazz Awards as best vocalist eight times during her career which spans almost 4 decades.
Claire became a professional singer aged 19 and two years later realised her dream of singing at Ronnie Scott’s legendary jazz club in London Soho. Signed to the prestigious Glasgow based Linn Records in 1990, she released 18 CDs with the label, collaborating with musical luminaries including Martin Taylor, John Martyn, Stephane Grappelli, Kenny Barron, Richard Rodney Bennett and Jim Mullen on many of these recordings
with Seth MacFarlane, performing at the Royal Albert Hall, London (BBC Proms 2015)
Claire has performed worldwide with her trio and, until his death in 2012, worked extensively with the celebrated composer and pianist Sir Richard Rodney Bennett in a cabaret duo setting both in England and the US where they played to sell-out houses at venues including the prestigious Algonquin Hotel in New York City.
Claire also appears as a featured soloist with the Halle Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the RTE Concert Orchestra, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, the BBC Big Band and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Claire co-presented BBC Radio 3’s flagship jazz program ‘Jazz Line Up’ from 2000 to 2017 and interviewed many of her musical heroes such as Pat Metheny and the late Michael Brecker. Her 2009 CD A Modern Art prompted Jazz Times USA to claim: “She ranks among the four or five finest female jazz vocalists on the planet”.
At the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2011, Claire was delighted to be awarded an OBE for her Services to Jazz by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, now King Charles III.
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V I D E O S
G A L L E R Y
Food and Drink Menu
10 inch Italian Wood Fired Pizzas
Spicy Salami Sourdough with Pepperoni Pizza
£12.95
Fiorentina with Mushroom and Creamy Garlic Pizza
£12.95
NEW! Rustica with Mushrooms,
Pancetta & Mascarpone
£12.95
Selection of 4 Cheeses and Biscuits (incl Butter)
£12.95
Charcuterie Board of Meats and Biscuits
(incl Butter)
£12.95
Gluten Free options
White Wine
Jackson Estate ‘Green Lip’ Sauvignon Blanc,
Marlborough, New Zealand
(Bottle) £26
(Glass 250ml) £9.50
Ricossa Gavi DOCG, Piemonte, Italy
(Bottle) £27
Luzada Albarino 2024 Rias Baixas,
Bodegas Arousana
(Bottle) £28
Perfect summer white, zippy but with body.
Albarino is very popular right now.
Chablis 2021 Domaine Fournillo
(Bottle) £36
Prosecco Canti DOC Millesimato
(Bottle) £25
Individual Prosecco 200ml Bottles
£9.90
Rosé Wine
Cal y Canto Bobal Rosé
(Bottle) £25 (Glass 250ml) £9.50
Red Wine
El Supremo Malbec, Argentina
(Bottle) £2
(Glass 250ml) £9.50
Bodega Catena Vista Flores Malbec,
Mendoza Argentina
(Bottle) £29.50
Top quality malbec from an incredible producer.
Il Palazzone, Rosso del Palazzone,
Italy (Bottle) £29.50
This is essentially Brunello di Montalcino at a fraction of the price. Medium bodied, huge depth of flavour, very classy.
Boekenhoutskloof Chocolate Block
Franschhoek Cape Town
(Bottle) £39.50
A full bodied red full of flavour.
Beer & Cider
IPA
£4
Peroni
£4
Guinness
£4
Cider
£4
Alcohol Free
Peroni Zero
£4
Guinness Zero
£4
J20 Mango & Orange
£2.75
Sparkling Water San Pellegrino
£2.50
Appletiser £3.50
Future Dates for your Diary
List of Services
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Friday 31st October
Claire Martin IG4
iG4 is a new intergenerational band of 4 of the UK's finest jazz talent sharing their love of great songs and composers.
Vocalist Claire Martin OBE joins multi-award-winning pianist and composer Nikki Iles, much-in-demand saxophonist Karen Sharp and rising star bassist Ewan Hastie who won the BBC's Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2022. Brand new arrangements written for this project by Nikki will shine a light on classic repertoire from Tom Waits to Burch Bacharach, Anthony Newly and Joni Mitchell as well as stylish reworkings from the great writers of the American songbook including Cole Porter and Johnny Mandel.
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Friday 28th November
Joe Webb Trio
Pianist Joe Webb has emerged as a leading force on the global jazz scene today, captivating audiences with his exceptional talent and rockstar-like persona.
Joe Webb is an extraordinarily gifted pianist and improviser who, taking inspiration from the flavour of 90’s Brit-pop and adding references to his Welsh cultural roots, seamlessly blends traditional jazz with contemporary flair. His innovative approach breathes new life into classic jazz idioms, creating a sound that is both familiar and refreshingly original. The Joe Webb Trio’s ability to amalgamate the old and the new has garnered them a deserved reputation for pushing the boundaries of jazz while respecting its rich heritage.
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Friday 19th December
Rob Luft Quartet
Rob Luft is undeniably one of the most exciting jazz guitarists in Europe of his generation. Hailing from London, this award-winning virtuoso has garnered comparisons to legends such as John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia & Kurt Rosenwinkel.
Rob Luft is a true rising star, possessing a rare combination of talent as a guitarist, band-leader, composer, and captivating communicator. His debut album, "Riser," released in 2017, made an enormous impact on the domestic and European jazz scenes, and was listed as one of Downbeat Magazine’s best albums of the year. Winning the prestigious Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize propelled Luft's career, and at just 23 years old, he presented a collection of originals showcasing a remarkable instrumental sound and compositional voice that reflected his individuality. His camaraderie with bandmates and their exceptional interplay added depth to the sound-world of the album. Luft's joy in music-making, humility, and ability to connect with other musicians quickly made him one of the most sought-after instrumentalists to emerge from the UK in recent years. With his second album, "Life Is The Dancer," he continued to enchant audiences with his warm and joyous sound.
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31st December
✨ New Years Eve ✨
🕺💃✨Dinner Dance & DJ Party 🕺🎶💃✨
Featuring stunning vocalist Hetty Loxston With Marco Marconi
on Piano + Bass and Percussion
A night of fun and dancing to see in the new year
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30th January 2026
RAY GELATO & THE GIANTS
British jazz, swing and jump blues saxophonist, singer and bandleader. He is known as one of the major forces in the revival of swing music. Gelato has performed in a private capacity for Richard Branson, Paul McCartney and Queen Elizabeth II amongst others.
All Music noted that "Gelato has been hugely successful, finding a niche and retaining his dominance in it through hard work, good musicianship and a flair for showmanship". Jools Holland meanwhile opined that "He plays what he means, and means what he plays"