The south west London Bull’s Head pub in Barnes marks its fiftieth year of putting on jazz this month with a series of gigs running from 12 November through to 6 December. Pub stalwarts set to appear include Lanny Morgan, Don Weller, Peter King, Stan Tracey, Art Themen and Guy Barker (left).

Saxophonist and clarinettist Vic Ash will headline on 12 November, a reminder of the fact that back in 1959 when jazz started at the pub Ash, who will be 80 next year, played on the opening night. Originally a seventeenth century hostelry which became a coaching inn in 1739 the pub’s then owner jazz-loving Albert Tolley decided to start putting on jazz in Barnes just days after Ronnie Scott’s opened up across London in Chinatown. A billiard room was reassigned to become a music room and is still being used, now called the Yamaha Jazz Room.

Current owner Dan Fleming has carried on Tolley’s work for the past 27 years steering it through a crisis just four years ago when jazz was nearly forced out following a neighbour’s complaint about excessive noise. Fleming says: “Modern jazz provided the launch pad for many music genres, and we have grown and embraced many of these. Each year we take on two up-and-coming bands, giving them a monthly gig, which enables them to build a loyal following.”

– Stephen Graham
For more go to www.thebullshead.com