Produced in Kent Logo

I’m a Business

Become a Produced in Kent member, and let us support and promote your business in Kent.

Membership starts from

£30 a month

I’m an Individual

Become a Champion and access amazing discounts in return for supporting local businesses and producers.

Membership

£25 a year

Great Comp 5462 EF21 5 A8 C 43 B8 9 B68 540 A9 F0 FEA46

23rd July 2021

Jazz returns to Great Comp Garden for the Summer Show!

With a hiatus of nearly two years, the sound of jazz will float across the lawn at Great Comp Garden in Sevenoaks thanks to Strings & Things returning to grace the two day Summer Show in August.

Over the weekend of the 7-8th August, the 5 piece band, called Strings & Things, formed 20 years ago, will feature John Stewart from The Temperance Seven band, multi instrumentalist John Ellmer, Paul Sealy from The Chris Barber Band, Andy Maynard (one of Britain’s top banjo/guitar players), touring legend Bruce Roberts, Ian Rogers and Peter Clancey (who will be playing double bass for the band on the Sunday).

Founder member Ian Rogers from Wateringbury, says : “It’s wonderful to be back at Great Comp – the team there, especially curator William Dyson, have been very supportive of us over the years. It’s a wonderful garden event to play at and the audience really love their jazz. Quite often they’ll take a seat and stay all day!”

The band members of Strings & Things are mainly Kent based, Ian says: “it’s an incredible county for music, for example, Andy Maynard from Marden is generally considered to be one of the best banjo players in Britain. John Ellmer is pretty incredible as he swaps between saxophone, clarinet, vibraphone and bass clarinet – to name a few of his 8 different instruments. All the band members are top men in their own field of jazz.”

The band, who have been playing at Great Comp Garden’s Summer Show for over 16 years, play in the style of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. Ian adds: “we have a play list of 100-150 tunes and during the course of the afternoon we select from that list Each player is free to select the instrument they want to play once we are underway. The audience at Great Comp are very knowledgeable about their jazz and they appreciate the skills and the overall effect of the music mixed with the gardens. We hope that the music is as beautiful as the gardens that William Dyson and his team have created.”

The 2 day Summer Show will feature the best in local artists, craftspeople and plant sellers. The exhibitors will be spaced throughout the garden and there will be live music, a BBQ, cream teas and cakes plus pimms served on the lawn. William Dyson’s world-famous salvias will also be available for sale.

To find out more about how to prebook ticket for the show visit our website or click here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-great-comp-summer-show-tickets-159415414797

Great comp gardens picture

Great Comp Garden (Great Comp Charitable Trust)