Description | Price |
Solo Mon, Tue, Wed, or Thu except bank holidays, New Years Eve, etc. up to 2 hours live playing | £100 (GBP) |
Solo Friday, Saturday or Sunday, bank holidays, etc. up to 2 hours live playing | £200 (GBP) |
Duo with pianist or guitarist Mon, Tue, Wed, or Thu except bank holidays, New Years Eve, etc. up to 2 hours live playing | £180 (GBP) |
Duo with pianist or guitarist Friday, Saturday or Sunday, bank holidays, etc. up to 2 hours live playing | £360 (GBP) |
I'm always up for ideas! What did you have in mind? | £100 (GBP) |
Kit Packham is well-known as the founder of 7-piece jive and swing band One Jump Ahead which he has led since 1984 and has its own dedicated website. He performs SOLO with backing tracks and in a DUO format with either piano/keyboard or guitar. This can be expanded to a TRIO or QUARTET with the addition of bass and/or drums. Adding a trumpet, trombone and/or another sax to make a QUINTET, SEXTET or SEPTET makes a bigger and more versatile sound. Kit's long music career has given him lots of musician friends that he can call upon to help create first class music across a number of different genres but jazz, blues and rock'n'roll are his first loves.
SPECIAL NOTE ON COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS. While this pandemic is active, engagements are still possible but need to stay within the government regulations and guidelines. As a singer/saxophonist Kit can't wear a mask while performing, although it's possible for loading in and out of equipment,etc. Please consider this when making an enquiry. Kit will ask about such arrangements before agreeing a booking.
Kit's repertoire includes all kinds of jazz, vintage pop, rock'n'roll and blues. His humorous re-written lyrics to jazz standards from the Great American Songbook have proved popular (soundclips available on request) as have his own songs, much of which also demonstrate wry humour. Themed sets are possible for World War II, the 1950s, the 1960s, singalongs, easy listening and comic/novelty songs.
When a sophisticated background ambience is required, Kit is happy to play only instrumentals. He frequently does this during welcome drinks or dinner at wedding receptions where One Jump Ahead might be playing later for dancing. In restaurants, bars and for parties he'll more usually sing most of the music, with solo breaks on either alto or tenor saxophone. These proportions can be easily varied to suit your own particular preferences or situation.
As a professional musician, Kit has public liability insurance and a recent (July 2021) DBS check. His electrical equipment is regularly inspected and PAT certified for safety.
He has his own PA and is available for daytime as well as evening bookings right through the week. Kit also teaches saxophone and improvisation skills and is happy to deputise for singers or saxophonists with other bands, being a capable reader and busker on alto, tenor and baritone.
NB: THIS IS JUST A SELECTION! A FULL
LIST CAN BE SENT ON REQUEST!
Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens
Ain't That a Kick in the Head
After You've Gone
As Time Goes By
Beyond the Sea
Blueberry Hill
Bring Me Sunshine
Brother Can You Spare a Dime
Brown Eyed Girl
Buona Sera
Bye Bye Blackbird
Chattanooga Choo Choo
Choo Choo Ch’Boogie
Come Fly With Me
Delilah
Don’t Get Around Much Any More
Fly Me to the Moon
Here Comes the Sun
I'm a Believer
I'm In The Mood For Love
Is You Is Or Is You Aint My Baby
It Must Be Love
It's Now Or Never
Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
I've Got You Under My Skin
Java Jive
Lester Leaps In
Let’s Do It
L-O-V-E
Manhattan
Makin’ Whoopee
Memphis
Misty
My Babe
My Old Man's a Dustman
Need Your Love So Bad
Pennies From Heaven
Pennsylvania 6-5000
Return to Sender
Saturday Night at the Movies
Save the Last Dance for Me
Singin' the Blues
Stompin’ at the Savoy
Summer Holiday
Summertime
Sunny
Sunny Afternoon
Sway
Take the A Train
Teddy Bear
Teenager In Love
Tenor Madness
That'll Be The Day
That's Life
These Foolish Things
Treat Me Nice
Under the Boardwalk
Underneath the Arches
We'll Meet Again
When You Wish Upon a Star
When You're Smiling
White Cilffs of Dover
Yeh Yeh
Yellow Submarine
You Make Me Feel So Young
Your Feets Too Big
A safe mains electricity supply at or close to the stage (or playing floorspace) is normally essential. However, with advance notice, a playlist can be prepared for a small battery operated PA speaker.
Sufficient space in which to play is also a must.
Other factors are negotiable but often include:
Food and drink for Kit & his accompanist.
Parking.
Use of premises own PA system or provision of PA.
Set up time is dependent on ease of access and whether it's a solo, duo or larger booking. Less than 30 minutes in most cases. Possibly just 10 minutes!
Performance times are fully negotiable but are commonly 2 x 45 minutes or 2 x 60 minutes.
The Bull, Barming, Maidstone
Grennell Lodge, Sutton
Notcutts Garden Centre, Cranleigh
Wesway Centre (formerly Douglas Brunton Centre), Caterham
Cross Lane House, Ticehurst
Glebe House, Chaldon
The Misty Moon, Northwood
The "Gherkin", London EC3
Bumpkin Restaurant, Chelsea
The Chequers, Maresfield
Ashdown Park Hotel, Wych Cross
The Old School, Noke, Oxon.
The Old Kings Head, Hampton Wick
The Hallmark (formerly Airport) Hotel, Croydon
Royal Star & Garter Home, Surbiton
Coach & Horses, Carshalton
The Manor Bar & Parlour, Earl's Court
Heathland Court, Wimbledon
Annabel & John Tilbrook's wedding, Whitchurch Hill
Horseshoe pub, Warlingham
Nettlestead Care Home, Bromley
Heavers Court, Selhurst
Abbey House, Morden
Besins Healthcare (at Cutty Sark, Greenwich)