Burton Bradstock

these elements to brand new settings of English folk songs with subtlety and integrity. Jimmy Cannon, Singer
Obtaining a post-graduate diploma in Jazz Performance and Composition from Trinity College of Music and awarded the Archers Scholarship, Jimmy is also an accomplished saxophonist and drummer who has toured and performed with Sir Tom Jones, The Pasadena Roof Orchestra, The Commitments and The Syd Lawrence Orchestra. Dorian Ford, Piano
Twice winner of Chick Corea Jazz Masters Award
Berklee alumnus
WAC alumnus
His trio ‘The Bill Game’ is featured regularly on Jazz FM, and recently played to a packed Ronnie Scott's. He also MDs, writes and plays with British Jazz and Blues legend, Carol Grimes. Our aim is to develop further our extensive links with the traditional and pop communities without any kind of alienation or diluting of references. Our key texts are the collected settings of traditional songs by Benjamin Britten, the oral history of jazz and oral and written sources of traditional songs from the The Vaughan Williams Memorial collection. We aim to provide a clear, solid and simple platform based on universal principles of musicality such as rhythm, pulse, pitch and story telling where we can reach out and collaborate with members of the multicultural and, most importantly, amateur music communities. We hope through this diverse participation (from jams to sing-a-longs to impromptu performances in cafes, pubs and homes) to initiate a re-thinking of how popular music exists and functions in contemporary society, and how stronger ties with traditional, classical, jazz and devotional music communities and techniques can enrich and improve of what music is and what it is for.


“What all these sources share is a common pedigree – they are the songs that have survived over years of use and misuse, interpretation and manipulation – and the best survive. In the case of the English songs these are mainly from the oral tradition and have always existed in multiple versions with multiple meanings. Those that are still with us have emerged from the various collecting and revivals. As with much folk music many of the best tunes have been used by classical composers too. Some come from 17th Century poems, others from rural and industrial environments and have been handed down over generations.”
Peter Slavid.


“Burton Bradstock’s interpretations are fascinating”— Peter Slavid

“A contemporary jazz/folk project of real note” —The Musician

“A uniquely British take on jazz.” —Stuart Bailey, Proper Music Distribution

“Really impressed , great voice and rich intense arrangements: thanks” —Neill Quinton Royal Festival Hall

“A Jazz cousin of Fairport Convention’s folk-rock classic ‘Liege and lief’” — Jazzwise

Since 2013, Burton Bradstock have been collaborating on a yearly basis with students from LCCM to write original songs based on impressions and inspirations gained from the work and style of the artist Ed Gray. “Working alongside a celebrated artist we show how art and music are intrinsically linked; subject, content, mood and form can be directly related to musical elements such as theme, style, timbre and structure. Perhaps more importantly, the two art forms are no doubt the outcome of the social, cultural and political climate of the day.” (JC)

In 2014 at the Horniman Museum, Jimmy and his group were engaged to be the lead musical contributor for the festival and was asked to research and create a musical response to the Edwardian era (the festival’s theme). They were also asked to collaborate with two dance artists in delivering participatory music and dance workshops. In 2016 they teamed up with choreographer Bethan Peters from Trinity Laban to produce a 2 hour piece called ‘We may be some time’ inspired by the explorer Lawrence Oates. The piece was a large-scale trail, which involved an inter-generational cast made up of people from local and surrounding communities and part of Greenwich Dances Festival 2016 and a partnership project between the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich Dance and Trinity Laban. BB have recently (February 2017) been commissioned by Grants Whisky to write a collection of songs inspired by people's reactions and descriptions to a new barrel infused Whisky called ‘Project 20’ for a national campaign to be released this Autumn.