Crypt Live: Duke Street Big Band

Duke Street Big Band is one of London’s premier big bands. Founded in 2011, the seventeen-piece outfit draws musicians from across the city, playing jazz, funk, swing, latin, soul and blues. They’re regulars at The Crypt, and a reliably thrilling live act.

For this show, Duke Street turn the spotlight on Toshiko Akiyoshi - Japanese composer, pianist, bandleader, and one of the most distinctive voices in jazz history. Her music fuses Japanese folk heritage with American big band jazz, shaped by her wartime years in occupied Manchuria. The result is quietly radical and expressive: something that doesn’t quite sound like anyone else. She reshaped what big band music could be, at a time when the industry barely knew what to do with her.

The set features selections from Akiyoshi’s catalogue alongside classic and modern big band repertoire - a big sound, tight playing, and music that moves you.

Doors open from 7pm allowing you plenty of time to settle in, and enjoy some delicious food and drinks before the show starts at 8pm.