For an Easter treat of world-class piano playing, the James Pearson Trio stormed the Hadleigh Jazz Club, thrilling the audiences of both sell-out shows.  

In his uniquely entertaining way, the Artistic Director of Soho's Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club romped through the history of the jazz piano for the club's highly appreciative members.

Following introductions, James immediately launched into an excitingly high-energy solo performance of Scott Joplin's ragtime classic Maple Leaf Rag. 

With a change of tempo and a seamless morphing into the swinging Sweet Georgia Brown, Jeremy Brown (bass) and George Double (drums) joined James on stage, allowing them to instrumentally introduce themselves.

Continuing with the astonishing range of jazz piano styles and the musicians who played them, Jelly Roll Morton's painful-sounding Fingerbuster introduced 'Stride' – an extraordinary piece of music and performance by any standard. 

James Pearson in Hadleigh (Picture: Alex Carr)

The style influenced big-band leaders such as Count Basie and Duke Ellington, allowing James to put everything into his playing of the latter's outstanding Take the A Train.

Boogie Woogie featured heavily, for which James again gave his all for Meade Lux Lewis's Honky Tonk Train Blues. By way of contrast, Billy Mayerl's Marigold illustrated the 'novelty' piano style and Teddy Wilson the more lyrical mainstream kind.

Battersea-born George Shearing emigrated to America and was the composer of over 300 titles. However, James chose to demonstrate his beautiful style and technique with Shearing's arrangement of September in The Rain. Later in life, he shared his concerts between either side of the Atlantic and was knighted for his services to music. 

For Thelonious Monk's idiosyncratic improvisational stylishness, James chose Blue Monk to best illustrate his influential individuality. Errol Garner's improvisation was demonstrated with The Way You Look Tonight, as was his habit of simultaneously grunting his way through his performances, which James hilariously impersonated!

Bill Evans composed Blue in Green for Miles Davis's legendary all-time best-selling jazz album Kind of Blue and was part of the sextet. James demonstrated Evans' modal jazz style with a delicate, thoughtful, and sensitive rendition. 

Jeremy Brown on Bass (Picture: Jayne Tann)

Trains played a significant part in the show's setlist, of which Canadian Oscar Peterson's Night Train was a standout piece. Shifting between several jazz styles, this was a powerfully impressive piece of work by the Trio. Jazz musician, broadcaster and writer Benny Green described Peterson's original recording as a "minor masterpiece" to which they did full justice.

For a brief period in the early 1960s, the Dave Brubeck Quartet held pop star status, achieving some unlikely chart hits. Exponents of Cool (or West Coast) Jazz, I had the thrill of seeing them perform at London's Royal Festival Hall. So, the icing on the cake for the evening for me was the encore number, Brubeck's It's A Raggy Waltz. 

Occasionally reminding us that he is also an international concert pianist of stature, James interjected vignettes from Beethoven Rachmaninov, Chopin, and Schumann to illustrate how jazz composers have 'borrowed' from their classical counterparts. With his seeming ability to play anything and everything, James completely won over the enthusiastic audience, which was also highly entertained by his witty anecdotes and self-deprecating humour.

Making his HJC debut, bassist Jeremy Brown gave a masterclass of rhythm section expertise and solo breaks. One of the UK's foremost bass players, he is sought after for his backing work and is a member of leading orchestras and bands. As well as performing, Jeremy is also Professor of Jazz Double Bass at the Royal Academy of Music. 

Promotor and drummer George Double needs no introduction to Hadleigh's jazz aficionados. In accompanying a musician of James's calibre, George pulled out all the stops to display his refined technique, musical sensitivity and, I felt importantly, his responsiveness to the star's improvisations and presentation. On top of all that, before, after, and on the day, he and his crew worked their socks off to make the whole event happen – well done to them.

The astonishing growth in the popularity of HJC, with hundreds regularly attending its sell-out shows, is a testament to the quality of visiting acts and also the friendly atmosphere created by club regulars. Coming from near and far, club nights are unmissable social events for many.

The much-praised jazz singer Jo Harrop is next up at HJC on 10 June. Tickets will be available from ticketsource.co.uk/hadleigh-jazz-club

Advance information about HJC shows can be obtained by asking to be added to the Club's mailing list. Contact George Double at [email protected] or via his website at georgedouble.com