As if on cue, a brief lull in the stormy weather heralded a brilliant evening at Hadleigh Jazz Club, where vocalist Matt Ford lifted the spirits of the audience with a dazzling performance of swinging music.

Joined by Matt Regan and his Quartet, from the moment he stepped onto the stage he grabbed the audience's attention with a stream of swing and film classic favourites.

With an award-winning career that includes touring with the Syd Lawrence and John Wilson Orchestras; performances with several symphony orchestras; appearances at the BBC Proms, the Hollywood Bowl and around the world, Matt's classy talent was there for all in the packed house to appreciate.

Modestly situating himself at his piano to the rear of his Quartet, Matt Regan has a long and impressive musical CV. He has performed with many orchestras at worldwide venues, and alongside many stars embracing both the jazz and classical traditions. Not only that, but he is on the professorial staff of the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

On guitar, Ian Laws has a playing and teaching career spanning fifty years and is a member of the John Wilson Orchestra. His delicately thoughtful playing greatly contributed to the success of the show.

Music graduate, Russell Swift has had a long and successful career playing for many theatre shows, sessions, and gigs on double bass. He is also involved in music management. Making up the quartet's rhythm section was George Double, HJC's promotor and drummer. A Hadleigh resident, George has played with many famous performers, and for equally famous celebrities – the last occasion being for Joan Collins at her 20th wedding anniversary at Claridge's Hotel, only two days prior to the Hadleigh gig. (More on that to come) Following an instrumental opener from the band, Matt set the tone for the evening with a breath-taking run through Old Devil Moon, Come Fly with Me, The Way You Look Tonight, Fascinating Rhythm and more numbers in the same style. Classic hit followed hit from the recording catalogues of the likes of Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé and others. A change of pace was introduced by Matt and the band as they performed a funky version of the much-covered Bésame Mucho. Unusually for a male vocalist, a Doris Day medley followed, which was touchingly performed by Matt with solo accompaniment from Matt Regan. I particularly appreciated his sensitive interpretation of the wonderful Secret Love which featured in Day's 1953 film Calamity Jane. After the interval, the band opened with the soulful I Heard It Through the Grapevine featuring Ian Laws on guitar. Matt Ford then romped through more swinging classics until introducing some fun audience participation with Dean Martin's That's Amore, from the 1953 film The Caddy. In that year's Academy Awards, the song lost out as the winner to Secret Love – one could say it was a great year for film music. It's said that the vocal version of Duke Ellington's Caravan is rarely played, but Matt and the band performed an excitingly rhythmic arrangement of it, with a drum break allowing George Double to demonstrate his percussive talents. By the time of the show's finale, the audience was still lapping up the music, so it was treated to an upbeat encore of the 1940s rhythm & blues classic Route 66. Following this top night at Hadleigh Jazz Club, on 16 April the duo of Derek Nash (saxophone) and David Newton (piano) will be putting in an appearance. British Jazz award-winning Derek is one of the UK's busiest musicians. He is a member of the Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and other jazz projects. He has shared the stage with many of the world's most famous performers. David is a 16 times winner of Best Pianist at the British Jazz Awards – nothing more needs to be said about him, does it? Tickets will be available from the Ticket Source box office on the Hadleigh Jazz Club link at georgedouble.com . Advance information about HJC gigs can be obtained by asking to be added to the Club's mailing list. Contact George at [email protected], via his website, or phone him on 07941 360890. Happy Jazzing from Robert Carr