Monthly Riverside Jazz Sessions Continue at The Duck and Ball
The Phil Brown Swingtet and guests set for return to riverside venue
Performers at the June event. Picture: Tim Wacher
June 28, 2026
The Phil Brown Swingtet will return to The Duck and Ball on Riverside Drive on Thursday 16 July, launching another season of monthly jazz sessions that have become one of Chiswick’s most reliable musical pleasures. The band will continue to play on the third Thursday of each month throughout 2026, offering free entry, warm hospitality and an evening of live jazz in one of the area’s most welcoming venues.
The Swingtet is a six-piece ensemble with a range that stretches across virtually every corner of the jazz tradition — from Louis Armstrong’s early New Orleans sound to the polished swing of Count Basie. Trombonist Phil Brown leads the group with decades of experience, joined by his son Lester on trumpet and flugelhorn, Mark Aston on clarinet and saxophones, Mike Bennett on double bass, and brothers Andrew and David Clancy on piano and drums. Their sessions are known for their variety, their spontaneity and their ability to move effortlessly between styles.
Regular guests add further colour to the evenings, with vocalists Diane Slater, Teresa Jennings, Isabel Saunders and Stephan O’Goodson often stepping up to the microphone. Instrumentalists including Chris Hodgkins, Anthony Cox, Pete Clancy, Steve Clancy, Eric Gilchrist and Dave Alison frequently join the band on stage, creating a rotating ensemble of local jazz talent.
The most recent session on 18 June offered a typically generous programme. The band opened with Duke Ellington’s I’m Beginning to See the Light and In a Mellow Tone, followed by Hoagy Carmichael’s New Orleans and At the Jazz Band Ball. A tender rendition of Louis Armstrong’s Give Me a Kiss to Build a Dream On led into My Blue Heaven and Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon Man, driven by David Clancy’s powerful drumming.
The second set began with That Da Da Strain, before Isabel Saunders delivered graceful versions of It’s Almost Like Being in Love and My Romance. Guests Anthony Cox and Pete Clancy joined for Royal Garden Blues and Ellington’s Mood Indigo, while Chris Hodgkins and Eric Gilchrist stepped in for All of Me and I Can’t Give You Anything but Love. The evening closed with Clifford Brown’s Sandu and The Isle of Capri.
Adding to the atmosphere were the Lindy Circle Dancers, whose exuberant swing dancing has become a popular feature of recent sessions. Their presence brings an extra burst of energy to the room, and they are warmly invited to return whenever they wish.
The Duck and Ball, located at 12 Riverside Drive opposite Dukes Meadows, offers excellent food, a relaxed bar and a friendly space for live music. Sessions run from 8pm to 10.30pm, with free entry and parking available. Buses E3, 190 and 533 stop nearby, making the venue easy to reach for anyone looking to enjoy an evening of jazz in a local setting.
Several band members, including Phil Brown and guests, will also join the 12-piece Covent Garden Jazz Marching Band for the annual Covent Garden Rent Ceremony in the Piazza on Thursday 2 July — founding members Eric Gilchrist, Chris Hodgkins and Tim Wacher among them. All are very welcome.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |