Fleece Jazz

We are delighted to welcome back to Fleece Jazz the legendary US saxophonist, Greg Abate, together with some of the UK’s finest jazz musicians. The quartet led by Greg in 2025 blew us away so much that we had to have them back as soon as possible.

Greg is based in the USA, a celebrated New England saxophonist and flautist with an assertive style on alto saxophone, rooted in bebop. His fluent and muscular playing encompasses a classic approach to the material in the style of Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley and Phil Woods. As well as his touring work, Greg is also a composer, an arranger, a Grammy-nominated recording artist and an educator of some considerable note, serving as an adjunct professor of Jazz Studies at Rhode Island College.  He has had an impressively diverse international career: from 1972-’74, he played lead alto for the iconic Ray Charles Orchestra, followed by a spell playing tenor sax for the revived Artie Shaw Orchestra. Since then, he has had an outstanding career as a band leader in his own right with more than 24 recordings featuring notable greats such as Phil Woods, Kenny Barron, and Red Rodney.

Joining Greg once again, we are delighted to welcome back the wonderful Jim Watson on piano. With his fabulous technique he is rightly considered to be one of the most talented pianists in the country. He has been featured in a huge variety of bands, including the Jazz/Funk bands Incognito, Brand New Heavies and US3.  His jazz bona fides are just as impressive, having worked with Dave O’Higgins, Julian Argüelles, Jean Toussaint and Peter King among others.

Simon Thorpe, too, returns with the quartet and is one of the UK's best-known and most versatile jazz bassists, nominated in 2016 and 2017 for a British Jazz Award.  He has worked with many of the great UK and US names in jazz, recording and touring with Bobby Wellins, Stacey Kent, Bheki Mseleku, Alan Barnes, Elaine Delmar, Scott Hamilton, Benn Clatworthy and Ray Gelato.  He runs several of his own bands and is also known as a composer and arranger.

Again, Alfonso Vitale completes the quartet as before. Alfonso started playing the drums at the age of three and became a regular fixture at local jazz club ‘La Sosta’, sitting in with visiting veteran stars like Bobby Watson, Kenny Barron, Buster Williams, Steve Swallow and others. Soon after moving to the UK, he found a comfortable footing on the London scene before visiting New York which enabled him to hone and extend his skills.

• Greg Abate - Alto Sax/Flute
• Jim Watson - Piano
• Simon Thorpe - Bass
• Alfonso Vitale - Drums

Fleece Jazz is an independent, non-profit association run by a voluntary committee who have been providing modern and contemporary jazz for 28 years. They book talented musicians and jazz bands from the UK and beyond to perform at Stoke by Nayland Resort, providing the perfect backdrop for these cherished and popular events.

Fleece Jazz events are generally held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month.