Alex Hitchcock Quartet at Jazz at Progress, Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire.

Date: Friday, January 02, 2026

Featuring: Alex Hitchcock Quartet

More details

From;
https://www.jazzinreading.com/

Jazz at Progress | The Alex Hitchcock Quartet | Buy tickets ttps://www.ticketsource.co.uk/progresstheatre/t-zogpddl
Friday 2 January 2026 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £20.00 (£18.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.

Alex Hitchcock tenor sax
Will Barry piano
Joe Downard bass
Luke McCarthy drums

‘Ridiculous technique and harmonic proficiency combined with progressive creativity that sees him leading the charge in terms of new jazz music being created in the UK’ – Linley Hamilton, BBC Jazz World

Since his first gig as leader for us at Progress in 2017, Alex Hitchcock is now regarded as one of the UK’s most virtuosic jazz musicians. This will be his third appearance for us, last in 2022. Every gig has been a roaring success. Over the past year or so, Alex has been resident in New York honing his already impressive skills as composer, leader and playing a wide spectrum of jazz. He is also touring extensively in Europe, UK and the USA at major venues and festivals. A busy man!

Will Barry is a regular in the quartet appearing with Alex at Progress in 2017 and also in 2022 with saxophonist Tom Smith and Empirical last February 2025. Once a “young gun” Will is now a much in demand pianist for many fine bands.

Joe Downard is the bedrock of the quartet with perfect accompaniment and solo skills to match. Now a composer and band leader in his own right, Joe has appeared at every gig at Progress with Alex.

Luke McCarthy is new to us, still studying at the Royal Academy of Music and rapidly building a reputation as a drummer going places.

So, bring in the New Year with your first jazz gig of 2026. We guarantee it’ll be a corker.

http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk | The Mount, Off Christchurch Road, Reading RG1 5HL

Bar at all gigs from 7:00pm. Drinks may be taken into the auditorium during performances.

Progress Theatre is a self-governing, self-funding theatre group founded in 1947, maintained by volunteers. The Theatre itself is an intimate 95-seat venue. It is the oldest operating theatre in Reading and has a fully licensed bar. There is wheelchair access to the Theatre with a space for disabled patrons. In 2011 Sir Kenneth Branagh became the Patron to Progress Theatre.