From trio to Big Band, the Northside Jazz Band comes in all shapes and sizes to fit different venues and budgets. Here are some of the talented musicians playing in the jazz band.
The Northside Quartet…
Drums – Eddie George
Eddie’s bio here
Trumpet – Rob Deakin
Rob’s bio here
Bass – Jason Rungapdiachy
Jason’s lengthy bio here
Guitar – Rowan Diskin
After playing rhythm with the Cleveland Youth Swing Band and learning improvisation at Jazzaction’s Milestones sessions in Stockton, Rowan spent three years playing with and managing the 40 piece York Big Band. He then relocated to Nottingham to play for The Main Street Jazz Band. Outside the jazz world, he performs with soul and funk party band The Acetones and regularly plays in ‘the pit’ theatre and session projects throughout the East Midlands. When not gigging, Rowan works as a guitar amp repairer at Keld Ampworks.
The Northside Jazz Band also features…
Double Bass – Alistair McBain
Whilst earning a crust as a professional bass player Alistair developed a passion for the double bass and moved to Manchester to study performance at the Royal Northern College of Music with Rodney Slatford and Duncan McTier. Leaving the RNCM, Alistair played for the UK’s preeminent orchestras – The Hallé Orchestra and the BBC Philharmonic as well as working as a session player in theatre and with many small jazz bands. Alistair also plays electric bass with many party and function bands in and around Nottingham.
Vocals – Claire Sadler
An all round performer, Claire tours nationally with the Salute to the 1940s variety show playing Gracie Fields and one of the Andrews Sisters. She is active in the musical theatre world, playing Velma Kelly in Chicago and Ado Annie in Oklahoma!. Claire also has worked with the Mansfield Operatic Society, Belissima Ladies Choir and has been working a full time musician since leaving school.
Saxophones, Clarinet – Lois Diskin
A horn player and multi-instrumentalist with 12 years experience, Lois studied music at the University of York. Lois was first Tenor Saxophone in the York Big Band and worked extensively in theatre work, playing for all kinds of shows from Grease to Guys and Dolls. Since moving to Nottingham, Lois is a full time musician and educator, playing as a solo pianist and with clarinet choir Blackwood and local lounge duo Lightworks.
A brief history of The Northside Jazz Band
The Northside Jazz Band formed as a side project of Nottingham party band Soul Destination. The band wanted to provide an ‘all in one’ entertainment package for their customers to enjoy a variety of music at a more reasonable cost than they’d get booking several bands. They enjoyed playing as a jazz band so much that they decided to invest more time in the project in its own right.