Jazz Club - Jeff Hooper with Special Guest Chris Bowden

International vocalist Jeff Hooper and his trio, with special guest star saxophonist Chris Bowden.

Jeff Hooper breathes new life into the music of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Vic Damone, Jack Jones, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jnr, Matt Monro and Mel Torme with a relaxed, emotive style. 

Born in Llantrisant, South Wales, Jeff launched his career at the tender age of fourteen when he won ITV’s New Faces competition outright. He went on to appear on a variety of TV shows, gaining a recording contract with EMI and a place in the charts with his debut single. A favourite on the big-band circuit, he ventured to America to perform with the Charlie Shaffer Trio at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas and on his return to the UK became lead singer with the Syd Lawrence Orchestra.

During that time he worked with Matt Monro (who taught him how to tie a bow tie and play poker!) Mel Torme, Wynton Marsalis, Stephan Grappelli and Morecambe & Wise. He also represented Britain and the BBC three times in the international Festivals of Song in Denmark, Yugoslavia and Holland. 

In 1992 he toured Britain with his own band, A Swing Affair, which paid tribute to the big band greats. Its success led to Jeff presenting a six week series on BBC Radio 2. He went on to write and present his own twice-weekly show, Bandwagon for BBC Radio Wales for almost ten years.

As well as his many solo cabaret appearances at home and abroad, and performing with his own jazz trio, Jeff regularly appears with the BBC Big Band and lately performed with the Woody Herman Orchestra, Kathryn Jenkins, Chris De Burgh and Charlotte Church at a gala concert. He has also had the pleasure of performing twice for the late Diana, Princess of Wales on two private occasions and she became a member of his fan club.