Jazz at the Fleece was started in February 1993 when it took over a gig that had been booked to appear at a pub that suddenly stopped promoting jazz after a change of landlord.

The club's original venue was situated in the function room of The Fleece, a beautiful timbered pub in an historic medieval village deep into rural Suffolk. We stayed there for fifteen brilliant years until sadly we had to leave. Our next home, for just fifteen months this time, was The Kersey Mill, a few miles up the road where we had a very nice space but again unfortunately we found we had to vacate. We have just re-located to what we sincerely hope will be our home for many years to come.

The Stoke by Nayland Club is in a beautiful setting. We have been made very welcome and have been provided with a space so perfect that it could have been built just for us.

Jazz at the Fleece is independent, non profit making and run voluntarily by committee.

From March 1993 there has been jazz every Friday night except when Christmas or New Year’s eve had the nerve to coincide.

There were 5 original committee members who bravely got together to put on that first February gig and this became 6 (me!) before the 2nd gig in March and shortly after, 7 when Carole was invited to join. There have been changes of personnel over the years and just 3 of the original 7 remain. Our original booker pulled out after 5 years but Liz shows no sign of flagging! David Gasson is our treasurer and has been since day one (even through his spell as Chairman!) he also deals with reservations, two very important jobs that he does brilliantly. Dave Lyons runs the sound desk and our website, (also brilliantly) Liz Rabett, has the unenviable task of dealing with the musicians we want to book, juggling the programme and preparing the contracts (some of which are even returned!) Nick Rabett is our resident photographer and manages our CD Megastore (aka the trestle table with the CD's and stuff on it). John Anderson, our current Chairman, deals with publicity and anything else he wants to. Carole Burgess, a jazz vocalist in her own right, operates the door, assists with ticket reservations, takes your raffle ticket money with a dazzling smile, and is the best looking bouncer in the biz, and there is me, Michael Burgess, MC, editor, deputy treasurer, and trouble shooter/maker (take your pick!)

The club has an excellent rep with all the musicians who appear and many have said that it is their favourite venue. This is due not only to the fact that we treat them well but also because our audience actually listen. We do organise coffee and sandwiches at the end of every gig and this may be another factor!

We do not have the space to list all the wonderful musicians we have had the pleasure of presenting over the years but I can't resist a bit of name dropping so here are a few: Stan Tracey, Peter King, Andy Shepherd, John Dankworth, Martin Taylor, Dave Newton, Alan Barnes, Ian Shaw, Claire Martin, Bobby Wellins, Jim Mullen, John Etheridge, Martin Drew, Tina May, Barbara Thompson, Mick Hanson, Ken Peplowski, Scott Hamilton, Gordon Beck, Stacey Kent, Elaine Delmar, Steve Melling, Dave Green, Mornington Lockett, Mari Wilson, Guy Barker, Norma Winstone, Annie Whitehead, Winston Clifford, Michael Garrick, Jacqui Dankworth, David Rees-Williams, Steve Brown, Sarah Jane Morris, and some artists the jazz world has now said goodbye to, among them are the ever popular and much loved Spike Robinson, USA trumpeter, Bill Berry, the wonderful Marion Montgomery who made just one very memorable Fleece appearance, the great bassist Lennie Bush and very recently, another Fleece favourite, Pat Crumley.

There are countless others and we will get them all in when the full version of this brief history is published.

Our new venue opened with one of the world's most talented guitarists, Martin Taylor (with the lovely Alison Burns on vocals) ) playing to a packed house, it was our gig number 852! Here's to the next 852 …I'll just check out the walking frame storage area in this joint……..