IT’S time for the new season of The Jazz Mix to start, and it does with a toot next week with jazz funk outfit Protect the Beat coming to the monthly club held at the Cliffs Pavilion.

It takes place on Thursday, August 27 in the Maritime Room, Protect the Beat being led by Jools Holland Rhythm and Blues Orchestra’s saxophonist Derek Nash.

Derek will be bringing his own inimitable style to the evening.

He performs alongside session aces Dave Ital on guitar, Winston Blissett on bass, Arden Hart on keyboards/trumpet and Darby Todd on drums.

Mick Crook, organiser of the Jazz Mix club, said: “The band is formed from five of the finest Jazz Funk experts you are likely to find having built up a rich funk pedigree between them in playing with artists such as Jeff Lorber, Dave Grusin, Steve Winwood, Bootsy Collins and Incognito.

“They are based London, the band being now in it's 14th year, and has been described in the music press as the strongest live act within the genre in the UK at this time.

“They released their debut album It ain't Dinner Jazz in 2001 and followed that up with Intrepid in 2008.

It was picked up favorably by digital radio station The Jazz and as the result of committed airplay the album went to number one in an independent UK Jazz Chart. Intrepid remained at the number one spot for 11 weeks! On the night the band will be playing new material from their soon to be released third album.”

Other acts booked in for the season are British soul, jazz and R&B singer Sarah Jane Morris who topped the UK pop charts foramonth in 1986 (with The Communards’ disco version of Don’t Leave Me This Way), the band Reach For It performing the Music Of George Duke, the master keyboardist and composer and who sadly passed away in 2013 and newmelodic jazz arrangements from the Brandon Allen Sextet.

Doors open 8pm, music 8.30- 11pm Admission is £13 on the door.