Rising UK jazz band set to take centre stage at local church
By James Bools 12th Jan 2026
By James Bools 12th Jan 2026
One of the UK's preemie up-and-coming jazz bands is set to perform at a local church this month.
Fidelio Hot Club will be playing at St James's Church in Hampton Hill on January 30 following a highly successful 2025, which has featured multiple sellout tours and regular appearances on BBC Radio 3.
The band also enjoyed a year-long residency at Fidelio Cafe last year and has its first EP coming up in 2026.
Given their growing reputation, obtaining the group is quite a coup for the church – something which Parish Administrator Nick Bagge is keenly aware of.
He said: "We're delighted to have secured Fidelio Hot Club.
"We know they are in great demand, and early ticket sales suggest it will be one of our most popular concerts to date."
St James's technical lead Graham McHutchon – who has seen the band perform twice – echoed Bagge's enthusiasm.
He said: "I'm very excited.
"We've been trying to get events going here on an irregular basis, but when we find something that's worth watching, absolutely ideal for this audience and this venue, it's nice."
Fidelio's show will be hosted under the banner of St James Entertains, which has held Celidhs, opera, choral, folk and even pop performances since being set up.
Although fundraising is a factor, with money always needed to maintain the Victorian-era building, McHutchon claims the main aim of the programme is to establish the church as a community hub.
He said: "My primary aim is to bring people together and make this space accessible to people in the community, somewhere they feel comfortable to come and enjoy themselves."
Bagge shared McHutchon's sentiments and claimed that in addition to hosting concerts St James makes its facilities available to other groups in the area – including Bushy and Hope Park Friends and local schools.
And the church's community efforts don't end there, with the parish also carrying out pastoral visits, engaging in charity work, and promoting environmental awareness in the local area.
For all Bagge and McHutchon's excitement, the band themselves are also excited to be playing such a prestigious local venue – and bassist Sol Grimshaw revealed that a personal connection with McHutchon sealed the deal.
He said: "Graham came to see us play at Fidelio Cafe and asked us to come and do this gig, which we're really pleased about."
Grimshaw went on to say that "Fidelio are looking forward to the upcoming year", off the back of their extremely positive last 12 months.
Tickets for the concert cost £18 and can be purchased here.
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