We're delighted to announce an intimate concert by Sara Dowling & The Sam Braysher Quartet in the Goldmark Front Room on Saturday 24th January 2026 at 7.30 pm (doors at 7.00 pm). They are only playing 2 shows in the UK and their Goldmark gig is the night before they play at the famous Ronnie Scott's in London.
Sam Braysher is a London-based alto saxophonist, who has received international critical acclaim for his three albums to date. Critics have noted his delicate sound and thoughtful improvisational concept, his collaborations with international artists, and his deep knowledge of the standard repertoire.
Award-winning Sara Dowling has recently been voted ‘Best Vocalist’ in the British Jazz Awards. Sara is one of Europe’s leading jazz singers, with UK Jazz News noting “the fabulous fearlessness with which she approaches the act of singing… There really is something different, special and fresh about her.” This performance marks a rare UK appearance for Sara, who is now based in Spain.
Accompanying is an all-star rhythm section: virtuosic Hungarian pianist Matyas Gayer (Eddie Henderson, Jim Rotondi), ultra-swinging drummer Steve Brown (Scott Hamilton, Barry Harris), and in-demand Italian bassist Dario di Lecce (Stacey Kent, Grant Stewart).
Sam’s latest album explores the work of Kurt Weill, a fascinating composer who lies at the intersection of European classical music, jazz, opera and American musical theatre. Expect to hear swinging arrangements of classic songs such as “My Ship” and “Speak Low”, in addition to hidden gems from the Weill catalogue, taking in the lush, swirling harmonies of his Weimar-era early work with Bertolt Brecht, as well as the toe-tapping American Songbook numbers written for Broadway shows and Hollywood films after Weill moved stateside.
Rarely does a jazz singer grace our scene with such breathtaking authenticity and natural flair. Dowling is this thing.
— Ian Shaw
The warm-toned young London saxophonist Sam Braysher is a prize-winning investigator of the early recordings and published music of Jerome Kern, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington and many others, and imagines a new jazz closely attuned to an old world.
— The Guardian
Saxophonist Sam Braysher is like a breath of fresh air. He has an alto sound that doesn’t sound like anyone else, and is a throwback to the classic jazz of the 1950s with a contemporary twist.
— Jazz View
SARA DOWLING – vocals
SAM BRAYSHER – alto sax
MATYAS GAYER – piano
DARIO DI LECCE – bass
STEVE BROWN – drums
