It wasn’t all movies and it wasn’t all Christmas, but it was certainly all jazz and most definitely all swinging.

Indeed, this was the perfect show for anyone looking to get into the spirit of the season with Christmas songs, old and new, performed by a group of extremely talented musicians and a few movie favourites thrown in for good measure.

Along with the festive classics you’d expect, there was a brilliant version of ‘Is That You Santa Claus?’, a charming rendition of the Bing Crosby hit ‘A Marshmallow World’ (complete with slightly dodgy whistling) and a simply beautiful ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ which closed the show and left the heart full.

Warm and stylish vocals were provided by the pitch perfect Joanna Eden, with Mark Crooks on saxophone/clarinet (pure genius), George Double on drums (best solo I’ve seen), Arnie Somogyi on double bass (jazz cool) and the endearingly funny compere Chris Ingham on piano.

It was great to see such a large Apex audience there to do justice to such talent. I will certainly be booking tickets when these guys are back in town.

Martine Silkstone