Jazz on the Quay review

Malaika Kigongo gets into the rhythm of a favourite summer Sunday musical traditional.

From the opposite side of the quay, the vibrant energy of the jazz music carried across the river as I walked towards the Transit Shed, where people were gathered to enjoy the afternoon’s performance. The sound drifted over the water, directing me towards the crowd long before I reached it.

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for the first Jazz on the Quay event of the summer. City Steam Jazz Band, formed in Exeter in the mid-1980s, opened the season as the first of six groups performing under the Transit Shed throughout July and August.

The band performed with a traditional six-piece arrangement, bringing together trumpet, clarinet, trombone, banjo, double bass and drums. Their upbeat style set the tone for the beginning of a summer tradition that is clearly cherished by locals.

Everywhere I looked, feet were tapping and hands were keeping time. People basked in the sun as others danced to the tunes – a few couples followed choreography, others improvised to the rhythm.

People pitched in the shade of the Shed with camping chairs and picnic blankets, whilst some sat and listened from benches in the Prospect Inn terrace.

Beside me, a couple read their books, their eyes fixated on the pages, yet their feet quietly tapped along to the beat.

I spoke to people enjoying the music, one of whom pointed out how fitting it was to hear Down By The Riverside performed right beside the River Exe.

“I could’ve sat here and listened for hours and hours,” said 97-year-old Gwen, who sat in the sun quietly enjoying the music.

The Transit Shed remained lively all afternoon, with some people staying for the whole performance while others drifted in and out.

A fellow spectator noted how the sound “travelled nicely in the gentle breeze”, drifting across the quay and catching the attention of anyone wandering past. And it was true – I noticed even those who hadn’t intended to stop lingering nearby, pulled in by the joyful sounds of the jazz music.

A personal favourite of mine was City Steam Jazz Band’s rendition of Bye Bye Blackbird, where one of the band members sang. People quietly sang along or hummed under their breath, and the performance got a particularly loud applause.

As the last tune came to an end, it was clear why this event has become a seasonal favourite. With sunshine, dancing and a band that will definitely have a crowd tapping to the beat, Jazz on the Quay sets the tone for a perfect sunny Sunday afternoon of free music.