Jazz Blues Jam Nights at The Market Tavern

For most of the month, it’s an upmarket but traditional village pub full of low chatter, familiar faces, fancy cocktails and decent pints. But, on the first Monday of every month brings something new, something soulful. It starts when Matthew Morton (Matt), an ebullient middle-aged kiwi, with a perennial smile and his vintage harmonica, walks in early evening.

Matt has spent most of his life working here and there and trying his hand to find work he enjoyed. Work that brought him closer to nature and made best use of his extraordinary likeability and musical talents. To pay the bills, Matt has his own gardening business ‘Gaiaveda’, but his real love is performing with his band Papa Nui and just about anywhere that will have him. 

Matt loves the ‘terror’ of standing before an audience, just before any gig. The buzz and the anticipation giving him the rush of energy helping him to perform at 100%.

A chance meeting with Steve Geekie, arrived one day in 2023. Matt out walking ‘crashed’ Steve’s private party when he heard him playing. Matt claims he was drawn to the music he heard on the ‘air’. Steve introduced other accomplished Bamptonian musicians, Spencer Komodromou (lead guitar), Keith Fairbairn (drums), Gary Horne (bass guitar), and they loosely formed the Broad Street Blues Band … they just needed a local venue to play.

Matt approached the landlord at the Market Tavern, about starting a jazz / blues jam session. Matt’s idea to encourage likeminded musicians to play without an agenda, to invite anyone to play or sing and generally ‘have a go’. The landlord agreed to give it a shot. Matt doesn’t run the session like a performance. He opens the floor. ‘No egos,’ he’d say. ‘Make the moment matter’. Encouraging newcomers experienced and novice, even those with shaky hands and nerves, to step up.

Word began to spread. 

The session is now a regular fixture for Bamptonians in search of a real experience. Make sure you get to the venue early if you want a seat; the bar gets packed. The music is loud and rhythmic and everyone is enjoying the evening.

Matt sometimes sings, sometimes playing his harmonica, always with a broad grin, no doubt 100% terrified and delighted at the same time.

The next session will be on Monday 7th July from 7pm to 10pm at The Market Tavern.