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It was propitious, the casual meeting between John Jarvis & Colin Peters in the autumn of 2001. Both shared a passion for jazz & cricket together with the desire to open a jazz club. A small committee was quickly formed of like minded volunteers & a venue secured at the premises of Botany Bay Cricket Club.
The inaugural session was held on February 7th. 2002 hosted by the house band led by Colin Peters fronted by Digby Fairweather as featured guest artist. A packed house however left the management with no delusions of this euphoric situation being maintained during ensuing weeks & months let alone years.
The original precepts of the club have been maintained throughout the intervening years. The provision of swinging jazz encompassing a catholic variety of star guest musicians, the option of an excellent two course meal at a modest cost together with a well stocked bar serving drinks at competitive prices. All this in the comfortable surroundings of a lounge blessed with excellent acoustics.
The Colin Peters Quartet has enjoyed a growing reputation sustaining just three changes in personnel throughout the decade. The club endeavours to present a wide variety of guest artists drawn from the spectrum of British jazz to an invariably enthusiastic audience. Many members, visitors & guest artists have commented on their friendly reception together with an invariably enthusiastic response from the audience.
The club boasts an excellent sound system, an acoustic piano plus comfortable seating.
To celebrate it's tenth anniversary, Googlies presented the ever popular Alan Barnes on the regular Thursday evening session. This was supplemented by an evening of jazz with dinner on the following Saturday featuring The Derek Nash Quintet with Trudy Kerr. Both events were supported by capacity houses despite dreadful weather conditions.
The dedication of the mangement together with great support from Botany Bay Cricket Club encourages Googlies to maintain a superb venue for British jazz throughout the next decade & beyond.
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