Swansea Jazzland 'Christmas Party with Power of Gower Big Band'

Dave Cottle's Power of Gower Big Band are playing the Swansea Grand Theatre on Wednesday 16 December, and it's a bit more than just a one-off gig. The night is the Swansea Jazzland Christmas party, and it's the final date of the club's 2026 programme, so it's the one that closes out the year for them.

It's an 18-piece band, which is a fair bit of brass and reed on one stage. Cottle describes it as an electric fusion of his own jazz trio with some of Wales's finest jazz session musicians, plus guest players from across the UK and beyond. They're billed as Wales's finest jazz big band, and the set draws on the charts of Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, Gordon Goodwin, Bill Holman, Ted Heath and Basie. Sarah Meek is on vocals, singing the songs of Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and Diana Krall.

If you're wondering who's actually making up that 18, the full line-up is out. On trumpets are Kevin Wredredowski, Nick Mead, Morgan Rees, Derek Lawton and Neil Martin. The saxophones are Chris Bowden, Maddie Penfold, Dan Newberry, Julian Tucker and Pelham Wood. Trombones are Graham Woodhouse, Dave Sears, Laurence Cottle and Tiggy Blackwell. Tash Buxton is on drums, Alun Vaughan on bass, Dave Cottle on piano, and Sarah Meek on vocals. That's five trumpets, five saxes and four trombones, so there's a full brass section to back the vocals.

It starts at 8:00 PM at the Swansea Grand Theatre, The Malthouse, Singleton Street, SA1 3QJ. Since it's the final night of the 2026 programme, it's the one that wraps things up for the year.