Stan Tracey will open the new Herts Jazz Club season at Campus West in Welwyn Garden City

AN award-winning musician opens the new season at Herts Jazz in Welwyn Garden City this evening (Sunday).

Herts Jazz Club patron Stan Tracey CBE returns to WGC tonight with his octet for the first concert of the 2012-13 season at Campus West.

The first-ever recipient of a Jazz Ivor at the Novello Awards ceremony earlier this year, he performed at the Umbria Jazz Festival in July.

Still as strong as ever, St Albans resident Stan also received glowing reviews for his performance of his classic Under Milk Wood Suite, inspired by Dylan Thomas’ work, at the second Herts Jazz Festival held at the Hawthorne Theatre only last month.

His octet ensemble has been around since the early 70s and the musicians have performed at Herts Jazz in WGC to great acclaim over the past year or so.

The line-up features Stan Tracey on piano, Mark Armstrong on trumpet, Sam Mayne on alto and Mornington Lockett and Simon Allen both on tenor sax.

Completing the octet are Alistair White on trombone, Andrew Cleyndert on bass and Stan’s son, Clark Tracey, on drums.

The concert at Campus West runs from 7.45pm to 10.30pm and tickets are £13 in advance from www.hawthornetheatre.co.uk

Tickets are £16 on the door, £10 for club members and £5 for students.