I caught up with two members of the Jazz Legend band who have been performing the highly successful Story of Jazz and Swing at the Scarborough Spa this summer. Kathy Seabrook and Graham Quilter are also well-known as longstanding members of the Scarborough Spa Orchestra. They have now become jazz players as well as highly experienced orchestral professionals. With one Scarborough performance left on the 5th September I was keen to know what caused them to branch out into jazz and how much they were enjoying the experience. Graham plays clarinet and alto saxophone in Jazz Legend and the Orchestra. 'I had a classical training on the clarinet,' said Graham, 'studying at both Chethams and the Royal Academy. But I do remember at an early age listening to a friend of my father’s playing jazz on the clarinet and being fascinated by the glissando effects he used when sliding over a range of notes. The first time I actually got a chance to play possibly the most famous glissando in classical music - the clarinet introduction to George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue – was when I auditioned for the London Symphony Orchestra in front of the legendary clarinettist Jack Brymer. I must say I have enjoyed playing in Scarborough for over 20 years as well as performing with many UK orchestras. It didn’t get me in on that occasion but I’ve played the Rhapsody in Blue glissando regularly at the Scarborough Spa so the LSO could ring me anytime if they are stuck!' Graham plays a lot of jazz music now as well as his first love, classical music. A founder member of Jazz Legend, he now also has gigs in the diary with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra. 'Both Kathy and I developed our saxophone playing through touring with the hit musicals Me and My Girl and Westside Story.' Kathy Seabrook, who met and married Graham when they both joined the Scarborough Spa Orchestra, had a strong family jazz influence from her father, Tim, who took his trombone all over the world during his long RAF fighter pilot career. Even as Wing Commander he would put bands together on the base. 'My mum still sings with the bands he played with when they finally retired to Shropshire. Sadly he isn’t around to hear Jazz Legend play some of the tunes he loved to play himself, but Mum has been to our shows and loved them. It was great getting the chance to sing for her as well.' But Kathy’s recent jazz experience has inspired further ambitions to fulfil. 'Jazz was really taboo when I was principal piccolo and flautist with the Glyndebourne and Scottish Opera companies. I never imagined that one day I would be playing big band swing on the saxophone, singing the great songs of the 1930’s and the 1940s Glenn Miller. I love it, but I won’t be leaving the classical flute behind. It’s great to be able to play both styles and for some shows I’ve worked in, like Barnum and Westside Story, you do need the musical skills from both musical styles. I would really like to play jazz flute with one of the brilliant jazz guitarists who visit Mike Gordon’s Scarborough jazz sc! ene. That will be a future challenge for me.' Having learned how Kathy and Graham started to play jazz I was curious how they came to be part of Jazz Legend’s Story of Jazz and Swing show. 'It started when one of our regular Scarborough Spa concertgoers happened to mention that a jazz music library was up for sale at a good price. Graham and I decided to buy it because there might be some tunes the orchestra could play. When we asked a few musician friends to play it through we all realised that there was great potential for a show that told the story of the development of popular music. Local musician Simon Coles agreed to add more arrangements and Tony Turner, trombone player, undertook the research for the storytelling and slides and it all quickly came together.' Graham added 'We are delighted with the response to the Jazz Legend show. Spa audiences for both Jazz Legend and the Scarborough Spa Orchestra regularly tell us how much they enjoy the versatility of the music that is available at the Spa. We will shortly be taking the Story of Jazz to festivals elsewhere in the UK, but hopefully we will still find time to play jazz and swing as well as our orchestral performances in Scarborough for many years to come.' The final summer performance of the Story of Jazz and Swing takes place at the Scarborough Spa Ocean Room on 5th September, starting at 7.45pm. Tickets available from the Spa box office 01723 357869.