Robin Sunflower started playing the harmonica in the 80s, joining the legendary blues act Victor Brox and the Blues Train, gigging extensively throughout the UK. In the early 90s he made the transition to chromatic harmonica after hearing the amazing playing of Toots Thielemans.
His next project was “The Identical Twins” – an avant garde jazz-tinged comedy folk duo who made veggie rasher muffins, gazpacho and popcorn as part of an interactive stage show. In 1997 he put together a 6 piece band for a 1 off stint at the Edinburgh Festival. The Woodbank Streetband went on to play 5 years running at Edinburgh, 4 years at Marlborough Jazz Festival, twice at Solfest, Castlebar Blues Festival (Ireland) and gigs in France from Tours to Bordeaux.
A personnel change a few years ago saw Woodbank become The Robin Sunflower Band. 2016 will see Robin’s band clocking up a 15 year resident slot at top Manchester club Big Hands.This year’s band features Dan Broad (guitar-Happy Mondays), Iain Mellor (Drums-Global Grooves) and occasional guests…John Ellis (keys-Baked A La Ska,Lily Allen,Tom Jones).Guest bass players including Matt Owens(baked A La Ska) in June, Danny Blomeley(Kyla Brox Band/ ex-Woodbank Streetband) in july…The Big Hands band is never the same twice(well hardly ever)
Robin has increasingly been invited to guest/session with other acts. Notable gigs include: Castle Howard banqueting hall with John Heliwell (Supertramp), Glastonbury Festival World Jazz Stage with Suns of Arqa, Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall with Kirsty Almeida, support to Elbow with Indigo Jones.
Since 1999 Robin has also run a weekly night (Quack) currently at The White House, Stalybridge (Monday) and Beer Traders, Marple (Tuesday). The night consists of an invited guest playing a 40 minute set from 9pm, followed by an hour or so of open mic. The guest returns for a shorter closing set around 11pm. Robin plays with all the invited guests and some of the open mic contributors too.
“Baked a la Ska” is Robin’s latest band. The line-up of this football team sized super-group reading like a who’s who of the North West jazz scene. Their ska versions of 70s & 80s pop classics have resulted in packed dance floors at Manchester’s Band on the Wall, Kendal Calling festival and Liverpool’s Mathew Street fest.To date they have released four albums: Baked A LA Ska; Just Deserts; Gas Mark 3-The Slow Burner; Ska of Wonder (Christmas album).
A chance meeting at the Big Hands residency has resulted in Robin working with comedian Sophie Willan (2015 Magners new comedy award winner, BBC new comedy awards finalist)…Check out “The Wiggle Song”- More to come:)
2016 will see the 5th anniversary tour of the Toots Thielemans Birthday Tribute Band.This band re-forms at the end of April each year for one week only to play music from Toots’ repertoire (Midnight Cowboy, Bluesette…) Toots’ first major gigs were with Benny Goodman in 1949. He went on to play with George Shearing,Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Jaco Pastorius, Oscar Peterson and pop acts such as Paul Simon, Billy Joel and Julian Lennon. A man at the top of his game for over six decades. He retired from public performance aged 91 in 2013.
2015 saw Robin playing sessions for all manner of recording projects from spaghetti western library music to trance groove dance music (with Balaphonic) to dub reggae with Bakery Studio (expect a harmonica dub album in 2016 with Al “Breadwinner” Monkey). Other exciting recording projects are being planned for 2016 – Listen to this space!
Date | Band/Artist | City | Venue | Country |
---|---|---|---|---|
26 Mar 23 | Sunflower and Ingram quartet | Stockport | The Railway, | UK |
Time: 9:05pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Heaton Norris. Me, harmonica and vocals Adrian Ingram guitar Hayden Minett guitar Nick Lunn bass guitar Swinging jazz and mellow blues from Duke Ellington to Fleetwood Mac | ||||
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
27 Mar 23 | Nig Richards | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
28 Mar 23 | Nig Richards | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. It’s the blues, but not as we know it. That guitar looks like a toilet seat, that’s a biscuit tin. Like Seas Sick Steve, but more fun. | ||||
Tour: Monthly Residency since 2001 | ||||
29 Mar 23 | The Robin Sunflower Band | Manchester | Big Hands | UK |
Time: 10:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. We promise to play what we fancy on the night. Great freewheeling gig. | ||||
29 Mar 23 | The Robin Sunflower Band | Manchester | Big Hands | UK |
Time: 10:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Me, harmonica and vocals Dan Broad,, guitar John Sandham,,, bass guitar Iain Mellor Drums Freewheeling gig , rocky and blues’andjazzandreggaeskalatinxxx… | ||||
Tour: Bi-monthly residency | ||||
02 Apr 23 | Sunflower and Ingram quartet | Huddersfield, Yorkshire | The County | UK |
Time: 4:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Huddersfield. Me, harmonica and vocals Adrian Ingram, guitar Hayden Minett, guitar Nick Lunn, bass guitar Swinging jazz and mellow blues from Duke Ellington to Fleetwood Mac | ||||
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
03 Apr 23 | Robin Sunflower- solo | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
04 Apr 23 | Robin Sunflower- solo | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Piano, harmonica and vocals….On this occasion, I expect to play songs by Victor Brox, Burt Bacharach and myself (separately)… I guess I’m a little late to forge that as a songwriting trio. | ||||
10 Apr 23 | Emily Wood and Jon Mambo | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
11 Apr 23 | Emily Wood and Jon Mambo | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Guitar and vocals Music from Brazil and the odd other sunny clime | ||||
17 Apr 23 | Stevie Williams | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
18 Apr 23 | Stevie Williams | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Guitar and vocals with the occasional loop pedal. Self-penned songs, blues and jazz… A Manchester fixture for decades | ||||
Tour: Toots 101 | ||||
22 Apr 23 | Toots Thielemans Birthday Tribute Band | Lake District | Zeffirellis | UK |
Time: 7:30pm. Admission: Menu for restaurant online. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Ambeside. Trio version of Toots Tribute Me, chromatic harmonica John Ellis,. Grand piano John Sandham, double bass. Great Italian restaurant all vegetarian | ||||
22 Apr 23 | Toots Thielemans Birthday Tribute Band | Lake District | Zeffirellis | UK |
Time: 7:30pm. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Ambeside. Trio version of Toots Tribute Me, chromatic harmonica John Sandham double bass John Ellis Grand piano Great Italian restaurant all vegetarian | ||||
23 Apr 23 | Robin Dewhurst | Manchester | Saison | UK |
Time: 3:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Burton Road, Didsbury. Toots Tribute week starts with a duo. Jazz standards and Toots original tunes. | ||||
23 Apr 23 | Toots Thielemans Birthday Tribute Band | Stockport | The Railway, | UK |
Time: 9:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Heaton Norris. Me, chromatic harmonica Richard Wetherall, piano Matt Owens, double bass Danny Ward, drums. Jazz at this grass roots venue every Sunday | ||||
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
24 Apr 23 | Toots Thielemans Birthday Tribute Band | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. See Tuesday for band details | ||||
25 Apr 23 | Toots Thielemans Birthday Tribute Band | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Me, harmonica Robin Dewhurst, keys Matt Owens, double bass Danny Ward, Drums Toots would have been 101 this year. His legacy is ageless, timeless and priceless. | ||||
Tour: Monthly Residency since 2001 | ||||
26 Apr 23 | Toots Thielemans Birthday Tribute Band | Manchester | Big Hands | UK |
Time: 10:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Me, harmonica John Ellis keys John Sandham Double bass Danny Ward Drums Available for one week only, annual tribute to the great Man | ||||
Tour: Toots 101 | ||||
27 Apr 23 | Toots Thielemans Birthday Tribute Band | Macclesfield, Cheshire | Mash | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: About a fiver?. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 5 Backwall gate. Me, chromatic harmonica John Ellis,keys Matt Owens, double bass Danny Ward, drums First time at this venue which has been highly recommended. | ||||
30 Apr 23 | Toots Thielemans Birthday Tribute Band | Manchester, Manchester | Carlton club | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: About a fiver?. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Carlton road, whalley range. Me, chromatic harmonica John Ellis, keys John Sandham, double bass Danny Ward, drums Closing gig for Toots’ 101 celebrations.This is a great venue which already holds wonderful memories for me.I don’t doubt that this night will hold some more. | ||||
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
01 May 23 | George King | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
02 May 23 | George King | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Piano and vocals plays standards,stride,show tunes… | ||||
08 May 23 | Mia Moon | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
08 May 23 | Mia Moon | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. Mia sings and plays guitar.sweet sensitive sounds silence the room. Originals andmodern pop. | ||||
09 May 23 | Mia Moon | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Guitar and vocals plays originals and recent pop. | ||||
15 May 23 | The Chanteuse | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
16 May 23 | The Chanteuse | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. French chanson delivered with passion…great for people like me who no longer have a passport! | ||||
22 May 23 | Claire Mooney | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
23 May 23 | Claire Mooney | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Manchester singer songwriter expertly combines politics and emotions | ||||
29 May 23 | Jack and the black dog | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
30 May 23 | Jack and the black dog | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Three piece band featuring drums&bass from excellent recent guests Blazing Snowmen. | ||||
Tour: Monthly Residency since 2001 | ||||
31 May 23 | The Robin Sunflower Band | Manchester | Big Hands | UK |
Time: 10:05pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. No accident that I have been playing here for over twenty years…I love it here. Great grass roots bar no frills just thrills. Rockbluesskareggaejazzlatinxxx | ||||
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
05 Jun 23 | Wully Smith | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
06 Jun 23 | Wully Smith | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Scottish folk singer makes a trip south of the border | ||||
26 Apr 30 | PRIVATE PARTIES (weddings, birthdays, etc) ARE NOT SHOWN on above list | any town | any place | UK |
Time: 10:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Private bookings are not shown on this list |