Speaking to Gary Crosby before the Wayne Shorter Quartet/BBC Concert Orchestra gig in a packed Barbican a few weeks back the Jazz Jamaica leader and UK jazz legend mentioned how much he was looking forward to taking the band back to Hideaway, one of his favourite clubs. Catching them in the Empire Mews spot just off Streatham High Road was one of those great nights a couple of years ago you really didn't want to end. The band were enjoying themselves, and the audience were enjoying themselves... one of those nights when the stars just seemed to align. ‘Guns of Navarone’ powered up to get the party started, an old favourite from the Skatalites canon, and little did Jazz Jamaica know before everyone in the comfortable room the pride of south London started to skank that just 18 months later they would be playing the Festival Hall, a night Crosby mentioned was one of the “proudest moments” of his life a concert when JJ and Crosby's old friend Brinsley Forde from ASWAD joined forces in the summer on the South Bank to perform with a 200-strong choir in the famous hall. Robin Banerjee has left Jazz Jamaica now alas for pastures new (burnin' Bobby B is in the gig publicity picture with his guitar on his knee) replaced for this gig by guitarist Shirley Tetteh whose influences include as heterogeneously eclectic a mix as Julian Lage and Eddie Lang. Trombonist Harry Brown (in the lineage of JJ Johnson and Jazz Jamaica's very own Rico) will also be appearing for the Hideaway gig as will percussionist Pete Eckford recently on fine form with Nick Smart's Trogon, and there's also drummer Moses Boyd plus newcomer trumpeter James McKay. Also in the line-up is old hand pianist Ben Burrell who can get down like Alex Wilson used to do (Jazz Jamaica has featured a remarkable collection of leading players over the last 20 years), and on-the-up alto sax player Camilla George is also joining Crosby's orchestra, with Denys Baptiste the tenor sax draw. The big news is singer Zara McFarlane, currently hot property indeed and fresh from supporting Dianne Reeves at the LJF, is also appearing. She's the band's very own Millie. Two years ago it was Desmond Dekker’s ‘Israelites’ that got the room moving, and you never know who might jump up from the audience to blow.