Blow The Fuse

We’ve also programmed our fifth season of jazz for Lauderdale House in Highgate. We’ve had a very successful start with some wonderful bands and nearly every gig sold out
With the superb team at Lauderdale House we’re hoping this season will be as splendid and popular as our first few seasons were. Thursday nights,

JAZZ IN THE HOUSE MAY/JUNE 2025
Thursday nights

MAY 1 Clare Hirst/Claude Deppa  SA Quintet
Claude Deppa Tpt • Clare Hirst sax • Keys tbc
Miles Danso double bass • Siemy Di drums

MAY 15 QCBA play Blue Note
Quentin Collins Trumpet /flugelhorn • Brandon Allen Saxophone
Ross Stanley Hammond organ • Ian Thomas – Drums

MAY 29 Deirdre Cartwright Organik Trio
Deirdre Cartwright Guitar • Pete Whittaker Organ • Gary Hammond Congas/Percussion

JUN 12 Jazz Samba
Mark Crooks Saxophone • Nigel Price Guitar • John Cervantes Piano • Marianne Windham  Double Bass •
Demi Garcia Drums/Percussion

JUN 26 Alina Bzhezhinska / Tony Kofi
(Jazz on the Lawn)
Alina Bzhezhinska Harp/Perc •Tony Kofi Saxophone / Perc

Award-winning musicians Deirdre and Alison have run their own jazz club for over 30 years and will carry forward ‘Jazz in the House’ in the spirit of Brian Blain and his tireless support for musicians and live music.
#jazzinthehouse

Blow the Fuse ‘On Air’ 
In 2020 – 2021, we were awarded funding by the Arts Council of England to produce a series of online concerts recorded exclusively by Blow the Fuse from the Vortex Jazz Club in Dalston plus archive film footage and interviews. We’d like to thank everyone who’s supported us through these extraordinary times and to all of you who became a BTF Patron through donations. Your support was crucial and helped us to produce TEN shows in all. A very steep but rewarding learning curve.

All shows can now be viewed anytime on our You Tube channel HERE

Carol Grimes • Deirdre Cartwright • Liane Carroll • Annie Whitehead
D’n’A present vintage Guest Stars • Martha & Eve + The  DaDa Dandies
Back to the 70s • The Casimir Connection + Add3io • Ian Shaw • ARQ

Please join our club by clicking here and receive links to the shows. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and look on our fb page for more updates.

Did you see the fascinating documentary on the BBC about Liza Minnelli? Daughter of superstar Judy Garland who managed to become a star in her own right with all that entails. A remarkable and very likeable woman. Let’s not forget one of her greatest top tips!

‘What good is sitting alone in your room?’
‘Put down the knitting, the book and the broom‘ Come hear the music play, Come to the Cabaret Blow the Fuse gig old chum! Liza Minnelli

See you at a LIVE gig soon.

Thank you to all our supporters and watch this space for more news…

C R E A T I V E    •   C U R I O U S
•  E X P E R I E N C E D  •

In May 2019, Blow the Fuse celebrated 30 years and we’re now in our 36th year!
Started in 1989 by musicians and composers Deirdre Cartwright and Alison Rayner who were members of the internationally acclaimed jazz group The Guest Stars, BTF have played a crucial role in raising awareness about women jazz musicians and importantly giving them support, a space and opportunity to perform in times which have sometimes been very challenging.

BTF have been very much part of the new resurgence of jazz musicians, which contain many talented young women. Beginning in 2012, Blow the Fuse seasons Tomorrow the Moon ‘one small step for women’ have featured groups led by composers Laura Jurd, Yazz Ahmed, Laura Cole, Dee Byrne, Shirley Tetteh, Lauren Kinsella, Roz Harding, Nikki Iles, Shama Rahman, Daphna Sadeh, Flo Moore, Chelsea Carmichael, Camilla George and Nubya Garcia.

BTF have managed many UK jazz tours with new musical works, innovative collaborations and educational projects and run the Blow the Fuse record label. In 2021 after lockdowns, we produced Blow the Fuse ‘On Air’ a series of online performances recorded live from The Vortex. We’ve had over 15,000 views for these shows on You Tube and Facebook.

Performances for the ‘Resistance’ and ‘Tomorrow the Moon’ seasons took place at the Vortex Jazz Club and the Old Church on Stoke Newington Church Street.
In 2022 we began presenting regular events St Matthias Halls N16 8DD.
In 2023 we began programming  ‘Jazz in the House’ Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park, Highgate, London.

See our gigs page for details on all our events.