Herts Jazz Festival director Clark Tracey will be taking centre stage at the club’s Welwyn Garden City home this evening (Sunday).

The Clark Tracey Quintet plays Herts Jazz Club in Screen 2 of the Hawthorne Theatre complex at Campus West tonight.

As Herts Jazz regulars know well, Clark Tracey is a drummer of exceptional ability.

His career has spanned three decades and he has worked with most of the most notable musicians in this country, as well as countless visitors from abroad.

Clark has led bands from trios, through quartets to octets, as well as composed for small groups to big bands, receiving several commissions.

He is always seen leading the freshest talent on the scene, from Iain Ballamy and Django Bates in the early 80s to his quintet appearing in WGC on Sunday night.

A club spokesman said: “As a talent spotter in the UK, Clark is unparalleled, and his quintet plays a role in UK jazz similar to that of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, through which many of the great US players passed.”

This new line-up includes three graduates from the Birmingham Conservatoire Jazz Course, where Clark is a drum tutor.

Joining him at Herts Jazz Club will be Henry Armburg Jennings and Chris Maddock on saxes, Harry Bolt on piano and Stuart Barker on bass.

Advance tickets cost £3 students, £8 club members, £10 concessions and £11 full.

On the night tickets are £5 students, £9 members, £12 concessions and £13 full.

Book online at www.hertsjazz.co.uk/gigs.html or call the box office on 0300 3039 620.

* This year’s Herts Jazz Festival will take place at the Hawthorne Theatre, in WGC, from Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20.

For more information, visit www.hertsjazz.co.uk