Rhapsody in Green brings piano brilliance, wit and vintage character comedy to Hay-on-Wye

Rhapsody in Green is a richly varied concert combining classical, jazz, vintage song and character comedy. It will take place at St Mary's Church, Hay-on-Wye on Thursday, January 29 from 7pm until 9pm.

At the heart of the evening is Rhapsody in Green, a new work for two pianists on one piano, by Mike Hatchard and performed with Martin Litton. 

Both musicians studied at Colchester Institute and share a deep musical curiosity that ranges from classical repertoire to jazz and popular song.

Their programme moves effortlessly between the refined and the playful, with music ranging from Rachmaninoff Romance to irresistible favourites such as Tea for Two.

The evening is further enlivened by special guest Janice Day, who appears as her much-loved 1930s musical character Mrs Pinkerton-Lovely — “cryonically frozen in 1939 and, thanks to global warming, recently defrosted.” 

With authentic material from the songbooks of Gershwin, Porter, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, Mrs Pinkerton-Lovely sings angelically, speaks with impeccable propriety, and innocently delivers delightfully risqué tales — accompanied by the gentle, mellow sound of the baritone ukulele.

Mike Hatchard is a jazz piano maestro, classical pianist and composer, trained at the Royal College of Music and a former member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

He toured the USA with Cleo Laine and remains in constant demand as a performer and host of popular Jazz Breakfasts along the Sussex coast.

Martin Litton is an internationally renowned pianist, arranger and bandleader specialising in jazz from Ragtime through the Swing era and beyond, with frequent broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and collaborations with many legendary British and American musicians.

Together, the performers promise an evening that is clever, joyful and full of surprises — where high-brow meets toe-tapping, and elegance meets laughter.

For more information visit: www.vintagebythewye.com