Double Bill: King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys and Olivia Cuttill is presented by Durham Jazz Festival in association with Durham Brass Festival
King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys – With more than 7,000 performances in 21 countries under their belt over almost forty years on the road, King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys are more than just the world’s greatest jump, jive and swing band – they’re an institution!
In that time they have opened shows for B.B. King, Cab Calloway and His Orchestra, Ray Charles, and toured with the real Blues Brothers Band – the one from the movie.
And now they’re playing at Durham Jazz Festival!
Rough, tough and always rocking, King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys have appeared at festivals, in concert and at clubs throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Russia and The USA – and they still play the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival, where they have headlined for an unprecedented 14 years.
They’ve played on 36 radio shows and made 73 television appearances.
Along the way, the band have recorded 14 albums, 11 of which for Big Bear Records, all distributed worldwide.
The band line up as King Pleasure [vocals and baritone saxophone], Boysey Battrum [alto and tenor saxophones], Bullmoose K Shirley [guitars], Mighty Matt Foundling [piano and organ], Shark Van Schtoop [double bass], and Gary ‘The Enforcer’ Barber [drums].
Olivia Cuttill is an award-winning London-based Jazz trumpet player, composer and lyricist and will be playing Durham Jazz Festival with her all-star quintet.
Heavily influenced by the sounds of New Orleans, influenced by Louis Armstrong and Dr John and the songwriting of Nina Simone and Randy Newman, her sound is rich with soul.
Olivia’s music is full of storytelling, from a phone call with the insurance man to sentimental family tales. Being a third-generation musician, jazz and blues are deeply rooted in Olivia’s heritage.
With two albums released (The Whole Damn Plan 2024 and …And Writing And Singing And Tunes To Be Swingin’ 2025), the band has toured the UK and Europe, playing prestigious venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, South Bank Centre and Duc Des Lombards.
Awarded with the APPJAG Martin Hummel Award 2025, Presto Music’s Best Newcomer 2025, Peter Whitingham Award 2024, Olivia’s is recognised as “one of the best new trumpeters to emerge on the British jazz scene over the past decade” by Jazzwise.
Olivia will be sharing the stage with Issey Chivers (vocals), Tom Harris (piano), Josh Vadiveloo (Bass) and Miles Pillinger (drums).
Olivia also plays in Jazz FM Innovator of the Year 2025 Nominee ‘Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band’ and Orchestra Mambo International.
