Singer, songwriter and pianist, best known for his ongoing collaborations with Sam Smith. Support from Hastings’ own Glastonbury emerging artist Marie White.

Reuben James is a singer, songwriter and pianist, best known for his ongoing collaborations with Sam Smith. Reuben co-wrote the title track from Smith’s most recent album “The Thrill of it All”, as well as the album’s anthem “Him”. Reuben began playing piano at the age of 3 and made his professional debut in his early teens with Birmingham soul singer Ruby Turner. Then as a jazz student at Birmingham’s Conservatoire, he met the late trumpeter Abram Wilson and joined his quartet. Reuben won a scholarship to the prestigious Trinity College of Music in London aged 18, before going on to be named Rising Star at the 2014 British Jazz Awards.

Raised on a neclectic mix of jazz, gospel, hip hop and classical music, Reuben’s confident, flowing approach belies his years, and is reflected in the genre defying approach to his musical direction.

Doors 7pm
Start 7.30pm

Tickets £17.50, £22.50, £27.50

Reuben was recruited to join Sam Smith’s band while performing at world famous London venue Ronnie Scott’s, where he now hosts his own night. He later went on to perform with Smith on his world tours and began writing songs for Smith’s album, which has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide and hit Number One in both the UK and the US. Reuben signed with Warner/Chappell in 2018 and has since been working on his own material, exploring the boundaries between jazz and pop. Reuben has been collaborating with artists such as Roy Ayers, Honne, Empire of the Sun, Tom Misch, Bruno Major, CallumScott, Disclosure, Col3trane, Hiraku Utada and Tori Kelly. 2019 has already seen Reuben perform at the Dubai Jazz Festival supporting Alicia Keys, and open for Kamasi Washington on his UK tour. Reuben has also showcased his solo material live on Jamie Cullum’s Radio 2 Jazz Show in anticipation of his forthcoming solo EP.

Support from Marie White

Marie White is a Hastings based singer/songwriter.
Reluctantly accepting many of the requests to ‘move along’, Marie started busking in Rye at the age of 15, performing soulful ballads, most of which were written during the early hours of the morning in her family home. Without venturing too far outside of the county, Marie has played a number of different shows in the past 6 years, a number not too far from the population of her home town, Hastings. It would be fair to say that she has created quite a name for herself down by the sea…
Marie White was named the winner of the Glastonbury Festival 2019 Emerging Talent Competition, which is supported by PRS for Music and PRS Foundation.