Saturday14November
We are delighted to welcome the Okan Ersan Electric Band to Highams Park Jazz Club for a special evening of contemporary electric jazz fusion.
Okan Ersan is an internationally recognised artist celebrated for blending jazz, progressive rock, world music and Eastern Mediterranean influences. He integrates powerful electric guitar, complex rhythms and cinematic soundscapes. His music is characterised by technical improvisation, memorable melodies and compositions inspired by mythology, science and the cosmos.
Ersan’s international career began in 2003 as a finalist in the Guitarist of the Year
competition in Birmingham, UK. In 2004, he performed with Grammy-winning artist Billy
Paul at the Kansas City Jazz & Blues Festival. He has since appeared at major festivals
including Jazz à Carthage, Penang Island Jazz Festival and Aalener Jazz Festival.
He performed at Leverkusener Jazztage, supporting Al Di Meola and participating in the Guitar Masters category with Robben Ford. He has also supported Chick Corea and John McLaughlin. As a long-standing Yamaha Guitars artist, he performed with drummer Dave Weckl at Yamaha AllStars.
His discography includes To Whom It May Concern, A Reborn Journey featuring Ernie
Watts and mixed by Dave Weckl, as well as his conceptual album Nibiru, which was inspired by the mysteries of the universe. Nibiru was featured by UNESCO Club Vienna during World Space Week.
In 2024, Dave Weckl produced Ersan’s single Dillirga-Ma, a jazz-fusion reinterpretation of a traditional Cypriot melody.
In every performance, Ersan creates an energetic atmosphere through on-stage interactions and encourages his audience to find their own meaning in music.
https://okanersan.com
Joe Browne is a Southeast London-based saxophonist, composer and educator, and an established figure on the UK jazz and creative music scene. He has performed extensively at major jazz venues, concert halls and festivals across the UK and internationally. Joe co-leads Rage Against the Tagine, a London-based quartet blending contemporary jazz improvisation with North African and Levantine influences. He is also an Associate Educator with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and Director of Jazz Education at Deal Music and Arts. He studied at Birmingham Conservatoire and Berklee College of Music with Julian Siegel, Dino Govoni and George Garzone.
Jack Williams is an improviser and composer whose music combines adventurous jazz, contemporary classical and prog influences. His playing moves between complex rhythms, spontaneous improvisation, heavy polyrhythmic grooves and quieter, reflective moments, with a strong emphasis on chemistry and interaction in live performance. His work has received praise from acclaimed musicians including Gary Husband, who highlighted Jack’s creative approach to the music of Allan Holdsworth. His music is characterised by playful ideas, unexpected harmonies and a willingness to take risks in the moment.
Italian-born bass player Giovanni Crescenzi has been part of London’s vibrant musical scene for the last three years. He has performed extensively across Europe and Asia in a wide range of musical settings, from rock and jazz to large ensembles and international festivals. His collaborations include rock icon Ian Paice of Deep Purple and the Italian Jazz Orchestra. Giovanni has also performed and taught at major international music festivals including Umbria Jazz and Sapri Jazz Waves.
Eric Ford has been resident in London since late 2006, following four years in Paris. He works across a wide spectrum of music and has performed around the globe, appearing on approximately 60 albums. He has played at iconic venues including Ronnie Scott’s and the Royal Albert Hall, and worked with artists such as Ronnie Laws, Marc Almond, Clare Teal, the London Jazz Orchestra and Jason Rebello. Eric has also presented drum clinics in London and Beijing and has been a member of acclaimed contemporary jazz trio Partikel since 2009.
Together, the Okan Ersan Electric Band delivers an exciting journey through modern electric fusion — combining powerful grooves, intricate compositions, soaring guitar lines and spontaneous improvisation. Expect an evening of high-energy musicianship from four exceptional artists at the forefront of contemporary jazz fusion.
Band line-up:
Okan Ersan – electric guitar
Jack Williams – piano & synthesiser
Joe Browne – saxophone
Giovanni Crescenzi – bass
Eric Ford – drums
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, 14 November 2026
Time: 8:00pm
Doors open: 7:00pm
Venue:
Highams Park Jazz Club, All Saints Church, Church Avenue, Highams Park, London E4 9QZ
Ticket Prices:
£20 online / £25 on the door
£10 for students 16+ & MU members
Part of our monthly Saturday concert series at 8pm
Getting Here
By Train:
4-minute walk from Highams Park Overground (Liverpool Street ↔ Chingford line)
2 stops from Walthamstow Central Underground (Victoria line)
By Bus:
Routes 275, 212, and W16 stop within a short walk of All Saints Church
By Car:
Plenty of free parking available
No restrictions after 6 p.m. Monday–Saturday, all day Sunday
Connect with Us
Website: highamsparkjazzclub.com
Facebook: facebook.com/highamsparkjazzclub
Instagram: instagram.com/highamsparkjazzclub
X (Twitter): @hpjazzclub
Bluesky: @hpjazzclub.bsky.social
Contact: info@highamsparkjazzclub.com
