By Duncan Eaton

A HAMPSHIRE based swing band will make a welcome return to the Southampton Jazz Club on Tuesday (July 18)

The Manusa Project features the guitars of Chris White and Pete Sheppard, bassist Baz Terraz and exciting jazz accordionist Dan Teper.

Their repertoire includes many of the great jazz standards from the 30s, 40s, and 50s, Bossa Novas and the classic sounds of the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.

Londoner Pete Sheppard picked up one of his father’s guitars when he was about four years old but it was not until he was 13 that he cut his teeth on gypsy style swing.

His musical apprenticeship consisted mainly of playing as a guitar duo with his father, sailing and caravanning around France, busking at cafe bars and restaurants and often learning from gypsies themselves.

Pete is also a classical guitar player and has formed and played with various rock bands ever since his early teens when he also co-authored material for a jazz-funk band,

The evening at The Talking Heads, in the city’s Polygon area, starts at 6.30pm with talented musician Lizzy Bennie.

Launched in 1974, The Southampton Jazz Club is one of the oldest continuously running jazz clubs in the south and for more than 40 years has been staging a superb mix of local, national and international jazz.

The gig will also mark the birthdays of club stalwarts Pam Cotton, members secretary, who is celebrating her 80th and Andy Iles who will be 70. Since taking on the chairmanship in 1979 Andy has had many club roles.