Jazz musicians are trumpeting a good cause at a charity gig for the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals.

The organisation runs a number of cafés at the city’s hospitals and the proceeds from the food and drink sold goes towards new hospital equipment.

On Sunday, March 8, several jazz bands will be performing at the Lord Nuffield Club in William Morris Close, Cowley.

The Chicagoans, Alvin Roy’s Reeds Unlimited, and the Royal Garden Jazzmen are on the bill, and other musicians will also be performing.

As well as raising money for the hospitals’ League of Friends, the concert will be a memorial for trumpeter Derek Tatam, from Forest Hill, near Oxford, who died last year.

Carterton-based musician Alvin Roy, 69, said: “Jazz bands play for free at the club most Sundays, but on this occasion we will be asking people to pay £5 and we will hopefully raise hundreds of pounds towards a very good cause.

“As well as the main acts, there will lots of individual musicians playing on the night, so it should be a very good evening of entertainment.

“Derek died following a short illness at the end of last year when he was in his late 60s.

“At his funeral, his family said all donations should go to the John Radcliffe Hospital, so some of the musicians who were there came up with the idea of having a tribute night for Derek and raising money for a good cause at the same time.

“Derek had been part of the local jazz scene for many years and this night will give fellow musicians a chance to remember him.

“I played at concerts with him on many occasions — the jazz scene is a bit like that, we all play in each other’s bands.”

Alicia Goody, one of the managers at the Lord Nuffield Club, said: “We want as many people as possible to come along and raise money for the League of Friends.”

Andrew Bax, a spokesman for the League of Friends in Oxford, said: “We are delighted that jazz musicians in Oxfordshire are coming together to raise funds for us and to pay tribute to fellow musician Derek Tatam.”

affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk