MA BESSIE & THE PIGFOOT BAND

Building on her passion for the Empress of the Blues, Julia Titus formed the band in mid-2015 to share the music of Bessie Smith and her contemporaries with a new generation of listeners. Mixing Julia’s rich, warm vocal sound with a dynamic band that look as well as sound the part, Ma Bessie & her Pig Foot band mix classic blues and jazz tunes from the inter-war years with a selection of original songs and hand-picked covers from the last 50 years of popular music including classics such as ‘Careless Love’, ‘Nobody Knows When You’re Down And Out’ and, of course, ‘Gimme A Pig Foot (And A Bottle Of Beer)’.

Julia Titus – Vocals

Matt Foster – Guitar

Charles Lloyd – Saxophone

Andy Wilkins – Drums

Ma Bessie & her band have been on the road since 2015. They have played at arts centres/theatres up and down the country including London's premier jazz venue "The Hideaway", Wilde Theatre in Bracknell, The Acorn Theatre in Penzance, The Old Town Hall in Hemel Hempstead. There are many bookings in for 2019: The Concorde Club in Eastleigh, Marlow Jazz Club, Plough Arts Centre in Great Torrington, Astor Theatre in Deal, Liverpool Philharmonic and Festival appearances at Port Eliot Festival as well as The Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival 2019 in Colne.