Anyone passing The Priestley's Chapel Street HQ on Sunday afternoon might have wondered what was going on.

The sounds of merry-making, jazz and classical music were rising up from the bar after two in the afternoon as Jazz at The Priestley supporters celebrated their new Yamaha piano.

After eight months of raffles, donations and the sale of specially-produced calendars, the necessary £6,000 was achieved.

The piano is to be called The Keith Jennings Piano after Jazz at The Priestley treasurer Keith Jennings, who donated a substantial four-figure sum.

Bradford Council's Music Development Fund and the Culture, Tourism and Sport department made a generous donation of £1,600, and Jazz Yorkshire £300.

In addition, £750 resulted from the Piano Fund Benefit Concert in August; all the musicians gave their services free.

Two applications to Arts Council England for assistance were rejected. Apparently a piano for a jazz club in Northern England was not deemed of sufficiently high priority.

Jazz at The Priestley chairman is Steve Arloff. He feels that the club can justifiably blow its own trumpet after a series of successful developments in the past six years as well as the piano project.

"I suppose we have about 30 members; but we get more people coming to the monthly Friday night gigs. We were thrilled, we couldn't believe it," he said, referring to the success of the piano campaign.

Does he play?

"I wish I was a musician. In another lifetime perhaps. I love classical but I do love jazz too."

Jazz at The Priestley started in the summer of 2000. "Originally the idea was to help The Priestley in its hour of need with a guaranteed gig and payment for use of the bar," said Steve.

"We started off with a quartet with a local pianist, Dave Skinner, and saxophone player Marc Dungworth. Two Norwegian students at Leeds College of Music provided the rhythm section.

"Since those early days Jazz at The Priestley has showcased a large number of prodigiously talented jazz musicians from Yorkshire and Humberside, with the odd player coming over the Pennines from Manchester and Cheshire and, more rarely, from London.

"Recently, the club has teamed up with Bradford University in programming a teatime gig in the Richmond Atrium on the same day as the gig at The Priestley.

"The idea is to expose the students to music they might not otherwise hear. Getting young people along is an important step in ensuring survival.

"Another idea in the pipeline is a jazz band exchange next autumn with Bradford's twin town of Hamm."

Last Sunday jazz pianist Kevin James and classical pianist Andrew Bedford provided the sounds for the celebration lunch, which included a whole salmon - cooked by Steve.

The Priestley's final Friday night jazz concert of the year takes place on December 14 featuring talented singer Ruby Wood and pianist Piero Tucci, and Bach Reloaded.

Steve Arloff said: "Bach Reloaded is a recently-formed quartet led by the wonderful bass player Jenny Molloy, with Stuart MacDonald on saxes and Chris Sykes on drums.

"They draw their inspiration from Bach, mainly from his two and three-part inventions for keyboard.

"There will then be a jam session with all six musicians sparking off one another in a truly electric way."

  • Doors open at 7.45pm. The music starts at 8.30pm. To book ring the box office on (01274) 820666.