PRS

P.R.S. are Si Potts on drums, Steve Rodda on guitar and Stray’s co-founder Mat Short on bass guitar.

Together they produce a very tight sound, with excitement and intrigue. The latter tends to come from the fact that the band don’t like to use the ‘R’ word (rehearsal, in case you wondered) and as such, musically they shoot from the hip!

PRS started out as a sort of house band at Newark. Heading up the band is drummer Si Potts. His resume is a name-droppers paradise, playing with artists like Stacey Kent, Jamie Cullum and Digby Fairweather, not to mention his time working as a session drummer for the BBC. He has a massive range of styles at his finger tips,  arguably he’s best playing Latin and swing, but annoyingly capable in any genre.

Steve Rodda plays guitar with PRS. We first met Steve when he introduced us to his long time side man John Illingworth and their guitar duo Double Take at our jazz and tapas nights back in 2010. Massively talented, Steve has been part of the bigger lineup of Nottingham-based Decent Chaps, has played too many festivals to note and has an ongoing project called Trio Des Chordes, accompanied by Double Bass and Violin, playing Gypsy Jazz.

Part three is Stray’s co-owner Mat Short on bass guitars. Mat originally played saxophone under the tutelage of hardcore avant garde proponent Jan Kopinski, followed by jazz theory studies with Trumpeter Nathan Bray. When Mat’s father passed away back in 2015, Mat decided to play the Fender Jazz bass that was left behind by his late dad – he’s since sold his saxophone and has turned to the dark side. Influences are far and wide, from Ellington and Guy Barker, through to the studio work of Hidden Orchestra and of course, the svelte sounds of Steely Dan.

PRS can be seen at Stray’s in Newark, supporting the various headliners there on a Friday night to sell out audiences. They do the same at on a Saturday night at their residency at The Pelican Club, plus regular slots at The Mason’s Arms in Louth and The Bees Knees in Laneham.

No tickets needed for this one, but it’s definitely worth reserving a table if you want to watch them – once they start, the room fills up fast!