Bill Bruford joins Pete Roth Trio for Guildford Jazz conversation and concert

Legendary prog-jazz drummer Bill Bruford will appear in conversation and perform with the Pete Roth Trio at the University of Surrey Performing Arts Studio on Thursday 30 April 2026, in a Guildford Jazz event billed as “Bill Bruford: In Conversation & the Pete Roth Trio.” The evening pairs a 40-minute Q&A with Guildford Mayor Howard Smith - formerly the drummer of The Vapors - and a full trio set featuring Pete Roth on guitar and Mike Pratt on bass, with Bruford on drums.

Guildford Jazz, the event organiser, lists doors opening at 7.15pm, an 8pm start with a 40-minute Q&A, a short interval, then a 70-minute Pete Roth Trio set closing at 10.00pm. Tickets are priced at £20 general admission and £18 for Guildford Jazz members, with all prices said to include booking fees; there are no physical tickets, so attendees should give their name on the door when they arrive. The event supports the Cheryl King Trust, a bar will be available beforehand and at the interval, and Guildford Jazz notes that “Early booking highly advised.” For enquiries the organiser gives info@guildfordjazz.org.uk.

The Pete Roth Trio’s promotional copy captures the night’s musical promise: “PRT strives for an intimate, relatively unscripted music that thrives in small places and dark corners. Jazz, funk, contemporary classical, Dvořák. Nothing is sacred. It’s not retro. It’s not comfortable. It’s just brilliantly unruly.” Repertoire the trio has been playing includes Roth originals such as “Dancing with Grace,” trio pieces “Group Chat” and “Looking Forward to Looking Back,” and a reworking of Dvořák’s “Largo from Symphony No. 9.” A live sample titled “Pete Roth Trio feat. Bill Bruford - exc. from 'Looking Forward to Looking Back' (60 Live Jazzaldia)” is available via the trio’s online channels.

Poll: will Bill Bruford’s appearance draw Yes and King Crimson fans to the Performing Arts Studio for a night of small-venue improvisation? Vote in our poll on the Guildford Jazz coverage page.

Bill Bruford’s association with the event is listed prominently: he is described as a “legendary prog‑jazz drummer” known for his work with Yes, King Crimson and Earthworks and is named as a Guildford Jazz Patron. Guildford Jazz’s billing reads exactly: “A unique evening with legendary prog‑jazz drummer and Guildford Jazz Patron BILL BRUFORD, in conversation with Guildford Mayor HOWARD SMITH (former drummer of the UK Group The Vapors), followed by a performance from the Pete Roth Trio featuring Bill Bruford on drums, Pete Roth on guitar and Mike Pratt on bass.” The BillBruford site also echoes the trio’s promotional framing and notes that “The package has been entirely re‑designed By Dave McKean and overseen personally by Bill,” a detail tied to recent Bruford releases.

There is a minor timing discrepancy in secondary listings: TheJazzMann shows doors at 19:00 and an event running 20:00 to 22:15, while Guildford Jazz’s organiser schedule gives doors 19:15 and a close at 22:00. For anyone needing precise arrival or press planning, the organiser schedule should be treated as primary and queries can be directed to info@guildfordjazz.org.uk.

This is a rare chance to hear Bruford in an intimate, improvisatory setting with Pete Roth and Mike Pratt at the University of Surrey, and the night will also raise funds for the Cheryl King Trust; tickets are available now and Guildford Jazz reiterates that early booking is highly advised.