The Clark Tracey Quartet

To begin at the beginning: It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black… 

2024 marks the 70th anniversary of Dylan Thomas’s most marvellous verse drama, “Under Milk Wood”: in fact the first stage performance took place at the Théâtre de la Cour Saint-Pierre, Geneva in November 1954. 

To commemorate this auspicious literary anniversary to the month – and for our Stroud Book Festival 2024 finale – we are thrilled to bring you a spellbinding celebration of “Under Milk Wood” in words and music. 

In 1965, jazz pianist Stan Tracey wrote and released “Jazz Suite Inspired by Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood”, played by the Stan Tracey Quartet.  It is often cited as one of the best jazz recordings ever made. 

So we are thrilled to welcome Stan’s son Clark, and his own Clark Tracey Quartet, to perform his father’s celebrated jazz suite. The music will be interspersed with readings from Dylan Thomas’s work by Sharon White and Ben Tracey (Stan Tracey’s grandson) and prefaced by a short in-conversation with Clark about his father’s creative relationship with poets and writers. 

Don’t miss this very special commemorative event.  

Supported by Stroud Arts Festival