Biography

Shakatak, a jazz group with a long career spanning over 40 years, has achieved immense success in the field. The band has released over 50 CDs and DVDs, with most of their extensive back catalogue available worldwide. The band consists of original members Bill Sharpe, Jill Saward, Roger Odell, George Anderson, Keith Winter, Jacqui Hicks, and Debby Bracknell. They have performed at the Cape Town International Jazz festival, Swansea Jazz Festival, Mexico, Jersey, Germany, Holland, Budapest, Kosice, Minsk, and UK dates. In 2015, they performed in Valencia, Spain, and Japan. In 2016, they released "Times & Places" and continued with shows in the UK, Holland, Germany, Kuala Lumpur, and Japan. In 2018, they released "In The Blue Zone" featuring guest appearances by Liane Carroll and Till Bronner. Shakatak planned to celebrate their 40th anniversary with a new single, CD/1 DVD Box Set, and limited edition book, but Covid delayed this until 2022. The band recorded a new album, "Eyes of the World," in 2023, featuring 14 new songs. The band's European tour in 2024 was a success, and shows are booked for 2025.