Dig out your blue suede shoes

The Atlantics are kicking off the new season with their big beat rock ‘n’ roll party, brimming with 1950s retro glamour. The Atlantics will perform at Creswell Social Centre on Thurs 2 Feb (tel. 01909 721558), The Village Hall at Heage on Fri 3 Feb (tel. 01773 853358) and at Uppertown Social Centre on Sat 4 Feb (tel. 01246 590502).

Virtuoso instrumentalist James Stretton will blow your socks off in Brassed Up! when he single-handedly performs almost 20 different brass instruments in the same evening! Accompanied by pianist Iain Jackson, he will take you on a journey from jazz and pop to classical, on the piccolo trumpet to the huge bass tuba. Expect the unexpected at Calver Village Hall on Fri 3 Feb (tel. 01433 630142), St John’s Methodist Church, Hayfield, on Sat 4 Feb (tel. 01663 742872), Thorpe Village Hall on Sat 11 Feb (tel. 01335 350624) and Shardlow Village Hall on Fri 4 May (tel. 01332 792514).

Experience the thundering rhythms of taiko (Japanese) drumming in The Way of the Drum at Quarndon Church Hall, near Derby, on Thurs 8 Mar (tel. 01332 840007) and St John the Baptist Church, Tideswell, on Sat 10 Mar (tel. 01298 871063). It’s physical, it’s theatrical, it’s energetic and it’s performed by members of Mugenkyo, Europe’s only professional touring group of taiko drummers. They explain the history, tell stories, and appear in traditional masks and costumes to perform brilliantly choreographed dances. Mugenkyo usually perform in large venues such as Buxton Opera House and Town Hall, Birmingham, so don’t miss these more intimate performances.

Steve Steinhaus stars in new show Steiny’s Blues – Such Sweet Thunder. The charismatic Chicago-born front man is supported by talented jazz musicians through poetry, gospel songs, singalongs and entertaining stories about the myths and legends of American jazz and blues. You’ll be inspired by Steve’s enthusiasm for music at Calow Community Centre on Sat 11 Feb (tel. 01246 201366), Breadsall Memorial Hall on Fri 16 Mar (tel. 01332 831577), Florence Nightingale Memorial Hall, Holloway, on Thurs 22 Mar (tel. 01773 856545) and Whitwell Community Centre on Sat 24 Mar (tel. 01909 723490).

Kel Elliott is smart and sassy, ballsy but sweet. She’s a singing double bass player fronting an impressive bluesy café-jazz band. Together they perform fresh self-penned songs with catchy melodies and infectious grooves. They also throw in quirky remixes of well-known hits which will go down a storm at Great Longstone Village Hall on Sat 17 Mar (tel. 01629 640943), Hulland Ward & District Millennium Village Hall on Fri 23 Mar (tel. 01335 370629) and Kirk Langley Village Hall on Sat 5 May (tel. 01332 824403).