After busking together outside the Reject China Shop next to Canterbury Cathedral in 1989, Niall Oates and Stephen Large dragged away from his experimental science projects  the ‘Muppet schoolboy drummer’ Andy Jones to form Ronnie Scott’s Rejects. The band worked for the first year with singer Marina Sanguinetti (who now works with Latino/Salsa bands based in Brighton) and were joined shortly by double bassist singer Jarrod Coombes (also with The Keytones and Hullabaloo). This line-up with ‘Shortly’ Coombes stayed together ’til 1997 having gigged internationally and recorded the album ‘Rare Essentials’.

It wasn’t until 2002 that Niall, Andy and Stephen were to form a new version of RSR including vocalist Hazel Holder and double bassist Lucy Shaw. The band have played at jazz festivals and jazz venues in London, Kent, Sussex and Surrey whilst continuing to play at many UK functions and the occasional European company party/conference. These appearances at various corporate events haven’t stopped the band from penning some original songs that have often been showcased at parties in various European Hotels before finding their way into UK jazz clubs such as the 100 Club and the 606 Club.