Jazz Sabbath is an English jazz trio, with a fictional backstory that they are from the late sixties. The band was created by Adam Wakeman, touring keyboard and guitar player for Black Sabbath (2004–2017, 2025) and Ozzy Osbourne band member (2004–2025). Jazz Sabbath plays jazz renditions of Black Sabbath songs, claiming to be the original writers of those songs and accusing Black Sabbath of plagiarism.
The band first appeared in a mockumentary on YouTube in February 2020. In this short film band leader Milton Keanes (Adam Wakeman) was interviewed by actor Robert Powell about the early days of Jazz Sabbath, their cancelled debut album and the alleged theft of their songs by Black Sabbath. This album was later released as an actual album on 10 April 2020.
Contents
History
The idea for Jazz Sabbath started in 2013 on a night off in Berlin during one of the Black Sabbath tours, when Adam and Sabbath's security guard sat at the hotel bar early in the morning. The security guard asked if Adam could play the Sabbath set on the piano in the bar. Adam thought it would be fun to play the songs as jazz improvised versions and then played until the bar staff wanted to go home.
Discography
Jazz Sabbath (2020)
Released through Blacklake Records on 10 April 2020, the album contains jazz renditions of "Fairies Wear Boots", "Evil Woman", "Rat Salad", "Iron Man", "Hand of Doom", "Changes" and "Children of the Grave".
On the iTunes jazz chart, the album debuted at #4 in the UK, #3 in the US and #1 in Canada.
The album peaked at #14 on the Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart Top 30 and at #25 on the Billboard Jazz Albums Chart.
A mono edition of the album was released only in record stores on Record Store Day Black Friday, 27 November 2020.
This RSD edition is pressed on blue transparent vinyl and includes the bonus track "Iron Man (Live in London 1968)" plus a bonus DVD with the Jazz Sabbath documentary.
The live bonus track was later released on digital/streaming platforms on International Jazz Day, 30 April 2021.
Jazz Sabbath Vol. 2 (2022)
Jazz Sabbath Vol. 2 was released on 22 April 2022.
The album contains jazz renditions of "Paranoid", "Snowblind", "Behind the Wall of Sleep", "Sabbra Cadabra", "Symptom of the Universe", "N.I.B." and "Black Sabbath".
The album entered the iTunes jazz chart at #1 in the UK, the US and Canada and at #6 on the Billboard Jazz Albums Chart.
A mono edition of Vol. 2 was released as part of Record Store Day on 23 April 2022. This edition was pressed on translucent natural vinyl and included the bonus track "Orchid" and a bonus DVD.
Members
In the album liner notes, the band members and session players are only mentioned by their fictional names:
Studio albums
Adam Wakeman (as Milton Keanes) – piano, Rhodes, Moog (as Leighton B'zard) Hammond organ, clavinet, (as Allen Kees) Fender Rhodes, (as Francis Mellie) percussion
Ash Soan (as Juan Také) – drums
Jerry Meehan (as Jacque T'fono) – upright bass albums 1 & 2
Jack Tustin (as Jacque T'fono) – upright bass albums 3
Album session players:
Pete Rinaldi (as Wes Tostrayer) – guitar,
Simon McBride (as Steven Stringer) – guitar
Fraser T. Smith (as Chester Drawes) – guitar
Justin Swadling (as Fenton Breezley) – saxophone, clarinet, (as Loquacious Fellaish) horn arrangements
Jon Spanyol (as Lester Trumpton) – trombone, euphonium
Joe Rodwell (as Elton Spanks-William) – trumpet
Gus G (as Angus Guitaropoulos) – guitar
Richard Barrett (as Arthur Itis and Al Dentay) – guitar
Rupert Fenn (as Newton Abbot) – guitar
Andrew Ross (as Hugh Jampton) – tenor saxophone
George Hogg (as Willy Makit) – trumpet
Live band
Adam Wakeman – piano, keyboards (2022 - now)
Jack Tustin – upright bass (2022 - now)
Jonny Wickham – upright bass (2023 - now)
Dylan Howe – drums (2022)
Arthur Newell – drums (2023 - now)
Tour guests:
Justin Swadling – saxophone
Jon Spanyol – trombone
Gus G – guitar
Rick Wakeman – keyboards
Billy Watman – guitar
Tim Landers – upright bass
Tal Bergman – drums