KINGSLEY College performing arts, dance, drama and music students had a taste of jazz poetry when two members of the Dr Teeth Big Band dropped in to show them how it's done.

Lead singer Stephen Steinhaus, also a published poet, trained drama teacher and practitioner, and Jay Moody, professional musician and teacher, joined about 30 students for "Such Sweet Thunder", in a workshop which combined straight jazz, blues, improvisation and poetry to create a potent and creative live experience.

The workshops developed by Stephen and Jay are steeped in the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, the Beat era, original and modern work twinned with traditional and modern jazz and blues music.

The aim was to develop a performance piece culminating in rhymes, couplets and lyrics crackling above a pulsing jazz soundtrack.

A school spokesman said: "Participating students got to perform alongside the Dr Teeth Big Band, opening their evening show at the theatre with one of the pieces created during the day.

"They could then sit back and enjoy an energetic and exciting performance by 'the Teeth', who really showed them how it was done."