A brief 'Donut' history...

Since its inception in 2001, The Donut Kings has been ever-present on the Oxford University music circuit. Performing extensively across the city at a variety of functions and events, the band has garnered a reputation for musical excellence and professionalism.

The band was founded with the ambition of establishing itself as a marquee student ensemble. Alongside regular domestic performances, tours to Jersey and Canada were successfully completed in the early 2000s, as The Donut Kings sought to maximise the opportunities available to them as a quality student jazz outfit from Oxford University, which extended to recording albums in 2003, 2008, and 2014.

'The Donut Kings' brand derives from the eponymous tune 'Donut King', composed by Nick Capocci, which was the final track of the band's first album. The reputation acquired under the name, with its 'off-the-wall' charm,  means it is now a household name of the Oxford jazz scene, enabling the band to attract some of the best jazz talent at the university, drawn from a variety of academic disciplines. The group is therefore diverse but cohesive, bonded by musical excellence and enthusiasm. This has led to numerous appearances at prestigious jazz festivals across the world, including Jazz à Vienne, Montreux, and North Sea.

In March 2017, under the musical directorship of Tanzil Rahman (former MD of the UK National Youth Jazz Orchestra), The Donut Kings successfully completed a musical and cultural exchange in Bangladesh, becoming the first big band to visit the country in the process. Subsequently led by professional trumpeter Mikey Ahearn, The Donut Kings toured Lyon and Bilbao in 2019. Subsequent musical directors have included the inimitable Danny Riley and a reappearance of Dr "Goose" Richens.

'Jammin' at the Jericho'

Oxford University Jazz Society

The Oxford Union Ball