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Jazz Gigs & Events

XJAZZ! Festival 2024, various venues, Berlin, Germany.

Dates: Monday, May 06, 2024 - Sunday, May 12, 2024

More details

From Regitze Brobaek via email;


I am reaching out with the announcement of the XJAZZ! Festival 2024, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in May with the most exciting line-up to date. Since its inception in 2014, XJAZZ! has grown into Germany’s premier jazz festival, winning Festival of the Year in 2022 and attracting crowds of around 20,000 from across the globe to Berlin. Perhaps you would be interested in announcing the festival on The Jazz Mann?

 

XJAZZ! Festival 2024 will take place from May 6th to May 12th in Berlin.

 

You can read more about the festival here: https://www.xjazz.net/

 

With over 60 acts, the XJAZZ! 2024 line-up unites a diverse mix of established and emerging talent and marks a proper celebration of 10 years since the festival’s founding. Featuring global jazz icons like Bill Frisell, NNAVY, SHABAKA, and Joe-Armon Jones, alongside local favorites such as Leona Berlin, douniah, and Omer Klein.

 


However, XJAZZ! Festival isn’t just about the music—it’s also a fantastic way to explore Berlin. Taking place in the lively Kreuzberg neighborhood, across both intimate venues and iconic landmarks, XJAZZ! lets attendees experience the city in a whole new way.

Li Harding Band at Mumbles Jazz & Blues, Cu Mumbles, Mumbles, Swansea.

Date: Friday, March 29, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

 

A Bank Holiday special then on Friday March 29th presented by Mumbles Jazz and Blues with the Sassy Jazz/Blues and Gospel sounds of the girl from Tiger Bay


With an all star band led by GARY PHILLIPS (Guitar), DAVE COTTLE (Keys) ALUN VAUGHAN (Bass)  & PAUL SMITH (Drums)


LI HARDING & her Band


Cu Mumbles, 7 Castleton Walk Arcade, Newton Rd, Mumbles, Swansea SA3 4AX
(Please note the venue is CARD ONLY at the BAR!)


https://www.facebook.com/mumblesjazzblues/?locale=en_GB

Joe Webb Trio at Swansea Jazz Club, Cu Mumbles, Mumbles, Swansea.

Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Featuring: Joe Webb

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;


Wednesday 27th March : Joe Webb Trio 8pm


The amazing wizardry on the piano of Joe Webb Music originally from Neath and now playing JAZZ internationally all over the world. He returns to Wales to play the club Wednesday March 27th. Think Art Tatum & Oscar Peterson mixed into one and you have the incredible JOE WEBB!


Cu Mumbles, 7 Castleton Walk Arcade, Newton Rd, Mumbles, Swansea SA3 4AX
(Please note the venue is CARD ONLY at the BAR!)


https://www.swanseajazzland.co.uk/ourtickets/cat_1602293-1-SWANSEA-JAZZ-CLUB-WEEKLY-Cu-Mumbles.html

 

BOOK TICKETS OVER THE PHONE : CALL 07802 912789

Hejira – Celebrating Joni Mitchell at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, June 27, 2024

Featuring: Hejira featuring Hattie Whitehead

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/hejira/


Hejira – Celebrating Joni Mitchell
June 27 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

 


Celebrating the music of Joni Mitchell featuring Hattie Whitehead in a formidable 7-piece band
Hejira is a 7-piece band set up to celebrate and honour the masterpiece works of Joni Mitchell, mostly from the late ‘70s. Having released the albums ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’, ‘Hejira’, ‘Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter’ and ‘Mingus’  (regarded as her ‘jazz period’), Joni then toured briefly with a band formed from the crème de la crème of contemporaneous jazz musicians (Metheny, Mays, Brecker, Pastorius and Alias). The tour was recorded, producing the outstanding live album, ‘Shadows And Light’; it is from this album that the band Hejira is drawing the body of its repertoire. Comprising highly experienced jazz musicians, this band is fronted by the brilliant Hattie Whitehead who not only has – in her own way – assimilated the poise, power and beauty of Joni’s vocals, but also plays guitar with Joni’s stylistic mannerisms. Expect an evening of the ‘great’ songs from Mitchell’s back catalogue, such as ‘Amelia’, ‘Woodstock’, ‘A Case Of You’, ’Song For Sharon’ and ‘Edith And The Kingpin’.


Hattie is joined by Ollie Weston (tenor & soprano saxophones), Chris Eldred (keyboards), Pete Oxley (guitar), Dave Jones (bass), Rick Finlay (drums) and Marc Cecil (percussion)

 

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are ticketless, just show up on the night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach
https://musicspokenhere.club/a-new-approach/

 

VENUE
The Marrs Bar
12 Pierpoint Street
Worcester,
Worcestershire WR1 1TA
Phone
(01905) 613336

 

ORGANISER
Music Spoken Here
Phone
07989745955
Email
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Brandon Allen’s Groove Band at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, June 13, 2024

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/brandon-allens-groove-band/


Brandon Allen’s Groove Band
June 13 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

 

Groove, funk & fusion from a saxophone heavyweight at the height of his powers
We are delighted to welcome Australian/UK saxophonist and composer Brandon Allen to The Marr’s Bar with his Groove Band for an evening of groove, funk & fusion influenced by Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Harris, John Scofield, Tom Scott, David Sanborn and The Brecker Brothers.


Allen, who also heads up the Brandon Allen Quartet / Sextet and The Stanley Turrentine Project, has toured Internationally with the Kyle Eastwood band and performed with Eric Clapton, Paloma Faith, Omar Lyefook, Gary Husband, Adam Nussbaum, Stefano Di Battista, Ibrahim Maalouf and numerous others.

 

This relatively new band, which has already enjoyed two sold-out shows at Ronnie Scott’s, has an equally impressive collective CV. The lineup features Mike Outram (Carleen Anderson, Tim Garland, Chick Corea, Steven Wilson, Herbie Mann) on guitar, Hamish Balfour (Harvey Mason, Yolanda Charles’ Project PH, Tenderlonious, Odyssey, Faze Action, Bassically) on keys, Chris Attwell (Valmuz) on bass and Jamie Murray (Gary Husband, Emma Rawicz, David Preston, Emily Francis).


TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are ticketless, just show up on the night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach
https://musicspokenhere.club/a-new-approach/


VENUE
The Marrs Bar
12 Pierpoint Street
Worcester,
Worcestershire WR1 1TA
Phone
(01905) 613336


ORGANISER
Music Spoken Here
Phone
07989745955
Email
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Hugh Harris Orchestra, fundraising event at St. Peter’s Church, De Beauvoir Town,  London.

Date: Saturday, April 13, 2024

More details

We have received the following press release regarding this event;


HUGH HARRIS & 12-PIECE SWING ORCHESTRA HOST LIVE MUSIC EVENT TO RAISE FUNDS FOR LOCAL CHURCH

 


SATURDAY APRIL 13TH, ST. PETER’S CHURCH, DE BEAUVOIR TOWN, LONDON

 

Hugh Harris today announces an evening of live music and dance featuring a 12-piece swing orchestra at St. Peter’s Church, De Beauvoir Town, taking place on Saturday April 13th at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased here.

 


As the guitarist of renowned indie band The Kooks, Harris’s swing curated night will feature a selection of songs from his band’s back catalogue, alongside his own solo material, swing classics and an original swing composition. There will also be surprise special guest appearances on the night.

 


Big band music has long been a passion for Harris. When he’s not out touring the world, he has found the time to play with various renowned jazz musicians in London and record a solo album in Havana, Cuba. He also has fond family memories of the genre, stretching back to his grandfather who would fly to New York to watch his favourite jazz drummer Gene Krupa whilst stationed in Canada during World War II.

 


With his soulful voice and mesmerising musical skill, Harris and his orchestra promise to take the audience on a musical journey they won’t forget.

 


All proceeds from the event will help to support St. Peter’s Church, which has served its local community in Hackney since 1841. St. Peter’s relies almost entirely on donations and the small amount of income it can raise to fund all of its outreach programmes, including its warm hub and parish nurse. As such, funds raised from the one-off music event will allow them to continue providing support to its local community, maintain the historic building and fund new programmes and initiatives.

 


Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enjoy live music and make a difference. Join Hugh Harris and his 12-piece swing orchestra at St. Peter’s Church, De Beauvoir Town on Saturday April 13th at 7:30pm.

 


Tickets can be purchased here;
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hugh-harris-and-his-swing-orchestra-live-tickets-785006083327

Alex Garnett Trio at Jazz on the Plaza Café Yukari, Kew, London.

Date: Sunday, April 28, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;


Sunday 28 April 7.30pm
Jazz on the Plaza
Café Yukari, Kew

 

Alex Garnett - Saxophone
Terence Collie - Piano
Stuart Barker - Double Bass
£16 in advance, £18 on the door


Making his Jazz on the Plaza debut is the wonderful saxophonist Alex Garnett, for many years a leading voice on the London Jazz Scene!

 

Mood Indigo Events are run by Kingston based vocalist Janet McCunn and Hampton based pianist Terence Collie combining their efforts to bring great jazz music to SW London and beyond. This is all done without any funding and is reliant solely on your continued support in attendance at our events.


http://www.moodindigoevents.co.uk

 

Neighbourhood Café Yukari
110 North Road
Kew,
Richmond,
TW9 4HJ.

Edison Herbert Quartet, ‘Celebrating Grant Green’ at Mood Indigo Events, Riverside Arts Centre, Sunbury on Thames.

Date: Sunday, April 07, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

Sunday 7 April 8pm
Riverside Arts Centre, 59 Thames Street, Sunbury


Edison Herbert - Guitar
Terence Collie - Piano
Richard Sadler - Double Bass
Gaetano Di Giacomo - Drums
£16 online/£20 on the door


An exciting night celebrating the American jazz guitarist Grant Green. He was “a severely underrated player during his lifetime, Grant Green is one of the great unsung heroes of jazz guitar…Green’s playing is immediately recognisable - perhaps more than any other guitarist” - Michael Erlewine, Critic.


Leeds based guitarist Edison Herbert fronts this quartet curating two wonderful sets to pay tribute to the great man!

 

Mood Indigo Events are run by Kingston based vocalist Janet McCunn and Hampton based pianist Terence Collie combining their efforts to bring great jazz music to SW London and beyond. This is all done without any funding and is reliant solely on your continued support in attendance at our events.

 

http://www.moodindigoevents.co.uk

Iain Ballamy Quartet / IBQT at Kenilworth Jazz Club, Kenilworth Rugby Club, Kenilworth, Warwickshire.

Date: Monday, April 08, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;


Iain Ballamy Quartet / IBQT - Monday 8th April 2024


Iain Ballamy - Tenor saxophone / compositions
Rebecca Nash - piano
Nick Pini - double bass
Jeremy Stacey - drums

 

KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Monday 8th April, 2024 (please note this is the second Monday in April due to the Easter Monday bank holiday)
Door time: 7:30pm, Start time: 8:00pm
Tickets: £12.00, Students £6.00 available on the door or online at https://www.wegottickets.com/event/610649  (plus 10% booking fee)
(This event is supported by Jazz Midlands)

 

Listed between Chet Baker and Count Basie in Geoffrey Smith’s BBC publication ‘100 Jazz Greats’, Ballamy has a rare and beautiful sound on the tenor saxophone, both captivating and instantly recognisable.

 

Since emerging in the early 80’s with Loose Tubes, Django Bates and Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, he has established himself as a player and composer of note on the world’s jazz stages and more recently as a contemporary classical soloist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and BBC Philharmonic Orchestras.

 

His remarkable new quartet IBQT features the unique rising star pianist Rebecca Nash, superb bassist Nick Pini and the internationally renowned drummer Jeremy Stacey.

 

Ballamy’s concert repertoire covers a great range and his program will include past and present original works plus some unexpected re-workings of some classic songs that inspired his musical journey.

 

Ballamy is a professor of saxophone at the Guildhall school of music and Royal Academy of music and a recording artist for ECM records.

 

http://www.ballamy.com


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iain_Ballamy

 

KENILWORTH JAZZ CLUB
KENILWORTH: RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
GLASSHOUSE LANE
KENILWORTH
CV8 2AJ

 

Branco Stoysin, guitar recital at Bell House, Dulwich, London (part of Dulwich Festival).

Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Featuring: Branco Stoysin

More details

Branco Stoysin writes;


Tuesday, 14th May 2024, Dulwich Festival, at BELL HOUSE, DULWICH, 27 College Rd, LONDON SE21 7BG. 7:30pm, £15.
*** With the magical finale of recital, with video screening of Branco’s three natural world music/video projects ***


In line with this year’s Artist’s Open House theme at Bell House, The Tipping Point, Branco, and his art-music, will address the most pressing issue about the health of Mama Earth and Nature, and the steady vanishing of the true art-music from the mainstream scene.


INFO: https://www.bellhouse.co.uk/events/2024/5/14/brancos-sunny-side-of-guitar 


BOOKING: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/bellhouse/1195714


From;
https://www.bellhouse.co.uk/events/2024/5/14/brancos-sunny-side-of-guitar

 

Branco’s Sunny side of guitar - The Tipping Point
Tuesday, 14 May 2024
19:30 21:30

 


Dulwich based for 30 years, art-music creator, Branco Stoysin’s Sunny side of guitar meets the beautiful natural world in a harmonious synergy. He ­­would be promoting his new CD album, Whispers From The Sun, as his creative motto has always been: and whispers from the Sun flow into the music. You will not only hear the music but see it, music that will replenish your heart, soul and ears; a solo-guitar recital that sounds at least as a duet. For a magical finale, Branco will perform live alongside the screening of his three special music/video projects of the beautiful natural world. This needs to be seen and heard to be believed. Not to be missed. As this year’s theme at Bell House is The Tipping Point, Branco, and his art-music, will address the most pressing issue about the health of Mama Earth and Nature, and also about the steady vanishing of the true art-music from the mainstream, and consequently, disappearing of those who create such art would be inevitable… Is this the world we want for our offspring?


Whispers From the Sun album marks 40 years of music making and the 25th anniversary of Branco’s Sun Recordings label that has produced nine acclaimed CD albums, a live DVD and two music books.

 

About the Performer;


Born in the former Yugoslavia in the university town of Novia Said, now in modern day Serbia, Branco Stoysin is a skilled acoustic guitarist and composer who is inspired by the folk music of his homeland. 


Branco has performed at many top venues, including The National Theatre foyer, Royal Albert Hall – Ignite, and the London Jazz Festival. He has appeared on Sky TV Arts World, BBC Radio 3’s In Tune programme and has been a favourite on Sarah Ward’s show on Jazz FM.


He is a qualified teacher of Goldsmiths College, where he taught the guitar for 13 years, and has taught the jazz guitar at City Lit College in London, for 10 years.


Check Branco’s Sun-lit website at: https://www.brancostoysin.co.uk/


A few quotes about the new album:


‘All of the Stoysin hallmarks are here, gorgeous folk inspired melodies, skilful but unhurried playing, a pristine recorded sound and an obvious love of both humanity and nature. At a superficial level it’s pretty and relaxing but this is music that reveals so much more, hidden just below the decorous surface’ Ian Mann - The Jazz Mann


‘A musical journey to warm the soul’ Sarah Ward - Jazz FM


‘Music of great delicacy and charm’ Chris Parker


‘A master craftsman at work’ Ian Mann


‘Truly beautiful, impressive compositions’ Sam Wise, Acoustic


Tickets are £15 per person

 

Hannah Horton Quartet, album launch at Toulouse Lautrec Jazz Club, Kennington, London.

Date: Friday, April 26, 2024

Featuring: Hannah Horton

More details

From;
https://toulouselautrec.co.uk/etn/hannah-horton-album-launch-uk-jazz-sax-star/


Hannah Horton Album Launch: UK Jazz Sax Star


Fri, 26th Apr – EARLY & LATE SHOW
Early Show: Doors 6pm | Show 7pm – 8:10pm
Late Show: Doors 8:45pm | Show 9:30pm – 10:40pm

 

“Bold and gritty playing” – Jazzwise



“Hannah Horton is turning heads” – BBC Music Magazine ★★★★



“There’s a deeper dimension to her art” – BBC Music Magazine ★★★★



“Hannah is real. She is authentic. She is an artist who draws you in, engages you, inspires you and captivates you” – Jazz in Europe
Hannah Horton, the award-winning UK jazz sensation, is set to launch her highly anticipated album “Live In Soho” at Toulouse Lautrec. Renowned for her melodic prowess, Hannah is not only a visionary jazz saxophonist and composer but also draws inspiration from folk and funk music. Her unique blend of genres promises an unforgettable musical experience.


Accompanied by her quartet, Hannah will treat the audience to tracks from “Live In Soho,” offering a glimpse into her soulful melodies and inventive compositions. Additionally, attendees can look forward to hearing new, unreleased tracks, as well as iconic songs that hold special significance to her.

 

Toulouse Lautrec Jazz Club
140 Newington Butts, Kennington, London SE11 4RN
Hannah Horton’s musical journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Having graced sold-out stages at the London Jazz Festival and collaborated with luminaries such as Amy Winehouse, Ian Shaw, Natalie Williams, and John Etheridge, she has firmly established herself as a formidable presence in the jazz scene.

 

Line Up
Hannah Horton – Baritone and Tenor sax
Sam Leak – Piano
Rob Statham – Electric Bass
Steve Taylor – Drums

Trio HLK with Evelyn Glennie at Hall One, Lings Place, London.

Date: Friday, June 14, 2024

More details

From;
https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/jazz/evelyn-glennie-and-trio-hlk/


Evelyn Glennie and Trio HLK
Anthropometricks
Scotland Unwrapped


Join Evelyn Glennie and Trio HLK in Hall One as they showcase their enthralling new album Anthropometricks.
Since forming a quartet with legendary percussionist Evelyn Glennie, Trio HLK have forged a unique new musical language, bringing together contemporary classical and jazz and performed to sold-out halls all over Europe. In this concert for Scotland Unwrapped, they will introduce their electrifying new album Anthropometricks.

 

‘True innovators’ Gramophone Magazine

 

This event will last approximately 2 hours, including an interval.

 

Date: Fri 14 Jun
Start time: 8pm (Doors: 7.30pm)
Venue: Hall One
Price: £20.00-£42.00
+ 10% booking fee.
Availability: Tickets available


https://www.evelyn.co.uk/


https://www.triohlk.com/

Jasper Hoiby’s 3Elements Trio at The Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston, London.

Date: Thursday, May 30, 2024

Featuring: Jasper Hoiby

Venue

The Vortex Jazz Club

11 Gillett Square,
London N16 8AZ

More details

From;
https://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/event/jasper-hoibys-3elements-trio/

 

 


JASPER HOIBY’S 3ELEMENTS TRIO
THU 30 MAY 2024, 7.30PM
Standard £15 / Vortex Members £13 / Students & UC beneficiaries £12

 

 


Doors 7:30 PM, Music 8:00 PM – 1 set(s) of music


LINE-UP:
Jasper Høiby – Bass
Jamie Peet – Drums
Chaerin Im – Piano


ABOUT
As the founding member of Phronesis, one of the most talked about and acclaimed European bands during the last decade, Jasper Høiby now returns with his new piano trio 3Elements. With a melodic and bold sound of visceral and kinetic musical interplay and featuring a revolving line-up of some of Europe’s best young talent, his latest release ‘Like Water’ features piano prodigy Chaerin Im from South Korea and Jamie Peet, a uniquely eclectic drummer from the Netherlands.
Since creating his first band in 2005, Copenhagen-born London based bassist Jasper Høiby has gained recognition for his fresh and dynamic approach to jazz, blending intricate compositions with spontaneous improvisation. With Høiby’s bass playing at the forefront, he has released a string of highly acclaimed albums and toured extensively around the globe, captivating audiences with his various groups which include Phronesis, Fellow Creatures and Planet B. His music transcends genres, combining elements of contemporary jazz and European folky influences with cutting edge improvisation.
Since 2010, Jasper Høiby has emerged as a pivotal artist within Edition Records, choosing the label as the exclusive home for all his musical releases. His collaborations span across a spectrum of the jazz scene’s luminaries including Tigran Hamasyan, Jason Lindner, Jeff Ballard, Shai Maestro, Mark Guiliana, Verneri Pohjola, Marius Neset, Django Bates, Sun Mi Hong, Miquel Zenón, Louis Cole, Makaya McCraven, Ben Lamar Gay, Wolfgang Muthspiel and Kit Downes. He has appeared at jazz clubs, concert halls and festivals across the world and in 2012 won the Copenhagen Jazz Festival’s ‘Young Spirit Award’ alongside honorary award winners Jack DeJohnette and Palle Mikkelborg.

 

“The brilliant bass player, Jasper Høiby, outstanding music”
– GILLES PETERSON

 

“Høiby fashions his pieces so the lines between freedom and form are beautifully blurred, the music flows as a tumultuous organic whole –
everything belongs, nothing is forced.”
– MOJO

 

“The intricate, information-dense linear arrangements and tightly plotted rhythm tracks that characterised Phronesis are here relaxed so that the music is allowed to flow and breathe.” – Editors Choice, JAZZWISE ****


“3 Elements” offers an uncompromising and robust sound palette, which recalls the groove of Phronesis while being distinguished by the richness of the charismatic and unique sound of Høiby’s bass.
– RADIO FRANCE

 

“3Elements” offers a compelling, uncompromising, and robust sonic palette reminiscent of the groove-centric Phronesis, whilst being enriched by Høiby’s unmistakably charismatic bass sound.
– UKVibe *****

 

Keith Little Trio & Jane Williams at Brecon Jazz Club, The Muse Arts Centre, Brecon.

Date: Tuesday, April 09, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;


Brecon Jazz Club presents
APRIL JAZZ on TUES 9th APRIL
Keith Little Trio & Jane Williams vocals
Starts 8pm @ the Muse (doors 7.30pm)


Top Swing Era Sounds from Outstanding Jazzers
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/breconjazz-jazzlivecymru/t-avkveeg


Acclaimed jazz name ‘Keith Little’ brings a top lineup to April’s Jazz Club. Expect a wonderful evening of fantastic ‘Swing’ era music plus the lovely jazz voice of Jane Williams. The Trio features truly outstanding musicians:
Keith Little (piano/keys)
Gethin Liddington (trumpet)
Bill Lynn* (bass)
and Jane Williams (vocals)


The best in jazz sounds of the 1930s and 1940s music from Benny Goodman, Count Basie & ‘Fats’ Waller - and more. Classic melodic Jazz at its very best. 
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/breconjazz-jazzlivecymru/t-avkveeg

 

What sounds and fun we’ve been having at BJC - so thank you to all of you who turned out for the tremendous night of the ‘Starlings’ powerhouse in March, the jazz jam and fab February’s Deborah Glenister Quartet. If you value your health, choose Brecon Jazz Club, full of goodness! If you value your wealth, choose Advance tickets @ £12.50 (£15 on the night) with Young Person & flexi PWYC:
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/breconjazz-jazzlivecymru/t-avkveeg


Upcoming BJC diary dates: Tues 14 May (Huw Warren/Tori Freestone Quartet), Tues 11 June Jack Mac & Friends. Plus advance info for: Thurs 13th June, Brecon Student & NPTC College ‘Taster Day’ for Brecon Jazz Festival 2024 - outdoor venue - with extra special ‘Big Band’ and more. Details soon.


BRECON JAZZ CLUB
http://www.breconjazz.org


BRECON JAZZ CLUB · MUSE ARTS CENTRE · Glamorgan St. · Brecon, LD3 7DW ·

Denny Ilett & The Chris Ingham Trio at Guildford Jazz, Guildford Cricket Pavilion, Guildford, Surrey.

Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024

More details

From Martin Collins of Guildford Jazz;


Thursday 18th April: Jazz at the Cricket Pavilion - Denny Ilett & The Chris Ingham Trio
Remarkably versatile guitarist/singer, encompassing swing, bebop, blues, rock and everything between, Denny is equally acclaimed for his thrilling guitar playing, smooth vocalising and appearances at Ronnie Scott’s fronting his jazz salute to Jimi Hendrix with the Electric Lady Big Band.
“A knock-out player… soulful and jazz-tinged” Guitarist
“Comprehensive mastery of the guitar” The Whitman Review
With Chris Ingham on piano, George Double on drums and Marianne WIndham on bass.
Food and drinks from 19.15 Jazz from 20:00 to 22:15 at Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Road, GU1 4RP.
Tickets £20 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/

Jim Mullen Organ Trio at Guildford Jazz, The Stoke Pub, Guildford, Surrey.

Date: Friday, April 12, 2024

Featuring: Jim Mullen Organ Trio

More details

From Martin Collins of Guildford Jazz;


Friday 12th April: Jazz at the Stoke – Jim Mullen Organ Trio
Jim Mullen is widely regarded as one of the finest jazz guitarists in Europe. He made his name playing with a number of bands through the 70’s and 80’s including Brian Auger’s “Oblivion Express”, and his own highly acclaimed band “Morrissey-Mullen”. The band he leads this evening features the classic organ trio format with Ross Stanley on organ and Tristan Maillot on drums, performing a set of originals and jazz standards.
“One of the great Jazz guitarists working today”
Jazzwise;
“World Class” Guardian; “
Doors open 7.15 pm, Jazz from 8.00pm at The Stoke, 103 Stoke Road, Guildford, GU1 4JN
Tickets £18 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/

Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis Quartet at Guildford Jazz, Guildford Cricket Pavilion, Guildford, Surrey.

Date: Wednesday, April 03, 2024

More details

From Martin Collins of Guildford Jazz;


Wednesday 3rd April: Jazz at the Cricket Pavilion - Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis: “Feels Like Home”
Vasilis Xenopoulos and Paul Edis began playing together 20 years ago. In the intervening years they’ve played numerous gigs together, releasing their first album, A Narrow Escape, in 2016 to critical acclaim. Their latest recording ‘Feels Like Home’ features original music inspired by the many places they’ve called home over the years. Released on April 19th on the Ubuntu label.
Vasilis Xenopoulos – tenor saxophone, Paul Edis – piano with Joel Barford on drums, Marianne Windham on bass
Food and drinks from 19.15 Jazz from 20:00 to 22:15 at Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Road, GU1 4RP.
Tickets £20 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/

 

CMS Improvisers Orchestra in Celebration of Karl Berger’s Birthday at Handbell Studio, Kingston, New York, USA.

Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;


CMS Improvisers Orchestra in Celebration of Karl Berger’s Birthday on March 31st in Kingston, NY


Join us at Handbell Studio in celebration of Karl Berger’s Birthday

 


In honor of Karl Berger, Peter Apfelbaum leads the Creative Music Studio Improvisers Orchestra featuring vocalist Ingrid Sertso. Audience is invited to the open rehearsal from 3-4pm, performance to follow from 4-5pm.

 

Peter Apfelbaum - conductor, tenor sax, piano • Ingrid Sertso - voice and poetry
Billy Martin - conductor, percussion •  Chuck Ver Straeten - voice and poetry
Charlie Burnham - violin • gabby fluke-mogul - violin • Kirk Knuffke - cornet
Chris Pasin - trumpet • Bob Selcoe - trumpet • Bill Horberg - flutes
Elsa Nillson - flutes • Steve Gorn - bansuri flute, clarinet • Sylvain Leroux, Fula flute, flute, qromatica • Ilene Marder - flutes • Donnie Davis - alto sax
Jessica Jones - tenor sax • Tony Jones - tenor sax • Bill Ylitalo - baritone sax
Brittany Anjou - vibraphone, piano Stuart Leigh - guitar • Mike Gassmann - guitar Michael Bisio - bass • Ken Filiano - bass • Tani Tabbal - drums
Joakim Lartey - percussion • Hollis Headrick - percussion • Savia Berger - dance

 

 


Handbell Studio at The Shirt Factory
77 Cornell Street Unit #118 Kingston, NY 12401


Tickets here;
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cms-improvisers-orchestra-celebrating-karl-bergers-birthday-tickets-858243297807?

Petersfield Jazz Festival at Churcher’s College, Ramshill, Petersfield, Hampshire.

Date: Saturday, June 01, 2024

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

Colin Clark of Petersfield Jazz Festival writes;

This will be the first Petersfield Jazz Festival and will be held on 1st June in the grounds of Churcher’s College, Petersfield under a large marquee for an audience of around 400.


There will be eight bands, the headliners being Stefan Redtenbacher’s Funkestra playing their homage to Joni Mitchell. We also have The Full Circle Quartet, Emily Windham featuring Nicolas Meier, Pete Roth Trio, Sam Walker and Anton Browne and Sarah Jane Eveleigh.


Our website is :
http://www.petersfieldjazzfest.com


Churcher’s College,
Ramshill,
Petersfield
GU31 4AS

 

Ben Carter Quintet at Corn Exchange Jazz Club, The Corn Exchange, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire.

Date: Thursday, May 16, 2024

More details

From;
https://www.rosscornexchange.co.uk/events-one/jazz-club-with-the-ben-carter-quintet

Jazz Club with the Ben Carter Quintet
Thursday, May 16, 2024
7:30 PM 9:30 PM


Ben Carter Quintet
Ben Carter, a saxophonist and composer hailing from Birmingham, leads a modern jazz quintet consisting of skilled young musicians. Drawing inspiration from legendary saxophonists, the group is dedicated to infusing Birmingham’s jazz scene with a dynamic and refreshing vibe through their lively performances. Secure your tickets today to experience the captivating sounds of the Ben Carter Quintet!


Corn Exchange
8 High St, Ross-on-Wye HR9 5HL.

Gypsy Jazz Festival of London 2024, various venues, London.

Dates: Monday, May 06, 2024 - Sunday, May 12, 2024

More details

We have received the following press release;


After the resounding success of its inaugural event in 2022 and a triumphant follow-up in 2023, the Gypsy Jazz Festival of London is set to make its much-anticipated return this spring. With seven nights of performances from May 6th to May 12th, music enthusiasts across the capital are invited to immerse themselves in the infectious rhythms and timeless melodies of the too often overlooked genre.

 

Supported once again by a generous grant from Arts Council England, GJFL is the brainchild of violinist and producer Tobie Medland and takes place this year at The Vortex Jazz Club, LSO St Lukes, Pizza Express Live Chelsea, World Heartbeat Auditorium, Toulouse Lautrec Jazz Club, and Crazy Coq’s Soho with a line-up of internationally renowned musicians representing the finest the genre has to offer.

 

Celebrated violinist/vocalist Seonaid Aitken opens the festival on May 6th with her Scottish Jazz Award winning quartet Rose Room, sharing their love for Swing and the famous Reinhardt/Grappelli sound with audiences at Crazy Coq’s, Soho.

 

Considered by many to be the greatest performer of the style since Django Reinhardt himself, guitarist Stochelo Rosenberg will be sharing the LSO St. Luke’s stage on Saturday the 11th with his long-time collaborator Paulus Schäfer and his quartet.

 

Known for his duo recordings and performances Gypsy Jazz guitar legend Bireli Lagrene, as well as international titans of music Steve Gadd and Richard Bona, French guitarist Sylvain Luc and his trio are set to deliver an intimate show at the Vortex Jazz Club on Thursday the 9th.

 

Closing out the festival on May 12th at Pizza Express Live The Pheasantry in Chelsea is the Adrien Moignard/Daniel John Martin Quartet, featuring four of the world’s highest acclaimed Gypsy Jazz musicians, promising an evening of unparalleled virtuosity and creative flair.

 

Commenting on this year’s festival, organiser and violinist Tobie Medland remarked, “The Gypsy Jazz Festival of London celebrates the enduring legacy and vibrant evolution of Gypsy Jazz. We are thrilled to present such an exceptional lineup of musicians who continue to push the boundaries of this beloved genre.”

 

Gypsy jazz may have been born in Paris back in the 1930s with artists like Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, but its high energy, sophisticated style and virtuosic demands has kept its popularity with audiences and musicians alike.

 

As jazz fans around the world know all too well, the much talked-about London scene is in rude health. GJFL aims not just to entertain those existing converts of the style, but to show the wider community how gypsy jazz is still evolving and sounding fresh a century later.

 


About Tobie Medland (Founder)
Tobie is a violinist, composer and producer from South East London. Starting out as a busker in the North of England, they now balance a busy performing career with his work directing both the Gypsy Jazz Festival of London and Future Fable Records.
As a producer (and often player too) Tobie has worked with some of the world’s foremost jazz musicians, including John Etheridge, Ian Shaw, Mozes Rosenberg, Fapy Lafertin and Antoine Boyer.

 


A Note on The Term “Gypsy Jazz”
Some people may worry that the word Gypsy is a slur. Though the word has its origins in a mishearing, was and is used occasionally as a slur (as well as a crass instagram adjective), and the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities continue to suffer persecution in many forms and in many places, context is everything.
In this context, Gypsy is not a slur. It is the term preferred by the Sinti people of Central Europe for Gadji and non-Romanes speaking people to use. This is mainly because it avoids confusion, particularly with regards to misnaming diverse groups of people - Sinti are not Roma, for example, though both are Romani.
It’s complicated,  possibly imperfect but we’re always ready should the weather change.

 

Full schedule


Monday 6th May Crazy Coq’s, Soho, -  Seonaid Aitken’s ‘Rose Room’
“The hottest ticket in Scotland right now!” – JAZZ SCOTLAND
“Classy, very accomplished” - THE HERALD
“As close to the sound of the great Stephane Grappelli as I think you’re going to hear in Scotland” – BBC RADIO SCOTLAND
“Rose Room swing harder than an elm tree in a force nine English gale…” - SHETLAND NEWS
Scottish Jazz Award-winners Rose Room has become one of Scotland’s leading ensembles influenced by the Gypsy Jazz genre.
Sharing a love of Swing music and the style of the great Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, their “vigorous and vivacious” performances go “down a storm” with any audience as they serve up their 1930s ‘Hot Club’ standards, Gypsy Jazz favourites and self-penned originals with virtuosity, verve and panache recreating the excitement of Rive Gauche Paris.
Based in Glasgow, the quartet is fronted by award-winning violinist and “sophisticated songstress” Seonaid Aitken, who was voted Scottish Jazz Awards ‘Best Vocalist’ in 2017 & 2018 and also played with the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, the Tim Kliphuis Sextet and is the presenter of BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘Jazz Nights’. Scotland’s No.1 guitar maker, Jimmy Moon of ‘Moon Guitars’, features on double bass with Celtic Connections’ Danny Kyle Award-winners ‘Swing Guitars’ Tam Gallagher and Tom Watson on rhythm and solo guitars, respectively.
With three albums recorded to date – ‘The High Life’ (2015), ‘Am I Blue’ (2013) and ‘Somewhere In Roseland’ (2011) – Rose Room has headlined at all of the major Scottish jazz festivals, appeared at the celebrated Shetland Folk Festival, and toured Ireland performing at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. Their collaboration with top Scottish saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski and ‘string quartet to the stars’, the Capella String Quartet, led to the formation of ‘Rose Room Orchestra Fantastique’ – a 9-piece ensemble which celebrates the vintage sound of the 1930s.
Rose Room were delighted to have been voted ‘Best Band’ in the Scottish Jazz Awards 2018, having been finalists in the previous two Scottish Jazz Awards, and are frequently played on BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘The Jazz House’ and Jazz FM. They have performed with world-famous virtuoso jazz guitarist Martin Taylor, German Gypsy Jazz star Joscho Stephan and they are involved in teaching and fundraising for The Clutha Trust charity. Two of Rose Room’s tracks are also featured on The Clutha Sessions charity CD.


Tuesday 7th Lautrec Jazz Club, Kennington - John Wheatcroft Trio Toulouse
“Varied and beautiful, Ensemble Futur is a delight the ears (*****)” – Guitar Techniques Magazine
“that wonderful thing, […] a series of virtuoso performances but it’s all about the vibe and the whole” – Ed O’Brien (Radiohead)
“As a guitarist, [John] possesses extraordinary virtuosity.” – International Guitar Foundation
John Wheatcroft leads a busy double-life as an artist and an educator. He has performed with artists as diverse as Billy Cobham (Miles Davis), Alex Acuña, John Williams, Frank Gambale (Chick Corea), Paco Peña, Biréli Lagrène, Stochelo Rosenberg, Angelo Debarre, Paulus Schäfer, Mozes Rosenberg, Mike Clark and Bill Summers (The Headhunters), Carl Verheyen (Supertramp), Ralph Salmins, Paul Elliott, Keith Carlock and Laurence Cottle. John has toured the world with both Carl Palmer (ELP) and John Jorgenson (Elton John/ Hellecasters) and he is a regular contributor to Guitar Techniques UK, along with contributing numerous lessons for Guitarist UK, Guitar Part (France) and Guitar World (USA).
The impressive roster of top names John has played with is a testament to his impeccable technique, imaginative solos and advanced knowledge in a variety of genres. John writes and performs enchanting music which seamlessly integrates the sound and approach of modern jazz with the timeless Franco-American swing of the legendary Django Reinhardt, producing a sound that is both rooted in the traditions of the genre and vital, forward thinking and highly original.


Wednesday 8th Pizza Express Live The Pheasantry, Chelsea - Gismo Graf Trio + Matt Holborn/Kallai Janos Trio
“Gismo is definitely in the top league of the guitarists.” – Akustik Gitarre
“Every concert is a highlight” - Stuttgarter Wochenblatt
Gismo Graf, one of the fastest rising stars of Gypsy Jazz, brings his stellar German trio to perform at the annual ‘Gypsy Jazz Festival of London’. Over the last few years Gismo has seen a meteoric rise in notoriety and has been regularly touring across the world to play at top clubs and jazz festivals. Notable appearances include at the world famous ‘Festival Django Reinhardt’ in France, Porgy and Bess Vienna and Stockholm Jazz Festival. Gismo also regularly plays with some of the worlds most respected jazz musicians, including Stochelo Rosenberg and Tim Kliphuis.
Gismo’s trio is made up of his father and mentor Joschi Graf on Rhythm Guitar. Joschi provides a masterful accompaniment, and a rock solid ‘La Pompe’ (the name of the Rhythmic style employed in Gypsy Jazz.) Joel Locher is on Double Bass. Together they have released several albums.
Supporting Gismo and his trio is local violin legend Matt Holborn in trio with virtuosic cymbalom player Kallai Janos. They perform exquisite, colourful, authentic Eastern European traditional music, and swing.


Thursday 9th Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston - Sylvain Luc Trio
“A phenomenal technician with a very fertile imagination and an assured sense of swing” – Jazz Times
“his technical skills are astounding” – Los Angeles Times
” his music touches me deeply” – Allan Holdsworth
Sylvain Luc is a musician synonymous with the French jazz scene. Since moving to Paris in the late 1980’s, after studying at the Bayonne Conservatory, he has released a series of highly acclaimed albums, and worked with incredibly well known musicians including Wynton Marsalis, Steve Gadd, Elvin Jones, Dee Dee Bridgewater, John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham and Richard Bona. Winner of the 2010 SACEM Jazz Musician of the Year, Sylvain is a hugely eclectic performer, with music which draws inspiration from the music of Brazil, Django Reinhardt, modern jazz and his own creative composition style. Sylvain has performed internationally all over the US and Canada, South America and Europe. In 2010 he performed alongside the legendary Michel Legrand in Legrand’s 50th anniversary concert.
The trio features Nicolas Viccaro on drums. Nicolas has played and recorded with a series of a-list jazz musicians including Bill Evans, Mike Sterna and Seamus Blake. On bass is Swaeli Mbappé. A rapidly rising star, Swaeli has collaborated with artists such as Jean-Luc Ponty and China Moses, and has performed around the world at festivals including the North Sea Jazz Festival.


Friday 10th World Heartbeat Auditorium, Nine Elms/Battersea - Tcha Limberger’s ‘Viper Club’
“Dangerously thrilling music” – Jazz Lives US
“As good as it gets when it comes to music that swings” – Bebop Spoken Here
Award-winning multi-instrumentalist Tcha Limberger is highly acclaimed on the global stage. He is one of the prominent figures of folk music of the Carpathian basin and is one of the world’s best known jazz violinists. Projects including Transylvanian Kolataszeg Trio, Budapest Gypsy Orchestra and Les Violons de Bruxells have propelled him into notoriety, with critics noting his nurturing approach to teaching almost forgotten traditional musics.
Here he performs with the exalted quartet ‘Viper Club’, that features Jerome Etcheberry trumpet, Dave Kelbie rhythm guitar, and Sebastien Girardot double bass.
Jerome Etcheberry is arguably Europe’s most exalted trumpeter. Whilst his style naturally resembles Louis Armstrong, and he has released a widely celebrated homage to Armstrong, ‘Satchmocracy’, Jerome stamps his mark of excellence on every project he plays on, with his customary exquisite tone, timing, and energy.
It’s hard to imagine a drumless ensemble without Dave Kelbie and Sebastian Girardot completing the musical circle. This highly respected rhythm section has performed with numerous projects on main stages of festivals across the globe. Not least Django a la Creole and Don Vappie & Jazz Creole. Lauded universally for their flexibility & variety of swing and the solidity of their accompaniment, Tcha’s description of this long-standing and proven bi-nome seems even more appropriate in this setting: “The Rolls Royce of Rhythm Sections”.

 

Saturday 11th LSO St. Lukes, Old Street - Stochelo Rosenberg/Paulus Schafer Quartet + Karen Street’s ‘L’Espirit du Jazz’
Many consider Stochelo Rosenberg to be the greatest performer of the jazz stye affectionately known as ‘Gypsy Jazz’ since Django Reinhardt himself. Since his internatonal breakthrough in the 1980’s he has performed at every major jazz festival, including North Sea Jazz Festival, Jazz in Marciac and Jazz a Vienne. He has also featured at New York’s Carnegie Hall and The Rose Bowl in Los Angeles. Stochelo’s impressive performance credits have seen him on stage with iconic musicians including Stephane Grapelli, Toots Thielmans, Shirley Bassey, Luciano Pavaroti and Randy Crawford.
Tonight, Stochelo performs with long-time collaborator Paulus Schäfer. Paulus is a renowned member of the Gypsy Jazz scene. He has headlined festivals across the world and has performed with top names including Bireli Lagrene, Al Di Miola and Tim Kliphuis. Paulus has also released several recordings and is considered one of the finest technicians in the world.
Stochelo and Paulus, both members of the Dutch Sinti community, are joined by acclaimed local violinist and bassist Tobie Medland and Simon Read. Supportig tonight’s concert are accordionist Karen Street’s ‘L’Espirit du Jazz’. The quartet features Sam Dunn (guitar), Charlie Pyne (bass) and Katie Patterson (drums). Representing four accomplished and prolific members of the British jazz scene, they perform an eclectic selection of original compositions and standards inspired by French Swing, Latin Jazz and Tango.


Sunday 12th Adrien Moignard/Daniel John Martin Quartet Pizza Express Live The Pheasantry, Chelsea
Featuring four of the worlds highest acclaimed Gypsy Jazz musicians, Adrien and Daniel lead a heavyweight quartet featuring Julien Cattiaux on Rhythm Guitar and John Wheatcroft on Double Bass. Adrien Moignard, sideman to Cyrille Aimee and member of the Selmer 607 collective, is undoubtedly one of the worlds most sought-after Gypsy Jazz guitarists. His incredibly dexterity and creative flair have landed him performances at all of the top French jazz clubs, many of the New York clubs, as well as festivals across the world.
Anglo-French violinist and vocalist Daniel John Martin is a central figure on the global scene and was a pioneering musician in the Parisian swing revival. Daniel has worked alongside many of the greats, including Angelo Debarre, Romane and Boulou Ferré. Daniel studied at the famous Paris Conservatoire, and toured and recorded with the late great Didier Lockwood. He has released several successful albums, most recently “Rendez-Vous” with friend and collaborator Romane. Daniel regularly tours the UK and has played at Pizza Express Dean Street, Swansea Jazz Festival and Preston Jazz Festival.

 

https://www.futurefable.com/gypsyjazz2024

 

Omar with full band at The Forge, Camden, London.

Date: Saturday, April 27, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

OMAR announces London date.


“Still … one of the best voices I’ve ever heard”
Erykah Badu


“When I grow up I wanna be like Omar”
Stevie Wonder


Omar Lye-Fook MBE is, without doubt, one of the greatest soul music talents the United Kingdom has produced in the last 40 years.


If anyone has doubts about that, then they might want to consider the list of legendary artists who happily line up to collaborate with him musically, or simply sing his praises –
from Stevie Wonder, Leon Ware, Erykah Badu, Common, through to Carleen Anderson, D’Angelo, Soul II Soul’s Caron Wheeler, Angie Stone, Courtney Pine, Kele LeRoc, and Estelle, all appreciate his truly original and unique voice, musicianship and songwriting talent.


From his stone cold soul classic ‘There’s Nothing Like This’ to the Stevie-featured ‘Feelin’ You’, Omar will perform a selection of music from his illustrious career with his full band.


Tickets here;
https://www.seetickets.com/event/omar/the-forge-camden/2909599

Swansea International Jazz Festival 2024, various venues, Swansea.

Dates: Thursday, June 13, 2024 - Sunday, June 16, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;


Swansea International Jazz Festival
June 13 - 16, 2024


The city will be buzzing with the cool sound of jazz from 13 to 16 June,  when the festival makes its welcome return.


Swansea Council proudly brings you Swansea International Jazz Festival in partnership with Swansea Jazz Club.


Concert Programme Here;
https://www.swanseajazzland.co.uk/ourtickets/cat_1824544-2-SWANSEA-INTERNATIONAL-JAZZ-FESTIVAL-2024.html

 

Curved Air at The 100 Club, London.

Date: Thursday, August 15, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;


Curved Air are a pioneering English progressive rock group formed in 1970 by musicians from mixed artistic backgrounds, including classical, folk, and electronic sound. The resulting sound of the band was a mixture of progressive rock, folk rock, and fusion with classical elements.

 

Along with High Tide and East of Eden, Curved Air were one of the first rock bands after It’s a Beautiful Day, The Flock and The United States of America to feature a violin.

 

Curved Air released eight studio albums, the first three of which broke the UK Top 20, and had a hit single with Back Street Luv which reached #4 in the UK Singles Chart.


Tickets here;
https://www.seetickets.com/event/curved-air/100-club/2946039


100 Club,
100 Oxford Strett
London W1D 1LL.

Snowboy & The Latin Section at The Forge, Camden, London

Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;


Europe’s leading Afro-Cuban group SNOWBOY & THE LATIN SECTION

 

“Is there no stopping Britain’s premier Conguero in his bid for world domination?”
Jazzwize Magazine

 


“The Latin Section are a respectful, joyful conglomeration of Son, Salsa and Mambo which takes Afro Cuban music forward”
The Times

 


“The Beatles of the Mambo”
Professor Robert Farris Thompson, Yale University

 


There can be no denying that the pyrotechnic Snowboy And The Latin Section are Europe’s leading Afro Cuban Jazz group. From their debut release in 1985, they have released 16 albums and played concerts and festivals in over 22 countries, from Holland to Australia, from Japan to Scotland.

 


Snowboy has recorded or performed percussion with soul, jazz and latin artists such as Lisa Stansfield, Imelda May, Amy Winehouse, Rod Temperton, Mark Ronson, Basia, Simply Red, Lionel Richie, Airto Moreira, Deodato, Herman Olivera, Flaco Jimenez, Jon Lucien, James Taylor Quartet, Big John Patton, Incognito, Mica Paris, Patti Austin and many, many more. More importantly he is also the leader of his world - famous Afro-Cuban Jazz group, featuring a who’s-who of the UK’s most exciting and fiery Jazz and Latin players.

 


Their music draws on Salsa, Mambo and Latin Jazz, and captures the block party feel of 1970’s New York, inspired, as ever, by the greats such as Eddie Palmieri and Tito Puente. Their latest album ‘New York Afternoon’ reached #1 in the Latin Jazz chart and #6 in the Jazz chart on Amazon. It was the #1 Salsa album on the Colombian radio station ‘Salsa Exitos Del Mundo’ for two weeks.

 


DJ John Armstrong (BBE) will be playing music before and after the live set.


Tickets Here;
https://www.seetickets.com/event/snowboy-the-latin-section/the-forge-camden/2854892


The Forge, Camden, London NW1 7NL.

George Coleman and special guests, 25th Anniversary Celebration at SMOKE Jazz Club, New York City, USA.

Dates: Wednesday, April 10, 2024 - Sunday, April 14, 2024

More details

We have received the following press release;

SMOKE Jazz Club Kickstarts its 25th Anniversary Festivities with a Special Concert Series April 10-14

 

Ticketing + Information:
When: Wednesday-Sunday, April 10-14 @ 7:00 p.m. + 9:00 p.m. and additional 10:30 p.m. (Fri & Sat only). Doors open at 5:00 p.m. (unless otherwise noted)
Where: SMOKE Jazz Club, 2751 Broadway (between 105/106th Streets), New York, NY, Train: 1 to 103rdStreet.
Tickets: In-Person $35-$55. Livestream $15. For more information and to make reservations, please visit http://www.smokejazz.com.
Rated the #1 jazz club in New York City (Secret NYC), SMOKE Jazz Club is thrilled to present the first of many 25th anniversary celebrations starting with George Coleman and special guests (Apr 10-14). NEA Jazz Master George Coleman opened the doors to SMOKE in April 1999, then christened its newly renovated space post-pandemic in July 2022, and returns in April to celebrate the club’s 25th anniversary. Joining Coleman are several special guests such as Joe Farnsworth who also inaugurated the SMOKE stage 25 years ago. This marks the beginning of year-round Silver Jubilee festivities to be announced soon. For the most updated calendar, please visit http://www.smokejazz.com.


Wed-Sun Apr 10-14 SMOKE’s 25th Anniversary Celebration featuring George Coleman and special guests


Wed + Sun only:
George Coleman – tenor saxophone
John Webber – bass
Emmet Cohen – piano
Joe Farnsworth – drums


Thu–Sat only:
George Coleman – tenor saxophone
John Webber – bass
Peter Bernstein – guitar
Michael Weiss – piano
Carl Allen – drums

“[Coleman] is still one of the most fluent and inventive tenor saxophonists around.” – The Guardian

SMOKE celebrates its 25th anniversary led by the legendary tenor saxophonist who launched the then-new club on its first night, April 9, 1999, the great George Coleman! Downbeat says, “When you hear the tenor sax of George Coleman, you know it’s him within a few notes. That deep spark of a tone evokes a time and place—be it his historic work with Max Roach, Chet Baker, and Miles Davis, or as a leader in his own right.” He is leading two exciting groups for the occasion; the first group bookends the engagement on Wednesday and Sunday with pianist Emmet Cohen, bassist John Webber, and drummer Joe Farnsworth—who also inaugurated the SMOKE stage 25 years ago. The middle three nights—Thursday, Friday, and Saturday—feature a band with guitarist Peter Bernstein, pianist Michael Weiss, bassist John Webber, and drummer Carl Allen.


About SMOKE
Located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side at the junction of Broadway and 106th Street (aka Duke Ellington Boulevard), Smoke Jazz Club is one of New York City’s premier live music venues. Renowned for offering top-notch programming of accessible, timeless jazz featuring legendary performers, modern masters and rising stars, Smoke stands apart with its candlelit dining room, stellar acoustics, and classic American cuisine. Founded in 1999, SMOKE also boasts a GRAMMY-nominated label, Smoke Sessions Records, and a celebrated streaming concert series, Smoke Screens. For everything else, visit http://www.smokejazz.com.

Partikel Trio / Natalie Rosario at Shrewsbury Jazz Network, The Hive Music & Media Centre, Shrewsbury.

Date: Saturday, April 13, 2024

Featuring: Partikel

Venue

The Hive, Shrewsbury

5 Belmont,
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire.
UK

More details

Partikel Trio/Natalie Rosario
April 13th £23/£12 U22


Duncan Eagles (saxophones)
Max Luthert (double bass)
Eric Ford (drums percussion)


Natalie Rosario (cello)

Raph Clarkson’s Equal Spirits, album launch at Rich Mix, London E1.

Date: Saturday, May 04, 2024

More details

From;
https://richmix.org.uk/events/equal-spirits-wise-and-waiting-album-launch/

 

EQUAL SPIRITS PRESENTS
EQUAL SPIRITS – WISE AND WAITING ALBUM LAUNCH
SAT 4 MAY
7.30pm
The Stage
£12

 

Celebrate the launch of Wise and Waiting, a genre defying collaborative album between South African and UK artists, with a night of live performances.
Led by composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Raph Clarkson, the band weave together South African spiritual jazz, ambient improv, bursts of old-school hip-hop and gospel-infused grooves, with sung and spoken languages from Zulu to English.


A celebration of the profound and beautiful contribution made by South African musicians to British jazz and improvised music, the live sharing will feature Durban-born baritone vocalist Xolani Mbatha, Raph Clarkson on vocals and trombone, Chris Batchelor on trumpet, Phil Merriman on keys, Riaan Vosloo on bass and drummer Yuval Wetzler.


Box Office & Enquiries 020 7613 7498


.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)


RICH MIX, 35-47 BETHNAL GREEN ROAD, LONDON E1 6LA.


‘Beyond the Bassline’, 500 years of Black music in Britain exhibition at The British Library, London.

Dates: Friday, April 26, 2024 - Monday, August 26, 2024

More details

We have received the following press release;


First exhibition to document 500 years of Black music in Britain opens at the British Library this spring.


Beyond the Bassline (26 April – 26 August 2024) is the first major exhibition to document 500 years of Black music in Britain

Events with Joan Armatrading, Eddy Grant and No Signal confirmed with more to be revealed

 

New works by Touching Bass, Jukebox Collective, Rastafari Movement UK Wellbeing, Friendly Pressure and Khadijah Ibrahiim explore music as a vehicle for community


Beyond the Bassline (26 April – 26 August 2024) at the British Library is the first major exhibition to document the 500-year musical journey of African and Caribbean people in Britain. Inspired by the British Library’s sound archive, the exhibition explores the people, spaces and genres that have transformed the landscape of British music.

 

Traversing musical genres, from classical, gospel and jazz through to reggae, jungle and afroswing, Beyond the Bassline charts the influence of Black British musicians, creatives and entrepreneurs on popular music since the 16th-century. It also considers the role emerging technologies and the internet have played in creating, listening to and sharing music.

 

The exhibition spotlights the spaces – physical, digital and symbolic – that have cultivated creative expression and inspired a number of Black British music genres, from The Reno in Manchester, Bristol’s Bamboo Club, Scottish club night The Reggae Klub and The Four Aces in London, to carnivals, community centres and record shops across the country.

 

Encompassing more than 200 exhibits, Beyond the Bassline features:

 

Audiovisual material, from interviews with activist Amy Ashwood Garvey, calypsonian Lord Kitchener and musician Fela Kuti to performances by singer Shirley Bassey, pianist Winifred Atwell and saxophonist Joe Harriott, and footage from the MOBO Awards and BBC One’s Top of the Pops.

 

Ephemera and memorabilia including a t-shirt from the Reggae Klub, one of the earliest reggae nights in Scotland, posters, signs and photographs from the Bamboo club in Bristol and The Four Aces in London, and objects retrieved from the demolished basement of The Reno in Manchester.

 

Costumes, including a dress worn by Patti Flynn, co-founder of the Butetown Bay Jazz Heritage Festival and the Black History Month movement in Wales, on her 1970s tour.

 

Visual art including The Lion of Judah Roars in his Head (1977) by Errol Lloyd, Night Owls (1995) by Denzil Forrester, Sounds Yellow (2009) by Sir Frank Bowling and imagery documenting the evolution of grime by acclaimed photographer Simon Wheatley.

 

Musical instruments including a double bass belonging to Gary Crosby, founding member of Jazz Warriors and a 1950s steelpan on loan from the Horniman Museum.

 

Equipment including Ludwig van Beethoven’s tuning fork, which he presented to violinist George Bridgetower in 1803, sound engineer King Tubby’s Hometown Hi-Found and Mighty Ruler’s 1960s sound systems, plus a Sony Walkman WM B-10, Telepathy Tape Pack and Nokia 3310.

 

Manuscripts and books including a handwritten letter by 19th century opera singer Amanda Aldridge, also known as Montague Ring and published letters by 18th century composer Ignatius Sancho.


To accompany Beyond the Bassline there will be a rich programme of public events, including live performances, club takeovers by No Signal (26 April), Touching Bass (3 May and 12 July) and Queer Bruk (21 June), as well as in conversation events with eminent singer-songwriters Eddy Grant (26 April) and Joan Armatrading (18 June), with more to be revealed.

 

Visitors to Beyond the Bassline will also get to see a new, specially commissioned film. iwoyi: within the echo (2024) is a five-channel 10-minute film and sound installation exploring the radical potential of Black British music to manifest reparative futures. Directed by Tayo Rapoport and Rohan Ayinde in collaboration with the South London-based musical movement and curatorial platform Touching Bass, the film is produced by NOIR and has an original score made by Melo-Zed.

 

New soundscapes, artworks and films exploring Black British identity through the medium of music feature throughout the exhibition and have been created by community-rooted, youth-led group Jukebox Collective, charitable enterprise and network Rastafari Movement UK Wellbeing, bespoke loudspeaker system Friendly Pressure and literary activist, theatre maker and published writer, Khadijah Ibrahiim.

 

Curated by Dr Aleema Gray at the British Library in collaboration with Mykaell Riley at the University of Westminster, Beyond the Bassline follows a three-year partnership to research, foreground and reposition six centuries of African musical contributions to the UK.

 

Dr Aleema Gray, lead curator of Beyond the Bassline at the British Library, said:
‘The exhibition represents a timely opportunity to broaden our understanding of Black British music and situate it within a historical conversation. Black British music is more than a soundtrack. It has formed part of an expansive cultural industry that transformed British culture.’


Associate Professor Mykaell Riley, guest curator of Beyond the Bassline at the British Library and Director of The Black Music Research Unit at the University of Westminster, said: ‘
This is British history, this is popular music. And the exhibition is not an end point but the beginning of a new positioning of Black British music, within academic research and high art spaces.’

 

There will be panel displays and events at public libraries across the UK, arranged through the Living Knowledge Network, with each library’s collection, regional connections and local music scene at the core, to help tell a national story about Black music in Britain.

 

Beyond the Bassline tickets are on general sale from today (http://www.beyondthebassline.seetickets.com/) and cost £15 with concessions available. There will be Pay What You Can days on the first Wednesday of every month.


About the British Library
We are the national library of the UK and we are here for everyone. Our shelves hold over 170 million items – a living collection that gets bigger every day. Although our roots extend back centuries, we aim to collect everything published in the UK today, tomorrow and far into the future. Our trusted experts care for this collection and open it up for everyone to spark new discoveries, ideas and to help people do incredible things
We have millions of books, and much more besides. Our London and Yorkshire sites hold collections ranging from newspapers and maps to sound recordings, patents, academic journals, as well as a copy of every UK domain website and blog. Our public spaces provide a place to research, to meet friends, to start up a new business or simply to get inspired by visiting our galleries and events. We work with partners and libraries across the UK and the world to make sure that as many people as possible have the chance to use and explore our collections, events and expertise. And we’re always open online.

 

About the University of Westminster
The University of Westminster offers a vibrant learning environment attracting more than 21,000 students from nearly 170 nations and we continue to invest in our future with new developments, research projects and new ideas. The University ranked in the top 20 in the UK and in the top 30 in the world for international students, according to the Times Higher World University Ranking 2024.
The University has also been recognised as one of the top 15% out of over 1,400 universities globally for its work on contributing to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs). We also rank 2nd for social mobility among English universities, according to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and educational charity the Sutton Trust. Established as London’s first polytechnic in 1838, we have, from our earliest days, opened our doors to provide educational opportunities to people regardless of their background and supported them on their journey to develop their skills, knowledge and expertise.
We offer highly attractive practice-based courses which are independently rated as excellent, many with international recognition. Our distinguished 186-year history has meant we lead the way in many areas of research, particularly Politics, Media, Art and Design, Architecture and Biomedical Sciences, and our position in the city of London allows us to continue to build on our close connections with leading figures and organisations in these areas as well as in the worlds of business, information technology, politics and law. Our commitment to educating graduates for the needs of professional life attracts high quality students from within the UK and around the globe.
Global engagement, employability and sustainability are key elements in the University of Westminster’s vision for the future and we strive to ensure the very highest standards are met and maintained.

 

Stacey Kent at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Soho, London.

Dates: Tuesday, May 07, 2024 - Sunday, May 12, 2024

Featuring: Stacey Kent

Venue

Ronnie Scott’s, London

47 Frith Street
Soho, London
W1D 4HT

More details

From;
https://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/find-a-show/stacey-kent


Stacey Kent
7th – 12th May 2024

 

Grammy nominated, platinum-selling artist, Stacey Kent returns with saxophonist/composer/arranger, Jim Tomlinson and pianist, Art Hirahara.  Stacey will be showcasing her new chart-topping album, Summer Me, Winter Me.


Ticket prices
£50 – £65


Line-up
STACEY KENT – vocals
JIM TOMLINSON – saxes, flute
ART HIRAHARA – piano

 

The trio, whose translucent sound has filled concert halls across 4 continents over a yearlong, 20-country tour, continues to perform its whirlwind schedule, now showcasing the release of Stacey’s new album, Summer Me, Winter Me which went straight to the top of the jazz charts in November 2023.  It includes her iconic performance of If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas), with songs by Legrand, Jobim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and new originals from Jim Tomlinson and his songwriting partners, Kazuo Ishiguro and Cliff Goldmacher.


With over 2 million album sales, 500 million streams on Spotify and a host of awards including Best Vocal Album for I Know I Dream at the 2018 Jazz Japan Awards, Best Vocal Performance at the 2022 Jazz Music Awards, and the prestigious Prix Ella Fitzgerald at the 2023 Montreal Jazz Festival, Kent continues to be recognised as one of the world’s most distinctive and loved jazz singers.


“Stacey Kent…transforms songs into short stories that brim with passion, romance, and wonder. Lean into her muted declarations and Kent can bring the world to you”
The New York Times

An Evening with Kazuo Ishiguro and Stacey Kent at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London.

Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024

Featuring: Stacey Kent

More details

From;
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/literature-poetry/evening-kazuo-ishiguro-and-stacey-kent


An Evening with Kazuo Ishiguro and Stacey Kent
ACCESSIBLE
Sat 30 Mar, 7pm
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Literature & poetry
£20 ⁠–⁠ £30


Nobel Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro and world-renowned jazz singer Stacey Kent share crossovers and collaborations in their work, in an evening of words and music.

 


In a UK exclusive, the Southbank Centre and Faber Members present this evening to celebrate the publication of The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain: Lyrics for Stacey Kent by Kazuo Ishiguro.


Since 2007, Kazuo Ishiguro has written song lyrics for the award winning vocalist Stacey Kent, which were set to music by composer, saxophonist and producer Jim Tomlinson – a coming together of literary and musical worlds.


The lyrics are infused with a sense of yearning, melancholy, love and the romance of travel and liminal spaces – qualities which are further explored and enhanced in print by Bianca Bagnarelli’s exquisite illustrations.


In this unique event, Stacey Kent will perform a selection of Tomlinson-Ishiguro songs, with Jim Tomlinson on woodwinds and Art Hirahara on piano.


The evening will also feature a wide-ranging interview with Kazuo Ishiguro about the songs and how his lifelong interest in music has influenced the writing of his novels.

 

This event has a 15 minute interval at approximately 7.45pm.


Copies of The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain are available to purchase as an optional add-on for £12.99 (RRP £17.99) when you buy a ticket to the talk. The book must be collected on the night of the event, as we’re unable to distribute copies afterwards.


Dates & times
Sat 30 Mar, 7pm
Approximate run time: 2 hours.

The Casimir Connection album launch at St. Matthias Church,  Stoke Newington, London.

Date: Saturday, April 27, 2024

Featuring: The Casimir Connection

More details

From;
https://www.wegottickets.com/event/603352

THE CASIMIR CONNECTION ALBUM LAUNCH
LONDON: St Matthias Church
Saturday 27th April, 2024
Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 8:00pm
14 and over


Event Information


The Casimir Connection returns to the beautiful setting of St Matthias Church to celebrate the launch of their new album, Reflection, released by Caliban Sounds in association with One Little Independent Records.


The group features stellar musicians, including the internationally renowned pianist Alcyona Mick, and has received outstanding praise from critics and audiences alike.


‘An evening with The Casimir Connection is one never to forget; beautiful, expressive music with exciting creative improvisation. Cinematic and melodic, the music creates moments of magic and emotional release. Each piece tells a story or captures a mood or feeling’. (Audience member feedback August 2023)


Composer and saxophonist Diane McLoughlin’s ensemble, The Casimir Connection, explores the boundaries between classical and contemporary jazz. Featuring Diane McLoughlin on saxophones, Alcyona Mick on piano, Kit Massey on violin and Tim Fairhall on double bass, the music brings together elements of classical chamber composition and intense, sparkling improvisation. This mix contributes to the thoughtful and cinematic narrative of the compositions, creating intimacy and intensity, allowing space to explore sound and silence.


Iain Patterson in All About Jazz wrote of the band’s last album Cause and Effect:
‘Like a great landscape painting, the music reveals its details, its many layers, with repeated listening and contemplation. The Casimir Connection has tapped into a rich musical seam, one which could yet offer plenty more of this timeless, yet borderless music.’

 


The forthcoming album, Reflection, is a collection of experiences, stories and observations from the last few challenging years, created to appeal directly to the emotions and resonate with personal experience.


Quiet and brooding, serene and uplifting, with influences from Keith Jarrett to Bartok, The Casimir Connection upholds the integrity of both classical and contemporary jazz traditions, whilst creating something new and authentic.


A limited number of Early Bird tickets are available at £15 until 29th February 2024
From March 1st 2024 Tickets are £18


LONDON: St Matthias Church
Wordsworth Road
London
United Kingdom
N16 8DD


020 7923 2726


https://thecasimirconnection.com/

Alban Claret / Terence Collie Duo at Jazz on the Plaza Café Yukari, Kew, London.

Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024

More details

From Mood Indigo Events;


Easter Sunday 31 March 7.30pm
Jazz on the Plaza
Café Yukari, Kew

 

Alban Claret - Guitar
Terence Collie - Piano
£16 in advance, £18 on the door

 

A welcome return to MIE for acclaimed French guitarist Alban Claret playing duo with Terence Collie. What better way to spend an Easter Sunday evening!


Mood Indigo Events are run by Kingston based vocalist Janet McCunn and Hampton based pianist Terence Collie combining their efforts to bring great jazz music to SW London and beyond. This is all done without any funding and is reliant solely on your continued support in attendance at our events.


http://www.moodindigoevents.co.uk


Neighbourhood Café Yukari
110 North Road
Kew,
Richmond,
TW9 4HJ

Sam Leak’s Looking Glass at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/events/


Sam Leak’s ‘Looking Glass’
April 18 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Four heavyweights from the London jazz scene playing jazz fusion influenced by Holdsworth, Weather Report and John McLaughlin.
We’re excited to announce the return of Sam Leak to the Marr’s Bar stage, this time around with his own band ‘Looking Glass’. You may remember Sam from his performance with Francesco LoCastro back in May last year. (You’ve probably seen the back of his head in the photo of LoCastro’s band that we use a lot for Music Spoken Here promo!). When I discovered he has his own fusion band with Nick Linnik and Laurie Lowe (who have also appeared for us at The Marr’s Bar in Yolanda Charles’ Project PH), along with bassist Flo Moore, it was a no-brainer to get them on the Music Spoken Here program!
London-based jazz pianist Leak’s eponymous 2011 debut album was listed in MOJO Magazine as one of the ‘Top Ten International Releases of the Year.‘ The 2013 follow up, “Places,” was described by the Guardian’s John Fordham as ‘surefooted creativity… way beyond respectful expertise,’ and by BBC Music Magazine’s Daniel Spicer as ‘assured and sophisticated acoustic jazz with deep roots in the tradition, that knows exactly what it’s trying to do – and succeeds.’
In 2018 Leak released “Adrift”, a duet with New York’s Dan Tepfer, a long-time collaborator of legendary veteran saxophonist Lee Konitz. Of this album, The Wire’s Marcus O’Dair has said: “Sam Leak and Dan Tepfer are two of the best pianists of their generation, and their convergence on this recording is astonishing.” The New York City Jazz Record have described it as “magical” and “constantly evolving and engaging.”
Expect space-age textures, intense interaction, and virtuosic improvising. From contemporary soundscapes to infectious grooves, this lineup brings something fresh to the music while maintaining a deep connection with its roots.
‘One of the brightest stars in the Jazz piano galaxy, a heavenly improviser, and a brilliant prospect for the future.‘ – Helen Mayhew, Jazz FM
“Heavyweights of the British Jazz scene” – Jamie Callum, BBC Radio 2
“Multi-faceted and smart as a pin …of a very high order” – MOJO ★★★★
“the music is magical… constantly evolving and engaging…” – The New York City Jazz Record
“The Royal Academy of Music’s jazz programme has produced a remarkable crop of newcomers in recent times: notably the Mercury-nominated pianists Gwilym Simcock and Kit Downes. Now comes Sam Leak, an artist of comparable promise…Leak is a subtle storyteller who keeps the grooves and colours changing.” – John Fordham, The Guardian
Doors 8pm, show starts 8:30pm
TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are ticketless, just show up on the night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach
https://musicspokenhere.club/a-new-approach/


VENUE
The Marrs Bar
12 Pierpoint Street
Worcester,
Worcestershire WR1 1TA
Phone
(01905) 613336

 

ORGANISER
Music Spoken Here
Phone
07989745955
Email
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival 2024, Moseley Park, Birmingham.

Dates: Friday, July 12, 2024 - Sunday, July 14, 2024

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

We have received the following press release regarding this event;


Birmingham’s Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival 2024 announce Phase 2 line-up
Friday 12 to Sunday 14 July 2024
Birmingham UK

 

LEFTFIELD
YUSSEF DAYES
THE BLACKBYRDS
JAMES LAVELLE | MR SCRUFF | DAWN RICHARD | MUNGO’S HI FI | JAMES HUNTER   | RYAN HOPE + MORE

 

Leftfield, Yussef Dayes and The Blackbyrds are among the headline acts set to join the previously announced Kool and The Gang at Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival (Friday 12 to Sunday 14 July 2024).

 

Other acts heading to the Birmingham festival’s main stages include Mo’Wax and Unkle’s James Lavelle (DJ set), Mr Scruff, Glaswegian soundsystem Mungo’s Hi Fi with Marina P, Grammy-nominated James Hunter, primordial groovers Thumpasaurus, New Orleans’ dynamo Dawn Richard, and Ezra Collective’s Ife Ogunjobi.

 

Formed in 1988, Leftfield (Friday) quickly became one of the most influential and innovative dance music acts of all time. 1995’s Leftism and 1999’s Rhythm and Stealth were both Mercury Music Prize nominees, solidifying their position as true pioneers.

 

Revered multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Yussef Dayes’ (Saturday) debut solo album, Black Classical Music, made an instant impact when it dropped last autumn, prompting two BRIT Award nominations (for best new Artist and Best Alternative Act). Yussef is widely recognised as one of the most electrifying live performers of his generation.

 

Assembled by legendary Donald Byrd in 1973, The Blackbyrds (Saturday) laid the foundations for the jazz-funk movement. With such tracks as Do It Fluid, Walking In Rhythm, Happy Music and the iconic Rock Creek Park, their music has been widely sampled by such acts as De La Soul and Massive Attack. Recently celebrating their 50th anniversary, their line-up is led by original members Keith Killgo and Joe Hall.

 

Other acts heading to Mostly Jazz include Ryan Hope (one third of Gabriels), multi-instrumentalist corto.alto, Jorja Smith labelmates Bricknasty, Canadian hip hop collective Super Duty Tough Work, London-based soul ensemble Wonder 45, and Luke Una, plus leading West Midlanders Leftfoot (hosting their own stage), Neone The Wonderer, The Atlantic Players, Ella More, Isla Wolfe, and Alex Polack.

 

They join the already announced Sunday headliners Kool and The Gang, along with DJ Craig Charles, and Nubiyan Twist.

 

John Fell, Mostly Jazz’s Festival Manager, said: “With one of the most influential electronic acts, Leftfield, opening on Friday, the BRIT nominated Yussef Dayes with us on Saturday, with the legendary R&B/funk pioneers Kool and The Gang closing on Sunday, we have one of the most varied Mostly Jazz line-ups so far. And we still have a couple special guests to announce yet – so keep an eye out for news on those soon.”

 

Set in the idyllic Moseley Park, just two miles outside of Birmingham city centre, Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival has built a strong reputation for presenting iconic and up-and-coming artists in an intimate outdoor setting.

 

Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival runs from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 July 2024 at Moseley Park and Pool, Moseley, Birmingham. Tickets on sale from Friday 23 February 2024, 10am. See: http://www.mostlyjazz.co.uk

 

LISTINGS


Friday 12 to Sunday 14 July 2024
Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival
Moseley Park and Pool, 93b Alcester Road, Birmingham B13 8DD
Website: http://www.mostlyjazz.co.uk


Social media:
http://www.facebook.com/mostlyjazz
http://www.x.com/mostly_jazz
http://www.instagram.com/mostly_jazz/
#mostlyjazz

 

Tickets:
Adult Day: £65 + booking fees
Under 18 Day: £32 + booking fees
Family Day: £160 + booking fees
Adult Weekend: £169 + booking fees
Family Weekend: £370 + booking fees
Under 18 Weekend: £65 + booking fees
Under 12: Free

 

FRIDAY 12 JULY 2024
Leftfield
Dawn Richard
James Lavelle (DJ set)
Ryan Hope (Gabriels)
Mr Scruff
Bricknasty
Ella More
NBHD House Band x Neone The Wonderer


Leftfoot presents: Official After Party
Fila Brazillia (DJ set) + guests
Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham

 

SATURDAY 13 JULY 2024
Yussef Dayes
The Blackbyrds
Thumpasaurus
Luke Una
Homoelectric
The Atlantic Players
Sofia Grant
Super Duty Tough Work
Knats
Ashley Allen & Friends
Isla Wolfe
Band: Together


Leftfoot presents: Official After Party
Leftfoot Allstars + guests
Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham

 

SUNDAY 14 JULY 2024
Kool and The Gang
Craig Charles
Mungo’s HiFi x Marina P
Nubiyan Twist
James Hunter
Cherise
Ife Ogunjobi
Wonder 45
corto.alto
The Filthy Six
Ni Maxine
The Alex Polack Quartet and The Ibaia String Quartet


Further artists to be announced.

 

ABOUT MOSTLY JAZZ FUNK AND SOUL FESTIVAL
Debuting in 2010, Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival is a diverse, vibrant festival, celebrating ground-breaking, innovative UK music alongside international trailblazers. Held in Moseley Park, a stunning 11-acre woodland glade in the heart of Moseley Village, the festival is just two miles from the centre of Birmingham, yet is a world away from city life. With sloping grounds, creating a natural amphitheatre in front of the beautiful lake, it’s the perfect setting for a festival. Each year Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul brings incredible artists, workshops, arts, crafts, and a selection of Birmingham’s most loved street food and drinks vendors to Moseley, for one epic party weekend.

 

Previous headliners include Chic feat. Nile Rodgers, Public Enemy, Gregory Porter, Chaka Khan, De La Soul, Bonobo, The Specials, The Wailers, Goldie, Fat Freddy’s Drop and KC and The Sunshine Band.

 

Secret Night Gang at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, May 30, 2024

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/secret-night-gang/

Secret Night Gang
May 30 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

 

Uplifting, transcendent, jazz-inflected street soul from Manchester


Come and join us as we celebrate two years of Music Spoken Here at The Marr’s Bar with a very special show from British street soul masters, Secret Night Gang. Formed by Manchester natives and childhood friends Kemani Anderson and Callum Connell, this 7-piece collective spread their uplifting, transcendent, and genre-blending street soul sound through dynamic melodies and jazz-inflected soul prowess, renewing the musical frontiers of the genres. released


Handpicked from Manchester’s vibrant live music scene in 2021 by legendary broadcaster, DJ, producer and label head Gilles Peterson, the band has been championed by a wide range of tastemakers, including Rolling Stone, Clash magazine, Jazz FM, Jamie Cullum and Bandcamp, just to mention a few. Their eponymous debut album in 2021 on Peterson’s Brownswood label was followed up last year with “Belongs on a Place Called Earth”, selling out shows at Ronnie Scott’s and the Jazz Cafe in London. They have also performed at the most progressive contemporary festivals including North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Primavera Sound, Love Supreme, We Out Here and Cross the Tracks.


Joining Kemani (vocals) and Callum (sax) will be Aaron Wood (trumpet), Nicola Guida (keys), Jack Duckham (guitar), Manny (bass) and Ruben Edwards (drums).


TICKETS
Music Spoken Here offers exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are operated on a ticketless, ‘pay-what-you-can’ on the door model, which works well for most shows considering our typical audience size and venue capacity.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.


For more popular shows like this where we may reach venue capacity, it is important that we monitor expected attendance to ensure the venue is adequately staffed and avoid turning people away at the door. We therefore request that you register interest in attending this event and we will provide regular updates by email. We will also provide updates through this event webpage, our mailing list and all our social media channels.


Music Spoken Here Club Members will be given priority if spaces become limited. You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach
https://musicspokenhere.club/a-new-approach/

 

VENUE
The Marrs Bar
12 Pierpoint Street
Worcester,
Worcestershire WR1 1TA

 

Phone
(01905) 613336

 

ORGANISER
Music Spoken Here
Phone
07989745955
Email
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Steve Taylor’s Fusion Phew! at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, May 16, 2024

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/steve-taylors-fusion-phew/


Jazz-funk and fusion from world-class drummer featuring phenomenal guitarist and singer/songwriter Rosie Frater-Taylor.


Following the wonderful Music Spoken Here show from Rosie Frater-Taylor in December 2022, I was delighted to discover her parents have an outfit that includes Rosie in the line-up! I absolutely had to get them on our program and am totally stoked to finally be welcoming them to Worcester for the first time, following on from the release of Rosie’s new album Featherweight in February this year.


As premiered at EFG London Jazz Festival 2021, Steve Taylor’s Fusion Phew is the jazz / funk / fusion inspired line up from drummer Steve Taylor, described by Rhythm Magazine as “World class…a technician who grooves”. The band has collaborated with Omar and Ian Shaw to name a few. Prodigiously gifted singer-songwriter and virtuoso guitarist, Rosie Frater-Taylor features alongside the luscious vocals of Josie Frater, sax maestro and Parliamentary Jazz Award winner Phil Meadows, keyboard virtuoso Neil Angilley and bassist Jonny Wickham (who appeared for us with Robert Castelli back in March 2023).


Expect homage to the likes of Gil Scott Heron, Al Jarreau plus Steve & Josie’s “sparkling” (Janey Lee Grace, BBC Radio 2) self-penned originals.


TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are ticketless, just show up on the night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.


You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach
https://musicspokenhere.club/a-new-approach/

 

VENUE
The Marrs Bar
12 Pierpoint Street
Worcester,
Worcestershire WR1 1TA


Phone
(01905) 613336


ORGANISER
Music Spoken Here
Phone
07989745955
Email
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Laura Macdonald and Zoe Rahman Duo plus support Ben Shankland Trio at Traverse One, Edinburgh.

Date: Monday, April 08, 2024

More details

We have received the following information regarding this event;

Soundhouse presents Laura Macdonald and Zoe Rahman - 8 April


Soundhouse presents Laura Macdonald and Zoe Rahman
Mon 8 April 2024

 

Soundhouse returns to Traverse One in April with a unique performance from one of contemporary jazz’s most inspired musical pairings: Scottish saxophonist Laura Macdonald and MOBO-winning pianist Zoe Rahman,thanks to support from the National Lottery through Creative Scotland.


Laura Macdonald has recorded with UK and US leading players such as the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, David Berkman and Donny McAuslin. In 2021, under the name Laura Michael, she participated in BBC’s Masterchef, securing a spot in the final six, and in the same year won Instrumentalist of the Year at the Scottish Jazz Awards. Zoe Rahman has ingrained herself in the contemporary jazz scene and alongside her individual achievements, has played and recorded with Courtney Pine, Jerry Dammers’ Spatial AKA Orchestra, Martha Wainwright, and many more.


Zoe Rahman received the Ivor Novello Award for outstanding achievement in 2022. Throughout her career she has been influenced by her English, Irish and Bengali heritage, and written music with swing, lyricism, energy and intimacy. Her sound is drenched with originality and a jazz legitimacy that recognises her pedigree as a world class artist, composer and performer. Winner of the Perrier Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 1999, she has since picked up a MOBO, a Parliamentary Jazz Award and a Mercury Prize nomination. And, with her commitment to education and campaigning for greater female representation in instrumental jazz, she is inspiring a new generation with her experience, generosity and passion.


” Zoe shines as one of Britain’s most powerful compositional voices and important contemporary artists” – Ivors Academy


Laura Macdonald is one of the Scotland’s (and the UK’s) most prominent women in jazz. In a career spanning three decades she has gone from the Strathclyde Youth Jazz Orchestra to Berklee School of Music in Boston to the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, to being a highly respected headlining player, recording artist, composer and educator. She won the inaugural Scottish Young Jazz Musician of the Year prize in 1997, a Take Five initiative award from the Jerwood Foundation in 2005, has been nominated twice for the Paul Hamlyn Composition Award, and won Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year at the Scottish Jazz Awards in 2021. In 2009 Laura was commissioned to write a new sextet suite that was premiered at Islay Jazz Festival and in 2010 collaborated with composer Tom Bancroft on a large scale piece called Band of Eden. In 2012 she was commissioned by the European Jazz Network as part of their 25 year anniversary celebrations and in 2014 she was commissioned as part of the 20 for 14 Commonwealth Games. She was also selected by the London Jazz Festival to write a duet piece with David Berkman to coincide with the release of her fourth release Duets.


“Whatever the material, Macdonald impresses, particularly on alto saxophone. She rides the fire of the cracking rhythm section with both grace and passion.”  Michael Tucker


Zoe and Laura’s concert will be supported by the Ben Shankland Trio. Edinburgh born pianist and composer Ben Shankland’s trio is an exciting new group on the UK jazz scene with a fresh and distinctive sound.


Laura Macdonald said:
“I am so excited to play with Zoe Rahman as part of this concert series. Every time Zoe and I play together our musical relationship and friendship develops. It truly is beautiful music that we have developed over years playing together. Both Zoe and I are filled with excitement to play at Traverse 1!”


Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers of this year’s Traverse One series said: “For decades the jazz world was dominated by male musicians, where often the only female present would be the vocalist. These two stunning players can hold their own alongside the best and have developed a powerful repertoire over the many years they’ve played together. This concert should not be missed.”



Laura Macdonald and Zoe Rahman live in Traverse 1
with support Ben Shankland Trio
Tickets: £16/£13

Date: Monday 8 April 2024

Doors open: 7:30pm | Music starts: 8pm (bar open from 7pm)

Location: Traverse One, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh


http://www.soundhouse.org.uk

 

The Soundhouse Organisation is a charitable body that promotes independent music. Since 2015, The Soundhouse Organisation has programmed music concerts at Edinburgh Tradfest (3-31 May 2024) and took over management of the whole Festival in 2019. The organisation is run on a day-to-day basis by Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy and is backed by a group of trustees who are passionate about live music.
http://www.soundhouse.org.uk


Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at http://www.ourcreativevoice.scot

Orjan Hulten’s Orion at Corn Exchange Jazz Club, The Corn Exchange, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire.

Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024

Featuring: Orjan Hulten Orion

More details

From;
https://www.rosscornexchange.co.uk/events-one


Jazz Club with Hulten-Orion
Thursday, April 18, 2024
7:30 PM 9:30 PM
Örjan Hultén Orion

 

2009 was the starting point for Örjan Hultén’s band Orion. Focusing on newly written music,  Örjan wanted to find musicians who were up for collaborating and developing the music   together. The band has now been together for 14 years, during which time they have   released 6 albums and have been coined “trend setting”.


-It feels like we’ve only just started despite our 14 years together. Everything is possible, 
Örjan says.


This coming April, the quartet will embark on their third tour in England and they will also visit Germany. 


This is what the journalist Chris Baber wrote after having been to their first gig in

Birmingham: “ If you have friends or loved ones who are not sure if they like jazz, take them to an Orion gig to show them what great jazz could sound like. If you have friends and loved   ones who like jazz, take them to an Orion gig.”


The saxophone player Örjan Hultén came down from the north of Sweden to Malmö way   down south and made his debut as a rising star in Anders Bergcrantz Sextet. After that he   moved to Stockholm and started studying at The Royal Academy of Music. Örjan   collaborated with the singer Jeanette Lindström over several years. He was also a member of Fredrik Norén Band, a band that has been called the Jazz Messengers of Sweden, a nursery   for up-and-coming musicians. 


In 1998 Örjan started his own trio and this was the starting point for moving into the role of   a band leader, and this, together with his growing interest in writing music led quite   naturally to the birth of the quartet Orion. 


So, what about the name?
- Orion is a name that lets your imagination travel into space, but it is also the simplest way   of explaining to English speaking people how to pronounce my name, Örjan says.


Orion:
Örjan Hultén – soprano and tenor saxophone
Torbjörn Gulz - piano
Filip Augustson - bass
Peter Danemo - drums


Tickets here;
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vidlerhospitalityltd/1114471


Corn Exchange
8 High St, Ross-on-Wye HR9 5HL.

Guido Spannocchi Quartet at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, May 02, 2024

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/event/guido-spannocchi-quartet/


Guido Spannocchi Quartet
May 2 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm


Exotica, Calypso, West African Grooves, Japanese Folk and a sprinkling of Jazz from this sought-after London quartet.
After sold out shows at esteemed clubs such as Ronnie Scott’s and The Vortex as well as extensive touring, we are excited to welcome Vienna-born, London-based saxophonist Guido Spannocchi for a special evening at Music Spoken Here during their spring UK Tour. The band, who have become one of London’s most sought after groups internationally, will present their latest tunes in this exclusive and rare show in Worcester. Guido Spannocchi’s signature touch has granted him tours across the globe and he will be performing alongside his long standing quartet consisting of Danny Keane (Mulatu Astatke and Anoushka Shankar) on piano, Jihad Darwish (Camilla George, Soho Studios) on bass and Pete Hill (Jo Harrop, Ashley Henry) on drums and may include some special guests!

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are ticketless, just show up on the night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.

 

VENUE
The Marrs Bar
12 Pierpoint Street
Worcester, Worcestershire WR1 1TA


ORGANISER
Music Spoken Here
Phone
07989745955
Email
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

manchester jazz festival, various venues, Manchester.

Dates: Friday, May 17, 2024 - Sunday, May 26, 2024

More details

We have received the following press release;

manchester jazz festival announces its festival line-up! (17-26 May 2024)


manchester jazz festival is back this Summer!

 

manchester jazz festival (mjf) is back for 10 days of jam-packed festival fun and musical vibes across the city this May!
mjf2024 will take place between 17-26 May 2024 at venues and sites across Manchester, celebrating the latest up and coming talent from across the North, and the best names in contemporary jazz.
Headliners include: John Surman, Courtney Pine, Laura Misch, Nikki Iles, Tim Garland, Sarāb, Julian Joseph, Laura Jurd, Nubiyan Twist, Daniel Erdmann, Trish Clowes & Ross Stanley and many more…

 

Building on the success of last year, manchester jazz festival (mjf2024) begins with a spectacular FREE opening weekender at the vibrant neighbourhood: First Street (mjf @ First Street) from 17 – 19 May. There will be three event stages: Main Stage, Ask Garden Stage and HOME stage, each celebrating the breadth and individuality of our home-grown scene and beyond: bands emerging through our artist development programmes, alongside national and international talent, plus family-friendly activities and food & drink.

 

There are three new venue partners for this year: The Deaf Institute (The Lodge), Stoller Hall and The Carlton Club in Whalley Range, alongside mjf regulars and returning venues: St Ann’s Church, Matt & Phreds, RNCM, Forsyth Music Shop and the festival closes with an extended weekend-long party at Band on the Wall. mjf is also hosting a new mjf originals commission Séance - a moving musical performance, transforming The Deaf Institute into a space for connection. Built around voicemail messages from lost loved ones, artists Verity Watts and Rosie Parsons, will invite audiences to come together over shared experiences of loss and grief.

 

The mjf piano trail is also making a comeback! manchester jazz festival and Forsyth Music Shop have joined forces once again for the mjf2024 piano trail: to find Manchester’s hidden talents across a trail of 12 street pianos at locations across Manchester city centre. From 18 April – 26 May, the mjf piano trail encourages everyone to get creative and share their talent and for those who want to take part, there’s a chance to enter a competition to win a Yamaha P-45B piano and many more prizes. More information to be announced soon…

 

Ticket prices range from FREE to £30 but there’s plenty of free-to-access music and activities taking place at locations across the city centre, including the whole of the opening weekender: mjf @ First Street.

 

manchester jazz festival has also reinstated its international programme and have been working hard to overcome the challenges of the last four years posed by the pandemic and Brexit. mjf have struck up new partnerships with near neighbours in Ireland and France to bring audiences co-commissions and UK debuts, including two French bands touring by train to reduce their carbon footprint, thanks to Europe Jazz Network’s Green Pilot Tours. mjf hopes to inspire its audiences to match their commitment and attend via green travel.

 

As well as artists from Norway, Finland, Germany and Denmark, mjf also began an exciting new artistic collaboration with Centre National de la Musique (CNM) in Paris and Glasshouse ICM (formerly Sage Gateshead) for French and northern UK artists to collaborate on new music for the festival.

 

Tickets go on general sale at 10am on Friday 16 February at http://www.manchesterjazz.com


Highlights of the festival programme are as follows:

 

The Deaf Institute, The Lodge 16 May
Just before mjf2024 starts, there’s a special trailblazer event on 16 May: Séance - a moving musical performance, transforming the The Deaf Institute into a space for connection.

 

mjf @ First Street, 17 - 19 May
Artists performing at First Street include: Mangorata, Gaz Hughes Trio, Secret Night Gang, Maja Mannilla Trio, A Hologram Maze, Amy Gadiaga Quintet, Conor Michael & The GreensKeepers, Thanda Gumede & Friends, Atatu Trio, Hoda Jahanpour & Pedraum Agahi, Claire Victoria Roberts, Sonic Threads, Meilana Gillard: RBG Trio, m.oe, AJB3, Floorkin, Archipelego, Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles and the Jazz North Northern Line Showcase on Sunday 19 May, featuring: Ceitidh Mac, Bryony Jarman-Pinto, Dirty Freud, Tom Harris and Vipertime.

 

As well as some of the North’s leading artists gracing the Main Stage on Friday and Saturday (17 - 18 May), some of Greater Manchester’s 18-25 year-old bands from mjf’s Soundcheck talent development programme, and a selection of mjf hothouse alumni artists, will perform on the Ask Garden Stage. On Sunday (19 May), mjf partners with Jazz North to present the Northern Line touring support scheme showcase: profiling five acts selected by industry leaders.

 

RNCM 18 & 25 May
Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra, John Surman: Words Unspoken

 

The Carlton Club 20 – 22 May
The Wagon Train + Maja Bugge, with Evans and Gregory: SORTLAND, Daniel Erdmann’s Thérapie de Couple

 

Matt and Phreds 17 - 25 May
Gypsies of Bohemia, Kemani Anderson, Band Pres Llareggub Brass Band, M&P x mjf Open Jam (led by Johnny Hunter), Slow Down Motion, The Mudez Project, The Gelatos, The Vinyl Steppers, plus more to be announced…

 

St Ann’s Church 24 May
Trish Clowes & Ross Stanley, an impressive duo interacting brilliantly with both energy and delicacy.

 

Forsyth Music 24 May
UK jazz piano legend Julian Joseph

 

The Stoller Hall 24 May
Tim Garland’s Lighthouse Trio on its 20th anniversary tour.

 

Band on the Wall 23 - 26 May
Courtney Pine, Nubiyan Twist, Adam Ben Ezra, Nu Genea x Mr Scruff take over x Me Gusta, Laura Misch, Laura Jurd’s Big Friendly Band, Sarāb, Close Counters, Fallen Flags, D’Accord!, Awen Ensemble, Bianca Gannon Ensemble, Carole Nelson Trio, Black Hudu (DJ set).

 

Steve Mead, mjf CEO and Artistic Director, said: “We can’t wait to welcome you back to our 10-day festival - the 29th mjf - to share some hugely inspiring artists with a host of venues and partners across the city.  mjf is acknowledged for championing northern talent, under-the-radar artists and debuts of new music, as well as bringing some big names to Manchester, and of course for celebrating the diversity of our music and its artists. This year, I’m especially pleased to be able to welcome international artists back to mjf after 5 years, with a host of UK debuts and special collaborations, notably with France and Ireland, but also featuring Norway, Finland, and Germany. For many, mjf is the sound of surprise – it’s the sound we love and we hope you will too. We can’t wait for you to join us.”

 

mjf2024 will take place from 17 – 26 May 2024 in venues across Manchester city centre. Tickets go on sale at 10am on 16 February at http://www.manchesterjazz.com

 

About manchester jazz festival
manchester jazz festival is the city’s longest-running music festival and is unlike any other on the jazz festival circuit. mjf champions regional artists and celebrates musical innovation. Accessible to all, mjf features ten days of contemporary jazz from the north and across the UK, with national premieres of original work and a range of free events.
mjf takes place from 17 - 26 May 2024. All the latest news, tickets and booking information can be found at http://www.manchesterjazz.com 
SÉANCE – this mjf originals project was produced with the generous support of PRS Foundation and Granada Foundation
Winner of the 2016 Europe Jazz Network Award for Adventurous Programming.
UK’s first festival signatory to Keychange, supporting a 50/50 gender balance across our stages. Founder Member of the Black Lives in Music charter, 2020.
Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner.

 

About First Street
First Street is a vibrant urban mixed-use neighbourhood located at the heart of Manchester and is a phased development which is being delivered by Ask Real Estate in partnership with Richardson. First Street includes cultural arts venue, HOME, the UK’s first Melia INNSIDE hotel, safe and welcoming areas of public green spaces and a 700-space car park operated by Q-Park. Now boasting an array of bars, restaurants and leisure venues including newly opened Gino D’Acampo Manchester, Indian Tiffin Room, relaxed fine dining offered by WOOD, Junk Yard Golf Club, The Gas Works Brewbar, Ribeye Steakhouse, family favourite Pizza Express, and Bunny Jacksons.
First Street is proving to be an eye-catching location for a broad mix of office occupiers and is now established as a thriving business location which will see the Government Property Agency make it their new home in early autumn.
The expansion of the Estate is continuing apace; currently on site is Downing’s co-living scheme named Square Gardens which will be ready to welcome young professionals in September this year as well as House of Social, a new concept by Vita Student which will be completed the following year.  Both schemes will further enhance the residential options here at First Street.

 

Follow us

 

Facebook at /manchesterjazzfestival

 

Instagram @manchesterjazzfestival

 

Twitter/X @ManJazzFest

 

#mjf2024

 

Core Funders and Festival Sponsors:
Arts Council England, Manchester City Council, PRS for Music Foundation and Greater Manchester Combined Authority, First Street, Ask, Forsyth’s Music Shop, Yamaha

Transatlantic Hot Club with guest Tara Minton at Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre, Abergavenny.

Date: Sunday, April 21, 2024

Featuring: Transatlantic Hot Club

More details

From Facebook;


Event by Black Mountain Jazz and Melville Centre-Abergavenny
Melville Centre-Abergavenny, 8.00 pm
Public · Anyone on or off Facebook
http://www.blackmountainjazz.co.uk


Violin - Adrien Chevalier
Harp - Ben Creighton Griffiths
Bass - Ashley John Long
Vocals - Tara Minton

 

The Transatlantic Hot Club are delighted to perform at the Black Mountain Jazz Club on their Spring 2024 UK Tour. Featuring Adrien Chevalier (New York) on Violin, Ben Creighton Griffiths (Cardiff) on Harp and Ashley John Long (Cardiff) on bass, the Hot Club line up will be completed by an extra special guest - the wonderful Tara Minton on voice! Expect to hear Swing classics, Django standards, and Latin Bossa Nova explored with a totally unique take on the style of Grappelli and Reinhardt.


The Transatlantic Hot Club was formed by Ben Creighton Griffiths (Harp) and Adrien Chevalier (Violin) in 2013 when they met whilst both performing at ‘Journées de la Harpe’ - a harp festival on the French Caribbean islands of Martinique, Guyane, Guadeloupe, St Anne, and St Lucia. The following year they began an annual tradition of performing in Cardiff and have been expanding this into a full tour ever since. In 2019 they adopted the Transatlantic Hot Club name.


Musicians who have performed in the Transatlantic Hot Club line up include - Franck Billot (Clarinet), Tatiana Eva-Marie (Vocals), Ashley John Long (Bass), Don Sweeney (Bass), Matheus Prado (Bass), Philip Ambuel (Bass), Roberto Gervasi (Accordion), Julian Smith (Bass), Vincent Simonelli (guitar), John Dufosse (bass), Alex Gilson (bass), Edouard Pennes (bass), Adrien Tarraga (guitar), Neil Saidi (reeds), and Jeremy Lohier (accordion).


As well as returning to the French Caribbean in 2016 and 2022 the Hot Club has performed in the UK at Acapela Studios (Pentyrch), Norwegian Church (Cardiff), Edinburgh International Harp Festival, Wales Harp Festival (Caernarfon), Cafe Jazz (Cardiff), Mansion House (Cardiff), Le Quecumbar (London), The Bristol Fringe, Aberjazz Club at Pepper’s Art Gallery (Fishguard), Insole Court (Cardiff), Brecon Jazz Club at The Muse, Elsing Hall (Norfolk) and Oxnead Hall (Norfolk) as well as the Aberjazz, Django in the Bay, and the Brecon Online Jazz Festivals. They also performed at the World Harp Congress in Cardiff in 2022. In France they have performed at the Camac Space and Le Piano Vache in Paris, and at the Conservatoire Zino Franscescatti (La Ciotat) and Le Lido (St Raphael) in the South. In 2023 they recorded their first album at Zoot Studios in Paris to be released in 2024.


Upcoming performances include a residency in Corsica in early April, a UK tour in Spring to Crazy Coqs (London), Teignmouth Pavilions, Insole Court (Cardiff), Black Mountain Jazz Club, Aberjazz Club, and more to be announce, and a tour in the USA including the AHS National Conference in Orlando as well as numerous jazz clubs in New York City, Baltimore, and Philadelphia.

 

Links -


Website - http://www.bjcg.co.uk/transatlantic-hot-club.html


Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/transatlantichotclub


YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@transatlantichotclub


Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/transatlantichotclub

 

Melville Centre,
Pen-y-Pound,
Abergavenny.

 

La Vie En Rose, gypsy jazz quartet at Bridgwater Arts Centre, Bridgwater, Somerset.

Date: Saturday, December 07, 2024

More details

Promoter Roger Collett has forwarded the following information regarding this event;


BRIDGWATER ARTS CENTRE
CASTLE STREET TA6 3DD


SAT. DECEMBER 7th 8.00pm (doors 7.00 pm)

 

LA VIE EN ROSE
GYPSY JAZZ PAR EXCELLENCE
CONJURING UP THE MOOD OF 1930’s PARIS AND FUSED WITH FLAVOURS OF EASTERN EUROPE, THE QUARTET BRING YOU IRRESISTIBLE RHYTHMS AND EVOCATIVE MELODIES IN ORDER TO CREATE A HEART WARMING HIP SWINGING SOUND JOIN THEM ON A VOYAGE OF DELIGHT. A FOOT-TAPPING WHIRL OF EXPRESSIVE ENERGY


RESERVED SEATS £15.00 from the BOX OFFICE OPEN WEEKDAYS 10.00 am – 3.00pm
TEL 01278 422700 OR ONLINE
http://www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk


Supporting the Hospital League of Friends

‘Four Hands, One Piano’ feat. Mike Denham & Julian Phillips at Bridgwater Arts Centre, Bridgwater, Somerset.

Date: Saturday, October 12, 2024

More details

Promoter Roger Collett has forwarded the following information regarding this event;


BRIDGWATER ARTS CENTRE
CASTLE STREET TA6 3DD


SAT. OCTOBER 12th 8.00pm ( doors 7.00pm)


4 HANDS – 1 PIANO
THE MASTER OF RAGTIME MIKE DENHAM MEETS THE PROFESSOR OF BOOGIE WOOGIE JULIAN PHILLIPS, TO PLAY AN EVENING OF BRILLIANT MUSICIANSHIP. RAGTIME A SYNCOPATED PROPULSIVE MUSICAL STYLE OF THE EARLY 20th CENTURY BLENDS PERFECTLY WITH BOOGIE- WOOGIE A GENRE OF BLUES MUSIC FROM THE 1920’s AND 30’s TO OFFER A SCINTILLATING ARRANGEMENT
OF MUSIC FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT.


RESERVED SEATS £15.00 FROM THE BOX OFFICE OPEN WEEKDAYS 10.00 am-3.00pm
01278 422700 OR ONLINE
http://www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk


Supporting the Hospital League of Friends

‘Memories of Mardi Gras’ feat. Chris Walker Quintet at Bridgwater Arts Centre, Bridgwater, Somerset.

Date: Saturday, July 13, 2024

More details

Promoter Roger Collett has provided the following information regarding this event;


BRIDGWATER ARTS CENTRE
CASTLE STREET TA6 3DD

 

SAT JULY 13th 8.00 pm ( doors 7.00 pm)
MEMORIES OF MARDI GRAS
ACE REED PLAYER CHRIS WALKER LEADS A FINE QUINTET OF MUSICIANS TO PLAY GREAT WORKS FROM THE GOLDEN YEARS OF JAZZ. NUMBERS SUCH AS BOURBON STREET PARADE, OLD SHANTY TOWN, SWEET GEORGIA BROWN, YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE INTERSPERSED WITH AMUSING ANECDOTES WILL STIR UP HAPPY MEMORIES OF THAT ERA. LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL !!!!


RESERVED SEATS £ 15.00 from the BOX
OFFICE open WEEKDAYS 10.00am – 3.00 pm
01278 422700 or online
http://www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk


Supporting the Hospital League of Friends

Jonny Hepbir Trio at Bridgwater Arts Centre, Bridgwater, Somerset.

Date: Saturday, April 13, 2024

More details

Promoter Roger Collett has forwarded the following information;


BRIDGWATER ARTS CENTRE
CASTLE STREET TA6 3DD
SAT APRIL 13 8.00pm (doors 7.00pm)


JONNY HEPBIR TRIO
JONNY (GUITAR) IS JOINED BY FELLOW GUITARIST JASON HENSON AND ACCORDIONIST PETE WATSON TO OFFER AN ECLECTIC FUSION OF FRENCH WALTZ, LATIN, TANGO AND DJANGO, PLUS THE SUPER RHYTHMS AND SOUNDS OF EASTERN EUROPE


RESERVED SEATS £15.00 from the BOX OFFICE ( open WEEK DAYS from 10.00 am until 3.00 pm ) or online


http://www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk


Telephone 01278 422700

Iain Ballamy’s IBQT at Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester.

Date: Thursday, April 04, 2024

More details

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/events/


April 4 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Iain Ballamy’s IBQT
The Marrs Bar 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester,

 


Loose Tubes and Bill Bruford’s Earthworks saxophonist brings his new quartet featuring rising star Rebecca Nash and world-class drummer Jeremy Stacey
I love musical connections, don’t you? Probably the first time I heard Iain Ballamy was on the Loose Tubes 1988 album ‘Open Letter’. That wonderful big band line up included Django Bates and Mark Lockheart, whose nephew Dan Lockheart opened our Autumn program at The Marr’s Bar in September 2023. Ballamy and Bates also played in Bill Bruford’s Earthworks in the mid eighties. Among other accolades, Bruford was drummer with Yes (1968-72 & 1990-92) and King Crimson (1972-24 & 1981-84). Fast forward some 40 years and Iain Ballamy is touring his new quartet IBQT, featuring King Crimson’s most recent drummer (one of three), Jeremy Stacey, who we had on the Music Spoken Here stage in January with FNUK, alongside twin brother Paul Stacey and pianist Jason Rebello!

 

Listed between Chet Baker and Count Basie in Geoffrey Smith’s BBC publication ‘100 Jazz Greats’, Ballamy has a rare and beautiful sound on the tenor saxophone, both captivating and instantly recognisable.

 

Since emerging in the early 80’s with Loose Tubes, Django Bates and Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, he has established himself as a player and composer of note on the world’s jazz stages and more recently as a contemporary classical soloist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and BBC Philharmonic Orchestras.

 

His remarkable new quartet IBQT features the unique rising star pianist Rebecca Nash, superb bassist Nick Pini and the internationally renowned drummer Jeremy Stacey.

 

Ballamy’s concert repertoire covers a great range and his program will include past and present original works plus some unexpected re-workings of some classic songs that inspired his musical journey.

 

Ballamy is a professor of saxophone at the Guildhall school of music and Royal Academy of music and a recording artist for ECM records.

 

Doors 8pm / show starts 8:30pm


TICKETS
Music Spoken Here prides itself in offering exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are ticketless, just show up on the night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £10-15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach

 

The Gaz Hughes Trio at Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire.

Date: Friday, June 21, 2024

Featuring: The Gaz Hughes Trio

More details

From;
https://www.jazzinreading.com/?p=22129&future=true


Jazz at Progress | The Gaz Hughes Trio: The Nuclear Bebopalypse Tour | Buy tickets https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/progresstheatre/t-dvplxgn
Friday 21 June 2024 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.

 

Gaz Hughes drums
Andrzej Baranek piano
Gavin Barras double bass


The Gaz Hughes Trio: The Nuclear Bebopalypse Tour


Gaz Hughes is a renowned jazz drummer and band leader, who first gained wide public attention as the original drummer in the Matthew Halsall Band. He has played a significant role in the early recordings of the Gondwana label and has been a highlight on the album “On The Go”, which won the Best Jazz Album of the Year at the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards in 2012, and was nominated for the Best Jazz Album MOBO Awards in 2011.


As a sideman, Gaz has performed with an impressive array of jazz artists, both in the UK and internationally, including Scott Hamilton, Harry Allen, Marshal Allen, Greg Abate, Alan Barnes, Bruce Adams, Mark Nightingale, Tony Kofi, Ian Shaw, and many others. Additionally, he has also collaborated with a number of rock and pop artists such as Patti Boulaye, Suzi Quatro, Ray Quinn, Rick Guard and Kristyna Myles.


In 2019, Gaz was voted fifth place in the British Jazz Awards. In 2020, he released his debut album as a band leader, “Plays Art Blakey”, featuring Alan Barnes, Bruce Adams and Dean Masser. The album was met with critical acclaim and was supported by a UK tour and extensive radio play. In May 2022, Gaz released a trio album “Beboperation” which was well received by audiences and critics. Following its success, the trio went back to the studio to record a follow-up album. In February 2023, Gaz released his third album as a band leader, entitled “Beboptical Illusion”, featuring mostly original compositions and representing a new direction for the trio.


The new album, Nuclear Bebopalypse, continues with original numbers inspired by the late 50’s Piano Trio format but with fresh twists. A recent promoter described the music as “Old School Jazz for the 21st Century” – which Gaz says sums up things perfectly.


On 21 June you will experience an exciting drum-led jazz combo with lashings of swing and effortless bebop improvisation. Review comments include:


“Incredible” – Ginger Baker


“An extremely tasteful and swinging straight ahead drummer, Hughes exhibits a no nonsense approach to his playing” – http://www.jazzviews.net


“They rarely deliver anything less than excellence and today topped just about everything that had preceded it. I feel sad for the squares who weren’t there” – Bebop Spoken Here


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWbeRXcCvCQ

Five-Way Split at Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire.

Date: Friday, May 10, 2024

Featuring: Five-Way Split

More details

From;
https://www.jazzinreading.com/?p=22129&future=true


Jazz at Progress | Five-Way Split | Buy tickets https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/progresstheatre/five-way-split/e-oqkxxz
Friday 10 May 2024 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.

 


Quentin Collins trumpet & flugel horn, Vasilis Xenopoulos tenor saxophone, Rob Barron piano,  Matyas Hofecker bass, Matt Home drums.


Five-Way Split is a new jointly-led band featuring five of the finest contemporary bebop musicians in the UK. It is fronted by internationally renowned trumpet star Quentin Collins, Greek saxophone phenomenon Vasilis Xenopoulos and the golden touch of pianist Rob Barron. Added to this is virtuosic bassist Matyas Hofecker and rock-solid drummer Matt Home.


The band’s vision is to carry on the lineage of groups like Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers as well mirroring the New York contemporary-bop scene.


From this inspiration, the band presents a sound that respects the tradition of hard-bop and straight-ahead jazz in a way that will appeal to today’s audience. With an extensive repertoire of carefully crafted and imaginative original compositions, along with hip, swinging material by greats like Jimmy Heath, Cedar Walton and Horace Silver, Five-Way Split delivers a night of the best swinging and soulful music in town.


Since the band’s formation in 2020, “when performance opportunities were scarce, but creative energy was strong”, it has played sold out shows at London’s Ronnie Scott’s & 606 Jazz Club, as well to appreciative full houses at jazz clubs up and down the country.


Their debut album “All The Way” contains original compositions by the band as well as choice arrangements of classic jazz standards.


“No duds,” wrote Peter Vacher in his 4-Star Jazzwise review of ‘All The Way”, “no longuers, just brilliant and distinctive outcomes. Great to hear these accomplished musicians in this kind of creative shape. Track them down. It will be worth it.”


Hear Five-Way Split in action on this performance clip:  https://youtu.be/ivUdNBWlY8w

 

2nd Unesco / CV Jazz World Jazz Celebration at SpArC Theatre, Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire.

Dates: Thursday, May 02, 2024 - Saturday, May 04, 2024

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

John Davies of CV Jazz writes;


It’s time to look forward to the 2024 three day event celebrating three outstanding performances with the Jonny Mansfield Quartet (2nd) the Julian Siegel Quartet (3rd) & the Rory Ingham Sextet (4th). Three days of sensational jazz from 14 world class, award winning musicians for full details visit our website http://www.clunvalleyjazz.com

Steinway 2-Piano Festival at Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London

Dates: Thursday, March 21, 2024 - Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Featuring: Various Artists

Venue

Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London

Pizza Express Jazz Club,
Dean Street,
Soho,
London,
W1D 3RW.

More details

Joseph Paice of Pizza Express Live writes;


We’re announcing our Steinway 2-Piano Festival lineup today. Rarities include Sullivan Fortner with Sean Mason, Don Grusin appearing with Shakatak’s Bill Sharpe, Wendy Kirkland with Indian pianist/composer Charu Suri. Carsten Dahl and Nikolai Hess appear as the first night of Steinway and simultaneously the last night of Sounds of Denmark (to be announced soon).


SCHEDULE -  MARCH 2024


Thursday 21st – Carsten Dahl & Nikolai Hess – still awaiting for image, but here is url, which will be live by Wednesday:
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/carsten-dahl-nikolaj-hess

 

Friday 22nd - Saturday 23rd – Don Grusin & Bill Sharpe
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/bill-sharpe-don-grusin


Saturday 23rd (lunch) – Dom Pipkin ‘New Orleans Piano’

 

Sunday 24th (lunch) – Wendy Kirkland & Charu
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/wendy-kirkland-charu

 

Sunday 24th (evening) – Sultan Stevenson & Emile Hinton
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/sultan-stevenson-emile-hinton

 

Monday 25th – Janette Mason & Dena DeRose
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/dena-derose-janette-mason

 

Tuesday 26th (early) Ian Shaw with Jamie Safir
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/ian-shaw-jamie-safir

 

Tuesday 26th (late) Ian Shaw with James Pearson
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/ian-shaw-james-pearson

 

Wednesday 27th – Sullivan Fortner & Sean Mason
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/sullivan-fortner-sean-mason


https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/steinway-2-piano-festival

Buxton International Festival 2024, various venues, Buxton, Derbyshire.

Dates: Thursday, July 04, 2024 - Sunday, July 21, 2024

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

04/12/2023 - We have received the following press release;


BUXTON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL (4-21 JULY 2024)
LAUNCHES FIRST WAVE OF TICKETS

 

Buxton International Festival (4-21 July 2024) launches its first wave of tickets. Early bird tickets for Carlos Acosta and discounted Jazz Weekender packages will be available from the Festival Box Office from 10am on Tuesday, 5 December 2023.


BUXTON DEBUT FOR CARLOS ACOSTA
Carlos Acosta brings his highly acclaimed show, ‘On Before’, to Buxton Opera House on Saturday, 20 and Sunday, 21 July 2024 at 7.30pm as part of an international tour presented by Norwich Theatre and Valid Productions.
The intensely personal evening of dance is created, directed and performed by the legendary Cuban dancer and features fellow dancer Laura Rodriguez. Guest choreographers include Russell Maliphant, Kim Brandstrup and Will Tuckett, alongside Acosta’s own choreography.
Tickets cost £20 - £60.

 

JAZZ WEEKENDER PACKAGES

 

Buxton’s Jazz Weekender Packages - Buxton’s all-day jazz “passes”, including traditional, contemporary, New Orleans, gospel and Afro-jazz - have proved hugely popular over the last two years. There are two discounted packages available from 5 December:

 

Jazz Weekender Plus: tickets include all jazz events from Thursday 4 July – Monday, 8 July, plus stall seats at Peter Brook’s La tragédie de Carmen in Buxton Opera House. Tickets cost £209.

 

Jazz Weekender tickets include all jazz events from Saturday, 6 July – Monday, 8 July. Tickets cost £160.


Gigs take place at Jazz at The Palace Hotel, Buxton Opera House and the Pavilion Arts
Centre. Stars include:

 

 Ian Shaw, 4 July
 Emily Brown Quartet, 5 July
 Hot Jazz Trio, 6 July
 Zoe Rahman Octet, 7 July
 An evening with New Orleans clarinettist Adrian Cox playing alongside a string quartet led by Gabriella Swallow and guest singer, Tommy Blaze (from BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing) on 8 July.


BOX OFFICE
Tel: 01298 72190
http://www.buxtonfestival.co.uk

 

FESTIVAL TIMELINE
The full programme and festival brochure will be issued on Monday 26 February, with Priority Booking opening on 5 March and Public Booking on 2 April 2024.


For further information visit: http://www.buxtonfestival.co.uk

Dean Stockdale Quartet at Kidderminster Jazz Club, St. Ambrose Parish Centre, Kidderminster, Worcs.

Date: Friday, June 07, 2024

More details

From;
https://www.kidderminsterjazzclub.co.uk/2023-2024-season-shows


Dean Stockdale Quartet
Kidderminster Jazz Club
Fri, Jun 7, 2024 @ 7:00PM St Ambrose Parish Centre , Leswell Street - DY10 1RP, Kidderminster


The ‘Celebrating Oscar’ Quartet’ is a new quartet playing inventive arrangements of Oscar Peterson’s original compositions together with music that he was associated with. We focus on bringing the infectious swing of Oscar’s groups, as well as showcasing his compositional ability and virtuosic piano style.


The pianist acknowledges his influences as Bill Evans, Errol Garner and of course Oscar Peterson to whom he pays tribute with this fine album. Stockdale has got the approach to the music here spot on. A dozen songs written by or associated with the great pianist and tastefully arranged for the quartet.

 

There are no pyrotechnics and Stockdale does not feel the need to emulate Peterson in any way, just deeply swinging jazz played with joy and integrity.


The quartet features Gavin Barras on bass, Gaz Hughes on drums Tim Williams on guitar

Kevin Hassett’s Redux Trio at Kidderminster Jazz Club, St. Ambrose Parish Centre, Kidderminster, Worcs.

Date: Friday, May 03, 2024

More details

From;
https://www.kidderminsterjazzclub.co.uk/2023-2024-season-shows


REDUX Trio


Kidderminster Jazz Club
Fri, May 3, 2024 @ 7:00PM


Redux .....a Latin verb meaning to bring back, to restore, to revisit. These definitions best summarise perhaps the Redux musical offer which is to provide new, respectful approaches to the great jazz standards of Porter, Gershwin, Ellington, Waller, Gillespie et al which have over the years, by repetition and familiarity perhaps, lost a little of their freshness and impact. Melody is at the heart of what we do.


Redux will also intersperse the music with short anecdotes and stories providing a background and context for the songs performed. Stories that have emerged from the research conducted into their origins. Our overarching aim however is to entertain…. and if we do provide (just a little) food for thought we see that as a bonus.


St Ambrose Parish Centre , Leswell Street - DY10 1RP, Kidderminster.

Cheltenham Jazz Festival, various venues, Cheltenham, Glos.

Dates: Wednesday, May 01, 2024 - Monday, May 06, 2024

Featuring: Various Artists

More details

16/11/2024;


We have received the following press release;

 


CHELTENHAM JAZZ FESTIVAL UNVEILS FIRST LOOK AT EXCITING, EXPANSIVE 2024 PROGRAMME


Cheltenham Jazz Festival is offering audiences a sneak-peak of their exciting 2024 programme, releasing tickets for six of the acts that will grace its storied stages in the spring.

 


The half-dozen artists reflect the Festival’s long-standing commitment to celebrating all facets of contemporary jazz – and all the music the form has influenced. The line-up includes superstar saxophonist Courtney Pine, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Dee Dee Bridgewater and Afro-Jazz innovators Nubiyan Twist, who appear alongside West African dance legends Orchestra Baobab.

 

“This first release of tickets for our exciting 2024 programme offers in miniature the breadth and depth that Cheltenham Jazz Festival aims for every year,” says Ian George, Head of Programming for the Jazz Festival and co-CEO of parent charity Cheltenham Festivals.

 

“We celebrate all the genres that have jazz in their DNA by bringing the best of contemporary UK, US and European jazz to our Big Top and other venues,” he added.

 

“The breadth of jazz’s influence is unique. From pop to soul, blues to world music, we are always so spoiled for fantastic musicians at Cheltenham. From orchestras and big bands to club sessions and late-night jams, the Festival runs the gamut of the music – as this preview proves!”

 

Alongside Pine, Bridgewater and the Orchestra Baobab/Nubiyan Twist double header, the early announcement is rounded out by reggae pop veterans UB40, chart-topping singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti, and electronica pioneers Morcheeba.

 

Courtney Pine has appeared at Cheltenham on previous occasions, and believes it holds a special place on the UK jazz scene. “Cheltenham Jazz Festival is an event that welcomes all,” he says. “As an artist, I look forward to celebrating my 60th birthday at this event, with a concert that reflects my cultural background!”

 

The Festival also always looks forward to the future of the music, playing host to fresh new names and pushing the boundaries of the genre’s definition. Dee Dee Bridgewater is particularly excited to perform as part of an event centred on artists. “I cannot wait to come back to Cheltenham - it’s been six long years! I’m coming with new, young and amazing musicians and some great music to soothe your souls – see you there!”

 

Tickets for the early announcement shows will be available to the public from 27 November via http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz/. The full programme for Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2024 will be revealed in February.


Cheltenham Jazz Festival is part of Cheltenham Festivals, an arts charity that creates experiences which bring joy, spark curiosity, connect communities and inspire change. Its year-round learning and participation and talent development programmes culminate in four world-class Festivals, offering everyone an opportunity to explore and create culture. Over 225,000 visitors a year are inspired by its Literature, Science, Jazz and Music Festivals.


Cheltenham Festivals is signed up to the Keychange programme which aims for a 50:50 gender balance across the Festival line-up.

...

 

We have also received the following additional information;

 

2024 will also see the return of the much-admired Parabola Arts Centre strand of Cheltenham Jazz Festival, which is dedicated to new, exciting and innovative jazz music from some of the finest purveyors of the music worldwide. Long-time programmer Tony Dudley-Evans, who retired last year, will return to commission new works, with Alex Carr - founder of Amplify Sounds and Contemporary Music Programmer at London’s Southbank Centre - taking on programming duties for the strand.

 

Hopkins Hammond Trio at Kidderminster Jazz Club, St. Ambrose Paish Centre, Kidderminster, Worcs.

Date: Friday, July 05, 2024

More details

From;
https://www.kidderminsterjazzclub.co.uk/2023-2024-season-shows

Hopkins Hammond Trio
Kidderminster Jazz Club
Fri, Jul 5, 2024 @ 7:00PM St Ambrose Parish Centre , Leswell Street - DY10 1RP, Kidderminster
The classic jazz formation known as the ‘Organ Trio’ may be a new concept to you. If so, you will probably be delighted to know that it is not three organs but rather one organ (usually a Hammond organ), guitar and drums - three instruments that blend together to create a unique sound that can be very subtle or very powerful and everything in between.
Formed on a rare sunny day in Bristol, UK in 2016, this organ trio knew they were on to a winner after the first tune they played together. There is an undeniable chemistry between the three of them that is evident in everything they play. This could be well-known jazz standards, tunes by the likes of John Scofield and Pat Metheny or the trio’s own compositions.
Matt Hopkins – guitar Matt’s inventive and melodic guitar playing has been featured in groups as stylistically diverse as Andy Sheppard’s Hotel Bristol and Emily Wright & The Royals. He also takes the lead role in the “Music of Pat Metheny” project alongside pianist Dave Newton. Matt is also known as an instructor and educator, specialising in jazz improvisation.
Scott Hammond – drums Scott is probably best known for playing rock music with Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull all over the globe since 2010 but he’s not just a rocker. Jazz, especially in the organ trio setting, has always been close to Scott’s heart and this trio shows a more subtle side to his playing. In the jazz world, Scott has worked with Alan Barnes, Tina May, Herb Geller, Bobby Wellins, Jason Rebello, Pee Wee Ellis and many others.
Ruth Hammond - organ Ruth has many strings to her bow as she is equally adept on organ, piano, saxophones, accordion and vocals. After graduating from Leeds College of Music in 1998, she became Runner Up in the Young Jazz Musician of the Year (on tenor saxophone). She has released a solo album “All The Good Things” which features her singing her own songs.
£15.00

First Friday Of Each Month
Bring Your Own Drinks/Bottle

 

Alex Clarke at Kidderminster Jazz Club, St. Ambrose Parish Centre, Kidderminster, Worcs.

Date: Friday, April 05, 2024

Featuring: Alex Clarke Quartet

More details

From;
https://www.kidderminsterjazzclub.co.uk/2023-2024-season-shows

First Friday Of Each Month
Bring Your Own Drinks/Bottle

 

Alex Clarke
Kidderminster Jazz Club
Fri, Apr 5, 2024 @ 7:00PM St Ambrose Parish Centre , Leswell Street - DY10 1RP, Kidderminster
As a finalist in the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2020, winner of the Rising Star category in the 2019 British Jazz Awards and nominee in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2021 & ‘22, Alex is known to be one of the most in-demand and versatile saxophonists to have emerged on the British jazz scene.
In summer 2022, Alex released her latest quartet album “Only A Year” featuring some of the UK’s finest musicians, namely David Newton, Dave Green and Clark Tracey. This led to a sell-out album tour in January/February 2023 across renowned UK jazz clubs and festivals. “One of the UK’s finest young jazz talents” – The Jazz Rag “Clarke is a rising star…and here is the evidence” - Jazzwise
£15.00