Jazz North at LIJEC: Jazz Education

                                          Katie Patterson's Allsorts trio (Photo by Porl Medlock)

On Thursday 21st March, Jazz North held a session as part of the Leeds International Jazz Education Conference at Leeds College of Music. Representatives from Music Education Hubs, development organisations and freelance jazz educators were invited to take part in a discussion of all that is currently going in the world of jazz education in North and what we can do next.

Read the full report of the Jazz North at LIJEC session.

Recording Support Scheme 2013

There is still time to apply for Jazz Services Recording Support scheme 2013. Applications are being accepted until April 12th.

The scheme looks to provide funding for artists wishing to record their first album as a leader. Last year, Leeds-based saxophonist James Mainwaring was a recipient of this funding, along with artists including Ant Law, Nikki Yeoh, Dominic Lash and the Reuben Fowler Big Band.

Fore more information and to apply for the scheme, go HERE.

Jazz April

The Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) has launched a media campaign it’s calling “Jazz April.” The effort ties in with the Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s designation of April as Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM).

The Jazz Journalists Association say -

 “Throughout the U.S. and around the world, jazz musicians and supporters are planning special April concerts and events. The month’s activities will reach a crescendo on April 30, when Herbie Hancock and other jazz luminaries perform in a daylong series of Jazz Day concerts live-streamed from Istanbul, Turkey.”

  
“Through the Jazz April campaign, the Jazz Journalists Association is supporting these efforts by: encouraging and helping media makers, musicians, venues, businesses and organizations, as well as individual fans and listeners, to use traditional, online and social media as well as other means to spread the word that ‘April is Jazz Month.’

We've signed up to support the campaign and raise awareness of the events. For more information see the Jazz April website.

The Friday Interview: Soweto Kinch (part 2)

Following on from last week's interview with Soweto, we move on to discuss music and his latest projects...

Venue Profile: Sela Bar, Leeds

Where? 20 New Briggate, Leeds, LS1 6NU

When? The Cooler runs gigs on Monday nights, Jazz Jams (with featured band each week) on Tuesdays

How much?  Free

What kind of jazz? all styles - bop, contemporary, funk and everything in between

Who runs the night? The Cooler - Matt Anderson and Sam Gardner, Jazz Jams - Nik Svarc

Sela Bar in Leeds is an important part of the Leeds jazz scene, hosting live jazz twice a week. The Cooler is run by LCoM alumni Matt Anderson and Sam Gardner and has gone from strength to strength, attracting touring groups from across the UK and showcasing the up and coming musicians coming out of LCoM each year. They describe it as presenting "the best in contemporary jazz every Monday". Recent groups have included the Tori Freestone group, Dave Hamblett group and Will Vinson and they are soon to host a series of 3rd LCoM Jazz recital groups (April 8th - 29th). The Jazz Jam runs on Tuesdays and is hosted by guitarist Nik Svarc. The jam is preceded each week with a set by a featured group. One upcoming highlight is "Smiling Organizm" featuring Eric Harland. (May 14th.) 

Happy Birthday, Watermelon Men!

Harrogate Jazz promoter Keith Jevons is inviting you to celebrate a special birthday with jazz group the Watermelon Men.

Keith says...

It's been 12 years since the Watermelon Men first got together at the Mitre in Knaresborough. We're having a bash on Tuesday 26th March to celebrate the anniversary and a couple of the band members' birthdays It would be great if you could make it to the Balcony at Harrogate Cricket Club from 8.15pm. Please spread the word!

The Friday Interview: Soweto Kinch (Part 1)

Soweto Kinch is known for being one of the most exciting jazz musicians operating in the UK, as well as one of the busiest. He is accomplished as a saxophonist, a rapper and a writer. He also runs events like The Flyover Show, works with choreographers and dancers and is involved in education through workshops and masterclasses. He's been the recipient of 2 MOBO awards and alongside all of this, holds a degree in Modern History from Oxford. All of this informs his work and results in an intensely interesting musician. This year, he was invited to be keynote speaker at the Leeds International Jazz Education Conference, held this week at Leeds College of Music.

Venue Profile: Scarborough Jazz

Where? Scarborough Jazz @ The Cask, Cambridge Terrace  Scarborough  YO11 2UZ
 
When? Every Wednesday evening, 50 nights a year.(Music from 8:45pm)

How much? On nights where the resident trio backs front liners £3, For once a month out of town band from £4 to £10

What kind of jazz? Mainstream/Modern

Who runs the night? Mike Gordon

Scarborough Jazz has been operating for 29 years. The policy of the club - which has a committee of ten - is to mix the best of performers in the region, backed by the resident trio, with visiting bands.  These will include well established 'name' bands, and more recently formed groups exploring different aspects of jazz.We also have a policy of booking student and younger bands regularly.  We encourage sitters-in and have players' nights about three times a year.
We try to keep our door charges low as we want good size audiences and also realise that times are hard for a lot of people.

Upcoming Highlights - Ant Law (March 27th),  Alan Barnes & Matthias Seuffert with the Jim Birkett Trio (April 3rd) and the annual Scarborough Jazz Festival (27-29 September)

RAMJam 2013 with Claude Deppa at Victoria Hall Settle

Claude Deppa picture by Richard Kaby

The Dales Jam
7:30pm 23 March
Victoria Hall Settle
Tickets are £8.00 / £4.00 concessions

Those of you who have experienced a RAMJam gig before know what to expect – tantalising tunes, raging rhythms and soaring solos – but for the uninitiated, find out by getting your tickets in advance from Victoria Hall Settle to experience these fearless young players together with Dales Jam, the well established community jazz ensemble, based in Skipton and now in its tenth year. Dales Jam will swell the numbers on stage to a total of about forty five players. One big sound!

As well as all this, you should not miss guest soloist Claude Deppa. A world class player on trumpet or flugel horn, Claude arrived in the UK in his teens from South Africa and has played with so many people, notably Chris McGregor, Grand Union Orchestra, Dudu Pukwana, Carla Bley, Miriam Makeba, that the list is endless. It will be a great rare treat to see him here.

The Friday Interview: Phil Meadows

Saxophonist Phil Meadows has been involved in the Northern jazz scene for quite some time. He started out studying at Chethams Music School in Manchester and went on to complete his BA Jazz at Leeds College of Music. During that time, he led his own groups that played across the North, was involved in high profile performances with visiting musicians to LCoM, was a finalist in the Keep An Eye on Jazz Soloist Competition in Amsterdam and ran a successful jazz night at The Wardrobe in Leeds. He has maintained this momentum since leaving Leeds to move to London, first to complete his Masters degree at Trinity Laban and now where he lives and works as a freelance musician.

CD & Ticket Giveaway - Jose James Album Launch

Internationally acclaimed US soul/jazz singer Jose James launched his debut album for legendary New York jazz label Blue Note Records "No Beginning No End" at the back end of February this year and is currently on a world tour to promote it. His Leeds album launch date is one of only four UK dates (as well as London, Birmingham and Manchester).

DJ Lubi has generously given Jazz Yorkshire not one but two prizes for this giveaway - the winner will receive a copy of the new CD PLUS two tickets to the album launch on April 10th.

To be in with a chance of winning this hefty prize, send your answer to this question to blogATjazzyorkshire.org (replacing AT with @) by April 1st.

Question: What grammy award winning jazz pianist collaborates with Jose on his new album, No Beginning No End?

Gig Review: Mehliana at Howard Assembly Room, March 13th

Review by Benji Powling

This new project from Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana, collectively calling themselves ‘Mehliana’, is something of a super group within the jazz world but their concert, though largely improvised, was rooted in DJ culture and electronic music far more than jazz. The broad musical palette also spanned delicate, folk-like melodies, funk and all-out prog-rock whilst still managing to retain a sense of character and unity. Nonetheless, despite the impressive breadth of genres and the high level of technical proficiency I still felt as if they were finding their feet within this particular duo medium. 

Venue Profile: Sheffield Jazz

Paul Booth Friday 15 March
Website www.sheffieldjazz.org.uk
Where?  Millennium Hall, Polish Catholic Centre, 520 Ecclesall Rd, S11 8PY (gigs start 8.30pm)

Crucible Studio, Tudor Square Sheffield S1 1DA (gigs start 7.45pm)

When? Most Fridays, in two seasons. Autumn season - mid-Sept. to mid-Dec. and Spring season - mid-Jan. to early June.

How much? Full £14-15, Concessions £11-12, Students (with NUS card) £7, 15 – 17 year olds £2, Under 15s FREE 

What kind of jazz? Their approach is to "bring the very best of British and international Jazz to sheffield, and to support up-and-coming musicians as well as established stars. From hard-swinging post-bop to Art Pepper influenced melodic jazz to contemporary jazz, new compositions, latin jazz and a new wave of young bands."

Who runs the night? Sheffield Jazz includes Jude Sacker, Paul Thomas and Jez Matthews

Jazz In York

If you're in York or nearby, you'll want to check out Jazz In York, a website to keep you up to date with gig listings and goings-on in the York jazz scene. It's a great resource that also lists resident bands and musicians in York, residencies and one-off events. There's a mailing list too!

The Friday Interview: Mark Guiliana

Still in his twenties, Mark Guiliana has earned critical acclaim internationally as a drummer, a band-leader and sideman. His work with Avishai Cohen Trio took him around the world, and he has also recorded and performed with Branford Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin and James Williams. Through his work as the leader of New York-based trio HEERNT, Mark has made a lasting impression on musicians and listeners alike. Bill Bruford described HEERNT's album Locked In A Basement as "Quite the most brilliant record you're going to hear for the foreseeable future‚ so I recommend immediate purchase. For drummers‚ its simply compulsory"

Mark is currently touring Europe with Mehliana, a duo with pianist Brad Mehldau, and on March 13th, they will be performing at Howard Assembly Room in Leeds. 

Mark Allen Group acquires Jazzwise

It has been announced that the Mark Allen Group has acquired Jazzwise magazine.

The independent publishing group publishes over 50 magazines in business, healthcare, leisure and education.

Mark Allen says

“I am delighted that we have managed to acquire such an excellent and leading title.  It has a committed and passionate team and certainly, we will look after the title and do everything we can to make it even more successful. The group’s interest in jazz, and my own passion in this area, led to the launch of the annual Wiltshire Jazz Festival seven years ago, a charity event organised in the location of its Wiltshire offices, which this year takes place on 15th June 2013.”

Mark Allen Group will work alongside editor Jon Newey as they push for Jazzwise to become recognised as the leading European English language jazz publication.

Former owner and founder Charles Alexander explained that he is happy with the new direction of the magazine...

“In planning succession for Jazzwise it was important for me as its founder to find a new owner with an outstanding track record in magazine publishing and a genuine appreciation of jazz music. In Mark Allen himself and his company, the Mark Allen Group, I believe that I have more than fulfilled these criteria. I have every confidence that Mark and his talented team, in conjunction with Editor/Publisher Jon Newey, will grow the title and take it to new heights. Meanwhile its former parent company, Jazzwise Publications Limited, will be renamed Jazzsense Publications Limited and continue to publish and distribute jazz sheet music, tuition books and software for musicians.”

Gig Preview: Eyes Shut Tight UK Tour

Over the last few years, bassist/band-leader/composer Paul Baxter has built a reputation in the UK and abroad as an ambitious, creative and exciting musician. Originally based in the North and recently moving South to study for a masters degree at Trinity College of Music, you will likely recognise his name from the many groups he leads and writes for - The Give A Little Love Jazz Orchestra and the 3 smaller incarnations of the Horace Silver band - 5/6/7 Pieces of Silver, The Paul Baxter Quartet and The Potter Ensemble.

Baxter formed Eyes Shut Tight 3 years ago with pianist Johnny Tomlinson and drummer Kris Wright, and the group have released two albums - their debut 'Evolution' and most recent release 'The Thaw' - and have performed across the UK. Described as "sophisticated and skillful", their 2013 UK Tour provides audiences across the country the chance to see this tight-knit, forward-thinking group perform live.

Venue Profile: JATP, Bradford

Where? Bradford Irish Club, 2 Rebecca Street, Bradford, BD1 2 RX (01274 732000)


When? First Friday of every month except August, 2 Jazz Extras per annum, one per half-season, when there are 5 Fridays in that month. 8pm til 11pm

How much?  £7 or £5 members and Students

What kind of jazz? All forms of accessible jazz

Who runs the night? Martin Powell

The Friday Interview Extra: Becca Stevens

Not content with one interview this week, our JY editor interviewed NYC singer Becca Stevens and was published in The Telegraph. You can see Becca perform in Manchester at Band on The Wall on March 5th.

The Telegraph - Becca Stevens Q + A

Jazz North to run Get More Gigs Events

From Jazz North website...

Jazz North has announced that it is to run two days of free professional development training for jazz musicians across the North of England, featuring expert speakers in areas including marketing and PR, booking gigs, applying for funding and musician-led collectives.

The events will take place at The Bridge in Newcastle on April 14th and at Sela Bar in Leeds on April 15th. Both will run from 3pm until 7pm and include talks by the speakers, Q+A sessions, networking opportunities and a chance for one-to-one slots with speakers.

Speakers are to include - Sebastian Scotney (London Jazz), Sandra Marcy (Marketing/PR expert), Clare Turner (Matt and Phreds), Steve Mead (Manchester Jazz Festival), Nigel Slee (Jazz North) and Barak Schmool (F-IRE). 

Events are FREE but places are limited so musicians should sign up in advance -

Reserve Your Place

The Friday Interview: Martin Archer

Described as "articulate and resourceful" (WIRE) and "a menacing intelligence" (NME), composer, performer and record label owner Martin Archer is constantly pushing his music forward, and leaving no stone unturned as he does it.

His group "Blue Meat, Black Diesel & Engine Room Favourites" has been chosen as part of Jazz North's Northern Line scheme, and his 40-piece experimental choir Juxtavoices performs across the country. He is currently working alongside drummer and composer Peter Fairclough to write a new album of material for long-time collaborator Julie Tippetts.