Great North Big Band Jazz Festival, March 4-6

Big bands from across the North are soon to descend on Sunderland for the 13th Annual Great North Big Band Jazz Festival on March 4-6, held at the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at Sunderland University.

Over the course of the weekend, there will be two competitions - an Open Section competition on Saturday 5th and a Youth & School Group Section on Sunday 6th. The winners of the Open Section on Saturday will then remain at the venue to perform in a Winner's concert.

The festival kicks off with the performance by the Musicians Unlimited Big Band and Festival Big Band on Friday 4th March.

Festival tickets cost £10 and there is food and licensed bar available throughout.

For more information, visit the festival's website.

St Cuthbert's Suite premiere - March 18th & 19th

Pianist Paul Edis has written a new suite of music inspired by St Cuthbert, a saint of the Northumbrian church and widely considered to be the Patron Saint of the North.

The music was commissioned by Ushaw College and has elements of jazz, classical and folk and will be performed by ensemble that features Graham Hardy (trumpet), Graeme Wilson (woodwinds), Rob Walker (drums/percussion), Paul Susans (double bass), Emma Fisk (violin), Alice Burns (Northumbrian pipes) with piano and MD duties from Paul himself.

The suite will be performed twice in March - at Ushaw College on March 18th and then at Durham Cathedral on March 19th. (The cathedral being where St Cuthbert's body was laid to rest after 7 years fleeing the Vikings.)

For more information on Paul's music, visit his website.

New Album from Ginger Tunes - Mersey, Mersey, Mersey

This weekend as part of the Liverpool International Jazz Festival, Ginger Tunes Quartet will launch their new album - Mersey, Mersey, Mersey.

The album was produced with support from Liverpool Jazz. (a project which we reported on recently, read the full article here)

The band's leader, saxophonist Mike Smith says

This album is a reflection of Merseyside. It is a celebration of the city that has given me, and so many others a life in music. With its diverse cultural roots and chequered history, Liverpool has retained its defiant humour and will always be the home of artistic mischief. This is a sentiment worth celebrating, and one we hope to have captured in the live recording of this album. Each player brought their sense of fun and good humour to the studio, and you can hear it in every note. 

 

Titles include:

Upton girl

Hitchhiker's guide to Fazakerley 

Tox town

Bossa Scouser

 

Ginger Tunes have been playing together for over a decade and have built up a strong following. They will appear at the jazz festival as part of the Liverpool Jazz showcase at Capstone Theatre on Sunday 28th February at 1pm. Admission is free.

 

You can find out more about the band on their website and the new album can be purchased on iTunes here.

Darlington Jazz Festival Fundraising Campaign

Darlington Jazz Festival takes place over a weekend between 21st and 24th April this year. The festival is now 5 years old and continues to grow both in popularity and in size. This year, the festival team want to expand further and offer a range of free to attend events during the festival, bringing jazz to places across Darlington to attract new audiences. In addition to this, a large scale concert is planned which features choirs and big bands at St Cutherbert's church.

In order to fund these additional activities, they have set up a crowd-funding campaign with hopes of raising £1,000. The campaign runs until 26th April 2016 and contributors can donate whatever amount they choose.

You can find out more about the campaign and the festival through their Fundrazr page.

Upcoming Jazz at Howard Assembly Room in Leeds

Howard Assembly Room in Leeds will host 5 very special performances featuring internationally renowned jazz musicians this May. Interesting line-ups and unusual instrumentation seems to be their theme this season...

March 11th brings baritone player Colin Stetson, performing solo. Colin has recently received praise for writing the music for films like 12 Years a Slave and Rust and Bone. His performances often feature rich soundscapes and cinematic music.

Moishe's Bagel will give a performance on 17th March, providing the live soundtrack to the 1930s soviet propaganda film, Salt for Svanetia. This gig features one full set from Moishe's Bagel as well as the film and live soundtrack.

Jumping ahead to May 4th, Courtney Pine brings his new project to Leeds - a duo with pianist Zoe Rahman. For this project though, Pine has opted to focus solely on bass clarinet.

He takes to the stage playing bass clarinet, drawing magic from its ‘low-register purrs and ship’s-timber creakings, lustrous mid-tones and whistling upper range’ - The Guardian.

May 14th will feature Cory Henry, part of the GRAMMY award winning Snarky Puppy. His Revival Project is a solo one, with Cory playing B3 Hammond organ to explore his musical roots in gospel, jazz and soul.

May 28th features another duo, this time the celebrated Hugh Masekela on trumpet and pianist Larry Willis. The performance draws on over thirty years of friendship between the musicians, from 60s NYC to Hugh's time in exile during Apartheid.

For more information, see the Howard Assembly Room website.

Southport's Jazz on a Winter's Weekend announces new Director

After 12 years of a highly successful jazz festival in Southport, Director Geoff Matthews took the opportunity at the closing of the 2016 festival on February 7th to announce that he will be stepping down and passing on the role of festival director Neil Hughes in 2017.

Neil Hughes is no stranger to jazz promotion, running the Cinnamon Club in Altrinham for past 13 years. He is 'very excited to be taking over' and is looking forward to revealing the line-up for his first festival which will take place between 3-5 February 2017.

Huge congratulations to Geoff for his tireless work at Jazz on a Winter's Weekend for the last 12 years and we wish Neil Hughes every success in taking the reins next year. Big shoes to fill!

Gerard Presencer - Modern Approach to Trumpet workshops

 Trumpet players should set aside some time in their diary in May, as renowned trumpeter and educator Gerard Presencer visits conservatoires across the UK to demonstrate his new book, Modern Approach to Trumpet.

Gerard, who currently lives in Copenhagen, will return to the UK with support from Warwick Music Publishers and Geneva Trumpets to give workshops in Manchester, London and Birmingham as well as working with NYJO.

A Modern Approach to Playing the Trumpet" by Gerard Presencer is just what is sorely needed in the Trumpet/Jazz Pedagogy world. This is a book which combines modern studies for traditional trumpet technique, with the added bonus of explaining the studies via the route of a jazz conception with regards to articulation, forward motion and swing. This makes this book unique in every way, and should be required study for every trumpet player who wants to compete in the complex world of today's music. Bravo Gerard! - Randy Brecker

Edition Records recently released Gerard's latest album, Groove Travels, with the Danish Radio Big Band and workshop participants will be able to get their hands on a copy of that, too.


May 3rd- Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
May 4th- Birmingham Conservatoire of Music
May 5th- Royal Academy of Music, London
May 6th- Trinity College of Music, London
May 7th- National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Future of Keswick Jazz Festival Uncertain

For the past 25 years, Keswick has been home to an annual weekend of traditional, gypsy and New Orleans jazz. Set in beautiful settings, the festival has drawn in audiences from far and wide and each year there are over 90 performances during the 4 day festival.

However, there are fears that this year's festival may be the last with the recent news that Theatre on the Lake, the festival's home, is no longer in a position to manage the festival in its current format.

In an article in the Times and Star reported that due to falling ticket sales and public funding cuts, they cannot carry on. A call has been put out to find an events director or promoter to take over the festival to ensure that it continues.

We hope to find an experienced and enthusiastic promoter who can devise a credible business plan to take the festival forward and ensure its financial stability by our deadline of May 9. If no credible offers are received by that date then 2016’s festival will be the last in its current form.

 You can read the full Times and Star article here and for details on this year's festival, visit the Keswick Jazz Festival website and facebook page.

National Youth Jazz Collective 2016 - Auditions and Deadlines

Deadlines for the National Youth Jazz Collective are fast approaching and NYJC are putting a last call out to young musicians who'd like to take part.

Auditions are being held across the country for places at the week long NYJC residential course in August. Successful auditionees will spend a week working with a team of tutors on improvisational technique, interaction and working within a small group. The tutors include Issie Barratt, Christine Jensen, Mark Lockheart, Mark Mondesir, Laura Jurd, Gareth Lockrane, Dominic Ashworth, Jeremy Price and Percy Pursglove.

Jazz North East are working with NYJC and will host the North East auditions at the Lit and Phil in Newcastle on Friday 8th April.

The deadline for applications is Friday 19th February and you can find full information on the National Youth Jazz Collective website.

Jazz North Education Conference - Speakers Announced

Jazz North have announced the speakers that will take part in this year's jazz education conference on March 8th at Leeds College of Music.

Gary Crosby OBE will give the keynote address, discussing his work with Tomorrow's Warriors and his experience in supporting and mentoring young musicians as they transition into professional careers.

Gary will be joined by NYMAZ director Heidi Johnson, renowned improvising guitarist Chris Sharkey and trumpeter and educator Ian Chalk

A limited number of spaces are still available for those wishing to attend and full information can be found on the Jazz North website.

Gig Preview: Dave Kane Large Ensemble at Seven Arts, March 19th

Double bass player and composer Dave Kane has put together a new project to mark his 40th birthday with a gig at Seven Arts on March 19th.

Kane will conduct a large ensemble playing a programme of music written and arranged for the gig, which will then be recorded.

The band consists of violin, viola, 4 saxes, 2 brass, piano/syns, guitar, drums and bass as well as a very special duo set as support. Audiences will recognise the players (Matt Bourne, Simon Kaylor, Joost Hendrickx, James Mainwaring, Kim Macari, George Murray, Aby Vuillamy, Tom Sidebottom, Oliver Dover, Garry Jackson...) but this will certainly be the first time they've heard them like this!

It's sure to be well attended so arrive early to ensure you get a good seat!

For more information, visit Dave Kane's website.

Albums, TV shows & festivals all thanks to Liverpool Jazz

Liverpool Jazz has been supporting the jazz scene in Merseyside for 11 years. The gift of funds left by one of its supporters has meant that they have recently been very active in supporting a range of projects and events.

Recording - Three local bands have been supported in producing albums of their own material recorded at Parr Street Studios. The Weave (pictured above), Ginger Tunes Quartet and Viktor Nordberg Trio will all be featured in a special showcase event at the Liverpool International Jazz Festival on February 28th.

TV - Liverpool Jazz were approached by a group of students at Edge Hill University making a Jools Holland-style show as part of their course. The organisation was able to sponsor the programme and pay musicians to take part as well as providing a grand piano. The show featured performances from The Weave, The Bobby Swing Band and vocalist Su Eyo.

Music Education - Liverpool Philharmonic Society's In Harmony programme and Rare Studios both offer performing arts tuition either for free or at subsidisd rates to young people in underprivileged areas. Liverpool Jazz sponsors these programmes and supports the work they do.

These projects above are the tip of the iceberg, with a range of other sponsored concerts, a regular radio show and a website full of useful information all going on throughout the year. NJN would like to congratulate Liverpool Jazz on the vital work they do to support jazz and music education - long may it continue!

For more information, visit the Liverpool Jazz website.

Gig Preview: Imani Hekima in Bradford, March 4th

Solo pianist Imani Hekima will perform at the Delius Arts Centre in Bradford on March 4th presenting a diverse programme of music from jazz to Bollywood.

The lunchtime concert will take place from 12.45pm until 1.30pm and costs £3/2. It's a BYOF event and is open to families (children go for free!)

I’ve been following Imani’s work for a while and his piano playing and knowledge of Bollywood classics is astounding...(Ashanti OMkar- BBC Asian Network)

You can find out more about Imani by visiting his website or by following him on twitter, @pianoimani.

Help Required - Do you Remember the Yorkshire Jazz Band?

Simon Barclay is calling out for help to collect information about the Yorkshire Jazz Band and Studio 20, a rich part of Leed's jazz history.

Simon's father, Bob Barclay, was the leader of the Yorkshire Jazz Band and ran Studio 20, a jazz club in Leeds in the 1940s and 50s. Studio 20 was situated in Leeds City Centre and the site is now home to Sela Bar. A popular hang for musicians, Bob ran all night sessions and many touring bands would come and play after their gigs finished including Humphrey Lyttleton, Tubby Hayes and Sarah Vaughn.

Simon has a c90 tape which he has had for over 40 years containing music by the Yorkshire Jazz Band in chronological order through the 1940s and 50s. With no information on the track names or musicians playing, Simon is asking for people to help with the project and share any information they have.

If you'd like to get in touch, please use the contact form on our site and Simon will get back to you.

Women Make Music in the North East

Jazz North East launched their Women Make Music programme on Thursday February 4th with a performance by Dee Byrne's ENTROPI and an exhibition by artist Gina Southgate.

The programme of work will feature 45 female musicians in total, with 11 gigs and 2 workshops. The list of participating artists is highly impressive - Shelly Knotts and Mariam Rezaei Duo, Motherese, Jennifer Parry, Zoë Gilby Trio, Archipelago, Thermal Threshold, Faye MacCalman, Diachronicx, Ingrid Jensen Quartet, Ruth Lambert Trio, Sue Ferris Quartet, Sue Richardson, The Lauren Kinsella Ensemble, Sarah Gail Brand, Unfurl Quartet...to name some of them!

Full details of the gigs will be available on the Jazz North East website, as will information about the many other events going on in 2016, Jazz North East's 50th year.

Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra team up with NYJOS for special collaboration

Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra are to team up with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland for a special Double Big Band collaboration led by Jo McCallum.

Supported by Arts Council England, the project will see NYJOS travel to the Greater Manchester area for a weekend of rehearsals with WYJO culminating in a performance on April 17th at Halle St Peters which will also showcase the two bands individually.


The funding will allow for two new works to be commissioned; one by saxophonist Iain Dixon and the other by composer Mike Gibbs. It is hoped that the double big band material will be available shortly after the concert for any youth jazz orchestra to use across the UK.

Tickets are on sale now for the concert and are priced at £8/6. Seating is limited so early booking is recommended. Doors open at 1.30pm and the concert beings at 2pm.

For more information, visit the NYJOSWYJO Project website.

Jazz Line-Up explores UK hotspots for jazz talent

                                                                      Reuben Fowler

Aside from the cities home to jazz degree courses, there are many small towns and cities that can boast large numbers of their residents (or former residents) becoming professional jazz musicians. This can often be traced back to the passion of a single music teacher or the work of a youth jazz initiative to encourage enthusiasm for the art-form in seemingly unlikely places (including the North's very own Wakefield!)

BBC Radio asked Sebastian Scotney to explore four of these hotspots for a segment on their weekly Jazz Line-Up show which airs this Saturday 6th February at 5pm.  

 Two musicians from each of the four locations were interviewed and invited to discuss their reflections on jazz education. The segment will be interspersed with music from each participant.

Reuben Fowler and Matt Robinson represent Wakefield and are joined by Alton's Laura Jurd and Gwyneth Herbert, Norwich's George Crowley and Kit Downes and Dunfermline's Calum Gourlay and Kim Macari.

You can find the programme on the BBC website and it will be available live and for a time on Catch-Up. 

Lancaster Jazz Festival - Submissions Open

2016 marks the 6th Lancaster Jazz Festival and under the watchful eye of festival director Matt Robinson and his team, it continues to grow year on year.

They have opened the floodgates for artist submissions to take part in this year's festival and will be accepting submission until the 20th March at 5pm.

When programming we look for exciting artists that we feel might bring more to the festival than just a performance. This could be something very tangible, such as a workshop or a seminar (like Seth Bennett or A Dread Supreme from last year for example) or the hosting of a jam session or a new collaboration (like Word of Moth). Or, it could be something else, a buzz from peers about being on the same bill (Trevor Watts or Richard Illes), a truly amazing performance that is talked about for months (Thunkfish or Dakhla Brass), or a million other things that we haven't thought of yet.
We aim to promote the best in contemporary music and jazz from around the UK as well as locally. We are especially interested in promoting a diverse programme of events, including new works, emerging artists and underrepresented groups.

The application process is simple and is done through an online portal. Applicants are required to provide two tracks to be listened to (linked to directly so that the panel can listen online) and answer questions to describe their project. The festival open useful advice on their guidance page (like staying away from stock phrases like 'a new take on jazz standards' which incidentally was used over 30 times in applications last year...!)

Those under 25 can also apply to the Festival Commission fund. Each year, one group or artist is selected to develop a new piece of work to be premiered at the festival. These artists receive support from the festival and mentorship from the artist in residence throughout their project.

All the information you need can be found on the Lancaster Jazz Festival website. Good luck!

Kala Sangam's Journeys of Jazz, February 27th

Kala Sangam is hosting an evening of music to celebrate UNESCO's International Year of Global Understanding in Bradford on February 27th.

Vijay Venkat, the Musician in residence at Kala Sangam - a multi-instrumentalist and multi-genre performer and composer will play the violin and the bamboo flute with a group of expert musicians - Jack Warlop, a professional musician trained in New York and well versed with jazz and other musical genres will be playing the piano/keyboards, Hugh Bradley a bassist and a very popular musician on the festival concert circuit will play the bass, Claudio Kron a multi-percussionist and singer will bring the rhythmic beauty of music through his percussive brilliance whilst the well known percussion experts and brothers Bangalore R. N. Prakash and Pratap will be adding colours to the percussion part through the south Indian Classical two faced drum Mridangam, Ghatam (the mud pot), Kanjira (single framed hand-held drum) and vocalised rhythms. 

Away from the usual Jazz standards, these musicians coming together on this special occasion of celebrating the multi-cultural and multi-genric meeting of creative minds, will endeavour to understand each other's specialities in a global perspective to create New Music. They will endeavour to journey through various musical genres which is the hall mark of improvised music. This seamless multi-genric excursions into creativity - a hall mark of all embracing Jazz, is what will be explored considering the diversity of musicians that are involved.

 

The event takes place at the Kala Sangam Arts Centre based in St Peter's House, Bradford, BD1 4TY. Tickets cost £7.50/5.00 concessions and a family ticket is available for £20. 

 

Find out more by visiting the Kala Sangam website.