Arve Henriksen, Bill Laurance and Brad Mehldau head to Leeds

Howard Assembly Room in Leeds have unveiled their Spring 2017 programme and there are a number of performances scheduled between now and May that may well appeal to the jazz community in the North.

On March 6th, pianist Bill Laurance performs. A former student at Leeds College of Music, Laurance's star has been in ascendance in recent years. A two time GRAMMY winner with Snarky Puppy, he has also been nominated for a MOBO as a solo artist.

Just two days later, Norwegian trumpeter Arve Henriksen performs with Trio Mediaeval on March 8th. Trio Mediaeval continuously re-interpret the ancient music of religious orders and the folk music of Nordic lands. Their shimmering luminous sound joins with Arve Henriksen’s hushed trumpet and live electronics to unforgettable and spine-tingling effect. Their new programme Rímur explores the mediaeval musical line between Norway and Iceland, with chants and folk songs from both countries including 14th Century vespers and ancient folk song

And finally, looking ahead to May there's a gig that is already selling fast; world famous pianist Brad Mehldau brings his trio with Jeff Ballard and Larry Grenadier.  On May 16th, the trio will perform in Leeds for one night only, playing music from their recent album on Nonesuch Records, Blues and Ballads.

To book tickets and find out more about the full programme, visit the Howard Assembly Room website.

MOBO Awards 2016 - Nominees Announced

The full list of nominees for the 2016 MOBO Awards were announced this morning at Ronnie Scott's in London. Public voting is now open and the winners will be announced at the ceremony on November 4th 2016.

There is one Jazz category in the MOBOs, Best Jazz Act. This year, the nominees list contains two international artists - pianist Cory Henry and double bassist Esperanza Spalding, along with three UK/UK-based musicians - multi-instrumentalist wunderkind Jacob Collier, double bassist and owner of Whirlwind Records Michael Janisch and finally, LCoM alumnus and globally recognised pianist Bill Laurance.

View the MOBO Awards website to see a full list of nominees and vote for your favourite.

Congratulations to all nominees!

Ribble Valley Jazz & Blues Festival, 28th April - 2nd May

Tickets are on sale for the 7th annual Ribble Valley Jazz & Blues Festival which takes place between April 28th and May 2nd. This festival goes from strength to strength and their 2016 programme features a huge number of events from international artists to local talent. To see the full listings for the festival, visit the Ribble Valley Jazz & Blues Festival website. With far too many to list here, we've selected a few highlights to whet your appetites...

The Bill Laurance Trio (28th April, The Grand Theatre)

An LCoM alumnus and now GRAMMY award winner, pianist Bill Laurance is best known for his work with Snarky Puppy. He returns to perform at the festival after a hugely popular appearance in 2014. With Richard Spaven, Felix Higginbottom and Jon Harvey.

Street Festival (29th April, Castle Street)

Saturday will feature a street festival with a number of bands playing in the open air. You'll hear Clitheroe Ukulele Orchestra, Two Rivers Swing Band, Blowjangles and more. All you need now is the sunshine...

Claire Martin & Ray Gelato (30th April, The Grand Theatre)

One of the UK's favourite vocalists, Claire Martin OBE is joined by saxophonist Ray Gelato for an evening of music from the Great American Songbook. They are joined by pianist Dave Newton.

Manjula (2nd May, Atrium Cafe Bar)

Presented in partnership with Jazz North's Northern Line scheme, Vanessa Rani leads a group that explores music from around the world finding influence in Portuguese, African and Latin jazz.