Missed the Jazz North Education Conference? Watch it now!

Jazz North held their annual Jazz Education conference back on the 21st March. Each year, they bring together practitioners, youth music leaders and educators and invite a number of speakers to present their work.

This year they've upped the ante and filmed the entire event. For anyone who missed it, you can visit the Jazz North website and watch each presentation!

Dr Graeme Wilson - Psychology of Improvisation: how the brain responds and learns from improvisation

Una McGlone - Improvisation for Young Children and Toddlers

Dr Enrico Bertelli - Helping young people from challenging backgrounds develop musical, technical and performance skills

Dave Evans - The Improvisation Room

Rommi Smith - Jazz and Poetry at Seven Arts, September 2nd

Jazz and Poetry are two artforms that have history together. Don't just take my word for it, read this NPR piece from 2014 that highlights five examples of albums where jazz and poetry meet - from Steve Swallow's long term collaboration with poet Robert Creeley to the setting of Elizabeth Bishop's verse by pianist Jeremy Siskind.

Rommi Smith is a perfect example; a poet, jazz singer and writer, she has written many works about jazz and can be seen performing with jazz musicians including Laura Cole and Jenni Molloy. On September 2nd, she teams up with pianist Dave Evans and bassist Kenny Higgins to perform these works at Seven Arts in Leeds. As if that wasn't enough, she will bne supported by Dave Evan's newest big band initiave (which we wrote about recently here).

Tickets for the event cost £10/8 and can be purchased through the Ticket Source website. Rommi will also be holding a workshop talk about her poetry before the gig which is free to all ticket holders.

Dave Evans leads brand new Festival Band for Chapel Allerton Village Jazz Festival

Dave Evans is putting together a brand new big band to perform twice during the Chapel Allerton Village Jazz Festival.

The idea behind the group is to bring together community musicians - local musicians who play instruments but may not perform regularly with a band. Between now and the performances (2nd and 3rd of September) Dave will work with the band six times to show how quickly a band can come together and perform.

The band have already had one rehearsal but if you're keen to be involved, email Dave at  evansdj01@hotmail.co.uk and see if there's a space to join in the fun. There will be sessions on August 4th, 25th August, 2nd September and more sessions will be announced.

The performances will take place on Friday 2nd September at Seven Arts (8pm) and then on Saturday 3rd September in Regent Street (4.30pm).