Gig Preview: Perpetual Motion Machine at Heart, October 22nd

This month's Jazz at Heart gig features Perpetual Motion Machine, an all-star band put together earlier this year.

From the jazz at heart website...

Performing at Heart for the first time, Perpetual Motion Machine are a 6 piece contemporary jazz ensemble, comprising of some of the North of England's finest improvising musicians.

PMM play their own original music; a dynamic mixture of jazz, rock, funk and ambient soundscapes, with an energy and dynamism that will have you on the edge of your seat.

It's a band of familiar faces in a brand new line-up - Sam Dunn and Jamie Taylor on guitars, Ben Lowman and Riley Stone-Lonergan on tenors, Garry Jackson on bass and Steve Hanley on drums. 

The gig starts at 7.30pm and tickets can be purchased on the Heart website or on the door for £10/6 concessions. If you'd like a taster, click here to watch the band's new video - The Cut.

NJ Advent Calendar - Community Jazz Projects & Workshops Pt. 1 (December 10th)

The North is lucky to be home to a large number of passionate jazz educators and there are initiatives across the region that provide high quality music education both to young musicians and adult learners. Behind door number 10 is the first of two parts where we look at some of these projects...

Dales Jam - Yorkshire Dales

Dales Jam was formed in 2003 by a group of people of all ages and musical abilities, who wanted a time and a place to meet up and play music. Since then, under the guidance of a professional music director (Richard Ormrod) the band has grown in numbers and meets at Ermysteds School in Skipton.  Dales Jam are a community Jazz Band based in Skipton and rehearse on a Monday night between 7 and 9.30 pm, as many as 35 people gather for a weekly workshop to learn and have fun.

BlueJam Arts - Cumbria

BlueJam Arts is based in Cumbria and run by a team headed up by Jilly Jarman. Their goal is to promote the creation, performance and sharing of new music and new ways of making music in an accessible, multi media environment. Their jazz provision includes Jazz Talk workshops led by trumpeter Geoff Bartholomew and an Improv Choir. 

Jazz at Heart Workshops -  Leeds

Jazz at Heart has been running jams, workshops and gigs since early 2011. Their weekly Monday workshops were until recently run by saxophonist Matt Anderson before his move to London. Now, two musicians have taken the helm - guitarist Sam Dunn and saxophonist Ben Lowman. Often the workshops have a composer/stylistic theme per term and there is also an annual summer jazz course run by Matt Roberts.


Sheffield Jazz Workshops

Sheffield Jazz has been running music education events for 35 years and there is a loyal following of young musicians and adult learners at their weekly Saturday workshops. The numbers for these workshops have grown in size over the years and now there are streamed classes for different abilities. Tutors include Pete Lyons, Seth Bennett, Hannah Taylor, Chris Walker and Nick Fletcher.

Gig Preview: Jazz for SKIP at Heart, November 27th

On Friday November 27th, Jazz at Heart will host a special concert to raise funds for SKIP, a charity which supports families affected by poverty in Peru and runs educational initiatives.

Three local bands will perform in the jazz showcase event including members of the North Leeds Jazz Orchestra, Colin Byrne's Leeds Jazz Orchestra and Seven Arts jazz workshops.

SKIP is a UK, US and Peruvian registered charity working in the impoverished districts of El Porvenir and Alto Trujillo, located on the North Coast of Peru. SKIP's primary aim is to enable children living in this area to realise their right to an education. In terms of theoretical framework, we understand that families are the principal force in the lives of children and therefore work with the entire familial unit. This holistic approach focuses on four pillars of family development: education, economically stable families, emotional well-being, and healthy and safe home environments. SKIP believes that economically-disadvantaged families have the capacity to be the principal agents of change in their own lives and communities. As such, our organisation works in partnership with the community to empower people to make sustainable changes. 

Tickets for the event cost £8/6 and the ticket sales plus proceeds from the raffles will go to SKIP. Musicians will be donating their time for free in support of the cause.

For more information, visit HEART's website and for a more depth look at the work SKIP does, visit their website.

Gig Preview: Sam Watts Solo Piano at Heart

Saturday 13th June
Jazz at Heart presents Sam Watts Solo Piano
£8/6conc
7.30pm

On June 13th, Jazz at Heart will host a special concert featuring pianist Sam Watts, a mixture of performance and discussion.

A year ago, pianist and composer Sam Watts gave a solo piano concert, interspersed with some of his thoughts and ideas about music. It was the talk of Headingley and many people asked for it to be repeated because they’d missed it – or wanted to see it again! So, we’re bringing him back!
Sam will be talking about how we listen to and perceive music and about exactly how it works and how we can better understand it, with illustrated examples. He is a great communicator and this concert/gig will suit music lovers, young and old.
 There will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions and discuss the ideas collectively. The concert will include music by Duke Ellington, Claude Debussy, traditional Brazilian music, and many others as well as Sam’s own compositions.
Sam is a brilliant jazz pianist who has taken the capital by storm since he left Leeds College of Music. He has been known cause people to cry with the beauty of his playing, so bring hankies!

More information on Sam can be found on his website. 
See the Jazz at Heart website for details on other upcoming gigs, workshops and jam sessions.

Sing Jazz in Leeds, Play Jazz in the Dales...

In May, there are two special opportunities to learn about jazz under the expert tuition of Matt Roberts and Louise Gibbs.

Jazz at Heart's weekend jazz school takes place in Dalesbridge and runs from May 8th - 10th. Lesley says -

 If you are an adult learner of jazz who you think would benefit from a crazy weekend of jazz tuition from the amazing trio of Matt Roberts, Sam Watts and Sam Gardner, please put them in touch with me. May 8th - 10th in the wonderful Yorkshire Dales. We currently don't have a drummer (who could learn so much from Sam Gardner)or any alto players, though all instrumentalists are welcome... Only £250 and a chance not to be missed. There’s also the possibility to attend just for the Saturday (breakfast till evening gig) for £100 if that’s more suited to people’s budgets and lives.Contact lesley@jazz-at-heart.org.uk

Vocalist Louise Gibbs is also running a workshop - this one is a day-long session in Leeds on May 16th. The session is aimed at singers. Louise says -

There are just 2 places left on the jazz singing and improvisation workshop with me on Saturday 16th May 11am until 5pm in Leeds. Suitable for singers who want to know how to improvise or be more confident singing and improvising whatever the style. You'll also learn to direct a live trio. £75 or £60 for full time students. Lunch and refreshments included. Call 07813684077 to discuss.

Louise will also perform at Heart that evening with her quartet featuring Sam Leak, Sam Gardner and Simon Read. 

Gig Preview: Matt Roberts plays Fats Navarro at Heart, 25th April

Jazz at Heart presents: Matt Roberts plays Fats Navarro
Saturday 25th April 
HEART Arts Centre, Bennett Road, Leeds
7.30pm
£8/6

When not busy touring with bands like Gentleman's Dub Club, Everything Everything and Paloma Faith or leading his own big band, trumpeter Matt Roberts has found some time to work on the music of Fats Navarro for his upcoming gig at HEART on April 26th.

Navarro was known for his work with big band leaders including Benny Goodman, Billy Eckstine and Lionel Hampton and recorded with luminaries like Charlie Parker, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, Bud Powell and Illinois Jacquet. This impressive CV is made even more so by the fact that Navarro died tragically young, aged only 26.

Matt will be joined by Matt Anderson (tenor), Ben Lowman (alto), Sam Watts (piano), Sam Gardner (drums) and Simon Read (double bass).

Bookings Open for Jazz Weekend at Dalesbridge

Bookings are still being accepted for Jazz at Heart's jazz weekend at Dalesbridge in Settle. The two day/night jazz school will be led by professional jazz musicians and will take participants through their paces on topics including repertoire, jazz language and improvisation methods.

The weekend runs from May 8th-10th and places are limited. For more information, contact Lesley Jeffries at lesley@jazz-at-heart.org.uk.