End of an Era: Final Jazz at the Phoenix with John Marley and Kate Peters, March 6th

John Marley and Kate Peters have announced that they are wrapping up their jazz night at The Phoenix in York after a 6 year run promoting live jazz year round.

The night has seen numerous visiting groups perform as well as the best of the region's jazz musicians perform. The Phoenix, and John and Kate's contributions, have been integral in building a burgeoning jazz scene in York and the night will be sorely missed.

John says

Thanks to Jenny Everton and Jon Fulton for inviting us to do it all those years ago (6 years we think?) ...the 6th March will be our grand finale...a big, fun night of celebrations...so if you can make it to one of those gigs then it'd be great to see it out in style and with our friends!

Thanks to everyone who has supported the gig over the years!

Congratulations to John and Kate for all their hard work over the past 6 years - do make sure to head to the Phoenix on March 6th to give them a good send off!

Gig Preview: Zhenya Strigalev's Never Group at The Phoenix, York - July 26th

Russian saxohonist Zhenya Strigalev is well known on the UK jazz scene and one of his great skills is putting together A list bands for his projects. His latest album, Never Group, continues with this thread and brings together Eric Harland, Tim LeFevre and Bruno Liberda with guest appearances by John Escreet, Alex Bonney and more, all with Striaglev at the helm.

Zhenya is currently on his Never Group tour, accompanied this time by US bassist and label owner Mike Janisch and Spanish drummer Marc Ayza. On July 26th, jazz audiences in York will get a treat at the band performs at The Phoenix, a special gig which is free to attend.

"A typical Strigalev collision of hip jazz virtuosity and surrealism... Strigalev's alto displays bebop agility, shivery lyricism, or sometimes a bluesy Ornetteish swerve." ★★★★ The Guardian

For more information Zhenya and the band, you can visit Zhenya's website and his Whirlwind Records page.

Alex Munk's Flying Machines come to York & Sheffield

Guitarist Alex Munk will bring his new quartet to perform in York and Sheffield next week.

Munk graduated from LCoM in 2009 before moving to London to study a Masters at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Since then he has worked extensively as a sideman for a long list of internationally renowned musicians which includes Stan Sulzmann, Trish Clowes, Ivo Neame and Gwilym Simcock.

Flying Machines was formed in 2014 a vehicle for Munk's compositions. The band includes bassist Conor Chaplin, pianist Matt Robinson and drummer Dave Hamblett. The group have recently recorded their debut album (Alex's first as a leader) and it is set for release in 2016.

Audiences in the North will have the chance to hear the band at The Phoenix in York on October 20th and at the Lescar in Sheffield on October 21st.

For more information on Alex and to listen to Flying Machines, visit his website.

York Jazz Jam for Charity

Bassist John Marley has organised a charity jazz jam to raise funds for music charity Nordoff-Robbins, an organisation which specialises in music therapy.

The jam will take place on March 31st at 8.30pm at the Phoenix in York.

John says...

To celebrate the jazzinyork.com website being up and running for over a year, we've organised a jam session to raise money for charity. We wanted it to be a music charity so we've picked Nordoff Robbins who do great work helping people through music therapy. You can find out about them at http://www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk/
All guests are welcome to play...all instruments and vocalists.
The house band is -
Harry Orme - Guitar John Marley - Bass Matt Parkinson - Drums and maybe a couple of pianists!
Entry is £4 or £3 if you are going to sit in and play.