Liverpool International Jazz Festival, 23rd - 27th February

The fifth annual Liverpool International Jazz Festival takes place between 23rd and 26th February at the Capstone Theatre. The festival has become synonymous with varied and ambitious programming and glance at this year’s festival shows it’s no different this time round.

MOBO award-winning Sons of Kemet open the festival with a bang on the 23rd, supported by one of the North West’s favourite groups, Blind Monk Trio.

Friday 24th sees a performance by Mammal Hands, a Manchester quartet signed to Matthew Halsall’s Gondwana Records. Their support is provided by Jazz North Introduces ensemble, Sam Quintana’s Wandering Monster.

On Saturday, Austrian pianist David Helbock performs with his trio.

Sunday will feature a saxophone workshop by one of the UK’s most beloved musicians, Iain Ballamy at 11am, followed by a duo concert featuring Iain along with Huw Warren.

For full details on the festival, visit the Liverpool International Jazz Festival website.

NJN Jazz Advent Calendar - Sam Quintana's Wandering Monster (Dec 2nd)

Behind door number 2 is the Leeds-based contemporary jazz behemoth, Sam Quintana's Wandering Monster.

Listen to the band in action in this video, filmed by Maria Alzamora and mixed by James Hamilton - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYWxrqwnstI

Since its inception in the autumn of 2014, Wandering Monster has honed a sound which demonstrates a combination of intricately arranged off-kilter grooves, in your face hooks and lengthy collective improvisation sections. Influences taken from the rhythmic complexity of modern jazz are juxtaposed with the intensity of classic Blue note recordings. Despite hailing from the musical melting pot of Leeds the monster is being unleashed across the North at a number of jazz festivals after winning the 2016/17 Jazz north Introduces Award.

Sam Quintana - Double Bass/Compositions
Ben Powling - Tenor Saxophone
Calvin Travers - Guitar
Aleks Podraza - Piano
Tom Higham - Drums

www.newjazzrecords.co.uk/sam-quintanas-wandering-monster-ep/

www.facebook.com/wanderingmonsteruk/

Wandering Monster announced as latest Jazz North Introduces recipients

Leeds based ensemble Wandering Monster have been announced today as the latest beneficiaries of the Jazz North Introduces scheme to support emerging jazz talent in the region.

The group, led by double bassist Sam Quintana, will perform at a number of high profile jazz festivals as part of the Introduces initiative, as well as receiving mentoring from one of the UK's leading jazz musicians and help with developing strong promotional materials like photographs and video footage.

Sam Quintana says

“I am thrilled that Wandering Monster have been awarded this opportunity. Since the band's formation two years ago we have developed a set of original material which I am really excited to showcase at some of the UK's best jazz festivals. Thanks to the scheme we will be performing to audiences who would otherwise never get to hear about Wandering Monster or listen to our music”.

Jazz North's Nigel Slee says

“We believe it is vital to help and support the next generation of jazz artists. Wandering Monster are an example of the exciting and diverse music that is being created by young musicians in the UK today. Thanks to our festival partners we can make sure their music is shared with audiences across the North”.

A junor award was also given to Muskrat Ramble. Aged between 12 and 16, Muskrat Ramble were the youngest applicants and impressed the panel with their enthusiasm and potential. They will be given mentoring sessions to develop their music.

Wandering Monster will appear first at Lancaster Jazz Festival on September 17th, followed by Marsden Jazz Festival on October 8th as well as performances at Liverpool Jazz Festival, Scarborough Jazz Festival and more later in the year.

To find out more about Wandering Monster and the JNI scheme, visit the Jazz North website.

New Jazz Records releases Wandering Monster EP

New Jazz Records, the label run by the North's busiest musician James Hamilton, has announced its latest release - an EP by bassist Sam Quintana's Wandering Monster.

Wandering Monster is the outlet for the compositions of Leeds based double bassist Sam Quintana. Since it’s inception in the autumn of 2014 the quintet has honed and refined a sound which takes influence from the metric, off­kilter grooves of artists such as Dave Holland and Kurt Rosenwinkel, as well as the intensity of older blue note, hard­bop recordings. The band features, Andy French on tenor saxophone, Calvin Travers on guitar, Aleks Podraza on piano/keyboards and Tom Higham on drums. Also associated with projects such as Zeitgeist and Stretch Trio, these musicians are amongst the most active on the Leeds music scene.

Their debut two track EP was recorded 26 October 2015 at Leeds Fold alongside a video by Maria Alzamora. Recorded mixed and mastered by James Hamilton for New Jazz Records.

The EP will be released next week but a video, shot by Maria Alzamora, is available to watch on the New Jazz Records website.