One Day Jazz Vocal Workshop with Nicki Allan, September 10th

Well loved jazz singer Nicki Allan has announced that she will host a one day jazz vocal workshop on September 10th at Inkwell in Chapel Allerton, Leeds.

Nicki says...

Would you like to learn to Scat Sing or do an intrumental solo with your voice but don't have the confidence or ability quite just yet? Then this could be for you..I'm running a Jazz Vocal Improvisation and Repertoire workshop to cover all of that stuff from simple, effective warm ups, modes and phrases to help you get going plus lots of interactive singing and scatting and an afternoon session putting it all together with repertoire and how to connect with lyrics with our live house jazz trio plus light lunch and all day refreshments are included in the price for just £75 for the whole day. 


To book a place simply email me, Nicki Allan at allannicki@hotmail.com or call 07905 482615 or better still, both.
Places are limited because this is an intimate workshop not a huge crowd. Everyone gets a go and gets to take part.

As Nicki says, space will be limited so if you're interested, book soon. To find out more about Nicki, visit her website - www.nickiallan.com.

Jazz at Music for Youth's National Festival 2016

LCoM's Jamil Sheriff and Dave Walsh are heading to Birmingham in July to lead a workshop as part of the Music for Youth's National Festival.

The festival runs from the 5th until th 9th of July and features a huge range of masterclasses, performances and activities including choirs, World music, orchestral ensembles and more. Friday 8th July will be the jazz day and as well as LCoM's workshop, Soweto Kinch and The Big Shake Up will also run sessions. There are also performances by a number of youth big bands and ensembles.

About Jamil and Dave's session -

Gain an insight into improvisation within a jazz framework with Leeds College of Music’s Jamil Sheriff and Dave Walsh.
Described by The Guardian as ‘someone who has made a real difference to the vitality of the jazz scene in the North of England’, Jamil Sheriff is the Curriculum Leader for Jazz at Leeds College of Music and has received national and international accolades for his recorded work. Jazz drummer Dave Walsh has similarly made a name for himself on the jazz scene having featured on over 60 albums, completed four tours of Europe and played in international music festivals.
Session 1: 10:15 – 11:15
Session 2: 16:30 - 17:30 

Those interested in attending must register by Monday 16th May. This can be done by visiting the Music for Youth website.

Jazz & Improv Vocal Workshops in Brampton

 

Calling all vocalists in Cumbria - BlueJam Arts director Jilly Jarman is starting a series of jazz and improvisation sessions for singers in Brampton, beginning on January 13th.

The sessions will run each Wednesday from 7-9pm and deal with topics like song, groove, harmonies, rhythm and improvisation. All singers are welcomed, regardless of what style they usually sing.

Jilly says there are about 12 of us who attend regularly and we manage to produce some great music while having a lot of fun!

The cost to attend all five sessions (from now until half-term) is £35 or £7.50 on the door, £4 for children and young people. Sessions are held at The Hut, Brampton Community Centre.

To find out more about all the work BlueJam Arts do, visit their website.

Jazz Short Courses at LCoM

Leeds College of Music are gearing up to run some short courses focused on jazz in the coming months. These courses are open to anyone, with certain courses targeting beginner improvisers to those wishing to study jazz full-time. Full details can be found on the LCoM website but below are the brief outlines of the upcoming courses.

Jazz Brass Weekend - 25-26 April 2015

A fantastic opportunity for all brass players to gain valuable insight into improvisation, specific to brass technique. Covering aspects of blues, II-V-I progression, ear training, feel and instrumental technique; you will study with two of LCoM’s leading jazz tutors and brass specialists from our BA Jazz programme.  This two-day course is ideal for players who are perhaps intending to study music full-time or just building their confidence in general.  Working both with your tutors and a live rhythm section, you will learn how to improvise with increased fluency, whilst gaining knowledge of the repertoire and how your playing can best relate to it.  The weekend will conclude with an open rehearsal in front of an audience of friends and family.

To book, please visit www.lcm.ac.uk/courses/jazzbrass

Jazz Improvisation Weekend - 9-10 May 2015

Develop your confidence and creativity in this step by step guide to developing jazz language and improvisation.  You will study the development of improvisation, jazz phrasing, chord scale relationships, understanding II V I harmony, guide tones, jazz lines, rhythmic development, jazz blues, rhythm changes and altered chords.  This intensive course is ideal for both the inexperienced improviser wishing to gain more knowledge, experience and confidence in improvisation, and for the seasoned improviser who wishes to take their jazz improvisation language to the next level.

To book, please visit www.lcm.ac.uk/courses/jazzimprovisation

 

New Releases from Discus Records

Sheffield-based label Discus Records, run by musician and composer Martin Archer, has announced the release of three new albums this week.

Third Opening is the 5th album for trio Inclusion Principle. Featuring Martin Archer, Herve Perez and Peter Fairclough, the group is described as being in a space between electronics, nu-jazz, contemporary electroacoustic music and free improvisation tending towards a minimalist approach. Their new release is a double album.

Bad Tidings from Slackwater Drag is the second album from the AACM-inspired large ensemble, Engine Room Favourites. The band gigged across the North in 2014 with support from Jazz North's Northern Line scheme and the material for this new album was developed during those performances. 

Personnel: Martin Archer, Mick Beck, Laura Cole, Corey Mwamba, Graham Clark, Seth Bennett, Walt Shaw, Johnny Hunter & Steve Dinsdale.

Vestigium is the fourth release from Julie Tippetts & Martin Archer duo. The line-up is a mixture of musicians from both jazz and rock backgrounds (reflecting Tippetts own varied musical career from Brian Auger to Keith Tippet) and is decribed as a homage to the heady days of musical collison and exploration...

Personnel: Julie Tippetts, Martin Archer, Peter Fairclough, Seth Bennett, Gary Houghton, Michael Somerset-Ward, Kim Macari, Lee Hallam, Chris Bywater, James Archer, Michael McMillan, Heather Cordwell, Aby Vuillamy & Mick Bardon.

National Youth Jazz Summer School - Applications Now Open

The annual summer school run by the National Youth Jazz Collective will take place between 9th-16th August at Uppingham School in Rutland.

The course will focus on developing improvisational skills and interaction within a small group setting and will feature an A-list group of tutors including NYJC's Artistic Director Issie Barratt, Tori Freestone, Jim Hart, Tom Hewson, Mark Hodgson, Chris Montague, Omar Puente, Nick Smart, Malcolm Earle Smith, Rowland Sutherland, Norma Winstone & Jason Yarde.

Applications are being accepted until February 20th and full details on how to apply can be found on the NYJC website.

New Jazz Workshops start in York

Trumpeter and educator Ian Chalk is starting a new series of workshops in York commencing November 20th.

The workshops are aimed at adults (16+) with little or no previous knowledge of jazz and play melody instruments (not drummers or percussionists). Over the 10 week course, the workshops will cover areas including jazz harmony, history and solo construction amongst other things.

Alongside the course, Ian has prepared materials and recordings to allow students to practice and work on exercises at home.

Each session cost £10 and are payable in blocks of 6. Only 10 spaces are available so people may be swapped to a different class if necessary.

For more information, visit the York Music Service website.

Roller Trio seek funding for second album, Fracture

Leeds-based group Roller Trio have launched an Indiegogo funding campaign to support their second album, Fracture.

Since forming two years ago, the group have received widespread acclaim including a Mercury Prize nomination, the prestigious Peter Whittingham Award and travelling across the UK and Europe to perform.

The group have decided to release their second album independently and are trying to raise a total of £5,747 to go toward mastering, artwork, manufacturing of CDs etc. To date, the campaign has raised £1,467 of their goal.

The campaign will run until November 16th and Roller Trio are offering a number of incentives to donors including signed vinyl, t-shirts, lessons and private gigs.

To find out more, see the Roller Trio Indiegogo page.

Gig Preview: FUSEBOX & You at Light Night, October 3rd

                                                       Fusebox favourites Shatner's Bassoon

Light Night, an annual event in Leeds which hosts over 50 free arts event between 5pm and 10pm on October 3rd, will this year feature an evening of improvised music curated by FUSEBOX. The evening will showcase a number of different ensemble sizes with prominent members of the improvised music scene moving in and out of the performance. The unique aspect of this evening, however, is that every one of the ensembles will be conducted by members of audience.

From FUSEBOX...

Come and listen to the sounds of the Leeds improvising community with the chance to conduct the band yourself. Manipulate, gesticulate and pull faces at them, or otherwise coerce them into playing the music you want to hear! Tonight, for one night only, the improvisers of Leeds are under your control.  A night of interactive improvised music, free and open to all members of the public, celebrating Leeds' rich heritage and ongoing subculture of improvised and creative music making. The event will focused on shifting the control of the music from the musicians to the audience. Members of the public will be invited to have a go at controlling the band through simple gestures, facial expressions, and even dance; the musicians will then interpret these to create new, uniquely collaborative, pieces of music.

The large ensemble performances will be interspersed with small group sets ranging from soloists to quartets. This will provide the audience with a range of ensembles to experience, and allow the musicians to have breaks whilst the event continues. The audience will be free to come in and out, interact or listen at any time during the evening adding to the welcoming and playful atmosphere.

The event takes place at Levantes Dance Theatre in Carriageworks (Millenium Square) and is free. 

The entire programme of events plus a map detailing locations can be found on the Light Night website.

Outer Circle Presents: The Dors

Anglo-French group The Dors have been selected to be the first group to tour through the newly established Outer Circle network.

The Dors brings together Christophe De Bezenac and Chris Skarkey (Trio VD) and Eve Risser and Yuko Oshima (Donkey Monkey) to form a group which showcases their formidable talents in contemporary improvisation, composition and performance. The group is supported by Jazz Shuttle, a scheme which facilitates collaborations between English and French musicians.

A little about Outer Circle...

Outer Circle is a grass roots UK touring scheme that co-ordinates the activities of DIY promoters working in areas of music outside of the mainstream. The core idea is co-operation between like minded promoters, sharing ideas, experience and resources, and ultimately co-ordinating their separate activities into a cohesive touring network. The scheme is a celebration of the fantastic musical activities that are happening every day across the country on minimal budgets but fuelled by passion and excitement for outsider music. By simply bringing these geographically spread individuals together and opening a dialogue, we can strengthen each respective music scene and through open co-operation, can each become stronger!

Tour Dates:

Sunday 21st - Splinter, The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle - 8pm
Tuesday 23rd - The Family Album, Derby - 6pm
Wednesday 24th - Jazz at the Lescar, Sheffield
Thursday 25th - Lost Voices, Liverpool
Friday 26th - Freedom Principle, Dulcimer Bar,  Manchester

 

Discus Concerts in June

Discus Music, a label run by composer and improviser Martin Archer, are hosting two gigs this month in Sheffield.

Friday 13th June
Burngreave Cemetery Chapel, Sheffield
7.30pm
Peter Rophone plus Juxtavoices

You've probably never visited this atmospheric old building, buried away in east Sheffield. Now's your chance! A short opening set by everyone's favourite antichoir will feature a performance of Guardian Weekend Remix, the piece current in prep for that even more difficult second album, plus others.

We're very happy to supporting this launch event for a CD by Sheffield's finest maverick singer, songwriter and guitarist

Thursday June 19th
Over The Top, Sheffield
8.00pm
£5/3
Chris Meloche

A one off group featuring Sheffield based colleagues of Canadian electroacoustic musician Meloche making one of his occasional visits to town:

Chris Meloche - electronics
Hervé Perez - electronics
Martin Archer - electronics
Mick Beck - bassoon
Nick Robinson - guitars and loops
Andy Peake - keyboards
Charlie Collins - percussion

Expect various groupings of low key towards minimal improvised dronescapes.

See more information at Discus Music website.

 
 

Wave Folder Records Launch Party Tonight

Verve, Leeds
29th May, 9pm

Wave Folder Records are holding a launch party tonight at Verve in Leeds featuring some of the shining lights in the world of electronic/improvised music.

Two groups will play sets during the evening; RPE Duo (Matt Postle & Radek Rudnicki) and Space F!ght (James Mainwaring, Radek Rudnicki, Tom Adams and Jakub Hader). In addition to that, James Mainwaring (sax), EDIE (vocals) and Enrico Bertelli will perform solo sets.

This event coincides with the release of RPE Duo's new album, Playground which can be bought at the Wave Folder Records Bandcamp store.

Laura Cole Birthday Gig at Seven Arts

Seven Arts, Leeds
8.30pm
Friday 23rd May

Pianist and composer Laura Cole is to celebrate her 40th birthday with a gig at Seven Arts this evening, Friday 23rd May. The evening will feature Laura's large ensemble, The Bennett Cole Orchestra, as well as the Vuillamy/Murray/Bennett trio.

Gig Preview: Jooklo Duo in Sheffield, March 13th

Jooklo Duo (IT)/Gelba (IT) /Dave Jackson (UK)

Thursday 13th March 2014

Queens Social Club, Sheffield

Tickets: Advance: £7 waged, £5 concessions - from Rare and Racy, Division St, Sheffield or http://www.wegottickets.com/event/260499 

On the door: £9 waged, £7 concessions

 Doors 7:30pm, start 8:15pm

 

Tinnitus Jukebox and Singing Knive Records are hosting an evening of free improvisation and left-field music from three European groups.

Juxtavoices seeks Sopranos

Composer and musician Martin Archer is looking for new members for his 30 piece antichoir, based in Sheffield.

Juxtavoices - 30 voice semi-improv leftfield music and performance poetry antichoir -  is currently looking for a couple or so new members who can sing in soprano range. You don't have to be a great vocal technician or even read music, you just need to be open minded and willing to experiment, learn to improvise and have some serious fun. We're a very friendly group! If you live within striking distance of Sheffield then do message us if you think this might be for you, or any of your friends and contacts. We rehearse once per month on a Saturday morning, do 8 - 10 gigs per year, and will be recording our third CD later 2014 / early 2015. 

If you're interested, information, photographs and videos are available in their EPK on the Discus Music website.

Metamorphic & Royst UK Tour

Pianist and composer Laura Cole has been in touch to spread the word about her upcoming tour with band Metamorphic and vocal trio Røyst.

Laura says 

I would just like to invite you to a very exciting series of gigs throughout the UK in June that my contemporary jazz folk sextet Metamorphic have coming up alongside the fantastic vocal trio Røyst. The tour is in support of the new Metamorphic album, Coalescence, out on the F-ire label on June 17 2013. These double bill gigs with Røyst will also feature three collaborative pieces involving both groups written specially for this tour. Special guests Seth Bennett on bass (IDST) and Oliver Dover on bass clarinet (Shatner's Bassoon) will also be joining us for the tour.

The Friday Interview: Alex Roth

  

Guitarist and composer Alex Roth is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, and is part of a group of forward thinking UK musicians who take inspiration from visual art, dance, film and literature as well as music.He performs with groups including Blue Eyed Hawk, CHAOS orchestra and Outrenoir, but has recently been recognised through his work with his own group, Otriad and their decision to embrace crowd-funding as a way to finance their UK Tour. He joins a small but growing number of jazz musicians including Gwyneth Herbert and Reuben Fowler who have explored this source of funding. In return for pledging money which will help to fund their UK tour, Alex and the group have a number of rewards and unique experiences to offer. We spoke to Alex about the project, crowd-funding and what lies ahead for him in 2013... 

Go find out more from Alex's Sponsume page and to pledge money visit Otriad Sponsume page.

RAMJam 2013 with Claude Deppa at Victoria Hall Settle

Claude Deppa picture by Richard Kaby

The Dales Jam
7:30pm 23 March
Victoria Hall Settle
Tickets are £8.00 / £4.00 concessions

Those of you who have experienced a RAMJam gig before know what to expect – tantalising tunes, raging rhythms and soaring solos – but for the uninitiated, find out by getting your tickets in advance from Victoria Hall Settle to experience these fearless young players together with Dales Jam, the well established community jazz ensemble, based in Skipton and now in its tenth year. Dales Jam will swell the numbers on stage to a total of about forty five players. One big sound!

As well as all this, you should not miss guest soloist Claude Deppa. A world class player on trumpet or flugel horn, Claude arrived in the UK in his teens from South Africa and has played with so many people, notably Chris McGregor, Grand Union Orchestra, Dudu Pukwana, Carla Bley, Miriam Makeba, that the list is endless. It will be a great rare treat to see him here.