The artists, announced today, are:

*Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles – “Envelope-pushing accordion and percussion duo from Newcastle”

*Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band – “An organic and fluid ensemble of young jazz musicians drawn from across the Leeds and wider UK jazz scene.

*Ex-Easter Island Head – Benjamin D. Duvall, Benjamin Fair, Jonathan Hering, Andrew PM Hunt: “Quartet from Liverpool composing and performing music for Prepared Electric Guitar, Percussion + other instruments.”

*Ellen Beth Abdi – producer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from Manchester

*The Exu – James Mainwairing, Emil Karlsen, Dave Kane: “Powerful Leeds-based Anglo, Celtic, Scandi trio that redefines contemporary jazz with raw improvisation and deep, grungy, rocky attitudes.”

Jazz North and Manchester Jazz Festival work in partnership, and the full Northern Line roster will perform live at the Northern Line showcase as part of the festival on 17 & 18 May. The selection panel consisted of Rivca Burns, Rob Farhat, Jez Matthews, Hannabiell Sanders, Thomas Rees and Josh Aitman.

The post Artists Announced for Northern Line 2025/26 first appeared on UK Jazz News.

The Simcock/Rawicz programme consisted largely of original pieces by the performers. Sometimes this approach can run the risk of personalising the repertoire too much for uninitiated jazz audiences, but here we had a collection which explored such a wide variety of idioms, colours and tempi that the listener was presented with an almost suite-like journey rolling the several pieces into one.

The only exception was Simcock’s arrangement of Stevie Wonder’s Visions (from the 1973 Innervisions LP). It resonated heroically, with Rawicz imparting liquid lyricism and real depth of passion in her delivery. Visions is arguably Wonder’s greatest song – deeply moving with its perfect marriage of melody and harmony throughout. Rawicz negotiated through the wide melodic parameters and shape of Visions eloquently and seamlessly, while Simcock’s solo countered effectively, offering the listener a more spare and spacious quality resulting in a reflective glance to put things in perspective.

The duo’s opening number, Simcock’s His Great Adventure (for his 3 year old son), got things off brightly with its uptempo propulsive adventurousness, and each soloist gleefully chasing the other with fervent abandon. Four hands at their best. Similarly, Rawicz’s The Drumbledrone (North Devon parlance for “Bumblebee”) was exciting, with Simcock’s predilections for diving off into unexpected side roads and byways, while the saxist’s steadfast presence and musings kept visions of the apiary constantly in sight. The 80-minute set concluded with Simcock’s Optimum Friction, a bluesy rhythmic stomp affair replete with engaging chromatic chordal sequences that brought out Rawicz’s rollicking “gutbucket” side, clearly raising the roof of the venue on a high bright note.

As always, big plaudits to the organizers of the festival, Jez Murphy, Emma Holcroft and Cliff Ray, and the fine and well appointed ballroom of the Grand Hotel in downtown Southport. Here’s to many more SJFs in the future.

Frank Griffith is a Liverpool-based saxophonist and arranger. His trio will be appearing at the Nantwich Blues and Jazz Festival on 21 April at 6-8PM.

The post Gwilym Simcock/Emma Rawicz Duo at Southport Jazz Festival first appeared on UK Jazz News.

For some time now, the Royal Northern College of Music’s (RNCM) Big Band has treated audiences to two public concerts a year (in June and December), alongside a very impressive roster of guest musicians and directors. In the past this has included pianist Nikki Iles, Andy Scott (sax) and Dave Hassell (drums) and trombonist Dennis Rollins. So far, 2024 has been a year for vocalists: Sara Dowling joined the big band for their June concert, and in a few weeks time Madeline Bell will grace the RNCM Theatre’s stage.

Originally from Newark in New Jersey, and with a background in soul and gospel, Madeline Bell built her career in Europe from the early 60’s onwards. Having featured as a session singer for a number of big names including Dusty Springfield, the Rolling Stones and Donavan, Bell joined British pop group Blue Mink in 1969 – with whom she enjoyed several Top 20 hits including “Banner Man”and “Melting Pot”.

More recently, Bell has embraced a jazz and blues repertoire with collaborations with the BBC Big Band and the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, and with performances at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and London’s 606 Club – not to mention a reunion with Blue Mink’s Roger Cook alongside the English Chamber Orchestra and Ian Shaw at Cadogan Hall, to celebrate her 80th birthday earlier this year.

Given all this, it’s no surprise that both RNCM Big Band director Iain Dixon and also Steve Berry – bassist, Loose Tubes co-founder and Head of Jazz and Improvisation at the college – are so excited to present Madeline Bell at the big band’s December concert this year. I chatted briefly with Berry, who told me of Dixon’s existing relationship with Madeline Bell, the two having worked together when Dixon was at the BBC Big Band: “(Iain’s) phrase about Madeline coming was ‘she’s the real deal’”. This is very special praise coming from Dixon who, I’m told, does not hand out compliments carelessly.

Bell will be singing some soul and jazz classics, including Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing”, Etta James’ “Stormy Weather” and Stevie Wonder’s “If It’s Magic”, as well as tributes to Dusty Springfield and Otis Redding. In addition to Bell’s performance, the big band will play instrumental pieces that have been sourced and (in most cases) arranged by Dixon – including numbers from Wayne Shorter, Ornette Coleman and Herbie Hancock, to name a few household names – as well as two compositions by RNCM students. The showcasing of student work has been a consistent element for the ensemble, and one that I’m told will be “gradually progressing and developing”. Giving a space to this exciting emerging talent is naturally an extremely important aspect for the college, and Berry tells me of the calibre of these compositions that “the bar is always getting higher…these student pieces are a strong and healthy sign of further progress”. Another ensemble to keep an eye out for is MIUAWGA (an acronym standing for ‘Making It Up As We Go Along’). As the name suggests, the emphasis here is on the improvisational element over any boundaries imposed by a perceived definition of jazz. MIUAWGA is open to any instrumentalist or vocalist across the college and also hosts concerts featuring some notable guests: since its conception in 2020, these have included trumpeter Laura Jurd and violinist/vocalist Alice Zawadzki.

The RNCM Big Band’s concert with Madeline Bell promises to be a special evening for audience and ensemble alike. Berry says: “It will be nice for people to get a chance to hear the ‘real dealness’ of (Madeline Bell), to borrow Iain’s phrase, which is great for the students as well because they get right up close and personal with someone who’s really deep in the tradition”.

The post Madeline Bell/ RNCM Big Band / Manchester 13 December first appeared on UK Jazz News.

The Dean Stockdale Trio, with Gavin Barras on bass and Gaz Hughes on drums, will headline the launch as they pay tribute to 100 years of Oscar Peterson. Joining them is Rwandan-born Belgium vocalist Ineza; Emily Masser, hailed as “the new star of British jazz” (Jazz Journal); and local violin virtuoso Graham Clark, who starred in the 2022 festival.

Commenting on the launch event, BIF’s Jazz Director Neil Hughes said: “We are so excited to announce BIF’s 2025 jazz programme and to launch the sale of our Jazz Weekender tickets. It’s a great opportunity to bag a ticket early on! The Jazz Weekender offers 12 gigs, including jazz, blues, funk and Latin, plus an Oscar Peterson extravaganza. Events will take place in our own intimate jazz club at The Palace Hotel as well as at the Pavilion Arts Centre, both in the heart of town.”

The 2025 Jazz Weekender line-up includes:

Thursday, 10 July

• INEZA – Jazz at the Palace, 7pm

Rwandan-born, Belgian vocalist Ineza and her quartet will present an exclusive preview of her debut album, to be released in late ‘25. 

• GRAHAM CLARK QUARTET – Jazz at the Palace, 9.30pm – 11pm

Violin virtuoso Graham Clark returns to BIF after a stunning gig in 2022. A Buxton resident for over 25 years, Clark is well-known for his weekly jazz residencies and his unique blend of jazz, rock, and experimental music. 

Friday, 11 July 

• EMILY MASSER QUARTET featuring Alex Clarke – Jazz at the Palace, 12pm – 1.30pm

Emily Masser is fast becoming one of the most exciting young voices in the jazz scene. At just 20 years old, the Wigan-born vocalist has gained recognition from jazz luminaries following her debut album Introducing Emily Masser, recorded with The Clark Tracey Quintet. 

• TRIO JDM – Jazz at the Palace, 2.30pm – 4pm

Drummer Dave Walsh, guitarist Jamie Taylor and Martin Longhawn on hammond organ play material from a wide range of composers and eras.

• BAIANA featuring Snowboy – Jazz at the Palace, 8pm – 9.30pm

Baiana is the Brazilian-inspired project of Liverpool-born singer-songwriter Laura Doyle.

• BUTCHER’S BREW 10.30pm – Jazz at the Palace, late

A late-night treat, with the fabulous Butcher’s Brew playing jazz, funk, blue note and Latin.

Saturday, 12 July 

• ALAN BARNES PRESENTS ‘A Celebration of Art Pepper’s Centenary’ – Jazz at the Palace, 1pm – 3.30pm

Alan’s Inspiration: ‘I have assembled this all-star band to celebrate the centenary of Art Pepper’s birth in 1925.

• DEAN STOCKDALE QUARTET WITH STRINGS PRESENTS ‘100 Years of Oscar Peterson’ plus special guests Alan Barnes, Mark Armstrong and Emily Masser – Pavilion Arts Centre, 7pm – 9.30pm

Following an acclaimed performance last year, the Dean Stockdale Quartet returns with a new set for a very special evening to honour the one and only Oscar Peterson, born August 15th 1925. 2025 will mark the legendary jazz pianist’s 100th birthday.

• EMMA RAWICZ QUARTET – Jazz at the Palace, 10pm – late

Emma Rawicz is a young saxophonist, bandleader, and composer with astonishing musical maturity, just 22 years of age.

Sunday, 13 July 

• DODEKA – Jazz at the Palace, 1pm – 2.30pm

Ivo Neame’s ‘Dodeka’ is a unique new band formed in 2022.  

• XHOSA COLE QUARTET PRESENTS Freemonk – Jazz at the Palace, 4pm – 6pm

We are delighted to welcome the return of Xhosa Cole. He celebrates the compositions of pianist Thelonious Monk. FreeMonk explores, abstracts and collages Monk’s compositions, breaking his music out of convention and breathing new life into these timeless tunes.

• GEORGINA JACKSON’S ‘SASS AND BRASS’ With her Mighty Mini Big Band – Jazz at the Palace, 8pm – 9.30pm

Expect a velvet-voiced pick and mix of swinging, bluesy ballads and iconic songs, alongside a hefty dose of sizzling brass. 

The post Jazz Programme Announced for Buxton International Festival 2025 first appeared on UK Jazz News.

The evening featured a selection of Dolphy’s compositions, many from his 1964 classic album Out To Lunch, interspersed with a number of Marco Colonna’s own tunes. Opening with a driving rendition of “Miss Ann”, Hawkins’ pounding left hand providing a foundation for Colonna’s soaring and spluttering bass clarinet. “Out To Lunch” was soulful and nourishing, as one would expect, and the first set continued in this vein, one tune segueing into another before Colonna’s tune “Frame” brought an end to the sequence. Colonna then finished the first set with an extraordinary solo rendition of “God Bless the Child”.

The second set opened with “Something Sweet, Something Tender”, Hawkins’ hands dancing up and down the keyboard before the bass clarinet introduced the melody and the intensity slowly gathered before ebbing away as the tune gave way to Colonna’s composition “Fishbone”, the title of which leaves little to the imagination; very spiky, with Hawkins delving into the piano’s internal workings, damping and plucking the strings to great effect.

More from Out To Lunch followed, with fine a performance of Straight Up and Down followed by Colonna’s Indelebile and a quirky, humorous take on “Gazzelloni”. “Mariposa” followed and the evening was brought to a close with a slow, bluesy version of “245”.

This was an assured and remarkable performance with both artists at the top of their game. Marco Colonna is one of the few bass clarinettists performing today who can adequately do justice to Dolphy’s compositions and Alexander Hawkins is the ideal foil, his consummate skill as a performer injecting new life into Dolphy’s extraordinary repertoire.

Sadly, this was the final date on this brief tour, but the duo’s 2020 CD Dolphy Underlined is available via Bandcamp.

Set 1
Miss Ann
Out To Lunch
Un Filo (Colonna)
Serene
Phalena (Colonna)
Frame (Colonna)
God Bless The Child

Set 2
Something Sweet, Something Tender
Fishbone (Colonna)
Straight Up and Down
Indelebile (Colonna)
Gazzelloni
Mariposa
245

Compositions by Eric Dolphy except where noted.

The post Alexander Hawkins and Marco Colonna at Wakefield Jazz first appeared on UK Jazz News.

One of the special features of each concert is that it starts quite early – at 7PM – and each concert starts with a spotlight concert by young local musicians either performing solo or in small groups. The second part of the concert featuring professional players then carries on at 8PM with the concert finishing around 9PM, not too late for the younger players who performed earlier to stay and watch.

Lots of styles of music are featured in the concerts with at least one Jazz-related concert in the season.

The first half spotlight concert tonight featured several young pianists, a trombonist, an alto saxophonist, a singer, a drummer and then concluded with a performance by the Love Music Trust Senior Jazz Band led by Rob Cope and bassist Stan Scott playing a blues by Stanley Turrentine.

The second half of the concert featured Rob Cope’s band ‘Gemini’, a quartet with Rob playing soprano sax and bass clarinet, Andy Scott on tenor sax, Liam Noble on piano and Paul Clarvis on drums.

Rob referred to the fact that it had been a long term ambition to play with both Liam and Paul having been inspired by their album ‘Starry Starry Night’ from 2008. Liam has a very wide variety of Jazz styles at his disposal on piano from stride and swing through to Monk and more contemporary players. He’s always interesting to listen to. Paul Clarvis plays with a minimum amount of drum kit and brings all kinds of influences into his playing from early Jazz drummers like Baby Dodds through to more modern players. Both instinctively react to the soloist playing at the time.

The program mainly consisted of tunes from the album ‘Gemini’ released earlier this year on the Ubuntu label. This follows on from Rob’s previous album from 2019 ‘Gods of Apollo’. The names Apollo and Gemini being the names of space missions by NASA in the 1960s and 70s. Gemini also has an astrological connotation relating to twins and it’s no accident that the band has a duo of horn players as its front line with another duo in the rhythm section.

The first piece ‘Voices’ was a slow lyrical melody with a South African Township quality about it, written as a way to introduce each member of the band.

‘Together’ started with a fiendishly difficult written passage by the two saxophones where they start of playing closely together and then gradually diverge. The piece then developed into an improvised section over a groove underpinned by Liam and Paul. Apparently this was written by Rob to reflect the way in which the teacher influences the student to start with but then the student finds their own voice. Andy Scott had been Rob’s teacher when he was studying at the RNCM.

‘Up’ was another challenging piece influenced by a saxophone duo seen on YouTube and was reminiscent of some of Chick Corea’s Latin American based tunes.

‘Across’ had a minimalist type structure to it where the tenor sax and bass clarinet lines weaved in and out of each other the piano joining in and then some improvisation taking place over the continuing figures.

Two pieces which reflected the Gemini theme of space were ‘The Dance’ and ‘Laika’. ‘The Dance’ is inspired by Gemini VI and VII which had the first crewed rendezvous in space 30cm apart. ‘Laika’ was an upbeat blues dedicated to dogs but in particular Laika the first dog in space.

The final piece was ‘Mr Mustafa’ from the film ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ written by Alexandre Desplat. Rob related the fact that when bringing the piece to the band he asked Paul if he could play like the drummer on the original recording. It turns out that the original drummer on the recording was Paul Clarvis.

A nice evening of music firstly by the young local players and then by four top jazz musicians at the height of their powers playing difficult original music.

LINE-UP

First half: Spotlight Concert : Charlotte Blake, Felix Dean, Izzy Landon, James Landon, Maiya Metcalfe, Daisy Millward, Tilly Pailthorpe, Niamh Wilson
Love Music Trust Senior Jazz Band

Second Half: Gemini: Rob Cope and Andy Scott (saxophones and bass clarinet) with Liam Noble and Paul Clarvis (piano and percussion)

The post Rob Cope’s ‘Gemini’ at Sandbach Concert Series first appeared on UK Jazz News.

John Arnett writes: Taking place over four days in one of the cinemas of the very congenial Ambleside institution that is Zeffirellis, this four day festival was the seventh, annually, in what has proved to be a highly successful and distinctive series. There were ten performances altogether, afternoon and evening, Thursday to Sunday (*) , featuring a kaleidoscope of jazz luminaries in diverse combinations and settings. The fact that most have performed here in previous years is a testament to the unique creative and collaborative spirit of the event, with its assorted fringe events. (Frank Harrison playing tasteful lounge piano to diners and interval punters for example, when not on stage himself). What follows is a selection of avowedly personal highlights.

Opening a jazz festival with a very accomplished solo classical guitarist was a characteristically bold and genre defying gesture on the part of Derek Hook, Zeffirellis owner and the driving force behind the creation of the festival. In introducing Hungarian guitarist and ECM recording artist Zsofia Boros, on what was her third visit, he recalled his initial dream of providing a space for “creative spontaneity and quietness, for music of this calibre”. Zsofia provided all of these in abundance, on both the classical guitar and the ronroco – a small, eight stringed Bolivian folk instrument (even though, as she explained, it had been damaged when she collected it at the airport yesterday – no one would have guessed). A highlight was a piece specially written for the artist by composer Mathias Duplessy, “Perle de Rosee”, which was immediately engaging, indeed thrilling. Often in this performance Zsofia’s face was a picture of transcendant peacefulness. The set. all performed entirely from memory, and featuring an international array of composers, was full of drama and intensity, leading up to a very spirited and percussive finale.

The second set on the opening evening featured another less conventional sound palette in the form of virtuosic Dutch chromatic harmonica player Hermine Deurloo, in a trio with Gwilym Simcock (piano) who wrote several of the pieces here, and Mike Walker (guitar), the two Impossible Gentlemen. The absence of bass and drums created a soundscape perhaps more akin to chamber music, but none the worse for that, and one that was in fact full of space, variety and delight. It also meant that Mike Walker’s guitar was given more prominence and more varied roles – a real bonus actually. Closing piece, which translated as “Lost Socks”, was a terrific finale featuring a solo guitar intro with harmonics and slides, leading into a bossa groove, engaging and fluid, with the harmonica picking up the beautiful melody.

The afternoon of the second day featured a duo performance, different again, by Frank Harrison (piano) and Brigitte Beraha (vocals) with an engaging mix of standards and original pieces. Of the former, “I’m old fashioned” was poignant and beautifully delivered. Jobim tune “O Grand Amor” was introduced by Frank Harrison, with the observation that he found it difficult to do a gig without a Jobim tune. Brigitte Beraha sang it in the original Portuguese. It was a consummate and moving rendition showing great mutual understanding, as was encore “I fall in love too easily”. Accolade for the most unusual title of the festival has to go to beautiful original “The Man who Cycled from India for love”. It tells the true story of an Indian street painter who falls in love with a beautiful Swedish woman and, having failed to capture her on canvas, cycles all the way to Sweden to find her – successfully. They now have two children. Inspiring entertainment indeed.

Drummer Asaf Sirkis was the connecting thread between the two halves of Friday evening’s programme – first with a quartet featuring Frank Harrison (piano) Steve Watts (bass) and Mark Lockheart (saxes), and secondly with the Lighthouse Trio. It was a surprise to me to learn that the latter are now in their twentieth year together – Tim Garland alluded to this. Their performance tonight was multi sensory, thought provoking and scintillating from start to finish, played in front of a shifting backdrop of striking images created by Turkish painter and printmaker Esra Kizir Gokcen  on themes of displacement and migration, sometimes with aerial landscapes and stick figures. Titles like “Winds of hope”, “Trails” and “Moment of Departure” echoed the theme to powerful effect. (SEE FEATURE)

The first of these was a lively, sinuous, uptempo piece featuring a drum and soprano sax duet, virtuosic and highly demanding without ever seeming so, largely on account of Asaf Sirkis’ perpetual blissed out grin. “Trails” began with plucked piano strings and tabla-like percussion over maps of N. Africa and images of inundation and climate change, but with a message of hope. Trumpeter Yazz Ahmed joined the trio on “No Horizon”, creating an interesting pairing with Garland’s bass clarinet. Simcock composition “Hi Jinx” was a musical evocation of the crazy energy of his three year old, with its razor sharp stops, lightning shifts and syncopation, as well as a mind bending piano and drum feature.

The sheer range of sound and feeling this trio are able create is both mind altering and immersive. “Sub Vita” for example sets itself the task of creating an entire undersea world, highly atmospheric and haunting, with shifting melody, Middle Eastern percussion and treated flugelhorn. “Bonjego Falls” featured glockenspiel and soprano sax over soft piano chords to create a beautiful, tranquil soundscape. Final piece “Break in the weather” was a tour de force even by their own standards, and a fitting climax to an unforgettable set.

The variety and diversity of the programming is a real strength of this festival, and clearly a lot of thought has gone into it. Closing the show on the Saturday night were the Nikki Iles Quintet with singer Immy Churchill, her and Pete Churchill’s daughter, whose star, on this showing, is very much in the ascendant. Introducing the band Nikki made the point that “we all love songs” and with this selection and this voice and presence, who wouldn’t? There is a centredness and conviction to Immy’s singing, supported by a band that is completely adept at bringing out the emotion inherent in a diverse range of songs. James Maddren’s drums really shone in this setting, subtle and nuanced in the service of the song, Nikki Iles’ piano likewise.

“Night ride home” early on in the set, was introduced as “My favourite Joni Mitchell song” and if you weren’t sure before, you would be now. Hermine Deurloo added some sumptuous harmonica to James Taylor’s “On the 4^th of July”. English traditional song “False Bride, in a version by Olivia Chaney, was a heartbreaker, remarkable in its emotional power. There were standards too – “You don’t know what love is”; Bernstein’s “Lucky to be me”; “The Night we called it a Day”. The set finished with a version of Pat Metheny’s “Last Train Home”, to Immy’s own words, and with a soulful, searching Mike Walker guitar solo. Altogether, it felt like a special occasion, and a fitting end to a great evening.

Report on the final concert by Esra Kizir Gokcen

It is surely a sign of the huge respect in which Nikki Iles is held that so many top musicians should be crammed onto the Zeffirellis stage, and should show such intense concentration and obvious enjoyment on the last, celebratory night of the Ambleside Days festival.

The 12 piece ensemble (scored down from a normal big band) sounded as if it had just finished touring, rather than performing these intense, uplifting charts for the first time. Despite the immense discipline needed to achieve such an ensemble sound, soloists really did shine as individuals. Special praise for guitar hero Mike Walker, super-cool drumming from James Maddren, legendary effortlessness from Gwilym Simcock, Tim Garland’s high speed juggling of several instruments of dramatically different sizes, and Graeme Blevins’s superb last minute appearance! With guest harmonica player Hermine Deurloo playfully soloing above the city-scape style score in the piece “Big Sky” , there was a real sense of innocence, beautifully contrasted with the power of the group.

It was unique and fascinating to hear and see Nikki conduct the band whilst playing the accordion, yet another richness to her sound-world.

More or less everybody who experiences this festival at Ambleside is affected by the warm community feel; the concert was the musical embodiment of this, with the many audience members feeling truly privileged to be a part of it.

(*) John Arnett was fully intending to stay for the final day, but was thwarted by a positive Covid test.

The post Ambleside Days 2024 first appeared on UK Jazz News.

SEVENTEEN MUSICIANS FOR AMBLESIDE DAYS 2024

Yazz Ahmed (Trumpet)
Brigitte Beraha (Vocals)
Zsofia Boros (Guitar)
Conor Chaplin (Bass)
Pete Churchill (Piano and vocal)
Immy Churchill (Vocals)
Hermine Deurloo (Harmonica)
Tim Garland (Saxophone)
Frank Harrison (Piano)
Nikki Iles (Piano)
Mark Lockhart (Saxophone)
James Maddren (Drums)
Gwilym Simcock (Piano)
Asaf Sirkis (Drums)
Nick Smart (Trumpet)
Mike Walker (Guitar)
Steve Watts (Bass)

CONCERTS OF AMBLESIDE DAYS 2024

Thursday 29 August

7.30 pm Zsofia Boros solo guitar
Intermission
Hermine Deurloo Harmonica, Gwilym Simcock piano and Mike Walker Guitar.

Friday 30 August

2.00 pm : Brigitte Beraha vocals with Frank Harrison piano

7.30 pm : Frank Harrison Trio Frank Harrison Piano, Steve Watts Double Bass and Asaf Sirkis Drums, joined by Mark Lockheart Saxophone
Intermission
The Lighthouse Trio: Tim Garland Saxophones, Gwilym Simcock Piano, Asaf Sirkis Percussion joined by special guest Yazz Ahmed Trumpet

Saturday 31 August

2.00 pm Zsofia Boros Guitar

7.30 pm Gwilym Simcock Quartet with Conor Chaplin bass, TBC drums, Nick Smart trumpet
Intermission .
Mike Walker Guitar, Nikki Iles Piano, Steve Watts Bass, Mark Lockheart Saxophone, James Maddren Drums and Immy Churchill Vocals

Sunday 1 September
2.00 pm Frank Harrison piano, Hermine Deurloo Harmonica, and Conor Chaplin Bass

7.30 pm Nikki Iles 12 piece Band and guests

The post Ambleside Days 2024 (29 Aug – 1 Sep) first appeared on UK Jazz News.

The 8^th iteration of the NFOJAIM has just published its programme and it looks like the most imaginative yet.

Its full of big names and experimental musicians that many will never have heard of, mixed with luminaries from the jazz scene in the North East.

The Full Programme is at the link below, but I would like to pick out just a few highlights:

• The festival always features a selection of artists from the Newcastle area including Andy Champion, Faye MacCalman and others
• The first weekend sees the Danish pianist Jeppe Zeeberg with his modestly named band The Absolute Pinnacle of Human Achievement. Zeeberg was at last year’s festival with a duo and was a big hit. Also on the first weekend there is a rare return to the UK by Ingrid Laubrock with Tom Rainey, playing with local improvisers Johnny Hunter and John Pope
• The second weekend features (amongst others) the Japanese pianist Izumi Kimura playing with drummer Gerry Hemmingway; an Art, Entertainment and Politics Workshop, and The Flame, the trio of Robert Mitchell (Piano) / Olie Brice (Double Bass) / Mark Sanders (Drums). It all finishes on Sunday 6^th with local saxophonist Emma Johnson‘s Gravy Boat.

It’s hugely encouraging that the Newcastle area retains an enthusiasm for this type of music which can be challenging at times. This year the festival has expanded into new venues and some interesting experiments with sound. These include the Friday Night Chill Out at Jesmond Swimming Pool and soundtracking to a selection of historic surrealist films.

This is the only jazz festival around that focuses exclusively on this type of jazz and improvised music, and its now established as an important part of the UK jazz landcape.

The post Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2024 (NFoJaIM) first appeared on UK Jazz News.

But what I wasn’t expecting was quite how phenomenal the opening act would be. The 81-year-old Madeline Bell, with Ian Shaw at the piano, made the grand Buxton Opera house feel intimate and personal. Bell’s ability to engender a sense of community and togetherness in the stalls, to ‘shrink the room’, was astonishing. She remarked that she was more used to venues in which she could physically close the distance between herself and the audience – regardless, she moved the audience greatly, especially with a melancholic and reflective rendition of Lennon and McCartney’s “She’s Leaving Home”. Perhaps it should not be surprising that the performance craft of a singer who’s shared the stage with Dusty Springfield and Ray Charles should be so remarkable and memorable.

Day two, and an excursion to the Assembly Rooms to watch the Scottish-Italian JKL Duo (guitarist Jacopo Lazzaretti and flautist Kerry Lynch) perform a set of music from their album “The International Poet”. Their music merged cultural identities from around the world to breathe new life and interpretation to the poetry of Robert Burns. I wished that we could have had copies of the poems.

The evening brought yet more new music, this time in the form of string arrangements commissioned for the festival by Andy Stamatakis-Brown, fronted by singer Nishla Smith. Jazz with strings can be beautifully emotional, although there is an ever-present risk of pastiche. This was highly inventive string writing, including a section of trading fours in “Tea For Two” with the rhythm section – which, with the quartet sat opposite the band, came across as something of a musical boxing match won out by the strings. By far the most impactful tunes of the night were the arrangements of two back-to-back Judy Garland classics, “If I Only Had a Brain” and “Trolley Song”. Particularly enjoyable were the strings-as-revolving-wheels-of-train.

Saturday night and a different feel entirely – Mica Millar performed a set of original soul music, save for a rendition of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready”. Millar’s stripped-back set was missing some dynamic and textural range necessary to bring out the best in her material. Though the band were obviously very capable, the arrangements didn’t feel fleshed out enough to carry the long set. Mica herself has a stunning singing voice, but at times came across as uncomfortable on stage. The audience was forgiving: she had many on their feet by the final notes.

This weekend of Jazz and soul music at the Buxton Festival was a real success – the programming choices made for a varied and thoroughly enjoyable few days of music in some beautiful surroundings.

Becky Alice is a London-based singer

The post Jazz at the 2024 Buxton International Festival first appeared on UK Jazz News.