Programme announced for Guildford Jazz and Soul Festival: September – October 2024
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Martin Collins has forwarded details of the line up for Guildford Jazz and Soul Festival, which will take place at various venues around the city from September 4th 2024.
Martin Collins writes;
Guildford Jazz and Soul Festival: September – October 2024
Wednesday 4th September: Emily Masser & Alex Clarke Quintet
Rising star Emily Masser is an astonishing vocalist, just 20 years of age and attending The Guildhall School of Music. Alex Clarke was a finalist at the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2020. Her hard-swinging, melodic approach is reminiscent of Scott Hamilton and Lester Young with bop influences of Phil Woods and Cannonball Adderley.
With Rob Barron, the ultra-swinging drummer Steve Brown and Guildford Jazz’s Marianne Windham on bass.
Food and drinks from 19.00 Jazz from 20:00 to 22:15 at Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Road, GU1 4RP.
Tickets £20 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/
Friday 13th September: Tony Kofi & The Organisation
Award-winning, saxophonist Tony Kofi teams up with The Organisation, featuring Liam Dunachie on Hammond organ, Tristan Mailliot on drums, and Simon Fernsby on guitar. The band performs a hard-hitting selection of tunes in blues, jazz, and funk idioms, including tunes by Pat Martino, Joe Henderson and Joe Sample.
Food and drinks from 19.15 Jazz from 20:00 to 22:15 at The Stoke, Stoke Road, Guildford GU1 4JN
Tickets £18 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/
Wednesday 18th September: Pete Roth Trio
The Pete Roth Trio creates jazz for a new generation of music enthusiasts that look beyond the ordinary jazz conventions. The Trio consists of Mike Pratt on bass and, as special guest, the legendary Bill Bruford on drums.
Jazz from 20:00 to 22:30 at Growler & Cans, 24 Chertsey St, Guildford GU1 4HD
Tickets £18 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/
Friday 20th September: Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir
Formed in 2006 SSGC is one of the UK’s foremost gospel choirs and have performed in venues like the Jazz Cafe, the Albert Hall, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the 606 Club and the Cadogan Hall as well as many festivals. In November 2023, the choir joined the LSO and LSOCC onstage at the Barbican under the baton of André Thomas for their annual Gospel Explosion. The choir will be performing with their own fabulous rhythm section so expect joyous gospel, infused with infectious soul and funk.
From 19:30 to 21:30 at St Saviour’s Church, Woodbridge Rd, Guildford GU1 4PD
Tickets £15 https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/
Thursday, 26 September: Simcock & Rebello
The gifted jazz pianists Jason Rebello and Gwilym Simcock will be performing together on two Steinway concert grand pianos. Adventurous, sophisticated and technically brilliant, both musicians are stupendous improvisers who blend jazz and classical influences with mesmerising effect. Dovetailing beautifully creative originals, zestful standards and mercurial improvisations, this is a set from two of the most inventive pianists in jazz.
From 8.00pm to 10.30pm at the University of Surrey.
Tickets £22 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/
Friday, 5 October 2024: Natalie Williams & Soul Family
Natalie Williams & Soul Family are a long established 10-piece band that has held a monthly residency at Ronnie Scott’s club for the past 16 years. ‘Motown and More’ is
the defining sound of 60s pop, RnB and soul music and features some of the greatest songs by legends including Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye. Led by Natalie Williams, Soul Family feature some of the most sought-after musicians in the UK just listen to the band’s album ‘Soul Family Motown’ or their live studio sessions on YouTube which have had over 5 million streams.
From 19:30 to 21:55 at G Live, London Rd, Guildford, GU1 2AA.
Tickets £28.75 and are sold through G LIve (A transaction fee of up to £3.95 may apply to your order) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/
Wednesday, 9 October 2024: Alyn Shipton
An evening with writer, musician, broadcaster, Jazz historian and host of BBC Radio 3’s “Jazz Record Requests”, Alyn Shipton, discussing and playing the music from his
latest book., “The Gerry Mulligan 1950s Quartets”, which offers an intimate look at Mulligan’s musical development from the initial quartet with Chet Baker to its
successors with Bob Brookmeyer, Jon Eardley, and Art Farmer
. Includes an interview with Alyn and a performance of Mulligan’s music by a live quartet featuring Alyn and Alan Barnes on baritone and Ian Smith on trumpet.
In association with Guildford Book Festival
Tickets £18 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/
Thursday, 17 October: Bill Laurance
Classically trained composer, sought after collaborator and 5 times Grammy award- winning pianist Bill Laurance has built a career uniquely blending genres of music that seem to be at stylistic polar opposites with each other. Laurance has been demonstrating his unique creativity and improvisation for many years as a founding member of Snarky Puppy. Most recently, he released the highly acclaimed album “Where You Wish You Were” (ACT Music) together with Michael League. His latest release “Affinity” is a tribute to the jazz pianist Bill Evans and shows Laurance’s striving for individual interpretations.
From 20:00 to 22:15 at University of Surrey, Stag Hill, Guildford GU2 7XH
Tickets £29 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/