Guildford Jazz - Programme for May 2025.

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Martin Collins of Guildford Jazz has forwarded details of the organisation's programme for May 2025. Performers include Motet, Joe Garland, Andy Baker, Mark Lockheart, Nicolas Meier, Alex Hutton.

Martin Collins writes;

Guildford Jazz May 2025

Friday 9 May 2025: BEAT: Jazz Funk Double Bill - Motet & The Joe Garland Band
MOTET delivers a danceable groove and drummer, Seb Guard, is the source of the band’s creative arrangements, with Robin Clayton (bass), David Kirby (keys) and Andy Jackson guitar). MOTET’s horn section has Sam Parker (saxes), Tom Parsons (trumpet) and Stuart Goodburne (trombone). The band is joined by the vocalist, Debby Bracknell who has sung for artists such as Mariah Carey and Shakatak.
The Joe Garland Band is group of young musicians from London who perform boisterous, groovy jazz funk and fusion in the vein of the Yellowjackets, John Scofield and Tribal Tech.
From 19.45 at the Boiler Room, Stoke Fields, Guildford GU1 4LS.
Tickets £18, (Discounts for Members and Students) +£1 booking fee-
https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/

Wednesday 14 May 2025: Andy Baker & Mark Lockheart Quintet
An all-star line-up featuring a rare UK appearance from trombonist Andy Baker, and tenor saxophonist Mark Lockheart, a key figure in the development of British jazz, well known to jazz audiences from his performances with Loose Tubes and Polar Bear. In addition to a full- time performing career. Andy Baker is an assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. With Andrea Vicari on piano, Matt Fishwick on drums and Marianne Windham on bass.
From 19.15 to 22.30 at Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Road GU1 4RP.
Tickets £20 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk

Monday 19 May 2025: May Lunchtime Jazz Nicolas Meier and Alex Hutton
May’s lunchtime concert features guitarist Nicolas Meier and pianist Alex Hutton. Drawing from a love of Turkish, Middle Eastern music, Flamenco, Tango mixed with jazz— Nicolas’ versatility and musical fluency are well known. Pianist Alex Hutton is a fine composer, with an ear for folk and classical influences, he is a mainstay of the London Jazz scene. With Marianne Windham on bass.
At The Guildford Institute, Ward St, North St, Guildford GU1 4LH.
Lunch is available from 12 to 2pm, and the performance is a single one-hour set from 2 to 3pm,
Tickets: £12 (Discounts for members and students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/

Thursday 29 May 2025: the Nicolas Meier World Group
The World Group has a unique sound, incorporating Middle Eastern, Turkish, jazz and fusion influences. Meier’s career has included three years of touring with Jeff Beck and subsequent recordings with bassist Jimmy Haslip and Vinnie Collaiuta. The World Group offers a range of colours - Nick plays various types of guitars and the group benefits from Richard Jones’ electric violin and the keyboard wizardry of Alex Hutton. With bassist, Tom Mason and the talented percussionist, Demi Garcia-Sabat!
From 19.15 to 22.30 at Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Road GU1 4RP.
Tickets £20 (Discounts for Members and Students)
https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk

Full line up announced for Jazz in the Gardens Concert Series at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens, London,  Friday 25 April until Friday 11 July.

Thursday, April 24, 2025

World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens welcomes its first ever Jazz in the Gardens concert series – a selection of jazz on Friday nights this summer at its intimate music venue in Nine Elms, Battersea.

We have received the following press release;

JAZZ IN THE GARDENS: FRIDAY JAZZ THIS SUMMER AT WORLD HEART BEAT EMBASSY GARDENS
Starting Friday 25 April until Friday 11 July

World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens welcomes its first ever Jazz in the Gardens concert series – an exquisite selection of jazz on Friday nights this summer at its intimate music venue in Nine Elms, Battersea.

Starting on Friday 25 April until Friday 11 July, World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens will become a vibrant destination for jazz lovers, showcasing 11 jazz concerts and some of the world’s finest artists in jazz. Expect sensational performances in a lively and inviting atmosphere, with refreshments available at the bar and great, like-minded company. 

The concert series kicks off with pianist and composer, Hans Koller who premiers with a brand-new jazz orchestra project, featuring soloists John O’Gallagher (alto saxophone) and Bryon Wallen (trumpet) exploring musical logic, provoking both thought and emotion Jazz in the Gardens: Hans Koller’s Rejoicing Ensemble (Friday 25 April). 

In May we welcome saxophonist Trish Clowes and pianist Ross Stanley who present a celebration of two masters of composition, Wayne Shorter and Antonio Carlos Jobim Jazz in the Gardens: Trish Clowes & Ross Stanley (Friday 2 May) followed by the sounds of Jazz in the Gardens: Artie Zaitz Quartet (Friday 09 May) who combines retro feel with a modern approach to the guitar-meets-Hammond trio. Jazz in the Gardens: Yolanda Charles’ jazz group Project PH (Friday 16 May), internationally renowned bassist and composer Yolanda Charles MBE announces her jazz funk album with Project PH. We also welcome an intimate dialogue performing tangos and Latin American folk music, Tango and Argentine folklore: Federico D`Attellis and Ana-Josefina Nickelé (Friday 23 May) and an exciting visit from the Grammy Award-winning Jean Toussaint, formerly of Art Blakey’s ‘Jazz Messengers’ Jazz in the Gardens: Jean Toussaint + Emile Hinton Trio (Opener) (30 May). 

The newest jazz innovators take the stage with Jazz in the Gardens: Henry Spencer (Friday 6 June) blending jazz and rock on his latest album, The Defector. Jazz in the Gardens: Ant Law and Brigitte Beraha’s (Friday 20 June) provides an intimately captivating vocal-acoustic guitar partnership. Later, vocalist Jazz in the Gardens: Tammy Weis (Friday 27 June) sets the words of Portuguese poet, Fernando Pessoa, to music, transporting listeners to Lisbon’s coast. 

In July, we welcome Jazz in the Gardens: Julian Joseph Trio (Friday 4 July), an unforgettable performance including jazz compositions by George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Duke Ellington. Finally, we welcome Gabrielle Stravelli, one of the world’s foremost interpreters of the American Songbook, who will be bringing her quartet to present a programme of well-known classics and lesser-known gems from jazz’s history Jazz in the Gardens: Gabrielle Stravelli Quarte t (Friday 11 July).

Sahana Gero, MBE, World Heart Beat Founder and Artistic Director said:
“For the aficionado and those new to jazz, there’s something here for everyone at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens. Whether you come for the deep, soulful originality of Grammy Award winning tenor sax giant Jean Toussaint, US vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli singing time honoured standards or celebrated composer and pianist Julian Joseph, we have even more great artists who embrace the rich tapestry that makes jazz so irresistible. Jazz on a summer’s evening evokes the perfect listening atmosphere so we welcome you to immerse yourself in the sound, warmth and energy of Jazz in the Gardens.”

April
Jazz in the Gardens: Hans Koller - Rejoicing Ensemble featuring John O’Gallagher, Friday 25 April 2025, 7:30pm
In his newest jazz project, Rejoicing Ensemble, pianist and composer Hans Koller takes from his interest in musical logic and reason, blending it with elements of the ever-changing language of jazz. His piece highlights the genius of soloists Byron Wallen (trumpet) and John O’Gallagher (alto saxophone), showcasing the possibilities and folk roots through improvisation. Koller has been widely acclaimed for his surprising yet intentional compositions and is hailed as a leader in jazz’s future. 

  May

Jazz in the Gardens: Trish Clowes & Ross Stanley: The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim & Wayne Shorter, Friday 02 May 2025, 7:30pm
The duo of Trish Clowes and Ross Stanley come from diverse musical backgrounds, such as organ performance and studies of jazz and folk genres. With their wide array of expertise, Clowes and Stanley take inspiration and interest across various styles. In their Embassy Gardens performance, they celebrate two of their heroes with the innovative improvisation of Wanye Shorter and the bossa nova sounds of Antonio Carlos Jobim. They will also feature special guests, vocalist Immy Churchill and percussionist Andre Ticino. 

Jazz in the Gardens: Artie Zaitz Quartet, Friday 09 May 2025, 7:30pm
Guitar prodigy Artie Zaitz leads a group of London’s most grooving, swinging musicians in a new quartet featuring winner of BBC Young Musician of the year Deschanel Gordon on acoustic and electric piano, with notable youngbloods Lorenzo Morabito on double bass, and Jack Thomas on drums. They will be presenting original music by himself as well as members of The Banger Factory label.

Jazz in the Gardens: Yolanda Charles’ Project PH Album Launch, Friday 16 May 2025, 7:30pm
Bassist Yolanda Charles has worked with names like Hans Zimmer, Van Morrison, and Mick Jagger, but now, she steps into her own with the formation of her new group, Project PH. The core trio of Charles, producer/guitarist Nick Linnick and keyboardist Hamish Balfour, blend jazz, R&B, and rock genres in their new album, Acid Funk. With vocals by Paris Ruel and Adeola Shyllon to round out their dynamic and rhythmic sounds, the group’s musical genius is brought to life. 

Jazz in the Gardens: Tango and Argentine Folklore – Federico D’Attellis and Ana-Josefina Nickelé, Friday 23 May 2025, 7:30pm
The duo of Federico D’Attellis and Ana-Josefina Nickelé combine their musical talents and cultural heritages, performing classic and contemporary spins on Argentine tango. While guitarist D’Attellis melds melodies of tango and folklore, Nickelé employs her powerful and heartfelt voice. They embody the intimate forms of tango music—simply guitar and voice. Together, their full-bodied instrumentals and raw vocals create a captivating musical dialogue, exploring both tradition and modernity in Latin American music. 

Jazz in the Gardens: Jean Toussaint + Emile Hinton Trio (Opener, Friday 30 May, 2025, 7:30pm
An exciting visit from the Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Jean Toussaint, formerly of Art Blakey’s ‘Jazz Messengers’. His blistering technique and lyrical sound have earned Jean acclaim from across the world, and the band leader has 12 albums under his belt. The opener is Emile Hinton, a charismatic young jazz pianist and composer coming out of the heart of the London jazz scene, who has played extensively in venues in London and around the UK, most notably at Ronnie Scott’s with The National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

June

Jazz in the Gardens: Henry Spencer’s The Defector, Friday 06 June 2025, 7:30pm
Trumpeter Henry Spencer communicates directly through his instrument. His latest album, The Defector, is a striking demonstration of his instrumental lyricism, speaking to the audience with his emotional and evocative storytelling. Even with such a personal approach, the album highlights his technical abilities, showcasing the dichotomy of precision and personal intimacy in jazz music. 

Jazz in the Gardens: Ant Law & Brigitte Beraha: Ensconced, Friday 20 June 2025, 7:30pm
Ensconced is the enchanting new project of British guitarist Ant Law and British Turkish vocalist Brigitte Beraha. The album features interpretations of jazz standards by Louis Armstrong and Leonard Bernstein. Integrating original compositions, they highlight Law’s acoustic melodies and Beraha’s nostalgic and innovative lyricism. Together, they create a moving and heartfelt experience through the power of narrative and intimacy. 

Jazz in the Gardens: Tammy Weis Sings Fernando Pessoa, Friday 27 June 2025, 7:30pm
After reading the work of Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa, Canadian vocalist Tammy Weis was moved by the magical qualities of his writing. In her latest album Soul Whisper, Weis sets Pessoa’s words to music, crafting soundscapes that reflect his South African and Mediterranean backgrounds. On Soul Whisper, she collaborates with UK and Portuguese musicians in a celebration of multicultural themes and sounds.

July

Jazz in the Gardens: Julian Joseph Trio, Friday 4 July 2025, 7:00pm
Virtuoso pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger and broadcaster, Julian Joseph is the undisputed heir to the global house of jazz. Acclaimed by critics and audiences the world over, Julian never fails to inspire with his mastery of the keyboard, the versatility of his musicianship, and the limitless scope of his creative imagination. Also featuring Mark Mondesir (drums) and Mark Hodgson (double bass).

Jazz in the Gardens: Gabrielle Stravelli Quartet, Friday 11 July 2025, 7:30pm
Gabrielle Stravelli is one of the most celebrated vocalists of today. Known for her swinging rhythmic feel, elegant and intelligent interpretation of ballads, and dazzling stage presence, she sings regularly at major jazz venues and festivals globally, has collaborated with artists including Fred Hersch and Wynton Marsalis, and has frequently taken up residencies at legendary jazz-clubs like Birdland with the USA’s top-tier musicians and improvisers.

Tickets;
https://worldheartbeat.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows?tags=jazzinthegardens

To celebrate International Jazz Day on Wednesday 30 April, we’ll be offering a 20% off all Jazz in the Gardens events (and Unfolding Space) - use code JITG20 on the day (T&Cs apply).

About World Heart Beat
In 2023, World Heart Beat opened World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens, a state-of-the-art digital music education and concert venue in Nine Elms, featuring a 200-capacity auditorium and industry-standard recording studio. Through our Music Leader and EMERGE training programmes, and GLA-funded South London Music Mentors, programme we are supporting Black, culturally diverse, female and LGBT+ South London talent to find their path in the music industry. 
Wandsworth-based World Heart Beat Music Academy was founded in 2009 to meet the need for affordable music education, from grassroots to professional level, for South Londoners, no matter what their age, background or skills. Fronted by award-winning musician and educator Sahana Gero MBE, World Heart Beat is a leading music educator and hub – supported by Arts Council England as an NPO, and known for its inclusive global music programmes, youth-led approach and contribution to a more diverse and representative music sector. 
The charity provides music tuition and performances opportunities for c.446 young people each year outside of school hours. World Heart Beat’s mission is to provide opportunities for all, with an ‘open door’ approach that welcomes any young person interested in learning music. This commitment sees them providing bursaries and free instruments to more than half of the students that come through their door.

Celebrating Ten Years of Jazz London Radio.

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Jazz London Radio celebrates its tenth year and will celebrate this throughout the months of April and May 2025 with a series of special programmes by its presenters.

Presenter Chris Hodgkins has forwarded the following press release;

Celebrating Ten Years of Jazz London Radio

Jazz London Radio celebrates its tenth year, reaching fans from London to the world! We will celebrate this throughout the month of April and May with a series of special programmes by our Presenters.

Jazz London Radio began broadcasting in spring 2015 with the intention to offer something a bit different to the more conventional jazz radio stations, often found on the World Wide Web. 

Jazz London Radio has achieved this through open ears and innovative shows. Each programme adding unique colour to the palette of jazz music.
 

Our weekly shows include: Big Band Jazz, Classic Jazz, Electronica, Female Instrumentalists & Vocalists, Jazz Rock, Jazz Funk, Latin Music, Originals v Covers, Rock and Blues, and World Showcase. Plus our annual three hour extravaganza of music for International Women’s Day.

Wonderful programmes contributed by Presenters past and present. Andrea Vicari, Chris Hodgkins, Filomena Campus, Johnny Mooney, Kevin Davy. Liv Fernandes, Richard Carabine, Todd Gordon, Jazz Rag Magazine Reviewers. Plus DJs Mickey Richards and Matthew Ballester.  Also, Deirdre Cartwright, Emily Saunders, Faye Patton, Jay Bennett , Julian Costello, Ollie Howell and Sophia Alexandra Hall.

In 2016 Jazz London Radio also introduced our successful JLR Interview Series: interviewing up & coming British artists, and top level international musicians. We have interviewed Harvey Mason, Courtney Pine, Najee, Camilla George, Juliana Hatfield among many others. For the full comprehensive list, click here.

Jazz London Radio was one of the first internet stations to output with a high bitrate of 256 kbps MP4 in 2015. Today we output in 256 kbps MP3 reinforcing our commitment to play high quality music in top sound quality.

We want to say many thanks for listening to Jazz London Radio, and helping to make Jazz London Radio a unique station. We hope to entertain you for years to come. To help celebrate ten years of Jazz London Radio, I have written an article called “What Is Jazz Today?”.  See article here.

Here are the bios of our current Presenters:

Andrea Vicari’s Jazz Doodles
Andrea’s show concentrates on contemporary jazz and inter-views of upcoming and established British jazz stars. Andrea is an accomplished, composer and teacher in her own right.

Chris Hodgkins’ Jazz Then and Now Chris says his show “does what it says on the tin.” mixing the old with the new, giving new talented musicians a platform, whilst introducing great jazz from previous eras.

DJ Mick and Matt’s Jazz Na Casa Show
DJs Mickey Richards & Matthew Ballester showcase house music in its many forms, including latin, jazz, soul and afro music.

Filomena Campus Theatralia Jazz Vocalist/lyricist/theatre practitioner/academic Filomena Campus features a fine mix of contemporary, latin and European jazz every weekend on her magazine show.

Kevin Davy’s D’semble
Kevin Davy’s weekend show showcases a wide range of “jazz and improvised music” Taking in rap, soul, funk, straight ahead jazz and Avant garde.

No Wahala Sounds World Showcase presented by Johnny Mooney is the premier internet world music show. Johnny plays music from all corners of the globe which delights and intrigues listeners.

Rock and Blues show with Richard Carabine
Richard Carabine brings his passion for everything rock and blues, playing the latest releases intermingled with classic sounds from the past.

Soul Jazz Junction with Liv Fernandes Liv Fernandes explores the post-hard bop jazz pioneers who brought soul, gospel and r’n’b to their jazz. And contemporary artists who aspire to a soul inflected jazz

Todd Gordon’s Turntable
Todd Gordon presents a weekly radio show, bringing the listener the best in jazz, swing and easy listening vocals - past and pre-sent; each week with a different theme.

https://www.jazzlondonradio.com/

SMOKE Jazz Club, New York City, Announces May 2025 Line-Up.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

SMOKE Jazz Club has announced its schedule for May 2025. Performers include Vincent Herring, Billy Childs, Chris Potter, Terrell Stafford, Louis Hayes, Eddie Henderson, Ralph Moore.

We have received the following press release;

Smoke Jazz Club Announces May Shows Including Miles Davis Celebration, Louis Hayes, and More

Announcing SMOKE Jazz Club’s May 2025 Line-Up Featuring a Miles Davis Celebration, Louis Hayes and The Jazz Communicators, and More

Something Else! featuring Vincent Herring (April 30-May 4)
Billy Childs Quartet featuring Chris Potter (May 7-11)
Terrell Stafford Quintet (May 14-18)
Louis Hayes and The Jazz Communicators (May 21-25)
Miles Davis Celebration (May 28-June 1)

Hailed as the “#1 Jazz Club in New York City (SecretNYC),” SMOKE Jazz Club today announced its concert schedule for May 2025. Some of today’s top ensembles reunite on the SMOKE stage including: supergroup Something Else! featuring Vincent Herring (Apr 30-May 4) and The Jazz Communicators led by NEA Jazz Master Louis Hayes (May 21-25). The month culminates with the Miles Davis Celebration (May 28-Jun 1). An exceptional quintet—featuring trumpet legend Eddie Henderson, saxophonist Ralph Moore, pianist George Cables, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Billy Hart—will celebrate the life and music of the iconic Miles Davis, who would have been 99 years old on May 26. For the complete and most updated May schedule, please visit http://www.smokejazz.com.

May 2025 Concert Schedule (subject to change):

Wed-Sun April 30-May 4 Something Else! featuring Vincent Herring
Vincent Herring – alto saxophone
Jeremy Pelt – trumpet (except Sat)
Freddie Hendrix – trumpet (Sat only)
Wayne Escoffery – tenor saxophone
Adam Rodgers – guitar
David Kikoski – bass
Essiet Essiet – bass
Lewis Nash – drums
“Top-shelf soul-jazz and swing… Every one of these musicians is elite – it was an extraordinary set.”  – Glide Magazine
Fiery and soulful alto saxophonist Vincent Herring leads this exceptional collective supergroup, bringing together trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, guitarist Adam Rodgers, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Essiet Essiet, and drummer Lewis Nash. On Saturday night, Freddie Hendrix will join in place of Pelt. Herring sums it up perfectly: “The best musicians playing great music and thoroughly enjoying it.”
Their repertoire reinvents classic soul jazz with fresh arrangements of iconic tunes while also introducing their own original contributions to the genre. The performances are rich, soulful, and irresistibly funky. As The New Yorker puts it: “This powerhouse ensemble taps into a timeless repertoire of funk-infused tracks by legends such as Bobby Timmons, Horace Silver, and Lou Donaldson, practically daring audiences to stay still or behave.”

Wed-Sun May 7-11 Billy Childs Quartet featuring Chris Potter
Chris Potter – tenor saxophone
Billy Childs – piano
Matt Penman – bass
Ari Hoenig – drums
“One of the most critically acclaimed pianists in modern jazz” – All About Jazz
Renowned pianist and composer Billy Childs leads an inspired quartet with saxophonist great Chris Potter, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Ari Hoenig. A native of Los Angeles, Childs grew up immersed in jazz, classical, and popular music influences, which he blends in powerful and personal compositional and performing voice. A child prodigy who started performing at age six and studying at USC at 16, he was “discovered” by trumpet legend Freddie Hubbard, with whom he embarked on a successful performing and recording tour. He also recorded and performed with a number of other influential jazz musicians, including J.J. Johnson, Joe Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Jack DeJohnette, and Dave Holland, among many others, and with such varied artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Sting, Renee Fleming, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Kronos Quartet. Downbeat reports, “The same creative spirit that’s propelled him from the bands of bop giants as a twenty-something side-player to a composer renowned throughout concert halls and across jazz festival stages remains unhampered.”

Wed-Sun May 14-18 Terell Stafford Quintet
Terell Stafford – trumpet
Tim Warfield – tenor saxophone
Bruce Barth – piano
David Wong – bass
Johnathan Blake – drums
“There’s little doubt that Terell Stafford is a master” – All About Jazz
Acclaimed trumpeter Terell Stafford leads his impressive all-star quintet with saxophonist Tim Warfield, pianist Bruce Barth, bassist David Wong, and drummer Johnathan Blake. His extensive resume includes performances and recordings with Bobby Watson, Benny Golson, Kenny Barron, Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath, Jon Faddis, and McCoy Tyner. Tyner called Stafford “one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player.” He combines a remarkable gift for melody with spirited and adventurous lyricism. The New Yorker says, “Hearing Stafford’s work as a whirlwind trumpeter in decades past, with the bands of Bobby Watson and others, you could practically taste his promise. True to predictions, Stafford has developed into a distinguished bandleader and composer whose horn playing still startles with its verve and conviction.”

Wed-Sun May 21-25 Louis Hayes and The Jazz Communicators
Abraham Burton – tenor saxophone
Steve Nelson – vibraphone
David Hazeltine – piano
Gerald Cannon – bass
Louis Hayes – drums
“[Hayes] has spent over 70 years keeping time with some of the most soulful artists in the music’s history.” –National Public Radio
NEA Jazz Master Louis Hayes, a legendary drummer who has been at the heart of the jazz world for over five decades, reunites an all-star lineup of his historic ensemble, The Jazz Communicators. This powerhouse group features saxophonist Abraham Burton, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, pianist David Hazeltine, and bassist Gerald Cannon.
In the 1950s and ’60s, Hayes was the rising star drummer in the iconic bands of Horace Silver, Cannonball Adderley, and Oscar Peterson. His extensive career has seen him work and record alongside other jazz legends, including Horace Silver, Oscar Peterson, Cannonball Adderley, Grant Green, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, and John Coltrane. With an impeccable sense of feel and a propulsive swing, Hayes has played a pivotal role in shaping the art of jazz drumming.
The Guardian praises Hayes for his “unmistakable style: excitement tempered by poise,” while All About Jazz notes, “Today, Louis is one of the last men drumming from jazz’s galloping hard-bop era. Best of all, he hasn’t lost an ounce of energy or style.”

Wed-Sun May 28-June 1 Miles Davis Celebration
Eddie Henderson – trumpet
Ralph Moore – tenor saxophone
George Cables – piano
Peter Washington – bass
Billy Hart - drums
“Miles Davis was the artist who defined jazz for me, and who, in his own way, defined American music in the 20th century.” - Quincy Jones
An exceptional quintet—featuring trumpet legend Eddie Henderson, saxophonist Ralph Moore, pianist George Cables, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Billy Hart—celebrates the life and music of the iconic Miles Davis, who would have been 99 on May 26. This special week honors Davis’s groundbreaking contributions to jazz, showcasing some of the music that continues to grow in importance and popularity with musicians and audiences. From the modal masterpiece of Kind of Blue to the groundbreaking work of the Second Great Quintet and many of the other familiar classics from throughout his career, these jazz giants will create some of the magic of Miles.
“Miles was an ever-evolving artist, always looking to challenge the boundaries of jazz,” says Henderson, who carries forward his spirit with every note. Moore adds, “Miles was always a forward thinker, and he pushed us all to grow—musically and personally.” Cables reflects, “Miles’s sound was like no other, a perfect blend of elegance and raw emotion. It’s an honor to channel that energy in my own playing.” Hart, who worked with Davis on several projects, shares, “Miles was always about pushing boundaries and exploring new ideas. Playing with him was an education, a constant reminder of the power of innovation.”
As DownBeat declares, “Henderson’s trumpet playing is a masterclass in understatement and brilliance,” while All About Jazz praises Cables for his “soulful, fluid touch that effortlessly connects with the deepest emotions of the music.” Hart’s “percussive mastery” (JazzTimes) and Moore’s “rich, expressive tone” (The New York Times) are further testaments to the caliber of talent within this all-star lineup.

About SMOKE
Located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side at the junction of Broadway and 106th Street (aka Duke Ellington Boulevard), Smoke Jazz Club is one of New York City’s premier live music venues. Renowned for offering top-notch programming of accessible, timeless jazz featuring legendary performers, modern masters, and rising stars, Smoke stands apart with its candlelit dining room, stellar acoustics, and classic American cuisine. Founded in 1999, SMOKE also boasts a GRAMMY-nominated label, Smoke Sessions Records, and a celebrated streaming concert series, Smoke Screens. For everything else, visit http://www.smokejazz.com.

Ticketing + Information:                                                                                   
When: Wednesday-Sunday @ 7:00 p.m. + 9:00 p.m. and additional 10:30 p.m. (Fri & Sat only). Doors open at 5:00 p.m. (unless otherwise noted).
Where: SMOKE Jazz Club, 2751 Broadway (between 105/106th Streets), New York, NY, Train: 1 to 103rd Street.
Tickets: In-Person $25+. Livestream $15 (Fri only). For more information and to make reservations, please visit http://www.smokejazz.com.

Morley - European Tour and US album release date.

Monday, April 21, 2025

US singer & songwriter will tour Europe in late April / early May 2025 followed by a New York date to mark the official launch of her new album "Follow the Sound". Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

MORLEY
“Follow the Sound”
Worldwide release - MAY 2nd, 2025

Morley will play in Europe next week in duo with her husband,  Grammy winning producer, Chris Bruce (Meshell, Lizz Wright, Seal).

“I fell in love with Morley’s music and I hope you will too when you see them live” - Seal

“Morley embodies modern-day NY femininity in all its multicultural finesse.”
— The New York Times

“Morley pushes for peace in her music” — NPR

“Somewhere between Sade and Beth Gibbons, there’s Morley.” — TIME

Morley weaves the threads of jazz, soul, and folk traditions into a singular tapestry of vocal and acoustic splendor — the sound wave of a life lived with uncommon devotion to human rights and environmental justice.

She has graced a wide range of stages, including L’Olympia in Paris, the Nice Jazz Festival, The Barbican Center in London, Melkweg in Amsterdam, New York City’s Carnegie Hall, and The Nomad Women’s Festival in the M’Hamid Desert.

Her new album “Follow the Sound” is an expansive, globally minded, jazz-influenced offering that marks the start of a new chapter in the artist’s career.

The 12 evocative original compositions co-produced and co-written with GRAMMY®-winning producer Chris Bruce are at once a gentle conjure into the deep end of the heart, a celebration, and call to action.

The songs live and breathe with contributions from Toumani Diabaté (kora), Meshell Ndegeocello (bass, percussion, vocals), Shara Nova a.k.a. My Brightest Diamond (vocals), Jon Cowherd (piano, vocals), Chris Bruce (guitar, bass, vocals), Arun & Trina Ramamurthy (violins), Cole Kamen (trumpet), Jason Charles Walker, Alex Koi, Justin Hicks, Kenita Miller (supporting vocals) and Jack DeBoe, Jay Bellerose, and Abe Rounds (drums, percussion).

“Follow the Sound” carries a singular healing in its warmth and clarity of intention, and is right on time for Morley’s long overdue return to playing live in Europe.

NEXT CONCERTS

27 April - Abbaye de Neimenster - Grund, Luxembourg

29 April - Sunset-Sunside - Paris, France

30 April - Sunset-Sunside - Paris, France

3 May - Nica Jazz Club - Hamburg, Germany

4 May - L’Archiduc - Brussels, Belgium

1 June - Joe’s Pub - New York, USA

More dates to announce soon ...

https://www.morleymusic.org/

https://www.facebook.com/morley.morley.9

https://morley.bandcamp.com/

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist,  first broadcast 20/04/2025.

Monday, April 21, 2025

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 06/04/2025, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

Radio Playlist - first broadcast Sunday 20th April 2025

Back to normal with a programme of new releases available now here;
https://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz/first-broadcast-april-20th-a-personal-choice-of-recent-european-jazz-releases/

Electric Gumbo
Budge Up
Its On
Full Beam Music

Thanos Stavridis & Drom
Patrounina
fygame
self

Aesthetiko
The Wisdom (part)
Potamos
Aesthetiko

Mundus
La Passante Du Sans-Souci
Refuge
self

Daniel Erdmann’s Organic Soulfood
Tegucigalpa Touchdown
Into the Sweet Unknown
BMC

EH3
Close to Nothing
Close to Nothing
Losen

Michel Fernandez Quintet
Global Warning
Live au Hot Club de Lyon
Atypeek Music

Olivier Chavet
Elements
Elements
self

Tom Borgeois
Thème épique
Lili
BMC

Enemy
Countdown
Fiend
Edition

Le Rex
Relax! It’s only Commodities, Darling!
3 stages
Unit Records

Bleu Salvatge
Günther’s Toys
Hiraeth
segell Microscopi

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time:
http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 7pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on Apple, Amazon, Deezer and other podcast sites.

Jazz in the West Midlands - April 21st - 27th 2025.

Monday, April 21, 2025

A roundup of jazz, funk & soul gigs to check out this week in the West Midlands area. Listings supplied by Dave Fuller of Music Spoken Here, Worcester.

The Week Ahead

A roundup of jazz, funk and soul gigs to check out this week in the West Midlands area.

Monday 21
Jazz Pan Pan(lineup not published)
Pan-Pan, 25D Floodgate St, Birmingham B5 5SL





Tuesday 22
Digbeth Jazz: KHACHAPURI
The Night Owl, 17-18 Lower Trinity Street, Birmingham B9 4AG





Wednesday 23

Gregory Porter
Symphony Hall, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA


Neil Cowley Trio
The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 200 Jennens Road, B4 7XR


Henry Newman Jazz Experience
The Trumpet, 58 High Street, Bilston, Wolverhampton WV14 0EP





Thursday 24

Chris Bowden “The Hypnos Files’ ft Neil Bullock & Louise Warren
The Marr’s Bar, 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester WR1 1TA



Gregory Porter
Symphony Hall, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA



Paul Dunmall Double Quartet
Eastside Jazz Club, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 200 Jennens Road, B4 7XR



Richard Wetherall
Alsager Golf & Country Club, Audley Rd, Alsager Stoke-on-Trent ST7 2UR



Del Camino
The Jam House, 3-5 St Pauls Square, Birmingham B3 1QU



The Cinelli Brothers
The Hare & Hounds, High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7JZ





Friday 25

Impossible Conversations
Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space, Symphony Hall, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA



Fugue and Groove
The Blue Piano, 24-26 Harborne Rd, Birmingham, B15 3AA



Birmingham Jazz: Fabienne Ambuuehl Quartet ft. Tom Ollendorff
1000 Trades, 16 Frederick St, Birmingham B1 3HE



Elle-J Walters Band
The Jam House, 3-5 St Pauls Square, Birmingham B3 1QU



Big B Swing Band ft. Eleanor Mills on Vocals
The Trumpet, 58 High Street, Bilston, Wolverhampton WV14 0E





Saturday 26

Sax in the City with The Notebenders
Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space, Symphony Hall, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA



Hejira play Joni Mitchell
Regal, 49 Teme Street, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire WR15 8AE



Elle-J Walters Band
The Jam House, 3-5 St Pauls Square, Birmingham B3 1QU



Lionel: The Music of Lionel Richie
Town Hall, Victoria Square, Birmingham B3 3DQ





Sunday 27

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
Temperance, 33 Bath St, Leamington Spa CV31 3AF



Just My Imagination: The Music of The Temptations
Town Hall, Victoria Square, Birmingham B3 3DQ



Bill Hayes Jazz Experience
The Trumpet, 58 High Street, Bilston, Wolverhampton WV14 0E

Have a great week!
Dave Fuller
Instigator, Music Spoken Here
http://www.musicspokenhere.club

Brad Mehldau Trio - UK live dates, June 2025.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Pianist Brad Mehldau will lead his trio featuring bassist Felix Moseholm and drummer Jorge Rossy on three UK live dates in Bristol, Saffron Walden and London.

Serious have forwarded the following information;

Brad Mehldau Trio
with Felix Moseholm & Jorge Rossy

Brad Mehldau Trio extend their UK performance dates to Saffron Hall and Bristol St. George’s. With tickets selling fast for the London Barbican show, don’t miss seeing the premiere of this brand new Trio featuring Felix Moseholm (bass) and Jorge Rossy (drums).

One of the most lyrical and intimate voices of contemporary jazz piano, Brad Mehldau has forged a unique path, which embodies the essence of jazz exploration, classical romanticism and pop allure.

From critical acclaim as a bandleader to major international exposure in collaborations with Pat Metheny, Renee Fleming, and Joshua Redman, Mehldau continues to garner numerous awards and admiration from both jazz purists and music enthusiasts alike.

His forays into melding musical idioms, in both trio and solo settings, has seen brilliant re-workings of songs by contemporary songwriters like The Beatles, Cole Porter, Radiohead, Paul Simon, Gershwin and Nick Drake; alongside the ever-evolving breath of his own significant catalogue of original compositions.

With his self-proclaimed affection for popular music and classical training, “Mehldau is the most influential jazz pianist of the last 20 years” (The New York Times).

Part of the Summer Jazz Series 2025, showcasing global stars across London venues this Summer.

Sun 22 June
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
Location
SAFFRON WALDEN Saffron Hall,
Audley End Road
CB11 4UH
Tickets
£25 - £41 + booking fee
https://www.saffronhall.com/whats-on/view/brad-mehldau-trio-with-felix-moseholm-jorge-rossy

Mon 23 June
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
Location
St. George’s,
Great George Street, Off Park Street
BS1 5RR
https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/whats-on/brad-mehldau-trio/

Tue 24 June
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
Location
Barbican,
Silk Street,
London,
EC2Y 8DS
Tickets
£32.50 - £42.50 + booking fee
https://serious.org.uk/events/brad-mehldau-trio

Phil Bancroft to release solo saxophone album.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Scottish saxophonist Phil Bancroft will release Testimony, an improvised suite for solo saxophone, as the 6th release on his Myriad Streams platform on Friday 25th April 2025. Press release attached.

Publicist Rob Adams has forwarded the following press release;

“Testimony” bears witness to solo saxophone ability

Scottish saxophonist Phil Bancroft releases “Testimony, an improvised suite for solo saxophone, as the 6th release on his Myriad Streams platform on Friday 25th April 2025.

Recorded during lockdown in 2021 in a barn on the smallholding he and his wife, Jude, had recently moved into, “Testimony” was musically completely unplanned and spontaneous.

“I was exploring the amazing acoustics of the barn and trying to learn how to make videos for social media,” says Bancroft. “So, I set up some cameras and a nice microphone and thought, ‘Let’s see what happens…’”

After pressing the record buttons on his laptop and cameras, Bancroft played his tenor saxophone for just over thirty minutes.

“I improvised with no intention or plan. To be honest, while I was playing, I was feeling that the whole thing was a waste of time, that I couldn’t play, my inner critic was in full flow.”

Suspecting that what he had recorded was worthless, Bancroft almost deleted the file. But on listening back to it over the subsequent days, he discovered that he had captured what he now considers the most profound piece of music of his career to date.

Bancroft, who emerged as part of a generation of jazz musicians in Scotland that was defined by the trailblazing John Rae Collective, in which the saxophonist joined trumpeter Colin Steele, pianist Brian Kellock, guitarist Kevin Mackenzie, bassist Kenny Ellis and drummer John Rae, has been a force on the UK scene since the late 1980s.

He has led ensembles from trios to orchestras and multimedia projects, and as well as fronting his acclaimed international quartet, with American bassist Reid Anderson, Norwegian drummer Thomas Strønen, and English guitarist Mike Walker. He was a key part of the much-lauded Trio AAB, with drumming twin Tom and guitarist Kevin Mackenzie. A recent successful tour saw the launch of Bancroft’s new trio, The Beautiful Storm with guitarist Graeme Stephen and Indian percussionist Gyan Singh, with whom Bancroft released the enthusiastically received duo album, Birth & Death.

Solo saxophone recordings have established a genre of their own in recent years and Bancroft, in taking on the role of storyteller and exploring sound worlds of beauty and expression, hopes that “Testimony” has added to this genre.

“Despite my initial reservations, I feel I have created something of merit that is very much my own work that captures more than just the notes formed in the moment and I am proud and excited to release it into the world.”

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist,  first broadcast 13/04/2025.

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 13/04/2025, a special edition featuring artists scheduled to appear at the 2025 Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

Peter Slavid writes;

A one-off programme featuring a preview of the Cheltenham Jazz Festival (mainly that part held in the Parabola Arts centre) with music from artists appearing:
    
  
      Mark Kavuma and the Banger Factory -
      Flight Call
      Kokoroko
      Musho
      Brown Penny
      Marco Mezquida
      Daniel Casimir Big Band
      Poppy Daniels
      Byron Wallen
      Olivia Murphy Orchestra

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time: http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 7pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on Apple, Amazon, Deezer and other podcast sites.

The Green Note, Camden Town, London, newsletter, 14/04/2025.

Monday, April 14, 2025

The Green Note has forwarded its latest newsletter with details of forthcoming musical events.

April Highlights - part 2

Hello music lovers!

Spring is in full swing, and here at Green Note, we’re thrilled to bring you a vibrant lineup of live music - from Appalachian roots to soulful Americana to blistering Bluegrass, here’s some of what’s coming up:

UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS…

We’re super excited to welcome back THE HOT SEATS next Wednesday (23rd April)! Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, they deliver a high-energy blend of bluegrass, old-time, and ragtime with a rock ‘n’ roll swagger. Known for their virtuosic solos and infectious rhythms, they promise an unforgettable night and are highly recommended!!

We’re also excited for the return of BROOKS WILLIAMS for a special matinée at the end of the month (27th April). Celebrated for his soulful guitar work and rich vocals, Brooks seamlessly fuses blues, folk, and Americana, and his storytelling through song captivates audiences worldwide. That night we welcome BETH PORTER and her trio for their Green Note debut. A master collaborator, songwriter, cellist and artist in her own right, Beth has integrated herself into many areas of the music world. She will be releasing a new EP this year after working with producers Niko and Jakes from Upcycled Records who will be accompanying her for the show. Her dark, quirky, ethereal Chamber-Pop songs meet Electronica to create a unique sound all carried by Beth’s pure and unaffected vocal. Why not make a whole Sunday of it?!

The ever brilliant TRACK DOGS are also back this month for 2 special shows (27th April) - a matinée at Water Rats and an evening show at Green Note! This dynamic quartet combines folk, Americana, and Latin influences to create a unique, high-energy sound and are a must-see live act! Their shows always sell out so don’t wait too long to book!

April also sees a Green Note debut from Nashville-based troubadour AUSTIN STAMBAUGH. Austin brings a rare blend of poetic lyricism, vintage country flair, and raw emotional honesty. With a voice that echoes the great Americana storytellers and a guitar style steeped in tradition, his songs walk the line between timeless and refreshingly new. Expect a night of intimate, soul-stirring music from an artist on the rise.

Other upcoming highlights include Scottish super-star EDDI READER (24th April @ Union Chapel), acclaimed Texas songstress KIMMIE RHODES (27th April @ Water Rats), a rare acoustic duo show with INDIA ELECTRIC CO. (24th April), and Green Note favourites MA POLAINE (25th April) and THE VAGABAND (19th April).

This is just a selection of the many incredible artists who will be gracing our stage in the coming weeks, so please do check out our EVENTS PAGE for the full listings. And please note that many of our shows sell out in advance, so we highly recommend grabbing your tickets early to avoid disappointment!

And check out our NEW SPOTIFY PLAYLIST for a taster of what’s coming up in April!

Spotify Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1prnqPhOEvlSzuv3slo4fM?si=IBRk9A61S12v3Xv5f_8HVg&nd=1&dlsi=98b766db01c04aa9

We hope to see you soon!
Lots of love,
Immy & Risa xx

COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS…

Laura Wilkie & Ian Carr
Mon 14th April
Laura Wilkie is a Fiddle player from Tain in the Highlands of Scotland. Her latest project ‘Vent’ is centred around ancient women’s work songs – Waulking songs.

Laura Dannan
Tue 15th April
“Laura’s songs are full of fun, mischievousness, mythology and hope. ” Cambridge Folk Club

Stephanie Lambring
Wed 16th April
Lush, hypnotic arrangements, with writing as raw and vulnerable as it gets: confronting everything from religion and trauma to body image and motherhood with unflinching honesty

Emily Maguire
Wed 16th April
THE BASEMENT BAR
A hauntingly beautiful and profoundly moving experience not to be missed… “Music for the soul” (Maverick Magazine)

Rob Corcoran
& The Necessary Evils
Thu 17th April
New Roots presents roots troubadour and Christy Moore affiliate Rob Corcoran with his full band. “This man can surely sing, and he has a great band behind him. He says some things that need to be said” Christy Moore

Dunajska Kapelye
Fri 18th April
Traditional Gypsy and Eastern European tunes shot through with searing jazz improvisation…

De Fuego
Fri 18th April
THE BASEMENT BAR
Award-winning guitar duo, who play energetic instrumental flamenco and rumba-based music

The Vagaband
Sat 19th April
Extraordinary blend of Americana, toe-tapping folk-jazz and soulful rock… “constantly delights and surprises…” ***** Americana in Technicolour

Deelee Dubé
Sat 19th April
THE BASEMENT BAR
“A Beguiling Soulfulness” Jazz Times / “Miss Dubé, the first British recipient of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Award, has a voice of the purest gold.” Jazz In Reading, 2019

Matinée Show: Open-mic hosted by Rob Thom
Sun 20th April
Well-established, relaxed and friendly open mic…

George Washbourn + Zach Thompson with Shem Fillmore
Mon 21st April
FolkAndRoots presents a double bill featuring 2 acts from the English folk scene

KATYA
Tue 22nd April
Soulful vocals, layered guitar and keys with electronic beats, jazz overtones and atmospheric soundscapes

Marcus Bonfanti
Tue 22nd April
THE BASEMENT BAR
“Utterly spellbinding” The Times / “The next British blues guitar hero” The Guardian

The Hot Seats
Wed 23rd April
“Bluegrass, old-time, skiffle, jug band ... stir them up vigorously, throwing in elements of zany vaudeville, add some unpredictable tics, then stand back and watch Special Ed & the Shortbus go.” The Edinburgh Scotsman

India Electric Co.
Thu 24th April
“One of the truly pioneering acts in folk music” FRUK ****

Eddi Reader
Thu 24th April
UNION CHAPEL
Scotland’s greatest living female voice… “Timeless and universal” (The Scotsman)... “One of my favourite singers of all time” (Jools Holland)

Ma Polaine
Fri 25th April
Taking inspiration from the 1940’s jazz of Billie, the blues grit of the Wolf, and the genre sidestepping of Waits… broken down roots music!

Phil Doleman
Fri 25th April
THE BASEMENT BAR
“massively entertaining… If you think blues can’t be done on a banjo or ukulele, think again” Blues Matters ​/ “Genuinely good-time music from ukulele stalwart, who also plays a mean banjo” fRoots

Track Dogs
Sat 26th April
THE WATER RATS
Sun-shiny songs thriving on dark themes behind irresistible rhythms.

Matinée Show:
The Em Risley Band
Sat 26th April
Em Risley is frequently likened to Joni Mitchell, her folk influences shine through but with individuality from the uniqueness of her voice

Track Dogs
Sat 26th April
Sun-shiny songs thriving on dark themes behind irresistible rhythms.

Strum & Blow
Sat 26th April
THE BASEMENT BAR
Tight vocal harmonies and blistering trombone and vocal solos over classic New Orleans jazz and blues songs

Matinée Show:
Brooks Williams
Sun 27th April
US artist with a “jaw-droppingly effortless” guitar style, a voice “like chocolate,” and a vast and varied repertoire of both original and interpreted songs

Beth Porter Trio
Sun 27th April
Dark, quirky, ethereal Chamber-Pop songs meet Electronica to create a unique sound all carried by Beth’s pure and unaffected vocal.

Webb City
Sun 27th April
THE BASEMENT BAR
Celebrates the early piano trio line up featuring rhythm guitar in place of drums, united by a joint love for the trios of Oscar Peterson, Nat ‘King’ Cole trio and Art Tatum

Kimmie Rhodes
Sun 27th April
THE WATER RATS
Austin singer-songwriter returns with a rare and intimate solo performance to celebrate the release of newly-penned songs

‘Soundings’… with Elanor Moss
Mon 28th April
A night of music and conversation… songs in process and conversations about the creative process and life on the road. This month featuring Marika Tyler-Clark, Lu Rose Cunningham, Isabelle Pead and Lily Petch

Open-mic hosted by Rob Thom
Tue 29th April
Well-established, relaxed and friendly open mic…

Austin Stambaugh
Wed 30th April
“Austin Stambaugh is the best flatpicking songwriter you’ve never heard of, and I’ll stand on Steve Earle’s coffee table in my Redwing boots and say it.” Folk singer Tim Easton

Bity Booker
Wed 30th April
THE BASEMENT BAR
An evening of music with folk singer-songwriter, who’s music is inspired by the weird and wonderful quirky stories in our world and her deep and curious imagination

Green Note, 106 Parkway, London, NW1 7AN.

http://www.greennote.co.uk

The Bad Plus - UK & European Tour, May and June 2025.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

The Bad Plus have announced an extensive UK & European tour in support of their latest album release "Complex Emotions".

We have received the following press release;

THE BAD PLUS
ANNOUNCE 2025 EUROPEAN TOUR IN SUPPORT OF ACCLAIMED ALBUM   “COMPLEX EMOTIONS”

Genre Defying Quartet Brings Bold New Sound To Stages Across Europe This May And June

With their latest album “Complex Emotions”, The Bad Plus have solidified their reinvention as one of the most daring and dynamic groups in modern music. Now, the genre-defying quartet will bring their compelling new sound to audiences across Europe with a tour spanning 13 cities and 8 countries, kicking off May 27 at Jazz sous les pommiers in Coutances, France.

The tour marks a bold new chapter for the band, whose self-titled 2022 release introduced a powerful new lineup featuring founding members Reid Anderson (bass) and Dave King (drums), joined by guitar innovator Ben Monder and genre-hopping saxophonist Chris Speed. Together, this quartet has expanded the group’s sonic language into thrilling new territory while remaining rooted in the band’s distinctive identity.

“Complex Emotions”, the second album by this reconfigured lineup, takes its name from a phrase Anderson and King have long used to describe the band’s mission: to explore the full emotional spectrum with fearless creativity. The album showcases a group at the height of its collective powers—deeply intuitive, richly melodic, and relentlessly inventive.

“With this new album and this new batch of music, we’re planting a flag to say that this version of the band has really come into its own,” says Anderson.

Fans can expect an electrifying set that embraces everything from intricate composition to spontaneous improvisation, with the band’s signature mix of cerebral risk-taking and visceral intensity.

The full list of European tour dates is as follows:

2025 EUROPEAN TOUR DATES

May 27 – Jazz sous les pommiers | Coutances, France
May 28 – New Morning | Paris, France
May 29 – Teatro Principal | Puerto Real, Spain
May 30 – El Molino Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain
May 31 – Teatro Filarmónica | Oviedo, Spain
June 2 – NICA JAZZ CLUB | Hamburg, Germany
June 3 – Ronnie Scott’s | London, United Kingdom
June 4 – LantarenVenster | Rotterdam, Netherlands
June 6 – Auditório de Espinho | Espinho, Portugal
June 7 – Stadtgarten | Cologne, Germany
June 9 – Jazz Middelheim | Antwerpen, Belgium
June 10 – Jazzclub Unterfahrt | München, Germany
June 12 & 13 – Le Petit Faucheux | Tours, France
June 14 – Bimhuis | Amsterdam, Netherlands

For tickets and more information, visit: http://www.thebadplus.com

Ted Morcaldi Trio - new album and UK tour dates.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

US guitarist & composer Ted Morcaldi will release his new trio album "Celestial Stranger" on May 30th 2025. He will be performing UK live shows in May, June and November.

We have received the following press release;

TED MORCALDI – CELESTIAL STRANGER

Celestial Stranger is an album of thought-provoking original contemporary jazz by a trio of celebrated musicians, featuring Joel Humann, Joshua Blackmore, led by guitarist Ted Morcaldi – the trio’s debut (CD/DL) is due out Fri 30th May via contemporary music label, Clonmell Jazz Social.

Working on electric, classical, and twelve-string guitar, as well as the Roland P/V synthesiser, Morcaldi casts his vivid, wistful, tonal phrases into a deep, nocturnal, reverberant suspension, reminiscent of ECM productions, his playing rendered luminous against the dark, open-ended recesses of the imagination.

There are reminders of the musicians Morcaldi openly admires – David Sylvian and Holger Czukay, of Can, especially when he hits multi-angled grooves with his fellow players, of Jon Hassell’s haunting fourth world explorations.

The group Moraldi put together for this album – bassist Joel Humann and Joshua Blackmore on drums lay down a discreet but frictional, almost abrasive, scuffling backdrop, as if throwing down a complex challenge, a counterpoint to which Morcaldi rises time and again.

In addition, joined by Blackstar bassist Tim Lefebvre, reimagine Bowie’s Art Decade from Low. Lefebvre’s shimmering effects salute the late Trailblazer, mirroring Morcaldi’s own eastward-leaning, deep jazz adventurism.

Celestial Stranger is a wonderful album of multiple, myriad pleasures, not merely standing on the shoulders of giants but soaring to new places of his own. Electric and eclectic, a true jazz for the 21st century.

Ahead of the album release, Ted Morcaldi will be releasing the following singles via digital retail and streaming services: ‘Time Windows’ on 28th March 2025, and ‘Elyesque’ on 2nd May 2025.

Ted Morcaldi will be performing material from Celestial Stranger at the following dates:

1st May – Hot Numbers, Cambridge
11th May – The Geldart, Cambridge
8th June – The Geldart, Cambridge
14th November – Clonmell Jazz Social Series,The Green Note, London (EFG London Jazz Festival)

Credits:

Ted Morcaldi – electric, classical and twelve-string guitar, Roland P/V synthesiser
Joel Humann - upright bass, electric bass on ‘Stand There’
Joshua Blackmore – drum kit
Tim Lefebvre - electric bass and effects on ‘Art Decade’

All music written byTed Morcaldi except‘ Art Decade’ by David Bowie

“A tight yet versatile trio, making the most of Ted’s intriguing compositions…with the US guitarist equally adept on electric and acoustic instruments, enhancing the former with loops and electronic effects, often creating multi- layered soundscapes…” – JazzToday

“Morcaldi’s playing brings together a sense of earthiness and grit with a celestial air of exploration–economical in its expression as it is outwardly searching in its disposition.” – Love All Day Records

https://www.clonmelljazzsocial.com

https://www.tedmorcaldimusic.com

https://tedmorcaldi.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ted_morcaldi/

606 Jazz Club, Chelsea, London, Live Music Programme 18th - 30th April 2025.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Laura Thorne of the 606 Club has forwarded details of the venue's programme for the second part of April 2025 plus a preview of selected events in May and June.

Laura Thorne writes;

APRIL 18-30 LIVE MUSIC GUIDE

Fri 18th       9:00pm         DENNY ILETT/PETE LONG’S R&BEBOP  
Denny Ilett is a versatile guitarist/singer who has worked with the likes of US stars Lillian Boutte & PeeWee Ellis as well as members of Goldfrapp, Portishead & Mannfred Mann. Saxophonist/singer Pete Long is a renowned jazz musician, who’s CV includes work with Jools Holland, Tom Jones and Lionel Richie. Tonight these two master musicians join forces with this unique band. Over to them: “It’s the late 1940’s - the bebop revolution led by Charlie Parker is in full swing. At the same time, a proto-rock n roll known as Rhythm & Blues was developing with artists such as T-Bone Walker and Louis Jordan. Put these two together and you have R&Bebop, an exciting and innovative moment in melodic and rhythmic time”. Denny & Pete have unearthed a treasure-trove of captivating rhythms and intoxicating melodies guaranteed to be both exciting and fun!
“Ilett…a knockout guitarist, soulful and jazz-tinged” Guitarist Magazine;
“[the band]…played with all the panache, drive and sheer good-hearted energy that Long seems to engender” Jazzwise

Sat 19th   9:00pm     JOE WEBB’S ‘5 A SIDE’ 
Pianist Joe Webb has quickly become a force to be reckoned with on the UK jazz scene. He’s worked with Hailey Tuck, Rob Luft, Adrian Cox and more, but it is as a member of the Kansas Smitty’s House Band, the swinging, mainstream jazz outfit dubbed London’s ‘new swing princes’ that his profile has reached new heights, including appearing on Jamie Cullum’s Christmas album. Joe’s band this evening features the brilliant sax playing of Alec Harper and the swinging guitar of Dave Archer.
“[Webb]…a dazzling display of virtuoso pianistics” The Jazz Mann; “
There are few people more joyous to listen to…than Joe Webb” Jamie Cullum

Sun 20th       1:30pm:        SUNDAY LUNCH: ZOE FRANCIS FT. JIM MULLEN
Zoe Francis started singing jazz while living in New York where she developed a love for the great, classic, songwriters from the American Songbook. Now back in the UK, Zoe’s knack for capturing the bittersweet, poignant nature of these songs brings them to life and elevates her performances to the truly exceptional. For this show, Zoe will be joined by iconic guitarist Jim Mullen (Morrissey/Mullen) and her trio as they preview songs from her next album, ‘Somewhere in the Night’.
“Francis…great interpreter of the Great American Songbook” Jazz Journal;
“a classy, poised singer” London Jazz News

Sun 20th   8:00pm         LIANE CARROLL
The first artist ever to win two BBC Jazz Awards in the same year, for Best Vocalist and Best of Jazz, Liane Carroll is a dynamic performer whose amazing talent has been captivating audiences around the world. World-class, her powerful, blues-tinged voice combined with strong piano playing and exciting infectious material, not to mention a wicked sense of humour, make this a truly remarkable gig.
“Liane Carroll…seems in some magical way to be made out of music” The Observer                      

Mon 21st     8:00pm         LAUREN LUCILLE & DAN HEWSON        
A respected performer in her native Australia, Lauren Lucille has been steadily establishing herself as an impressive singer, songwriter & instrumentalist since moving to the UK. Tonight Lauren and pianist Dan Hewson are planning what they describe as “an unforgettable evening of music, where the worlds of jazz, soul, musical theatre and pop collide in fresh, innovative ways. Expect the unexpected as beloved classics are transformed into soulful, jazz-infused renditions, blending the familiar with the excitingly new”. Sounds fun! Also featuring Andy Hamill-bass.
“incredible vocal range” Vents Magazine;
“Lucille…oozes…musical talent” Folkrag

Tue 22nd     8:00pm         ANDREA RINCIARI    
Expat Italian guitarist Andrea Rinciari’s list of influences include the classic innovators such as Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, and Clifford Brown, but tempered with a more contemporary approach, which gives his fluent and creative playing an interesting and exciting feel. He has performed at many of the major jazz venues in London, Paris and Italy and in May this year he will be releasing his latest album “Soho Sessions” featuring saxophonist Alex Garnett. Tonight Andrea will be appearing with his trio performing classic jazz standards in his distinctive blend of tradition and innovation.
“Rinciari…his solos are thoughtful and creative” London Jazz News

Wed 23rd     8:00pm         KATE WILLIAMS
Pianist/composer Kate Williams has gained a reputation as both a distinctive writer and performer. She has released a number of critically acclaimed albums, including “Finding Home” which won Album of the Year at the 2020 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. This evening Kate appears with bassist Oli Hayhurst and drummer Sophie Alloway performing tunes by Mulgrew Miller and Bill Evans, as well as some new arrangements and great originals by Kate herself. 
“Williams…a musical vocabulary that’s all her own” The Observer;
“Williams…one of the UK’s most distinctive composer/pianists” MOJO

Thu 24th     8:00pm         TIM WHITEHEAD
Saxophonist Tim Whitehead is renowned throughout the UK, Europe and USA as a remarkable performer/composer. In the 70’s he toured with Ian Carr’s “Nucleus”, winning the Young Jazz Musician of the Year Award. In the 80’s he was a member of the groundbreaking band Loose Tubes, in the 90’s he won the Andrew Milne Award for Jazz and in the 00’s was the first ever musician to be made Artist in Residence at Tate Britain. His muscular, fluent and highly melodic playing commands considerable respect throughout the scene. And watch out for the superb pianist David Gordon, also featured this evening.
“The finest tenor player in Britain today’’ Jazz Review;
“one of the most creative, exciting and passionate saxophonists in Europe” A Rough Guide

Fri 25th       9:00pm         SAMARA FT. CAROLINA LELIS & STEVE RUBIE
Tonight we present an evening celebrating the joyous, rhythmic, delights of classic Brazilian MPB with the 606 Club’s outstanding Brazilian band “Samara”. Featuring the brilliant Brazilian vocalist Carolina Lelis alongside the powerful piano of Neil Angilley and the swinging flute of our “Gov’nor” Steve Rubie the band take you on a road trip around Brazil, with music from the South, the North, the North East and beyond. Hear the stories behind some of Brazil’s classic songs and join the band as they perform an infectious blend of Brazilian Samba, Baião, jazz & Latin while everyone has a great time!
“Cracking Latin-jazz quintet…explores…[Brazilian]…classics in great rhythmic style” Time Out

Sat 26th   9:00pm     BRANDON ALLEN QUARTET “A TRIBUTE TO SONNY ROLLINS”
Brandon Allen is an expat Australian saxophonist who has made quite an impression on the scene since taking up residence in London. His wonderfully fluent and incisive sax playing has been heard in prestigious venues all over Europe and at numerous festivals around the world, including Womad, Reading Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival, The Vittoria and Terrassa Jazz Festivals in Spain, Manly Jazz Festival in Australia and the London Jazz Festival. In London alone he has performed with the likes of Eric Clapton, Mica Paris, Jools Holland, BBC Big Band, Kyle Eastwood and Omar, which gives you an idea of just how good he is! The focus of the show this evening will be a tribute to the remarkable Sonny Rollins. Frequently referred to as a ‘saxophone colossus’, Sonny received dozens of awards (including a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement), won multiple Downbeat polls and New York City even named 13 November 1995 ‘Sonny Rollins Day’. Brandon will be joined by pianist Sean Fyfe, bassist Simon Reed and drummer Matt Home as they play these modern jazz classics.
“Brandon Allen is arguably the most exciting tenor player in Britain today” Jazzwise

Sun 27th       1:30pm         SUNDAY LUNCH: ERIKO ISHIHARA
A fine singer and an excellent jazz pianist Eriko has established an enviable reputation on the UK jazz scene, as well as major concert halls in Hong Kong and Korea. With four albums to her name, the latest featuring the iconic US sax legend Scott Hamilton, her intimate programme of jazz standards and bossa novas is the perfect way to spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon. Also featuring Colin Oxley (Stacey Kent)-guitar.
“immaculate…stylish…passionate” New World; “
Classy!” Swing Journal Japan

Sun 27th   8:00pm   KAT EATON        
Kat Eaton is a soul/jazz singer and songwriter of talent, breadth and genuine artistry. Originally discovered on BBC Introducing, Kat’s music earned her strong support from the late Terry Wogan & Vanessa Feltz on BBC Radio 2. Highly experienced she has toured Europe and the UK extensively, supporting artists such as Jools Holland, The Teskey Brothers, Marc Broussard and Mamas Gun, selling out multiple headline shows in London and co-writing with the likes of Ruby Turner. After the global success of her debut album “Talk to Me”, Kat has just released her heavily anticipated second album, “Honestly”. Armed with fresh original material, her own arrangements of songs by Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Ray Charles and Nina Simone and a band, Nick Atkinson-guitar, Joe Glossop-piano, Dan Drury-bass & Ally McDougal-drums that have played with the likes of Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Amy Winehouse and Gregory Porter, Kat just gets better and better.
“Soul drenched and powerful…oozing with sheer class” Music Republic Magazine;
“fabulous vocal talent” Jools Holland; “Kat’s voice is… just gorgeous!” BBC Radio London;
“soul music as good as any band from Memphis” Glide Magazine

Mon 28th     8:00pm         THE STACEY BROS ROYAL SCAMMERS (FOUR NIGHTS)
A hugely impressive drummer with an international profile Jeremy Stacey includes work with the likes of Tom Jones, Sheryl Crow and Noel Gallagher on a vast CV and was one of the featured drummers with the iconic band King Crimson. Paul Stacey is a renowned and versatile guitarist who includes work with the likes of jazz vocalist Claire Martin, Oasis and Noel Gallagher as well as the Black Crowes and Chris Robinson. Tonight we present their 14-piece tribute to the seminal US band Steely Dan featuring the wonderful singer Andy Caine (Tommy Blaize) alongside singers Louise Clare Marshall (Jools Holland), Sumudu (Van Morrison) and Bryan Chambers, two brilliant keyboard players, a great rhythm section and a fantastic 4-piece horn section. A rare outing for this band and an absolute “must see”.
“Jeremy Stacey…a fine…drummer” Time Out London;
“Paul Stacey’s…brilliant guitar work” ConcertLiveWire

Tue 29th       8:00pm         THE STACEY BROS ROYAL SCAMMERS
See Monday 28th                                                                            

Wed 30th       8:00pm         THE STACEY BROS ROYAL SCAMMERS          
See Monday 28th                                                                            

Thu 1st May   8:00pm           THE STACEY BROS ROYAL SCAMMERS
See Monday 28th            

Looking ahead to May, here is a partial list of upcoming shows:

Tue 6th   - Jocelyn Gould ft. Anthony Kerr-vibes – Canadian Juno Award-winning jazz guitarist & vocalist Jocelyn plays music from her latest album, “Portrait of Right Now”

Thu 8th   -  **Album Launch** Imogen Ryall/Chris Coull 4tet: ‘On The Roof’ (the music of Tom Harrell)

Thu 15th -  Niklas Lukassen ft. Gwilym Simcock & James Maddren – a unique new Trio project ft. German bassist Lukassen on bass cello along with two of the UK’s premier jazz artists!

Wed 21st -  Donovan Haffner – up and coming young jazz saxophonist Donovan & his Quintet play music from his debut album, “Alleviate”

Sun 25th -  Mo Pleasure Band – perhaps best known as the Music Director for Earth Wind & Fire, multi-instrumentalist Mo has also worked with Ray Charles, George Duke, Natalie Cole, Dianne Reeves, Michael McDonald, Roberta Flack & many other legends!

Thu 29th   -  **Album Launch** Sandra-Mae Lux - Canadian-born award-winning songwriter, vocalist and saxophonist Sandra plays songs from her new album “Seasons in Jazz”

We are currently updating the 606 site with details about all of our May events and are even dipping a toe into June:

Monday 9 June – the remarkable US pianist/singer/songwriter Bob Malone:
“His solo work pulls in elements from classical, soul, blues, rock, funk and jazz into a glorious fusion that’s pure Bob Malone.” MusicRiot UK
https://www.606club.co.uk/events/view/bob-malone-2/

And we just announced our annual two-night outdoor concert event, Jazz on the Lawn at Fulham Palace featuring ‘The Wonder of Stevie” led by saxophonist Derek Nash & vocalist Noel McCalla on Friday 1st August and the wonderful jazz singer/pianist Liane Carroll & her Trio on Saturday 2nd.
https://www.606club.co.uk/events/fulham-palace-1/

For additional information about our upcoming performances please go to https://www.606club.co.uk/events/.   

606 Club
90 Lots Road
Chelsea
London
SW10 0QD

https://www.606club.co.uk/

020 7352 5953

Fini Bearman - New album and UK tour dates, May, June, July 2025.

Wednesday, April 09, 2025

Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist & composer Fini Bearman will release her fifth studio album "Last Night Of The World" in April 2025 followed by a series of UK tour dates in May, June & July.

We have received the following press release;

Fini Bearman
Presents:
Last Night Of The World
Released 25th April 2025

Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and composer Fini Bearman will release her fifth studio album Last Night Of The World in April 2025, via UK record label Pastiche Recordings. Having built an impressive profile as an imaginative and expressive soloist and collaborator, gaining nominations for London Jazz Singer of the Year from the Global Music Foundation and a Deutsche Jazz Preis for vocal album of the year to name just two of many accolades, Fini Bearman presents her very best work to date, which is a culmination of the vast experience and burgeoning talent that she has gained and cultivated throughout her career so far.

On Last Night Of The World, Fini Bearman brings together an ensemble of musicians at the forefront of the jazz scene, featuring Tom Cawley, Robin Mullarkey, James Maddren, Matt Calvert and Al Cherry, together with guests Alice Zawadzki, Zosia Jagodzinska, Gareth Lockrane, George Crowley and Gwilym Simcock. The recording is a veritable feast of musical brilliance, projecting strong jazz and folk influences steeped in lyricism, with a depth that is bound to attract discerning music lovers with distinguished tastes.

Currently a professor of Jazz Voice and Songwriting at London’s prestigious Guildhall School and recent committee member of the Ivor Novello Awards, Fini’s 2020 album ‘La Loba’ received glowing reviews and praise from peers and critics alike, with Jazzwise Magazine describing her as “one of contemporary music’s most imaginative song stylists” and the album itself as “A thing of unsurpassed beauty. One of the most memorable collections of self-penned songs you’ll hear this year.” Though Last Night Of The World charts a different course, it is no less magical, signifying an advancement and development unique to the artist herself.

With a series of tour dates lined up for Summer 2025, Fini will also run free songwriting workshops alongside each performance, aimed at equipping aspiring musicians/songwriters and non-performing creatives with the skills to develop their unique artistic voices. as Fini states: “As a new mother and as someone who has experienced grief and loss, I can testify to the power of songwriting both as a means of processing emotional trauma and as a valid form of self-expression & empowerment.” Unlike other disciplines, songwriting is something that everyone has the potential to do, given the right guidance and opportunity.

Fini Bearman’s musical excellence and raw emotion manifest themselves perfectly on Last Night Of The World, providing listeners with something truly special to experience. The proof in in the listening!

Catalogue No: PR24005

Bass recorded at the Sausage Factory (2021-2022), drums recorded at Sandilands Studio (2021-2022), guitar recorded at Million Dollar Studios (December 2021) and all other instruments recorded at The Boopatron 2:0 (2021-2023)

Mixed By: Robin Mullarkey

Artwork / Graphic design by: Fini Bearman

Tour Dates:

15th May @ Hot Numbers                   Cambridge

4th June @ The Flute & Tankard             Cardiff

5th June @ The Bebop Club                 Bristol

9th June @ The Traverse Theatre             Edinburgh

10th June, Venue TBC                         Glasgow

12th June @ SoundCellar                     Poole

15th June @ The Blue Rooms                 Lincoln

4th July @ 1000 Trades                       Birmingham

https://www.creativebeans.uk/

Alabaster DePlume - New album and UK & European Tour, April and May 2025.

Wednesday, April 09, 2025

Alabaster DePlume, the London-based saxophonist, singer, songwriter, activist, orator & poet-philosopher will be touring in the UK & Europe in support of his new album A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole

We have received the following press release;

Alabaster DePlume Tours the UK and Europe from April 29 in Support of Critically Acclaimed Album"A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole”.

Artist: Alabaster DePlume
Album: A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole
Label: International Anthem

Hot off a successful run of shows in the US, Alabaster DePlume — the acclaimed London-based saxophonist, singer, songwriter, activist, orator, and poet-philosopher — continues his A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole tour with headline dates across the UK and Europe from April 29, including Norwich, Glasgow (sold out), London, Brighton and festival such as Roskilde (Netherlands) and Worldwide (France). The album, out now on International Anthem, has been praised by The Guardian as “stunning… entirely gorgeous, cyclical tunes that rise and fall in intensity,” hailed by MOJO for “assiduously pushing the boundaries,” and described by UNCUT as “serenely beautiful.” Listen to and purchase A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole on all streaming platforms here.
https://international-anthem.lnk.to/ABladeBecauseABladeIsWhole

DePlume will be joined by percussionist Julian Sartorius, drummer Seb Rochford (Polar Bear / Sons of Kemet), bassist Ruth Goller (Skylla / Melt Yourself Down), and longtime collaborator Mikey Kenney on strings — see full dates below, more information here;
https://www.alabaster-deplume.com/tour

Tour Dates 2025
April 29 -  Norwich, UK @ Norwich Arts Centre
April 30 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
May 1 - Newcastle, UK @ Gosforth Civic Hall
May 2 - Glasgow, UK @ Mono
May 3 - Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
May 6 - Bristol, UK @ Trinity Centre
May 7 - Exeter, UK @ Phoenix
May 8 - Southampton, UK @ Papillon
May 9 - London, UK @ Hackney Church
May 10 - Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
May 15 - Istanbul, TK @ Salon IKSV
May 16 - Warsaw, PL @ Niebo
May 17 - Berlin, DE @ XJAZZ!
May 21 - Paris, FR @ Le Petit Bain
May 22 - Lille, FR @ L’Aéronef
May 23 - Brussels, BE @ La Botanique
May 24 - Amsterdam, NL @ Zonnehuis
May 25 - Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje
May 26 - Rotterdam, NL @ Bird
June 1 - Torino, Italy @ Bunker (Jazz Is Dead)
June 7 - Cluj-Napoca, RO @ Jazz In The Park
July 2/5 - Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
July 4 - Sete, FR @ Worldwide
July 17 - Molde NO, @ Moldejazz

Recently, DePlume was profiled in The New Yorker during a jujitsu session. Read the full feature here.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/03/31/alabaster-deplume-grapples-with-it

His 10 headline shows across the US last month featured an array of special guests, varying on a night-to-night basis. Those who joined DePlume on stage included multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily (“one of music’s most coveted collaborators,” according to The New York Times), drummer Tcheser Holmes of Irreversible Entanglements, percussionist / multi-instrumentalist Dan Bitney of Tortoise, violinist/vocalist Macie Stewart, drummer Helen De La Rosa, vocalist Monique Golding of Black Monument Ensemble, flutist Rob Frye, cellist Olula Negre and guitarist Blake Mills.

As with all of DePlume’s work, A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole is driven by intention. In this case, a desire to interrogate the concept of healing. As DePlume shared with music writer Liz Pelly, who wrote an essay to accompany the album as digital liner notes: “When I meet people who love my work I ask them, ‘what do people need?’ Many of them were answering ‘healing’, so I worked on that, first of all by healing myself. I found that it was an activity I could choose, and that it had a lot to do with my ownership of myself, dignity and independence. Instead of waiting for healing to ‘happen to me’ I could heal myself and own myself. That is what this album is.”

Throughout the eleven songs on A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole, DePlume’s reflections on healing, dignity, and struggle are communicated through a stirring assemblage of disparate musics: ghostly and ancient folk melodies, groove-anchored maelstroms of swirling folk-jazz, elegant string arrangements (courtesy of Macie Stewart), disembodied voices, noir atmosphere, and allegoric, troubadouric song. Throughout, Alabaster’s intimate, confessional croon and vibrato-laced tenor saxophone convey, with a startling humanistic touch, everything from dejected fragility to resolute strength.

The album’s focus track, the punchy and contemplative “Thank You My Pain” carries a quiet but powerful rhythm, with a rhythmic refrain drawing on the wisdom of Vietnamese monk and peace activist Thích Nhât Hanh’s teachings about embracing pain when healing. About the track, he says: “Where often we automatically react against and escape from the discomfort we are in, it can be empowering to instead meet and feel those feelings. My feelings are me. I shall meet them, and thank them for coming. I learn to experience them, and doing so, I heal. It is easy to say, but trickier to do. This piece could be seen as an expression of the teachings of Thích Nhât Hanh who says, “hello my little pain, I know you are there, I am home to take care of you”.”

Tracklist
Oh My Actual Days
Thank You My Pain
Invincibility
Form a V
A Paper Man
Who Are You Telling, Gus
Prayer For My Sovereign Dignity
Kuzushi
Salty Road Dogs Victory Anthem
Too True
That Was My Garden

A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole is out now, purchase it here.
https://international-anthem.lnk.to/ABladeBecauseABladeIsWhole

QUOTES:

“Outstanding melodies, played with tremulous vibrato…entirely gorgeous, cyclical tunes that rise and fall in intensity”
The Guardian

“These songs act as a guided meditation on healing, and DePlume can express more with his saxophone than a guru with a well-thumbed thesaurus”
Pitchfork

“The Mancunian saxophonist and Jujitsuka dusts himself down and fires up the big strings for an album of fighting songs with healing sounds.”
The Quietus

“Conjuring chamber-based folk/ jazz collages with a bespoke philosophical twist .. assiduously pushing the boundaries.”
MOJO

“Traversing folk-jazz and elegantly-rendered orchestral suites, atmosphere and allegory, DePlume looks inward and confronts his own struggles.”
Clash

“His singing is murmured, pressurised, prayerful. His self-taught sax is his most distinctive voice, though, at times a shivering, Arabic thing like a quaking ghost, or sinuously sensual and serenely beautiful.” 
UNCUT

“A simple yet beautifully executed reminder to reflect, find healing and resist vanity.”
The Skinny

“Weaves a tapestry of sounds — spiritual jazz, folk, classical, and beyond — into a potent missive of grace.”
FLOOD

“sombre yet curiously comforting”
Songlines

https://www.alabaster-deplume.com/

https://www.intlanthem.com/

The New School’s College of Performing Arts, New York City presents three spring concerts.

Wednesday, April 09, 2025

The New School's College of Performing Arts presents three concerts in April and May 2025 featuring works by Carla Bley ( the US premiere of 'Escalator Over The Hill), John Zorn and more.

We have received the following press release;

US Premiere of Carla Bley’s epic jazz opera “Escalator Over the Hill” and more this spring from The New School

The New School’s College of Performing Arts
presents
3 SPRING CONCERTS
Trailblazing and under-recognized titans of experimental jazz and classical music bring our timeliest issues to the stage

Friday, April 11, 2025, 7:30PM
Mannes Orchestra gets radical with
MAVERICKS
John Zorn’s violin concerto, Contes de Fées, with Stefan Jackiw
Viet Cuong’s Re(new)al with Sandbox Percussion, ahead of Earth Day
Luciano Berio’s epic, rarely heard Sinfonia with 8 singers—the ultimate ‘60s orchestral happening
Featuring the Mannes Orchestra
Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center
1941 Broadway, NYC
Tickets: $17.50

Friday, May 2, 2025, 7:30PM
An astonishing U.S. Premiere:
CARLA BLEY’S ESCALATOR OVER THE HILL
The uncompromisingly avant-garde composer/pianist’s landmark 1971 album, a cross-genre “jazz opera,” is performed in its entirety.
Featuring the New School Studio Orchestra conducted by Keller Coker and vocalists from the School of Jazz & Contemporary Music
Tishman Auditorium at The New School 63 5th Avenue, NYC
Tickets: free with registration (space is limited)

Thursday-Friday, May 8-9, 2025, 7:30PM
FANDANGO AT THE WALL
Performance, screening & discussion around the social movement that became a film & soundtrack phenomenon, recorded at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Conga Patria Son Jarocho Collective
New School College of Performing Arts musicians
Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Octet
May 8 Screening: The Auditorium on 12th Street at The New School
May 9 Concert: Tishman Auditorium at The New School
Tickets: free with registration

From Richard Kessler, Executive Dean of the College of Performing Arts and Dean of Mannes School of Music:
“Our central vision is to present vital works across the entire performing arts field, and we are proud to offer them to our audiences in these three programs. It is almost unbelievable that Carla Bley’s 1971 quasi-operatic blockbuster, Escalator Over the Hill, has never been performed in the United States, but this May, our college will do just that, placing the composer-pianist’s masterpiece front and center at our Tishman Auditorium. A week later, we present a work most relevant to the politics of the moment: Fandango at the Wall, in this case the wall between San Diego and Tijuana, with the HBO film and the music, composed by Arturo O’Farrill. The music and film illuminate what words alone cannot. And in April, the Mannes Orchestra performs a remarkable trio of radical works: Luciano Berio’s orchestral collage Sinfonia, John Zorn’s violin concerto Contes de Fées featuring faculty member Stefan Jackiw, and Viet Cuong’s Re(new)al, performed by resident ensemble Sandbox Percussion.”

New York, NY — The New School’s College of Performing Arts presents three fascinating concerts in April and May, featuring trailblazing and under-recognized experimental musicians and music that speaks to the timeliest political issues. The events spotlight many esteemed personalities in the New School Performing Arts orbit, including: Stefan Jackiw, Mannes string faculty; Sandbox Percussion, College of Performing Arts Ensemble-in-Residence; Arturo O’Farrill, School of Jazz & Contemporary Music faculty; Steve Cardenas, School of Jazz & Contemporary Music faculty; and John Zorn, who runs his performance series, The Stone, at the New School.

Friday, April 11, 2025, 7:30PM
Mannes Orchestra: Mavericks
Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center
1941 Broadway
New York, NY 10023
Mannes Orchestra returns to Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall under the baton of David Hayes with a program entitled Mavericks, which celebrates pioneering, radical orchestral works by John Zorn, Viet Cuong, and Luciano Berio.
College of Performing Arts Ensemble-in-Residence Sandbox Percussion performs Viet Cuong’s Re(new)al, a piece that reflects Cuong’s deep interest in renewable energy initiatives and comprises three continuous movements, each inspired by the power of hydro, wind, and solar energies. Cuong says, “Re(new)al is a percussion quartet concerto devoted to finding unexpected ways to breathe new life into traditional ideas. The quartet performs on several ‘found’ instruments, including crystal glasses and compressed air cans. While the piece also features more traditional instruments, such as snare drum and vibraphone, I looked for ways to alter their sounds or find new ways to play them.”
John Zorn’s Contes de Fées (composed in 1999) is a dramatic and structurally complex concerto, featuring a virtuoso soloist pitted against the color and dynamism of a larger ensemble. The work—a Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Music in 2000—is performed by violinist Stefan Jackiw, hailed as “brilliantly skillful and selflessly musical” (The Financial Times).
The program culminates with Luciano Berio’s Sinfonia (composed in 1968-69), which includes eight amplified singers embedded in the orchestra. The vocalists represent a distorted history of culture in which they speak and shout excerpts from texts including Samuel Beckett’s The Unnamable and Claude Lévi-Strauss’ The Raw and the Cooked. The work’s third movement includes a cut-up of Mahler’s 2nd Symphony. Sinfonia was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic for its 25th anniversary and, according to Leonard Bernstein in his Charles Eliot Norton Lectures (1973), was representative of the new direction classical music was taking after the pessimistic decade of the sixties. “If you haven’t listened to it yet, throw yourself into the labyrinth right now; and if you have, listen again—and again. You will always find something new, I promise.” (Tom Service, The Guardian).
Program:
Viet Cuong: Re(new)al (2019 rev. 2021) featuring Sandbox Percussion
John Zorn: Contes de Fées (1999) with soloist Stefan Jackiw
Luciano Berio: Sinfonia (1968-69) with eight amplified singers
Artists:
Mannes Orchestra; David Hayes, conductor
Sandbox Percussion
Stefan Jackiw, violin

Friday, May 2, 2025, 7:30PM
Carla Bley’s Escalator Over the Hill
Tishman Auditorium at The New School
63 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10003
“Carla Bley, the majestically eccentric pianist and composer, has conjured up a gargantuan, avant-cinematic, cross-genre venture called Escalator Over the Hill, in the face of record company indifference and no financial support.” — THE GUARDIAN
On May 2, the New School Studio Orchestra presents the U.S. premiere performance of Carla Bley’s 1971 landmark album Escalator Over the Hill. Today, the work is considered one of the undersung masterpieces of the 1970s.
TIDAL Magazine describes the album, writing that it “announced itself as a ‘Chronotransduction’—an invented term meaning, roughly, ‘a transference of time’—but was otherwise thought of as a jazz opera, in the vein of rock operas like Tommy or Jesus Christ Superstar. However, the music on Escalator Over the Hill goes well beyond the usual boundaries of genre. In addition to bracing bursts of free jazz, there are cabaret songs, snatches of country music, deep dives into jazz fusion, an excursion into Hindustani pop, elements of ambient music and nods to New York minimalism. Not to mention a fair amount of stuff that simply falls under the rubric ‘none of the above’…”
Arturo O’Farrill, who shares a special connection with Bley, says: “Carla is one of the most important American voices imaginable. Her artistry and compositional voice is historic. She is literally one of the most innovative artists of our time. That she is not mentioned in the same company of Duke Ellington, Aaron Copland, and other iconic voices in American culture is positively criminal.”
Their friendship goes back to the 70’s, when Carla Bley discovered 19-year old Arturo playing in a bar in upstate NY. She immediately hired him to perform as part of her big band, where he remained a fixture from 1979-1983. O’Farrill ultimately commissioned the final work that Carla Bley wrote before her passing in 2023.
Program:
Escalator Over the Hill (1971), U.S. Premiere
Music by Carla Bley
Words by Paul Haines
Artists:
The New School Studio Orchestra; Keller Coker, conductor
Steve Cardenas, guitar
Vocal ensemble of students, alum, and faculty from the School of Jazz & Contemporary Music, led by Aubrey Johnson
    Denali Barrett — chorus
    Alicia Lindberg — chorus, Leader
    Bel Bastien — chorus, Ginger II
    Andrew Geher — chorus, Jack II
    Andrew Sweeney (alum) — Jack
    Laura Iniesta Mingot — Ginger
    Alfie Jackson — chorus, opera singer
    Lily James Roberts — chorus
    Donnie Smith (alum, faculty) — chorus, Doctor
    Dean Akbar — chorus, Cecil Clark
    Hila Brosh — chorus

Thursday and Friday, May 8-9, 2025, 7:30PM
Fandango At The Wall
A Concert and Film
The Conga Patria Son Jarocho Collective
New School College of Performing Arts musicians
Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Octet
May 8 Film Screening: The Auditorium on 12th Street at The New School
May 9 Concert: Tishman Auditorium at The New School
Led by The New School’s Arturo O’Farrill, with performances by The Afro Latin Jazz Octet, musicians from the New School College of Performing Arts, and The Conga Patria Son Jarocho Collective, this two-day event of Fandango at the Wall—a story of breaking down walls—presents a powerful and timely vision. The album was released to critical acclaim in 2018, praised by publications including Downbeat, NPR, The New York Times, and The Nation; today it takes on urgent new relevance in the current fractured political moment.
The album and 2020 HBO film follow O’Farrill and producer Kabir Sehgal to the U.S.-Mexico border, where they seek to record an album. The project brings together brilliant voices from a variety of cultural and musical traditions to tear down a variety of walls that isolate us—physical, musical, or cultural. The piece was inspired by Jorge Francisco Castillo, a retired librarian who has organized the Fandango Fronterizo Festival for the past decade. The annual event gathers son jarocho musicians on both sides of the border wall between Tijuana and San Diego for a celebratory jam session. In O’Farrill’s reimagination, his esteemed Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and Castillo’s son jarocho musicians came together at the border, joined by a more than 60 gifted musicians representing both sides of that divide.
Program:
Arturo O’Farrill and Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra’s Fandango at the Wall (2018)
Artists:
The Conga Patria Son Jarocho Collective
Students from the New School College of Performing Arts
Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Octet
SCHEDULE:
Thursday, May 8 at 7:30pm
Film Screening, followed by a moderated panel assembled by Achilles Kallergis, Assistant Professor and Director of the Project on Cities and Migration
Location: The Auditorium on 12th Street / The New School
Friday, May 9 at 7:30pm
Live concert followed by a reception at 8:45pm
Location: Tishman Auditorium / The New School
Reception in the Event Cafe
The concert will be recorded and streamed.

The College of Performing Arts at The New School
http://www.newschool.edu/performing-arts

The College of Performing Arts at The New School was formed in 2015 and draws together the Mannes School of Music, the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and the School of Drama. With each school contributing its unique culture of creative excellence, the College of Performing Arts is a hub for is a hub for vigorous training, cross-disciplinary collaboration, bold experimentation, innovative education, and world-class performances.

The 1,000 students at the College of Performing Arts are actors, performers, writers, improvisers, creative technologists, entrepreneurs, composers, arts managers, and multidisciplinary artists who believe in the transformative power of the arts for all people. Students and faculty collaborate with colleagues across The New School in a wide array of disciplines, from the visual arts and fashion design, to the social sciences, public policy, advocacy, and more.

The curriculum at the College of Performing Arts is dynamic, inclusive, and responsive to the changing arts and culture landscape. New degrees and coursework, like the new graduate degrees for Performer-Composers and Artist Entrepreneurs are designed to challenge highly skilled artists to experiment, innovate, and engage with the past, present, and future of their artforms. New York City’s Greenwich Village provides the backdrop for the College of Performing Arts, which is housed at Arnhold Hall on West 13th Street and the historic Westbeth Artists Community on Bank Street.

Founded in 1916 by America’s first great violin recitalist and noted educator, David Mannes, and pianist and educator Clara Damrosch Mannes, the Mannes School of Music is a standard-bearer for radically progressive music education, dedicated to supporting the development of creative and socially engaged artists. Through its undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies programs, Mannes offers a curriculum as imaginative as it is rigorous, taught by a world-class faculty and visiting artists. As part of The New School’s College of Performing Arts, together with the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music and the School of Drama, Mannes makes its home on The New School’s Greenwich Village campus in a state-of-the-art facility at the newly renovated Arnhold Hall.

The School of Jazz and Contemporary Music is renowned across the globe as the most innovative school of its kind, offering students an artist-as-mentor approach to learning. The world’s leading contemporary and jazz musicians, like Arturo O’Farrill, Reggie Workman, Mary Halvorson, Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkens, Jane Ira Bloom, and more, work with students to hone their craft and create groundbreaking music. At the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, students are immersed in the creative epicenter of New York City and are supported by a faculty of renowned professionals who challenge them to expand the boundaries of their art form, experiment with sound, and use creative voice for change. The school’s approach is unique, allowing students to choose their own teachers and create their own ensembles. This education with agency provides students with the tools and experience needed to navigate and thrive as performing arts professionals.

Founded in 1919, The New School was established to advance academic freedom, tolerance, and experimentation. A century later, The New School remains at the forefront of innovation in higher education, inspiring more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students to challenge the status quo in design and the social sciences, liberal arts, management, the arts, and media. The university welcomes thousands of adult learners annually for continuing education courses and public programs that encourage open discourse and social engagement. Through our online learning portals, research institutes, and international partnerships, The New School maintains a global presence.

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist,  first broadcast 06/04/2025.

Monday, April 07, 2025

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 06/04/2025, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

European Jazz - radio playlist from Sunday April 6th

Available now at http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz

Matt Carmichael
Beckoning Night
Dancing with Embers
Bridge The Gap

Gary Brunton
Coldstream
Look North
Juste Une Trace

Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter
Night Life
Play Mary Lou Williams
Discus

Billy Marrows + Grande Família
Be Right Bold
The Penelope Album Live
Discus

Stefano Bollani & Iiro Rantala
Va Pensiero
Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic XV
ACT

Leszek Możdżer/Lars Danielsson/Zohar Fresco
Appropinquate
Beamo
ACT

Tom Sochas
Rongbuk
Facing North
Khumbu Records

Emma Rawicz & Gwilym Simcock
The Drumbledrone
Big Visit
ACT

Jordi Cassagne Barbastelle
Nef
Vestige Étésien
Aut Records

Anders Filipsen Trio
Dark and Plenty of Sun
Aldebar Nights of Mangos
ILK

OZMA
Rapide & Furieuse
The day we decided to live at night
La Compagnie Tangram

Ramzi Hammad
Olive Tree
Melting Pot
Sonclair

Claire Cope Ensemble C
Feeling
Every Journey
Adhyâropa Records

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time:
http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 7pm onward

Also as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on Apple, Amazon, Deezer and other podcast sites.

Joe Armon-Jones - new album and UK tour.

Saturday, April 05, 2025

Keyboard player, composer, producer & bandleader Joe Armon-Jones will release his new album ‘All The Quiet (Part II)’ on 13th June 2025. This will be followed by a series of UK tour dates in October.

We have received the following press release;

Joe Armon-Jones
‘All The Quiet (Part II)’
Album released 13th June
Vinyl/download/stream/CD
Aquarii Records

The critics on ‘All The Quiet (Part I)’:

“Welds funky shades of Herbie Hancock’s fusion era with a heavy dub influence and much post-production tomfoolery.” Mojo ★★★★

“Boundary-pushing future-jazz. Intricate, intoxicating and nodding in multiple directions often simultaneously” Electronic Sound

“Joe Armon-Jones tantalisingly displays a new darker side to his introspective compositions” Jazzwise

“The winning blend of soul, funk, Afrobest, hip-hop and electronica has a personal imprint, with pleating subtlety and restraint in places, but the input of vocalist/MCs such as Asheber, and Goya Gumbani who grace Kingfisher and Eye Swear respectively, is impressive” Echoes

“It’s in his solo work that the purest form of Armon-Jones’ vision shines though, combining elements of jazz, dub and the more atmospheric ends of UK electronic music his first solo album in six years represents his most ambitious statement to date” Music Radar

Following the release of ‘All The Quiet (Part I)’ – his first solo album in 6 years – London-based keyboardist, producer, songwriter, and bandleader Joe Armon-Jones returns with ‘All The Quiet (Part II).’

Having been championed by media including Mojo, Electronic Sound, Jazzwise, BBC Radio, Jazz FM, and more for ‘Part I,’ ‘Part II’ of these distinct but conceptually linked albums finds Joe expanding his sound into new musical and sonic realms, assisted by a wealth of special guests including Asheber, Greentea Peng, Wu Lu, Hak Baker and Yazmin Lacey.

Six years have passed since Armon-Jones’ last solo album, 2019’s ‘Turn To Clear View’ – but don’t mistake that gap for a break. In this time he’s toured the world, built a studio, contributed to albums from the great and good of UK jazz and recorded collaborative releases with Maxwell Owin, Hak Baker, and dubstep legend Mala. ‘All The Quiet’, though, marks a new artistic peak. Its two instalments showcase Armon-Jones’ prodigious talents as a pianist, improviser, and songwriter, while opening his music’s rich soundworld up to the influence of dub techniques.

You can trace the genesis of ‘All The Quiet’ back to lockdown, when in search of a creative distraction, Armon-Jones decided to teach himself how to use a mixing desk, inspired by his love for the radical productions of King Tubby and the feeling of experiencing a live dub sound system in the flesh. Before long he’d built a home studio complete with reel-to-reel tape machines and spring reverb and was experimenting with mixing his own solo and ensemble recordings, testing out the results on his friends’ Unit 137 sound system in nearby Lewisham. The methodology, he discovered, wasn’t so different from jazz improvisation. “I got really into exploring the soundworld of dub,” explains Armon-Jones. “Taking that process and applying it to jazz, funk, and all the other music that I really love.”

Written, produced, and mixed by Joe, the performances that comprise ‘All The Quiet’ came together in four days of intensive recording at Livingstone Studios and Press Play, Armon-Jones working with a crack team of musicians including drummer Natcyet Wakili, bassist Mutale Chashi, percussionist Kwake Bass and a horn section consisting of Nubya Garcia and Ezra Collective’s James Mollison and Ife Ogunjobi. With those sessions captured to tape, he then entered a deep period of editing and production, adding his own vocals and synth, and tweaking bass and drums with hints of dub delay and echo to create a sound both fastidiously textured and infused with the freedom of improvisation.

As the music that would become ‘All The Quiet’ began to take shape, he began to think of it in thematic terms, crafting a fantasy narrative of elite paladins of sound, battling to keep the soul of music alive in an age of indifference and hostility to the creative spirit. Fanciful, perhaps, but within it lies a serious point around the way that music has become commodified and devalued. “It’s an extreme end-game result of what we’re seeing at the moment,” says Armon-Jones, who worked with his long-term visual collaborators, Divya Scialo and Ralph Berryman, to turn his narrative into artwork and a comic book that will be available with ‘All The Quiet’s’ deluxe vinyl editions.

Ideas of freedom, community and resistance run throughout ‘All The Quiet’, from the lead-off single ‘Kingfisher’ (Part I) – which finds West London dub poet Asheber singing sweetly of community, celebration and revolution – to the cooly assured ‘One Way Traffic’, featuring Yazmin Lacey, which ends ‘All The Quiet (Part II)’ in one final feat of dub reconstruction. This, though, is unmistakably Joe Armon-Jones’ record – both a profound expression of music’s ability to move us, and a galvanising statement of intent: that such a thing is worth fighting for.

‘All The Quiet (Part II)’ Tracklisting

1. Acknowledgement Is Key (feat. Hak Baker)

2. Lavender

3. Westmoreland (feat. Asheber)

4. PSR Orchestra

5. Paladin of Sound & Circumstance

6. Another Place (feat. Greentea Peng & Wu-Lu)

7. War Transmission

8. Joe Armon-Jones – 505 Standby

9. Joe Armon-Jones – Journey South

10. Joe Armon-Jones – One Way Traffic (feat. Yazmin Lacey)

‘All The Quiet’ Tour Dates

Oct 21 – Manchester, Band On The Wall

Oct 22 – Bristol, St. George’s

Oct 24 – London, Hackney Church

Oct 26 – Brussels, AB

Oct 27 – Paris, Badaboum

Oct 28 – Amsterdam, Tolhuistuin

Oct 30 – Berlin, Saalchen

https://joearmonjones.com/

NDR Bigband (Hamburg Radio Jazz Orchestra) begins 2025/2026 season with Nikki Iles as new Principal Conductor.

Friday, April 04, 2025

British bandleader, pianist & composer Nikki Iles will be the new Principal Conductor of the NDR Bigband from the 2025/26 season. She succeeds Geir Lysne & will lead the renowned ensemble for 2 yearse

We have received the following press release;

Iles Ahead!

NDR Bigband begins 2025/2026 season with Nikki Iles as new Principal Conductor

British bandleader, pianist and composer Nikki Iles will be the new Principal Conductor of the NDR Bigband from the 2025/26 season. She succeeds Geir Lysne and will lead the renowned ensemble for an initial period of two years.

Nikki Iles: “I am absolutely thrilled and humbled to have a chance to deepen my relationship with the wonderful NDR Bigband as their new Chief Conductor. Over the last four years I have felt a very warm connection with them and have shared many inspiring moments in Studio 1 here in Hamburg. It is on account of this collective chemistry and trust that I have found myself, for the first time, able to consider a position such as this. The NDR Bigband is truly an ensemble for our times and they embrace this role with such passion, innovation and a wealth of experience. This is matched by a deep commitment from the organisation that allows us to focus on the music and to keep it at the heart of everything we do. I am so looking forward to programming some exciting and dynamic new collaborations as we celebrate this music in all its diversity and make meaningful connections throughout Europe and further afield. I welcome also the opportunity to connect with new audiences - offering them unprecedented sounds in new settings - and to reach out to future generations through meaningful education projects. It goes without saying that I have the greatest respect for every member of the band and really look forward to a journey full of discovery and to making some fantastic music together!”

Nikki Iles, who attracted attention in 2020 as a participant in the NDR Bigband’s podium for composers and arrangers, has been appointed composer-in-residence of the ensemble in 2023. The joint album ‘Face to Face’, which resulted from this close collaboration, delighted audiences and critics alike and was nominated for the German Jazz Award in 2024. For her debut on 27 September in Hannover (NDR Konzerthaus) and on 28 September in Hamburg (Elbphilharmonie), Nikki Iles will bring her new work ‘The Shadow of a Dream - Journeys through a Strange World’, which was composed especially for the NDR Bigband.

NDR Programme Director Ilka Steinhausen: “Nikki Iles marks the beginning of a new era in the history of our internationally acclaimed NDR Big Band. We are hoping for many new, inspiring impulses, because she brings a fantastic network with her. A great artist - and probably the first female chief conductor to lead a big band of ARD.”

Michael Dreyer, NDR Big Band Manager:
“Nikki Iles is an extraordinary phenomenon in the world of jazz. The NDR Bigband has really fallen in love with her. We look forward to our future together.”

Sandra Hempel and Klaus Heidenreich, board members of the NDR Bigband:
“Nikki Iles is our favourite candidate for the position of Principal Conductor. We are very much looking forward to working with her.”

Nikki Iles and the NDR Bigband in a subscription programme

Together with the NDR Bigband, the new chief conductor will present a high-calibre subscription programme in Hamburg and Hanover. Nikki Iles has curated three programmes and invited soloists such as singer Norma Winstone, Canadian sisters Ingrid and Christine Jensen and bass legend Dave Holland.

About her first project, ‘The Shadow of a Dream - Journeys through a Strange World’ (27/28 September 2025), Nikki Iles says: ‘In this programme I have focused on themes of unity - how important it is to find empathy and common ground despite the challenges we face.

Together with trumpeter Ingrid Jensen and saxophonist Christine Jensen, Nikki Iles brings Canadian soundscapes to life. She is joined by Canadian pianist Kris Davis, whose percussive piano playing is a delightful complement to the Jensens’ lyrical style and the power of the NDR Big Band. The theme: ‘Luminescent Landscapes’ (14/15 February 2026).

Spinning the Wheeler’ could be the title of the third programme, curated by Nikki Iles. Here, all participants will continue to spin their experiences with a brilliant musician: Kenny Wheeler (1930-2014), the ‘master of melancholy chaos’. Iles has recruited two jazz legends for the project: singer Norma Winstone and bassist and Miles Davis sideman Dave Holland (20/21 June 2025).

Looking to the 2025/26 season

In the concert season 2025/26 the NDR Bigband will be working with Danilo Pérez, Wayne Shorter’s longtime pianist, the Hamburg band TOYTOY and the Cologne jazz trumpeter Frederik Köster, and will be celebrating the 100th birthday of Miles Davis.

In the broadcasting area, the NDR Big Band also takes its productions to hidden corners and is a guest at important festivals such as the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival, Travejazz in Lübeck, Jazzfest Delmenhorst and JazzBaltica.

The NDR Big Band also gives young musicians a chance: it is touring three schools in the broadcasting area and is now working with the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Advance ticket sales for the Hamburg subscription series begin on 3 April, and for individual tickets for the Hamburg concerts on 13 May. Subscriptions for the Hanover concerts will go on sale on 16 May, with individual tickets available from 19 May. For more information and the full programme, visit http://www.ndr.de/bigband.

The Drawing Room…After Dark, Mayfair, London - Listings for April and early May 2025

Wednesday, April 02, 2025

The Drawing Room...After Dark series of jazz events is curated by Liam Dunachi & Mátyás Gayer and takes place at Brown's Hotel in Mayfair, London. Press release with full listings attached

We have received the following press release;

The Drawing Room…After Dark
Brown’s Hotel, Albemarle Street, W1
Free live performances every Tuesday and Thursday night.

“The After Dark series is a gem: I have only one word: GO!” (UK Jazz News)

The Drawing Room…After Dark is a unique musical offering that embraces the opulent charm of The Drawing Room at Brown’s Hotel, in Mayfair and fills it with off-beat and unbridled jazz performance, showcasing world-class musicians in this new and unique addition to London’s thriving jazz scene. housed in this unique and historic venue.

Curated by leading jazz scenesters, pianists Liam Dunachie and Mátyás Gayer, the After Dark programme brings free performance every Tuesday and Thursday evening - offering a daring showcase of the most established figures of UK jazz collaborating with London’s most exciting emerging artists in a no-holds-barred celebration of the art form.

EVENT LISTINGS FOR APRIL

Thursday 3 April
Jonathan Bauer - The Big Easy - Celebrating the Sound of New Orleans
A one-time resident of the ancestral home of jazz, Jonathan Bauer brings the soulful, blues-drenched sounds of the New Orleans French Quarter across the pond into the heart of Mayfair.
Born and raised in Canada, Jonathan Bauer is a multi-talented trumpeter, singer and composer, most notably of the Grammy award-winning New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. In 2019, he burst onto the scene with his highly acclaimed debut album, “Walk Don’t Run.” introducing himself to the world as part of the rich lineage of trumpeters who front their bands as singers.
An internationally recognized and touring artist, Jonathan is widely celebrated for his dark and buttery sound. He has had the opportunity to study and perform with living legends Nicholas Payton, Robert Glasper, Ellis Marsalis and Wendell Brunious among others. A versatile musician, Jonathan enthusiastically crosses genres performing with R&B titans, such as Sheila E., Ledisi, and Eric Benét.
Jonathan Bauer – Trumpet & Voice
Liam Dunachie - Piano
BOOKING: https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/brown-s-hotel/dining/the-drawing-room/after-dark-the-drawing-room/

Tuesday 22 April
James Allsopp Quartet plays Stan Getz
A tribute to master saxophonist Stan Getz. The program will feature music from his rich back catalogue, expect lush ballads, lilting bossa novas, swinging standards and motoring bop compositions played by some of London’s most in demand musicians. Featuring award winning saxophonist James Allsopp with Colin Oxley on guitar, Oli Hayhurst on double bass and Tim Giles on drums playing music from their brand new album “Ballads and Bossas”.
James Allsop - Tenor Saxophone
Colin Oxley - Guitar
Oli Hayhurst - Double Bass
Tim Giles - Drums
BOOKING: https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/brown-s-hotel/dining/the-drawing-room/after-dark-the-drawing-room/

Thursday 24 April
Vocal Nights - Atila Huseyin
Atila is an established Jazz singer from the UK.
Sartorially stylish and musically classy, his interpretations of the American Songbook are internationally renowned, taking influence from early Frank Sinatra.
His honest stage presence, expressive voice and effortless sense of swing have made him a firm favourite with musicians and the jazz audience alike. Having graced renowned venues like Ronnie Scott’s, The Hippodrome Casino London, and The Royal Albert Hall with sold-out shows, Atila’s magnetic stage presence is undeniable.
“I was very impressed with his singing, he has a real feel for the lyric” - Sir Michael Parkinson.
Atila Huseyin - Voice
Matyas Gayer - Piano
Dave Green - Double Bass
Steve Brown - Drums
BOOKING:
https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/brown-s-hotel/dining/the-drawing-room/after-dark-the-drawing-room/

Tuesday 29 April
Vasilis Xenopoulos: Soul Station and Beyond - The Legacy of Hank Mobley
Leading Greek expatriot, who has become well entrenched in the British straight-ahead jazz scene leads an all-star quartet in praise of the great American tenor player, Hank Mobley. Known for his fusion of bebop complexity with a soulful bluesy tinge, he became a huge influence on many subsequent players through his seminal albums on Blue Note, such as “Soul Station” and “No Room for Squares”
Vasilis Xenopoulos - Tenor Saxophone
Matya Gayer - Piano
BOOKING: https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/brown-s-hotel/dining/the-drawing-room/after-dark-the-drawing-room/

Thursday 1 May
Charlie Pyne sings the music of Peggy Lee
A rare talent who is equally accomplished as a virtuosic double bass player as well as a singer and composer, Charlie Pyne has an infectious style of communication which has won over audiences across the UK.
“A joyful and solid figure throughout” (London Jazz News)
Here she pays tribute to one of America’s most important singers and songwriters whose alluring, delicately husky voice and reserved style gave her the title “Queen of American Pop Music”
Since graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2009, Charlie Pyne has built a thriving career on her solid groove, classic playing style and infectious cheerfulness. Her skill as an exemplary bassist has led to collaborations with a wide range of leading figures in jazz.
Charlie Pyne – Voice & Double Bass
Rob Brockway - Piano
Luke Pinkstone - Tenor Saxophone
Katie Patterson – Drums
BOOKING: https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/brown-s-hotel/dining/the-drawing-room/after-dark-the-drawing-room/

Brecon Jazz Festival 2025: Line up announced.

Monday, March 31, 2025

Brecon Jazz Festival 2025, running from August 8th to 10th, will feature an ambitious line-up, a fresh new team at the helm, and a renewed commitment to celebrating the best in jazz.

We have received the following press release;

Brecon Jazz Festival 2025: A New Chapter Begins

Brecon, Wales – One of the UK’s most respected jazz festivals is set to return bigger and bolder than ever. Brecon Jazz Festival 2025, running from August 8th to 10th, will feature an ambitious line-up, a fresh new team at the helm, and a renewed commitment to celebrating the best in jazz.

This year marks an exciting new chapter for the festival, blending its rich heritage with a community focused approach to programming and audience engagement.

A Historic Stage Returns
For the first time in recent years, the Market Hall will serve as the festival’s premier venue. This 500 capacity space will host an extraordinary lineup jazz talent, featuring:

Friday 8th August:
• Hejira – An acclaimed ensemble paying homage to Joni Mitchell’s jazz legacy.
• Cleveland Watkiss – Jazz vocalist presenting The Great Jamaican Songbook.

Saturday 9th August:
• Sultan Stevenson – One of the most exciting young jazz pianists in the UK.
• Ruby Turner – The legendary soul, jazz, and blues vocalist.

Sunday 10th August:
• Soweto Kinch – Award-winning saxophonist and MC fusing jazz and hip-hop.
• Jazz Sabbath – A unique jazz reimagining of Black Sabbath’s music featuring Adam Wakeman of Black Sabbath

To make the most of this stellar line-up, the Market Hall Weekend Pass is available now at an early bird price for a limited time only. This exclusive pass provides access to all six performances across the weekend, offering unbeatable value. With individual tickets ranging from £17.50 to £40.00, securing a pass now can save attendees up to £80 compared to door prices. This is the only weekend pass available for Brecon Jazz Festival 2025, making it a must-have for jazz lovers.

A Festival with a Fresh Vision
Since 1984, Brecon Jazz Festival has been a staple of the UK jazz scene, welcoming some of the world’s greatest musicians. With a new team leading the festival, 2025 promises to be a thrilling new chapter that both honours tradition and introduces exciting innovations.

Festival Chairman, Chris Jones CBE, stated:
“This is an exciting moment for Brecon Jazz. We’re bringing together a world class lineup, reintroducing the Market Hall as a key venue, and building an experience that reflects both the festival’s deep roots and its bright future.”

Springtime Jazz Day-Festival – April 12th
To build momentum for the August festival, a special Springtime Jazz Day-Festival will take place on April 12th, 2025. This one day event will feature a mix of free and ticketed performances at venues across Brecon, including:

• Saskia Laroo & Warren Byrd at The Muse (2:00 PM) – Trumpeter Saskia Laroo’s first- ever UK performance alongside acclaimed pianist Warren Byrd, supported by Paula
Gardiner and Mark O’Connor.

• Jack Mac at The Muse (7:00 PM) – An explosive saxophonist blending jazz, funk, and blues.

• Jon Crespo Trio featuring Jane Williams at Brecon Tap (9:00 PM) – A free late-night jazz experience.

Empowering Young Talent – The Young Person’s Stage

A key addition to Brecon Jazz Festival 2025 is the Young Person’s Stage at Bishops Meadow, funded by Arts Council Wales. This stage will showcase the next generation of jazz talent, featuring emerging artists and providing a platform for exciting young musicians to develop their craft. Headlining the stage is Ursula Harrison, the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2024, who will not only perform but also assist in curating the line-up.

Beyond the performances, the Young Person’s Stage will serve as a training ground for aspiring industry professionals. Young people will take on roles in sound engineering, lighting, stewarding, photography, and event management, gaining hands-on experience in festival production. This initiative reinforces the festival’s commitment to nurturing future generations of jazz artists and industry professionals.

A Festival for the Community & Beyond
The revitalised festival is committed to community engagement, local business partnerships, and artistic excellence. The Brecon Frazz Parade and fringe events will continue to bring jazz to the streets, and partnerships with Brecon Town Council, Tan Cerdd, and Mid Wales Rhythm & Blues Club will strengthen its impact.

Tickets for Brecon Jazz Festival 2025 are now available, with early bird Market Hall Weekend Passes selling fast. Visit http://www.breconjazzfestival2025.co.uk for more information and ticket bookings.

Line up announced for 64th edition of Jazz A Juan,  Juan-les-Pins, France, 10th to 20th July 2025.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

The line up has been announced for the 2025 Jazz A Juan Festival. Performers include Herbie Hancock, Jamie Cullum, Dianne Reeves, Gregory Porter, Ibrahim Maalouf, Robert Plant ,Emile Londonien.

Guest contributor Colin May sets the scene;

64th Jazz A Juan

The line up has been announced for this year’s Jazz A Juan. The 64th edition will take place from 10th to 20th July. Herbie Hancock, Jamie Cullum, Dianne Reeves, Gregory Porter and Ibrahim Maalouf are among those scheduled to appear. It will be Herbie Hancock’s 14th appearance at Juan-les-Pins but 13 of the 22 artists or 65 percent of the artists will be making their first appearance at the festival. Among those making their debut in the open air 2800 seat arena will be Robert Plant, and in what is high risk programming for a Jazz festival with a big venue to fill, Emile Londonien, a leading group of French new wave jazz whom I have just enjoyed seeing along the coast in Nice. Review here;
https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/leon-phal-quintet-emile-londonien-stockfish-nice-france-21-03-2025

In another welcome development, For the first time to my knowledge the programme launch included the latest iteration of the Jammin’ Summer Sessions, the free second stage, that hosts emerging groups several of which impressed at last November’s Jammin’ Juan jazz Market place . I am delighted that Obradovic -Tixier duo whose late night performance at an earlier edition of Jammin’ Juan was riveting, are among the line up. Their 2020 album ‘The Boiling Stories of a Smoking Kettle’ received a four- star review in Jazzwise and was an editor’s choice.
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/obradovic-tixier-duo-the-boiling-stories-of-a-smoking-kettle).

The full day -by -day programme for both venues is available via this link
https://jazzajuan.com/en/programme-jazz-a-juan-2025/

Nice Jazz Festival - 2025 programme announced.

Saturday, March 29, 2025

The Nice Jazz Festival will take place in the centre of the city from 24 to 27 July. Performers include Sullivan Fortner, Christian McBride, Stochelo & Mozes Rosenburg. The Cookers, John Scofield

Guest contributor Colin May sets the scene;

The programme for this year’s Nice Jazz Festival has been announced.

This year the Nice Jazz Festival will take place in the centre of the city from 24 to 27 July. The Théâtre de Verdure open air stage which is where nearly all the pure jazz happens will see an increase in the number of acts from three to four a night while the bigger Place Masséna stage mainly will have three urban music and pop-oriented acts a night.

There’s a strong retro, or a looking back to look forwards, thread running through this year’s jazz selection. The hundredth anniversary of Oscar Peterson’s birth will be celebrated by a trio led by pianist Sullivan Fortner, Edouard Pennes will present ‘Bird Lives’, manouche jazz stars Stochelo & Mozes Rosenburg will explore the musical legacy of Charlie Chaplin, leading bassist Christian McBride will lead a trio that will remember the Ray Brown Trio, the veteran jazz masters The Cookers will channel the post-bop of the mid- sixties, and the festival will conclude with a Jazz Celebration of the most essential jazz compositions as voted by listeners to TSF Jazz.

The rest of the programme on the Théâtre de Verdure stage is a mix of established and rising stars. Jazz royalty is represented by guitarist John Schofield and by bassist Avishai Cohen and those on the rise include Haitian-American singer Tyreek McDole and French trumpeter DAOUD whom I enjoyedat the Jammin ‘Juan jazz market in 2023 (https://www.thejazzmann.com/features/article/jammin-juan-2023-palais-des-congress-juan-les-pins-france-8th-to-10th-november-2023.

  British saxophonist Nubya Gacia makes a return to the festival having appeared in 2019.

Full details of the programme are available at:
https://www.nicejazzfest.fr/en/programmation/2025

Billy Marrows + Grande Famila - New live album and UK tour Dates, March, April, May 2025.

Friday, March 28, 2025

Discus Music will release 'The Penelope Album Live' by award-winning London guitarist & composer Billy Marrows on 28th March. The release will be accompanied by an 8 date Grande Familia spring tour.

We have received the following press release;

Guitarist Billy Marrows announces nine date spring 2025 tour and live album

Discus Music will release ‘The Penelope Album Live’ by award-winning London guitarist and composer Billy Marrows on 28th March 2025. The release will be accompanied by an eight date spring 2025 Grande Família UK tour.

The live album captures the debut performance of Billy’s 12-piece chamber-jazz ensemble Grande Família, recorded live at London’s PizzaExpress Jazz Club. The concert, which sold out two months in advance and received a full standing ovation, features expanded arrangements of music from his critically acclaimed debut album ‘Penelope’.

Watch a video of ‘The Beech Tree’ from the live album
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YzTSbKhVww

The original studio ‘Penelope’ album was created as a surprise for Billy’s mother Penny during her struggle with pancreatic cancer and released in her memory in January 2024 with all proceeds going to World Child Cancer, raising over £5,450. Ten percent of live album sales will go to the same charity and like the original, it features beautiful cover art by Penny.

The new album presents live versions of all tracks from the ‘Penelope’ album, with the solo guitar compositions developed into full band pieces and an overture added,
without losing the intimate solo, duo and trio moments.

“A spectacular new ensemble” according to Jazz Views, Grande Família brings together a unique line-up of talented musicians, including BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year finalist Tom Ridout and Mercury Prize nominated Led Bib saxophonist Chris Williams, alongside several of Billy’s family members. In a review of their sold out Vortex Jazz Club show, Jazzwise described Grande Família as being “comprised of big characters and full of improvisational flair”. The live album personnel mirrors the original record, enhanced by the addition of Tom Potter’s virtuosic yet highly sensitive drumming.
The spring 2025 release tour features a variety of line-up combinations from Grande Família and includes a northern album launch at Sheffield Jazz (28th March) and a two- night London launch at PizzaExpress Jazz Club (28th-29th April).

Spring 2025 Album Release Tour:

3rd March - Bull & Gate, Jazz in Kentish Town, London (sextet)

28th March - Crookes Social, Sheffield Jazz, northern launch gig (12-piece)

28-29th April - PizzaExpress Soho, London launch gigs (12-piece)

6th May - Watermill Jazz, Dorking (12-piece)

10th May - Jazz at Heart, Leeds (quartet)

11th May - St Helen & the Holy Cross, Sheriff Hutton (quartet)

12th May - NQ Jazz, Manchester (sextet)

13th May - Digbeth Jazz, Birmingham (sextet)

Live Album/Tour Personnel:
Viola - Teresa Macedo Ferreira (album + 12-piece dates)
Flute - Dijan Mbanu (album + PizzaExpress dates) / Kristýna Farag (Sheffield Jazz) / Tori Freestone (Watermill)
Clarinet and bass clarinet - Gustavo Clayton Marucci (album + 12-piece/quartet dates)
Alto saxophone - Chris Williams (album + 12-piece dates)
Saxophones and clarinet - Tom Ridout (album + 12-piece/sextet/quartet dates)
Trumpet - Mike Soper (album + 12-piece/sextet/quartet dates)
Trombone - Olli Martin (album + 12-piece/sextet dates)
French Horn - Anna Drysdale (album + 12-piece dates)
Guitar, baritone guitar and compositions - Billy Marrows (album + all dates)
Piano - Angus Bayley (album + 12-piece dates)
Electric bass - Jonas Mbanu (album + 12-piece dates) / Flo Moore (sextet dates)
Drums - Tom Potter (album + PizzaExpress/Watermill/Parakeet) / Rod Oughton (Sheffield/ Digbeth Jazz)
Shaker - Greg Sanders (album, tracks 7+16)

For more details please see:

https://www.billymarrows.com/upcoming-gigs

https://discus-music.org/

EFG London Jazz Festival announces first names for 2025 edition including Tanita Tikaram, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Tune-Yards, Makaya McCraven and Hiromi.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Now entering its 33rd year, the global celebration of music, EFG London Jazz Festival, is announcing the first names for its 2025 edition, which takes place from 14-23 November. Press release attached

We have received the following press release;

SERIOUS
Announce First Names For
EFG LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL 2025
Including Tanita Tikaram, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Tune-Yards, Makaya McCraven and Hiromi
14-23 November 2025

Now entering its 33rd year, the global celebration of music, EFG London Jazz Festival, is announcing the first names for its 2025 edition, which takes place from 14-23 November. For 10 days and nights musicians from all over the world will come together in London to perform boundary-pushing music that showcases jazz and its influence across genres and cultures.

Jazz transcends borders, blending various musical traditions around the world and bringing together diverse communities through the shared language of music. EFG London Jazz Festival has always embraced collaborations between musicians from all over the globe with jazz and its surrounding genres’ openness to diversity, creativity and unity, while continuing to evolve and inspire musicians and audiences worldwide.

Grammy and Tony Award-winning Jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater is bringing her WE EXIST! show to the Barbican on Saturday, 15 November. Bridgewater has had a glittering four-decade career reimagining jazz classics, ascending to the upper echelon of vocalists, uniquely spinning standards and taking intrepid leaps of faith.

When she was just 18 years old, Tanita Tikaram achieved worldwide recognition, selling over 4 million of her debut album, ‘Ancient Heart’, defying previous female music stereotypes, and defining her in the eyes of music history. She returns for the first time in 8 years to make a rare performance at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on Saturday, 15 November.

Following the announcement of their new album Better Dreaming, Tune-Yards, the music project of Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner, are performing at the EFG London Jazz Festival on 22 November at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. Known for their vibrant fusion of indie pop, Afrobeat and experimental loops, Tune-Yards gained widespread acclaim with w h o k i l l in 2011, which featured the breakout hit “Bizness” and won the Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics’ poll. Tune-Yards’ music is characterised by layered vocals, polyrhythmic beats, and socially conscious lyrics, tackling themes of race, privilege, and politics.

Over more than 20 years as a recording artist, the jazz piano phenomenon Hiromi has shifted seamlessly from one spellbinding project to the next. In the process, she’s earned a reputation as one of the most explosive live performers in jazz history and a global ambassador for the art form. She performs on Friday, 21 November at the Barbican, which follows her 2023 performance at the same venue for the festival for which The Arts Desk enthused: “as breathtaking for its energy as for its brilliant versatility” in their 5-star review.

A midweek highlight will see the return of Makaya McCraven to the festival following his Sold Out show at the Barbican in 2023, which the Financial Times said was “like being immersed in a recording session in which each song was a master take”. This year, the prodigiously talented drummer and composer takes over KOKO in Camden on Wednesday, 19 November.

At the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on Saturday, 15 November is acclaimed Grammy Award-winning mandolinist, singer, songwriter, and composer, Chris Thile. A multifaceted musical talent, described by The Guardian as “that rare being: an all-round musician,” and hailed by NPR as a “genre-defying musical genius,” Thile is a founding member of the highly influential string bands Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, and has collaborated with countless luminaries from Yo-Yo Ma to Fiona Apple to Brad Mehldau.

The following night at Cadogan Hall, Kurt Elling and The Yellowjackets Celebrate Weather Report. Known for his singular combination of robust swing and poetic insight, the two-time Grammy winner brings his one-of-a-kind brand of contemporary lyricism and vocal ingenuity to jazz. This celebration of Weather Report, one of jazz’s great supergroups, will reimagine the fusion band’s iconic songs in addition to new arrangements inspired by their constellation of musicians.

Closing the first weekend on Sunday, 16 November at Village Underground is American Neo Soul star Bilal, who returns to the spotlight following the success of his two album releases in 2024. His latest, Adjust Brightness, is a giant step forward, as Bilal merges his organic, soulful roots with experimental electronic influences inspired by artists like Aphex Twin and Stereolab. Fans can expect an immersive sonic experience that defies genre conventions, as Bilal continues to evolve and refine his unique style.

Trombonist, singer and composer Rita Payés is one of the standout emerging talents of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, the nucleus from which some of the most promising young musicians on the jazz scene in Spain have emerged in recent years. She performs at the EFG London Jazz Festival for the first time at Union Chapel on Wednesday, 19 November.

At the Union Chapel on Thursday, 20 November is pianist and composer Fergus McCreadie whose music is a unique blend of jazz and Scottish folk inspired by his country’s sublime landscapes. McCreadie’s music captures the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide, with an appeal that extends far beyond the constraints of genre. Also performing that evening is trumpeter and synthesist Laura Jurd whose unique approach to the trumpet is celebrated in the work that she creates. Laura’s love of folk traditions can often be heard in her music, alongside a background in classical composition, taking twists and turns that both invite surprise and evoke the inevitable.

Following their Sold Out show at last year’s EFG London Jazz Festival, GeeJay return with their strong, soulful and emotionally-charged songs to Islington Assembly Hall on Thursday, 20 November. Expect vintage jazzy chords and groovy rhythms, with saxophone adding a further element to the melodic mix.

The festival will once again launch at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall with Jazz Voice, the glittering opening gala featuring star vocalists reimagining timeless songs for the specially-created EFG London Jazz Festival Orchestra and guest conductor. Taking place on Friday, 14 November, this year’s all-star names will be revealed soon.

EFG London Jazz Festival is a place to explore music and to celebrate the legacy and the future of an inspiring musical universe.

EFG London Jazz Festival Director, Pelin Opcin, said:
“The EFG London Jazz Festival 2025 is all about celebrating global talent, with incredible artists from the UK and around the world performing in venues across London this November. We’re excited to announce the first artists in this year’s lineup, from emerging musicians to iconic performers. As ever, the Festival will feature never-before-seen performances, including one-off collaborations and new commissions. A special thank you to the Festival’s title sponsor, EFG Private Bank, for their continued support; our shared values of innovation, collaboration and diversity are so important to the ongoing success of the Festival. We can’t wait to welcome audiences back in November to experience the unforgettable magic of live music.”

Serious would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all of their partners, particularly the extended support of title sponsor EFG, which helps to support the breadth and diversity of the festival. The EFG London Jazz Festival is made possible thanks to the support of many key sponsors and funders, including Arts Council England, Serious Trust, PRSF, BBC Radio 3, Champagne Thienot, Jazzwise Magazine and Jazz FM UK.

EFG London Jazz Festival Shows

14 Nov - Jazz Voice - Royal Festival Hall

15 Nov - We Exist! The Dee Dee Bridgewater Quartet - Barbican

15 Nov - Tanita Tikaram - Royal Festival Hall

15 Nov - Chris Thile - Queen Elizabeth Hall

15 Nov - Kurt Elling and The Yellowjackets Celebrate Weather Report - Cadogan Hall

16 Nov - Bilal - Village Underground

19 Nov - Makaya McCraven - KOKO

19 Nov - Rita Payés - Union Chapel

20 Nov - Fergus McCreadie + Laura Jurd - Union Chapel

20 Nov - GeeJay - Islington Assembly Hall

21 Nov - Hiromi’s Sonicwonder - Barbican

22 Nov - Tune-Yards - Royal Festival Hall

Praise for 2024 edition

“beautifully curated” - The Guardian, ★★★★★

“The incredible musical jamboree of the EFG London Jazz Festival is our yearly reminder that the jazz scene has never been more various” - The Telegraph, ★★★★★

“exceptional” - The Times, ★★★★

“November can be a month to hunker down for the onset of winter and its weather, and where better to do that than in one of the myriad venues across the capital” - The Arts Desk, ★★★★

“there’s a noticeable buzz amongst the crowd amassing” - Clash

Serious is one of the UK’s leading producers of live jazz, international and new music through concerts, festivals, tours, digital shows, talent development schemes, learning and participation programmes, and bespoke events for all.
https://serious.org.uk/

EFG International is a global private banking group offering private banking and asset management services and is headquartered in Zurich. EFG International’s group of private banking businesses operates in around 40 locations worldwide. Its registered shares (EFGN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. 
https://www.efginternational.com/uk

Corn Exchange Jazz Club, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, Programme for April, May and June 2025.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

The Corn Exchange Jazz Club in Ross has announced its programme for April, May & June 2025. Performers include The Doug Sides Legacy Band, Alex Steele, Catherine Sykes, Nick Dewhurst.

From;
https://www.rosscornexchange.co.uk/events-one

https://www.rosscornexchange.co.uk/events-one/the-doug-sides-legacy-band
The Doug Sides Legacy Band
Thursday, April 17, 2025
7:30 PM 9:30 PM
The Doug Sides Legacy Band is a jazz quartet from the UK, dedicated to honouring the musical legacy of the late legendary American jazz drummer, Doug Sides. They met during their time at The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and have been deeply influenced by Doug’s mentorship, during the time they were able to spend with him.
The band members are:
RJ Gilbert (22) – Saxophone
A 2024 BBC Young Musician semi-finalist, RJ draws influence from artists such as Dick Oatts, Vincent Herring, and Max Ionata.
Ollie Canham (22) – Guitar
A guitarist, composer and arranger with notable accolades, including the ‘Mike Gibbs Composition and Arranging Prize’ (2023), the ‘Eddie Harvey Jazz Arranger Award’ (2023), the ‘Phil Miller Guitar Prize’ (2022) and is currently arranging for the CBSO.
Nick Manz (22) – Upright Bass
A 2022 BBC Young Musician finalist, Nick has toured South Korea and recently performed in New York while visiting the Eastman School of Music.
Dominic Johnson (23) – Drums
Dominic is one of the most dynamic and versatile young drummers in the UK jazz scene, originally hailing from London he is now based in Birmingham.
Tickets here;
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vidlerhospitalityltd/1632707

https://www.rosscornexchange.co.uk/events-one/the-burt-bacharach-jazz-experience-featuring-alex-steele-catherine-sykes-quartet
The Burt Bacharach Jazz Experience: Featuring Alex Steele & Catherine Sykes Quartet
Thursday, May 8, 2025
7:30 PM -  9:30 PM
New jazz interpretations of the music of Burt Bacharach featuring Catherine Sykes (vocals), Alex Steele (musical director, piano), Paul Jefferies (double bass), Euan Palmer (drums)
This evening, we are delighted to welcome the brilliant ‘Burt Bacharach Experience’, a jazz evening exploring the incredible diverse compositions of Burt Bacharach, re-interpreted through the creativity of Musical Director, Alex Steele, on piano and the luscious vocals of Catherine Sykes.
Everyone knows the music of Burt Bacharach, with classics including The Look of Love, Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head, What the World Needs Now, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again and many more. They are classic songs, made famous by singers including Dionne Warwick, Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield and the Carpenters, and explored by jazz greats including Sonny Rollins and Brad Mehldau. From the 1950’s onwards, Burt Bacharach created a huge catalogue of compositions, featuring a very unique style of chords, harmonies and changing time signatures. It is this creativity in his compositions which has led his music to be greatly explored and appreciated by jazz musicians. Tonight, Alex Steele leads this new band, with a set of special arrangements of these classic songs, pushing the music more deeply into modern jazz territory. You’ll know the songs, but you won’t have heard them played like this before!
More than a thousand artists have recorded the songs of Burt Bacharach over many decades. This new ‘Burt Bacharach Experience’ takes us one step further into explorations of his beautiful music.
Leading the quartet, Alex Steele is a unique voice in jazz, well-known for his passion, energy and a deep sense of musicality as a jazz pianist. He has been inspired by his heroes, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock and Brad Mehldau, and through his own musical journey, he has found his own unique voice. Alex brings his own special sense of energy to audiences, exploring the beauty of improvisation, zest, passion and creativity in music.
Vocalist Catherine Sykes expresses one of her most significant musical influences as Ella Fitzgerald. Catherine says “I love the freedom and space of jazz music. There are no set rules, no boundaries, no definitive way to sing. Rhythm and melody can be played with, feelings explored, day-to-day worries lost in the wonderful world of the music. I love what I do”. When she’s not with Alex exploring the music of Burt Bacharach, Catherine sings with the Glenn Miller Orchestra UK, she tours around the world, and makes special guest appearances with the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Pasadena Roof Orchestra, Nick Ross Orchestra, Manhattan Orchestra, Fat Chops Big Band, Paul Barry Big Band, The Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra, and many more.
The rhythm section of the band is made up of the inimitable Paul Jefferies on double bass and incredibly super-swinging groove of Euan Palmer on drums.
TICKETS HERE
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vidlerhospitalityltd/1632702

https://www.rosscornexchange.co.uk/events-one/the-nick-dewhurst-quintet
The Nick Dewhurst Quartet
Thursday, June 12, 2025
7:30 PM -  9:30 PM
Nick Dewhurst Trumpet, Flugelhorn & Guitar,  will be joined by pianist &  vocalist Tom Lindsay, with Ben Markland on Double & Electric Bass, plus Jonathan Silk on Drums.
Nick Dewhurst is a Jazz Trumpeter, Guitarist, Composer & Music Educator. Based in Lichfield, just north of Birmingham (UK), Nick’s musical portfolio consists of a mixture of live performance, recording and educational work.
In addition to leading his own band (see The Nick Dewhurst Band), Nick’s performance credits include playing with a wide variety of bands and artists (everything from performing with The Syd Lawrence Orchestra, through to recording with the heavy rock group Magnum).
Tickets Here
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vidlerhospitalityltd/1632716

Corn Exchange
8 High St,
Ross-on-Wye,
Herefordshire,
HR9 5HL.

Cheltenham Jazz Club - Programme for April, May and June 2025.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Cheltenham Jazz Club has announced its programme for April, May & June 2025. Performers include Steve Fishwick, Leon Greening, Andrew Cleyndert, Brandon Allen, Alex Garnett.

From;
https://www.cheltenhamjazz.co.uk/

THE STEVE FISHWICK QUARTET
Bringing some Soul-Jazz to Cheltenham for the Spring Steve Fishwick/Leon Greening Soultime! -  Playing the music of Bobby Timmons
WHEN: 8.00 pm, Monday 14 April 2025
WHERE: The Victory Club Ballroom Burlington House, Lypiatt Road Cheltenham.Tickets:
CJ Members £17.00, non members £20.00
Steve Fishwick – Trumpet/Flugel, Leon Greening – Piano, Matyas Hofecker - Bass, Matt Home - Drums
Dedicated to delving into the repertoire of one of their musical idols, the pianist and composer Bobby Timmons, SoulTime! pays homage to a figure whose influence during the late 1950s and early 60s on Hard-Bop and Soul-Jazz often goes unacknowledged in jazz history. Bobby Timmons’ compositions, such as ‘This Here’, ‘Dat Dere’, and ‘Moanin’, were pivotal for iconic groups like Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and The Cannonball Adderley Quintet.SoulTime! is committed to revitalizing these classics with the original spirit, infusing them with abundant melody, soulfulness, and the infectious grooves that defined the era. For a taste of “Soultime!” at the 606 Club check out the following link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbi7xch-t38
Tickets available on the door or online at http://www.ticketsource.co.uk
https://stevefishwickjazz.com/

THE ANDREW CLEYNDERT QUARTET“Straight Ahead Brazil”
WHEN: 8.00 pm, Monday 19 May 2025
WHERE: The Irving Studio,Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
Tickets: £20.00
Nadim Tiemoori – Tenor Saxophone, Tim Lapthorne – Piano,  Andrew Cleyndert - Bass Joel Barford – Drums
Leading the quartet from the bottom end, Andrew’s career parallels Cheltenham Jazz Club’s having appeared on many of the Club’s notable gigs from the eighties including Bobby Watson, Ted Curson, the Don Weller/Bobby Wellins Quintet featuring Bryan Spring, Red Rodney with Peter King through to inclusion of later tours of artists such as Junior Mance .Following 2022’s well received drumless quartet gig for the Club, Andrew brings a more conventional straight-ahead quartet to Cheltenham featuring two talents who have already made a significant mark on the UK jazz scene, saxophonist Nadi Teimoori and drummer Joel Barford. They are joined by the formidably creative pianist Tim Lapthorn to offer an evening of swinging, dynamic jazz steeped in the rich harmony and beautiful melodies of Latin America as it’s inspiration exploring the familiar and less familiar Tom Jobim songbook, songs by Vinicius de Moraes, Coqueijo, Cavaquinho and others, through to the influential contemporary composer Toninho Horta.
Tickets available from the Everyman Theatre Box Office 01242 572573 or http://www.everymantheatre.org.uk

THE BRANDON ALLEN / ALEX GARNETT QUARTET “Celebrating Tough Tenors” - Exploring the Tenor Battles of the past! Expect Foot Tapping Rhythm, Blues and Classic Hard Bop
WHEN: 8.00 pm, Monday 16th June 2025
WHERE: The Victory Club Ballroom Burlington House, Lypiatt Road Cheltenham.
Tickets: CJ Members £17.00, non members £20.00
Brandon Allen & Alex Garnett – Saxophones, ,Liam Dunachie -  Organ, Matt Home – Drums.       
Saxophonists Brandon Allen and Alex Garnett have been friends and musical sparring partners for well over 20 years. The musical chemistry between them was apparent early on and is still very much the case today, both players inspiring the other to strive for greater heights.
For this particular project, a wide range of saxophone pairings will be celebrated and re-imagined. Some of the more commonly known collaborations will include Dexter Gordon/Wardell Gray, Johnny Griffin/Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis, Sonny Stitt/Gene Ammons and Al Cohn/Zoot Sims. They will also explore lesser known as well as contemporary pairings including David ‘Fathead’ Newman/James Clay, Joe Lovano/Joshua Redman, Seamus Blake/Chris Cheek and Eric Alexander/Grant Stewart.
Expect foot tappin’ rhythm and blues, classic hardbop, high energy modal blowouts, contemporary jazz and gorgeous full toned ballads.
Tickets available on the door or online at http://www.ticketsource.co.uk
https://brandonallen.co.uk/home
https://www.alexgarnettsax.com/profile/

Royal Albert Hall unveils line-up for spring season of Late Night Jazz.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

With genres spanning from fast-bop swing to afro-centric neo-jazz, the six Beyond the Main Stage events will take place in the 200-capacity Elgar Room venue. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Late Night Jazz returns to the Royal Albert Hall

Royal Albert Hall unveils line-up for spring season of Late Night Jazz

Tickets now available from the Royal Albert Hall website

Neo-jazz singer-songwriter Ni Maxine, classical and jazz harpist Marysia Osu and multi-instrumentalist SHOLTO are among the headline acts announced to perform as part of the Royal Albert Hall’s upcoming Late Night Jazz spring series. With genres spanning from fast-bop swing to afro-centric neo-jazz, the six Beyond the Main Stage events will take place in the 200-capacity Elgar Room venue, showcasing some of the most exciting names in the London jazz scene.

Kicking off the second season of 2025 is the Tom Ollendorff Trio on Wednesday 16 April. The group’s show is part of their upcoming tour performing pieces from Tom’s critically acclaimed 2023 album Open House. The guitarist is known for his distinctively smooth legato passages and virtuosic technique and will be joined onstage by two esteemed jazz musicians, drummer James Maddren and bassist Conor Chaplin.

Later that month (Wednesday 23 April), Charlotte Keeffe’s RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW Quartet will perform a Relaxed Late Night Jazz, where the less formal environment may particularly benefit autistic people, those with learning disabilities, those with dementia, or anyone who may prefer coming to the venue with additional measures in place. Charlotte’s second album, ALIVE! in the studio… received rave reviews and landed on several Best of 2023 Album Releases lists, while her improvisatory approach to live performance embraces the nature of individuality and letting go of inhibitions through the power of music.

Matthew Todd, Director of Programming at the Hall, said:
“Late Night Jazz at the Royal Albert Hall has been a cornerstone of London’s vibrant jazz scene over the past 15 years, offering audiences an intimate space to experience world-class live performances. This season welcomes an array of extraordinary artists, and we’re delighted to be welcoming rising stars such as Ni Maxine and SHOLTO through our doors for the very first time. We’re incredibly proud that our Late Night Jazz series remains a must-see for both long-time fans of the genre and those looking to discover something new.”

SHOLTO (Thursday 1 May) marks the first of two Late Night Jazz events in May. Oscar ‘SHOLTO’ Robertson has garnered his reputation as a live session drummer across multiple genres working with acts such as Confidence Man, Nick Waterhouse and Baxter Dury. Inspired by soundtrack composers from the 1950s-1970s, 2023’s The Changing Tides Of Dreams introduced psychedelic-infused, hazy arrangements, drawing on the world of film, classical, jazz and experimental arrangements, while live performances lean into lush, analogue instrumental grooves.

The BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6 Music championed Ni Maxine performs the following week (Thursday 8 May), after a string of sold-out shows in 2024 and tour support slot for Corinne Bailey Rae, which has led to a nomination by Jazz FM for Breakthrough Artist. With her debut EP Mother’s Arms on the horizon, covering themes of home, identity, self-worth, and belonging, Ni Maxine is positioning herself as one of the most essential new voices in contemporary music.

Polish-born and London-based harpist Marysia Osu is known for her innovative blend of classical, ambient and jazz music, and will be coming to the Hall on Thursday 12 June in support of her 2024 fully self-produced debut album, harp, beats & dreams. Meanwhile, the Royal College of Music Junior Department Jazz Ensemble makes its sixth appearance in the Late Night Jazz series to bring the spring season to a close (Thursday 26 June) with a varied repertoire featuring music from the 1930’s swing era to the present day, including works by Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Michael Bublé and Snarky Puppy.

Tickets for all Late Night Jazz shows are now on sale and available from the Royal Albert Hall website -  http://www.royalalberthall.com.

Listings info:

Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore
London SW7 2AP
http://www.royalalberthall.com / 020 7589 8212

Late Night Jazz: Tom Ollendorff Trio
Wednesday 16 April 2025, 9:30pm
Tickets: £15

Relaxed Late Night Jazz: Charlotte Keeffe’s RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW
Wednesday 23 April 2025, 9:30pm
Tickets: Pay what you can

Late Night Jazz: SHOLTO
Thursday 1 May 2025, 9:30pm
Tickets: £15

Late Night Jazz: Ni Maxine
Thursday 8 May 2025, 9:30pm
Tickets: £15

Late Night Jazz: Marysia Osu
Thursday 12 June 2025, 9:30pm
Tickets: £15

Late Night Jazz: RCM Junior Department
Thursday 26 June 2025, 9:30pm
Tickets: £15

About the Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is the world’s most famous stage. For 153 years, it has played host to legendary artists, from Giuseppe Verdi to Beyoncé.

Jazz FM announces spring and early summer programmes .

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

azz FM have announced their spring/summer schedule of special programmes, series and documentaries along with summer festival outside broadcasts. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Jazz FM announces spring and early summer programmes

The “Jazz FM Loves Gospel” season runs up from 30th March until Easter
Musicians Neil Cowley and Binker Golding host short series
Comedian, actor and musician Ben Bailey Smith (aka. Doc Brown) returns with a second series digging into his vinyl collection
Coverage of the Jazz FM Awards along with outside broadcasts from UK and global jazz festivals

Jazz FM have announced their spring/summer schedule of special programmes, series and documentaries along with summer festival outside broadcasts.

As well as returning series of listener favourites, there are new presenters joining the station to help tell the continued story of the broad range of jazz, soul and blues.

In the run up to Easter, “Jazz FM Loves Gospel” is a season of programmes and features that celebrates gospel music.  Gospel music and jazz share a deep, intertwined history, with gospel serving as a foundational influence on the development of jazz.  Hosted by US gospel superstar Kurk Whalum the series will run for four weeks with Kurk playing songs from his own collection, starting Sunday 30th March up to and including Easter Sunday.

Immediately following that final episode on Easter Sunday (April 20th) will be a special programme called “The Story of UK Gospel” in which YolanDa Brown tells the little-told story of Black British Gospel Music and explores the essence of the genre, speaking with some of the genre’s most celebrated artists (David Grant, Guvna B, Moses Boyd, and Karen Gibson from the Kingdom Choir), and shining a light on its impact on the UK Jazz scene.  Music features in other programmes across the week running up to Easter will feature gospel themed music and stories.

Elsewhere “Neil Cowley’s Keys To Success” celebrates the keyboard through four instruments: the Hammond Organ, the Fender Rhodes, the Clavinet and the pianoforte.  Throughout the series, which kicks off on International Piano Day (29th March – the 88th day of the year!) he talks to musicians and experts about what it is about these specific instruments that make them so special.

Comedian and actor Ben Bailey Smith (aka Doc Brown) is back with a second series of his “Vinyl Hour” which celebrates his thousand-strong LP collection of jazz and soul, while drummer Binker Golding is back with a third series of his “Music Therapy” in which he discusses life’s challenges with fellow artists and what’s on their therapeutic playlists in time to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week in May.

Amongst all that, The Jazz FM Awards with PPL and PRS for Music will be celebrated in the run up to this year’s ceremony at KOKO on April 24th.  An All-Winners Easter Monday will feature music from the awards honourees since its inception in 2013, interspersed with some of this year’s nominees.  There will also be special programmes on the day of the Awards ceremony itself and the following days.

Jazz FM will also be out and about at the summer jazz festivals with dozens of hours of broadcasts including The Cheltenham Jazz Festival in early May and the Love Supreme Jazz Festival at the start of July.  There’s also an international visit to the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival in May from where Simon Philips will broadcast his daily Afternoon Show for a week.

Of these programmes, Jazz FM and Magic Classical Content Director Nick Pitts says:
“As everyone knows, the world’s greatest jazz, soul and blues is at the centre of everything we do.  It’s great to be able to tell new stories around untapped genres for the radio station like Gospel with Kurk and YolanDa alongside the important story behind the taken-for-granted keyboard with Niel is incredibly exciting.
Welcoming back the likes of Binker and Ben show that Jazz FM is the place for amazing people to talk and play music, and then to be able to be at the centre of so many amazing jazz festivals shows that the genre is alive and well and thriving like never before.
Jazz FM is the place to be this summer” 

Programme details and transmission dates;

Neil Cowley’s Keys to Success
9-10pm from Saturday 29th March – Saturday 19th April

Kurk Whalum’s Gospel Collection
9-10pm from Sunday 30th March - Easter Sunday 20th April

The Story of UK Gospel with YolanDa Brown
10pm – midnight Easter Sunday 20th April

Jazz FM Awards All-Winners Easter Monday
6am-midnight on Easter Monday 21st April with Nigel Williams, Danielle Perry, Simon Phillips and Jez Nelson

The Jazz FM Awards with PPL and PRS for Music
Ceremony on evening of 24th April, with highlights including performances and winner interviews between 10pm – midnight, hosted by Nigel Williams

Doc Brown’s Vinyl Hour
9-10pm from Saturday 3rd -24th May

Music Therapy with Binker Golding
9-10pm from Sunday 18th May - 8th June

Jazz FM at Cheltenham Jazz Festival
Various programmes from Saturday 3th – Monday 5th May

Jazz FM at Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival
Tuesday 6th – Monday 12th May inclusive 2-6pm with Simon Phillips

Jazz FM at Love Supreme Jazz Festival
Various programmes from Friday 4th – Sunday 6th July

About Jazz FM:
Jazz FM is the largest commercial jazz station in the world, celebrating the complete spectrum of Jazz in all its colourful forms since 1990. Jazz FM broadcasters, producers and team are true devotees, with a deep love and understanding of their particular jazz shade, their passion is vivid, their enthusiasm infectious, sharing the finest jazz with everyone.
As the UK’s only dedicated Jazz broadcaster, Jazz FM is on a mission to entertain, promote and celebrate all that’s great about Jazz. Involvement with national festivals and awards is part of this - setting the bar high for live performance, recognising outstanding talent and strengthening the Jazz community.
No matter how people tune-in they always listen in colour.

Guildford Jazz - Programme for April 2025.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

We have received details of the Guildford Jazz programme for April 2025. Performers include Vimala Rowe, John Etheridge, Rod Youngs, Denys Baptise, Terence Collie, Transatlantic Hot Club.

Martin Collins of Guildford Jazz writes;

Guildford Jazz – April 2025

Wednesday 2 April: Vimala Rowe with John Etheridge “Blue Spirits” Trio
Vimala is a sensational singer who has mesmerised audiences since she emerged a few years ago and has the same wide ranging skills and tastes as John Etheridge.
They are ideal partners, alike in their search for musical adventure and authenticity. John Etheridge is one of a handful of players who can claim to have helped shape
the character of modern jazz guitar. He has been described by Pat Metheny as “one of the best guitarists in the world”, and The Blue Spirits Trio came about through
John’s love of electric guitar and organ combined.
With Pete Whittaker on organ, George Double on drums. and Marianne Windham on bass.
From 19.15 to 22.30 at Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Road GU1 4RP.
Tickets £20 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk

Friday 11 April : Rod Youngs Quartet featuring Denys Baptiste
MOBO nominated musician Rod Youngs brings his quartet to Guildford to celebrate the music of the iconic Blue Note Record label. Rod Youngs has established himself
as one of the most expressive and versatile drummers on the contemporary music scene. For over two decades his approach to music has covered a wide spectrum of
genres while remaining firmly rooted in the jazz tradition.  Rod is joined by the incomparable Denys Baptiste, a legend of British jazz and one of the most sought- after saxophonists in the country. With guitarist Artie Zaitz and bassist Larry Bartley.
From 19.30 to 22.30 The Stoke,103 Stoke R, Guildford GU1 4JN
Tickets £20 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk

Monday 14 April: Lunchtime jazz: The Terence Collie piano trio
The first in a new series of monthly lunchtime trio jazz concerts at Guildford Institute in the heart of Guildford in the historic Assembly Room at the Institute which has a
grand piano. Lunch is available from 12 to 2pm, and the performance is a single one- hour set from 2 to 3pm. This opening concert features the pianist and composer
Terence Collie with Sophie Alloway on drums and Marianne Windham on bass. With sold-out shows in 2024 at prestigious venues like the 606 Club and Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho, Terence Collie captivates audiences with his virtuosity and innovative compositions. “Goddess of groove” Sophie Alloway has played drums for all the finalists in the BBC Young Jazz Musician 2024
At The Guildford Institute, Ward St, North St, Guildford GU1 4LH.
Tickets £12 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk

Thursday 24 April: Transatlantic Hot Club
The Transatlantic Hot Club was formed by Ben Creighton Griffiths (Harp) and Adrien Chevalier (Violin) in 2013 when they met whilst both performing at a harp festival on the French Caribbean islands. The following year they began an annual tradition of performing in Cardiff and have expanded this into a full tour. The Hot Club has performed extensively in the UK, the USA, France and Corsica.
With Ben Creighton Griffiths – harp, Adrien Chevalier - violin/vocals, Jeremy Lohier - accordion/vocals and Ashley John Long – bass.
From 19.15 to 22.30 at Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Road GU1 4RP.
Tickets £20 (Discounts for Members and Students) https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk

Shrewsbury Jazz Network - Programme for April, May and June 2025.

Monday, March 24, 2025

Shrewsbury Jazz Network has announced its programme for April, May and June 2025. Events take place at The Hive Music & Media Centre, Shrewsbury.

From;
https://events.hiveonline.org.uk

Apr 5
Sat
20:00
Alice Leggett - Birdsong
Tickets from £12
Saturday 5th April (doors open at 7:30pm for 8:00pm start)
Tickets £25 / £12 for Under 22s
Alto saxophonist and composer Alice Leggett brings her highly anticipated debut album, Birdsong, to SJN at the Hive as part of a UK tour. Originally from Cardiff and now based in Amsterdam, Alice is a rising star in the European jazz scene. The album features her Amsterdam based quartet Chaerin Im (piano), Tijs Klaassen (bass), & Wouter Kühne (drums) with guest Alex Hitchcock (tenor saxophone) making a special journey from New York. Birdsong showcases Alice’s lyrical compositions blending rich storytelling and vibrant improvisation.
‘One to Watch’ .... JazzWise magazine
Presented by the Shrewsbury Jazz Network

Laura Jurd Quartet
Saturday 10th May (Doors open at 7:30pm for 8:00pm start)
Tickets £25 / £12 for Under 22s
One of the most distinctive voices in jazz and improvised music today, Laura Jurd’s unique approach to the trumpet is celebrated in the work that she creates. Laura’s love of folk traditions can often be heard in her music, alongside a background in classical composition. Tonight she is delighted to be performing some brand new music, that takes the listener on a journey of rites and rituals, propelled by the world-class rhythm section of Tara Cunningham (guitar) and Corrie Dick (drums), alongside the strikingly brilliant, folk violist, Cori Smith.
“Jurd…. draws on jazz, folk traditions from Europe and the Middle East… her work is always spiritedly accessible” ....John Fordham, The Guardian
Presented by the Shrewsbury Jazz Network

Will Barnes Trio ft. Dom Franks
Saturday 14th June (Doors open at 7:30pm for an 8pm start)
Tickets £25 / £12 for Under 22s
A consummate guitarist, Will Barnes’s technical brilliance is matched with an innate and versatile musicality. His versatility and virtuosity combine to produce solos with unpredictable excitement, as he draws from his rich palate of influences. This special line-up features former winner of the Daily Telegraph Young Jazz Musician of the Year Dom Franks (reeds) alongside a formidable rhythm section of Paul Jefferies (double bass) and Alex Goodyear (drums). The band will explore music inspired by the great guitarists of jazz including Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell.
Evocative, intelligent… contemporary” Ian Mann, JazzMann
Presented by Shrewsbury Jazz Network

The Hive,
5 Belmont,
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire.

01743 234970

Music Spoken Here, Worcester announces next wave of gigs - April, May, June 2025.

Monday, March 24, 2025

Music Spoken Here has added further performances to its programme for April, May and June 2025. Events take place fortnightly at The Marr's Bar, Worcester.

From;
https://musicspokenhere.club/events/

Rob Luft Quartet
March 27, 2025 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
One of the most exciting and accomplished jazz guitarists in Europe today.
Rob Luft is undeniably one of the most exciting jazz guitarists in Europe of his generation. Hailing from London, this award-winning virtuoso has garnered comparisons to legends such as John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia, and Kurt Rosenwinkel.
Rob is a true rising star, possessing a rare combination of talent as a guitarist, band-leader, composer, and captivating communicator. He won the Kenny Wheeler Award after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in 2016, followed by the release of his debut album “Riser” in 2017. Luft’s joy in music-making, humility, and ability to connect with other musicians quickly made him one of the most sought-after instrumentalists to emerge from the UK in recent years.
His highly anticipated third album “Dahab Days” was released on Edition Records in October 2023 and reveals Rob’s willingness to push boundaries and expand his sonic palette. Drawing inspiration from his time in Egypt’s Dahab region during the pandemic, he infuses the album with a unique ambiance that permeates his compositions.
For this performance Rob is joined by Joe Wright (sax), Will Sach (bass) and Corrie Dick (drums)

April 10 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
The Boom Yeh
The Marrs Bar 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester.
A thunderous powerhouse of jazz, funk, rock and Afrobeat
Stalwarts of the London music scene, The Boom Yeh are at the forefront of redefining British Jazz-Funk with their high level musicianship and electrifying live performances. Following the release of their third album Near-Earth Objects last year, we are delighted to bring them to Worcester for the first time.
Featuring musicians that have worked with Jamiroquai, The Brand New Heavies, Incognito, Alice Russell and Leroy Hutson, they have performed to sell out audiences at Ronnie Scott’s, EFG London Jazz Festival, The Elgar Room (Royal Albert Hall), Pizza Express Jazz Club (Soho) and Manchester Jazz Festival, garnering the support and praise of BBC Radio 6, Jazz FM and radio/club DJs far and wide.
Propelled by the powerhouse rhythm section of band leader/guitarist Jon Speedy, bass player Matteo Grassi and drummer William Francis, the band’s compositions are interspersed with the sophisticated horn arrangements of sax player Ian Bailey, spotlighting renowned trombone player Tom White and baritone sax player Paul Silver.

April 24 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Chris Bowden ‘The Hypnos Files’ ft. Neil Bullock & Louise Warren
The Marrs Bar 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester
Maverick trailblazer who has chosen his own path in a 30 year career embracing jazz, soul, hip-hop and drum & bass.
Emerging from the 90s Acid Jazz and Nu Jazz scenes in London, saxophonist Chris Bowden’s music has been described as “true future jazz”. Association with Gilles Peterson saw Chris in the “That’s How It Is” club night house band at Bar Rumba in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue, as well as working with K-Creative and 4 Hero, both projects releasing albums on Gilles’ Talkin’ Loud label.
As a gifted arranger on Jessica Lauren’s “Siren Song” album, he encountered Soul Jazz Records and went on to release his first album “Time Capsule” on the label in 1996.  His work with The Herbaliser, one of the best known bands on the Ninja Tune label (run by Matt Black and Jonathan Moore – aka Coldcut), led to the release of his second album “Slightly Askew” on Ninja Tune in 2002. Featuring a 17-piece band including strings, Colin Buttimer (BBC) described the album as “ambitious, thinking music not afraid of expressing feeling. Chris Bowden is one of the UK’s great altoists and composers; Slightly Askew underlines this”.
Drug and alcohol addiction led Chris to return to his home town, Birmingham, but it wasn’t until 2010 that he resigned to making his first real attempt to get clean. Following a lengthy recovery program he describes as a desperate time with an uncertain future, with the support of friends and family he got back on his feet and has been clean and sober for the last 10 years.
In this time, he has established himself as an in-demand saxophonist and educator. His Quartet play all over the UK and he appears as a guest artist with a variety of groups. He has recorded two further albums, “Unlikely Being” on UK Vibe in 2018 and “The Hypnos Files”, described as “Brecker meets Beyonce”, on Rehab Records in 2022.
This special performance features Chris with a truly world class band – Louise Warren (vocals), Jim Watson (piano), Simon ‘Palmskin’ Richmond (keys), Chris Dodd (bass) and Neil Bullock (drums) – performing work from across his career.

Empirical
May 8 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
“Still a reliable touchstone of contemporary British jazz at its most sophisticated” – Jazzwise
Empirical exploded onto the UK jazz scene with the release of their debut album “Empirical” in 2007. Former Jazz Warrior, saxophonist Courtney Pine, who released the album on his Destin-e label and also featured on bass clarinet, declared Empirical at the time as “the most exciting new jazz to come out of the UK”. Indeed, the album was awarded Album of the Year (Jazzwise) and Jazz Album of the Year (Mojo), and the band were awarded Best Jazz Ensemble in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards the following year and again in 2016.
The original line-up of Jay Phelps (trumpet), Nathaniel Facey (alto sax), Kit Downes (piano), Neil Charles (bass) and Shaney Forbes (drums) didn’t survive beyond the first album (Phelps and Downes left and Tom Farmer replaced the departing Charles on bass). By the release of their second album “Out ’n’ Out” (2009 on Naim), the core quartet comprised Facey, Forbes and Farmer, joined by Lewis Wright on the vibraphone and remained constant up until their 2024 album “Wonder is the Beginning” on Whirlwind Records, which also featured previous Music Spoken Here performers Alex Hitchcock (with Resolution 88 in November 2022 and Dan Lockheart in September 2023) and Jason Rebello (with FNUK in January 2024).
“Wonder is the Beginning” is a mature musical statement that shows the band’s fire is still undimmed and their commitment to maintaining the legacy while forging their own unique path is as strong as ever. Empirical’s trademark combination of complex, thoughtful writing and spontaneous improvisation is enabled by the absolute trust that comes from years of collective music making, and is at the heart of what makes Empirical stand out consistently on the musical landscape.
With Wright since moving permanently to the US, this album tour, which brings Empirical to Worcester for the very first time, has seen a couple of different lineups, including guitarist David Preston (who brought his trio to The Marr’s Bar for Music Spoken Here in February last year) and pianist Ivo Neame. For this performance, we are delighted to feature the vibraphone for the first time on our program in the very capable hands of the young Kenny Wheeler Prize winner Jonny Mansfield, along with the core members Tom Farmer and Nathaniel Facey. In a scenario not uncommon with the best jazz bands, Shaney Forbes has other touring commitments in May, so Luke McCarthy (of Jonny Mansfield’s Quartet) will take the throne for this one.

May 22 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Karim Saber Quintet
The Marrs Bar 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester.
Ferocious chops, memorable, shifting tunes and dynamic playing.
Born and raised in London, British/Iranian guitarist Karim Saber is steadily building a profile as both a performer and composer to watch. Known for his instrumental prowess and creativity, he established his quintet in 2021, featuring Alex Wilson (piano), Matt Cook (tenor saxophone), Jim Jones (bass) and Jack Thomas (drums), four of London’s most virtuosic and in demand young musicians.
His debut album ‘Transmission’ was released on Ubuntu music in January 2024 and a second album is scheduled to be released in late 2025.
‘Amidst the many London guitarists, Karim Saber is one who’s playing I am most excited about. He’s got ferocious chops, a great repertoire and I really enjoy his writing’ – Ant Law
‘Karim is one of the most recognisable and distinctive guitarists to emerge on the UK jazz scene in recent years. His compositions, tone and ideas are unique to him and I absolutely love this new album he has put together. I think he will be a much sought after play once audiences get a chance to hear this beautiful set of original tunes’ – Chris Montague

TICKETS
Music Spoken Here is proud to offer exceptional live music experiences in Worcester at a price affordable to you. Our fortnightly events at The Marr’s Bar are ticketless, just show up on the night and pay what you can afford on the door.
The suggested contribution for this event is £15.
You can find out more about our admission and membership options at A New Approach
https://musicspokenhere.club/a-new-approach/

The Marrs Bar
12 Pierpoint Street
Worcester,
Worcestershire WR1 1TA

Programme Announced for 10th London Piano Festival at Kings Place, 9th - 12th October 2025.

Sunday, March 23, 2025

The programme of this largely classical festival includes a recital featuring Julian Joseph and Zoe Rahman plus four outstanding young pianists from the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy. Press release att.

We have received the following press release;

Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen announce the programme for the 10th London Piano Festival at Kings Place

Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen announce the programme for the 10th London Piano Festival at Kings Place, featuring three world premieres by Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Stephen Hough and Elena Langer

Katya Apekisheva | Janneke Brits | Keelan Carew | Jeremy Chan | Ingrid Fliter | Berniya Hamie | Joseph Havlat | Emile Hinton | Stephen Hough | Julian Joseph | James Kreiling | Ella Lee | Mishka Rushdie Momen | Michael Morpurgo | Nnamdi Nnachi Cole | Ronan O’Hora | Charles Owen | Danny Piers | Zoe Rahman | Steve Rosenberg | Seta Tanyel | Emily Tran | Petroc Trelawny

9-12 October 2025 | Kings Place, London
#LondonPianoFestival

Three world premieres written to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Festival by composers Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Stephen Hough and Elena Langer

The central Gala, featuring co-founders Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva with Stephen Hough, Ingrid Fliter, Ronan O’Hora, Seta Tanyel, Mishka Rushdie Momen, and Joseph Havlat performing four-, six- and eight-handed works

Solo recitals by Ingrid Fliter, Mishka Rushdie Momen, and festival co-founders Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva

A family concert narrated by Michael Morpurgo and featuring Keelan Carew, James Kreiling and Janneke Brits

A masterclass led by Stephen Hough

A showcase of star pianists from the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy

Pre- and post-concert discussions led by Ella Lee, presenter of the Classical Circuit podcast

Pianists and co-Artistic Directors Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen reveal another dynamic line-up for the tenth-anniversary edition of the London Piano Festival (LPF) which returns to Kings Place from 9-12 October 2025. Four days of classical and jazz piano performances will include three world premieres by internationally renowned composers, each commissioned especially for this year’s Festival. The programme sees Ronan O’Hora, and Julian Joseph returning to perform at the Festival, and Stephen Hough, Ingrid Fliter, Keelan Carew, Zoe Rahman, Joseph Havlat, Mishka Rushdie Momen and more making their Festival debuts.

Under 30s tickets are available for all concerts at a reduced price of £10. The Festival is delighted to be working with International Piano magazine as its media partner for the tenth year running.

Co-Artistic Directors Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen commented,
“It is our great pleasure to be announcing the programme for the 10th London Piano Festival alongside the world premiere of three new commissions by Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Stephen Hough and Elena Langer. When we first dreamt up the idea of starting a piano festival over a decade ago, we hoped to fill a gap in London’s musical offering by creating a festival devoted exclusively to the piano. Ten years on, having presented nine Festivals featuring over 45 exceptional jazz and classical pianists, we are immensely grateful to continue offering world-class piano performances at our Festival home – Kings Place.”

Sam McShane, Artistic Director of Kings Place, commented:
“London Piano Festival is back with an epic programme to mark its 10th anniversary year. This year’s theme, ‘Maturity & Youth’, beautifully reflects the festival’s journey—celebrating a decade of artistic excellence while championing the future of piano music. From world premieres to classics, this programme embodies the spirit of sharing, friendship and collaboration that defines Kings Place.”

The Festival opens with a joint recital from Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen, featuring two world premieres. Katya Apekisheva will perform Seasons by Elena Langer, inspired by Philip Larkin’s poetry and commissioned as a companion piece to Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons. Charles Owen performs Stones of the Sky, a new composition by Cheryl Frances-Hoad inspired by gemstones found in the Austrian Alps and the Gem Poems by Pablo Neruda, and conceived as a complimentary piece to Schumann’s Carnaval. The event will be preceded by a pre-concert talk with the composers, led by Ella Lee, presenter of the Classical Circuit podcast [9 October].

Argentinian pianist Ingrid Fliter makes her LPF debut with a solo recital including Beethoven’s Sonata in E Flat and Sonata in D Major, and Chopin’s Nocturne in B Major and Sonata No. 3 in B minor. Ella Lee will lead a discussion with Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva beforehand, exploring the artists featured across the rest of the program and reflecting on the Festival’s decade-long legacy [10 October].

On Saturday, the Festival hosts a family concert, featuring a world premiere arrangement of Stravinsky’s The Firebird for two pianos, arranged and performed by James Kreiling and Janneke Brits, alongside Keelan Carew performing Poulenc’s Barbar the Elephant, with celebrated children’s author Michael Morpurgo as narrator. World-renowned pianist Stephen Hough will later present a piano clinic masterclass with pianists from the London conservatoires and beyond, closing with a Q&A led by pianist and broadcaster Keelan Carew [11 October].

The Saturday concludes with the Festival’s central event, the Two-Piano Gala, this year featuring no less than eight performers – Stephen Hough, Ingrid Fliter, Ronan O’Hora, Seta Tanyel, Mishka Rushdie Momen, and Joseph Havlat, in addition to Charles and Katya themselves. This year’s programme will include a world premiere composition by Stephen Hough, King’s Cross March, commissioned by the Festival and performed by Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva. Joseph Havlat, Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva will perform the UK premiere of Havlat’s own composition 64 Geese. Stephen Hough also joins Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva for a rendition of Rachmaninov’s Romance for Six Hands, and Ingrid Fliter, Joseph Havlat, Mishka Rushdie Momen and Ronan O’Hora perform Smetana’s Sonata for Two Pianos, (Eight Hands). Other featured composers include Mozart, Brahms, Shostakovich, Britten, Babajanian, Ravel and more [11 October].

The Sunday begins with a morning recital from Mishka Rushdie Momen, centred around her acclaimed album Reformation, exploring the rich sound world of Renaissance repertoire. This recital will include pieces by Byrd, Gibbons, Bull, Sweenlinck and more, and will conclude with a post-performance Q&A with Ella Lee [12 October].

BBC Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg intersperses stories of his life in Russia with piano improvisations at an event hosted by BBC Radio 3 presenter Petroc Trelawny. Running in parallel with this conversation will be a special focus on the historical and political significance of Dmitri Shostakovich, including a selection of his Preludes and Fugues performed by Berniya Hamie and Jeremy Chan, making their Festival debuts [12 October].

Julian Joseph returns to LPF with Zoe Rahman (in her Festival debut), bringing the 2025 Festival to a close with a recital of outstanding young pianists from the Julian
Joseph Jazz Academy, including Danny Piers, Emile Hinton, Emily Tran and Nnamdi Nnachi Cole, all performing at LPF for the first time [12 October].

The London Piano Festival was founded by pianists Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen in 2016 and takes place every October at Kings Place, London. Previous visiting artists have included Alfred Brendel, Alexandra Dariescu, Julian Joseph, Gabriela Montero, Stephen Kovacevich, Jason Rebello, Vadym Kholodenko, Leszek Możdżer, Lara Melda, Reinis Zariņš and Kathryn Stott, amongst many others. The Festival has also commissioned several new works for two pianos, working with composers including Sally Beamish, Jonathan Dove, Elena Langer and Nico Muhly.

Full programme

Thursday 9 October, 6:45 pm | Kings Place, St Pancras Room
Ella Lee in Conversation with Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Elena Langer
Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Elena Langer
Ella Lee Host

Thursday 9 October, 7:30 pm | Kings Place, Hall One
Opening Night – Carnaval meets The Seasons
Cheryl Frances-Hoad ‘Stones of the Sky’ World Premiere (CO)
R. Schumann Carnaval, Op. 9 (CO)
Tchaikovsky The Seasons, Op. 37a (KA)
Elena Langer ‘Seasons’ World Premiere (KA)
Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva Piano

Friday 10 October, 7:30 pm | Kings Place, Hall One
Ingrid Fliter performs Beethoven and Chopin
Beethoven Sonata in E flat, Op. 31/3
Beethoven Sonata in D Op. 10/3
Chopin Nocturne in B Op. 9/3
Chopin Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58
Ingrid Fliter Piano
Featuring pre-concert Q&A with Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva in conversation with Ella Lee

Saturday 11 October, 12:00 pm | Kings Place, Hall One
Once Upon a Piano: Babar & The Firebird with Michael Morpurgo
Poulenc The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant (KC)
Stravinsky The Firebird (JK and JB)
Keelan Carew, James Kreiling and Janneke Brits Piano
Michael Morpurgo Narrator

Saturday 11 October, 2:30 pm | Kings Place, Hall Two
Stephen Hough’s Piano Clinic
Stephen Hough
Featuring post-Piano Clinic conversation and Q&A with Stephen Hough in conversation with Keelan Carew

Saturday 11 October, 7:00 pm | Kings Place, Hall One
Tenth Anniversary Two-Piano Gala
Joseph Havlat 64 Geese UK Premiere (JH, CO & KA)
Mozart Sonata in D major, K448 (KA & IF)
Shostakovich Concertino, Op. 94 (ST & CO)
Britten Mazurka elegiaca, Op. 23 (SH & ROH)
Poulenc Élégie (KA & CO)
Elena Langer RedMare (MRM & JH)
Babajanian Armenian Rhapsody (KA & ST)
Stephen Hough King’s Cross March World Premiere (CO & KA)
Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56b (MRM & ROH)
Smetana Sonata for Two Pianos, 8 Hands in E minor (IF, JH, MRM & ROH)
Albeniz ‘Triana’ from Iberia (CO & IF)
Ravel La Valse (JH & ROH)
Rachmaninov Romance for Six Hands (1891) (SH, CO & KA)
Stephen Hough, Ingrid Fliter, Seta Tanyel, Ronan O’Hora, Charles Owen, Katya Apekisheva, Mishka Rushdie Momen and Joseph Havlat Piano

Sunday 12 October, 11:00 am | Kings Place, Hall One
Mishka Rushdie Momen – Reformation
Byrd Pavana Lachrymae after Flow my tears, by John Dowland
Gibbons Fantazia of Foure Parts
Bull Walsingham: 30 Variations
Byrd Callino Casturame
Sweelinck Ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la a 4 voci
Dowland In Darkness Let Me Dwell arr. Mishka Rushdie Momen
Adès Darknesse visible
Bull My Grief
Byrd The Bells
Mishka Rushdie Momen Piano
Featuring post-concert Q&A with Mishka Rushdie Momen in conversation with Ella Lee

Sunday 12 October, 2:00 pm | Kings Place, Hall Two
Shostakovich & Rosenberg - Reflections on contemporary Russia
Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues (selections) (BH and JC)
Steve Rosenberg, Berniya Hamie and Jeremy Chan Piano
Petroc Trelawny Presenter

Sunday 12 October, 6:00 pm | Kings Place, Hall One
Julian Joseph Presents: The Sounds of our Next Generation
Julian Joseph, Zoe Rahman, Danny Piers, Emile Hinton, Emily Tran and Nnamdi Nnachi Cole Piano

About Kings Place
Kings Place is an open, multi-arts venue, presenting an adventurous and critically-acclaimed programme, with words and music at its heart. Every year we curate a series of festivals to engage a breadth of different communities. We are a place where many audiences belong, a place where people connect with their passion and no-one is lost in the crowd.
Kings Place was developed from a generous act of philanthropy. Driven by a belief that arts and culture are a fundamental part of a thriving city – our work is as vibrant as our location in King’s Cross. We are independently-funded and generate income through ticket sales and the staging of world-class conferences and events.
We are rooted in partnership and have developed a collaborative community of resident partners and artistic associates. By opening our doors, people and creativity can flourish. We provide stages for artists, space for local communities and young musicians, share our home with partners, and offer audiences unforgettable, shared experiences.
We are Kings Place, the cultural pulse of King’s Cross.
http://www.kingsplace.co.uk

Kings Place
90 York Way, London,
N1 9AG.

Jazz, folk & world music at Cadogan Hall, London, April 2025 - January 2026.

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Cadogan Hall has announced a series of jazz, folk and world music events scheduled to take place in 2025 and early 2026. Fully detailed schedule attached.

We have received the following information regarding these events;

Béla Fleck, Tommy Emmanuel, Kurt Elling | Jazz, folk & world music coming up.

Police Dog Hogan
Monday 14 April, 7.30pm
‘They manage to fuse bluegrass, folk, country and more in a way that few others can match.’ (RnR Magazine), combining guitar, fiddle, banjo, trumpet and accordion with bass and drums to create a driving country-folk sound that has earned them the reputation as one of the country’s finest live bands and folk-country acts,’ said Folk Radio in 2022.

The Glenn Miller Orchestra
Sunday 18 May, 5pm
Join the Glenn Miller Orchestra, led by the acclaimed conductor Ray McVay, for a musical celebration of Glenn Miller’s incredible musical legacy. Enjoy hits like In the Mood, Moonlight Serenade, American Patrol, Little Brown Jug, Tuxedo Junction, and Pennsylvania 6‑5000, and many more as they take you on a tour of the 1930s and ‘40s.
ENCORE & group discounts available

Red Hot Chilli Pipers
featuring the Red Hot Chilli Dancers
Friday 30 May, 7pm
Following their triumphant appearance at Glastonbury, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers are back! Bagpipes with attitude, drums with a Scottish accent and a show that leaves people with warm hearts and smiles on their faces; the past 20-plus years have seen the Red Hot Chilli Pipers become the most famous bagpipe band on the planet… ever!

Celebrating Sammy Davis Jr.
Saturday 21 June, 7.30pm
Join the 30-piece Down for the Count Swing Orchestra to celebrate Sammy Davis Jr.‘s centenary. Enjoy timeles classics like ‘Birth of the Blues’, ‘What Kind of Fool Am I’, ‘Me and My Shadow’, and ‘Mr. Bojangles’, sung by Marvin Muoneké and Callum Gillies, along with anecdotes and music by his contemporaries including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sarah Vaughn.
ENCORE discount available

London Phoenix Orchestra
Wednesday 2 July, 7.30pm
Anderson Serenata
Gershwin Promenade: Walking The Dog
Anderson Piano Concerto
Ellington Three Black Kings
Shostakovich Suite for Variety Orchestra No. 1
Philip Leslie piano
London Phoenix Orchestra performs light music and jazz for the final concert of its season including a rare performance of Leroy Anderson’s Piano Concerto.

Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sanchez Trio
Wednesday 9 & Thursday 10 July, 7.30pm
The new all-star trio of banjo player and 18-time Grammy-winner Béla Fleck, harpist Edmar Castañeda, and drummer and five-time Grammy-winner Antonio Sanchez performs original repertoire – rich with strong melodies, gorgeous harmony and grooves that twist and turn while feeling fantastic.

Madeleine Peyroux
Tuesday 15 July, 7.30pm
Following her sold out show here in February, Madeleine returns this summer for a second show showcasing the deftly interwoven jazz, folk, and chamber pop of her critically acclaimed ninth album, Let’s Walk, which dovetails effortlessly with her beloved versions of Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits classics.

Julie Fowlis
Thursday 30 October
Voted ‘Musician of the Year’ at the Scots Trad Music Awards 2023 and winner of BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards’ ‘Folk Singer of the Year’, Julie’s music is deeply influenced by the Hebridean islands and Highland landscapes. With a career spanning several studio albums and numerous high-profile collaborations, you may also know her from songs in Brave, Disney Pixar’s Oscar-, Golden Globe- and BAFTA-winning animated film set in the ancient highlands of Scotland.

Lindisfarne
Saturday 1 November, 7.30pm
The legendary ‘70s folk-rock pioneers return to Cadogan Hall with a classic five-piece line-up of long-time members fronted by founder-member Rod Clements. With a repertoire of unforgettable songs like ‘Meet Me On The Corner’, ‘Fog On The Tyne’, ‘Lady Eleanor’ and ‘Run For Home’ and a reputation for live performance second to none, Lindisfarne’s power to galvanize their audiences remains undimmed, guaranteed to get the crowd on their feet and singing along.

Kurt Elling & Yellowjackets
Celebrate Weather Report
Saturday 15 November, 7.30pm
A thrilling collaboration between two jazz powerhouses – Grammy-winning vocalist Kurt Elling, known for his captivating baritone and improvisational brilliance, and Yellowjackets, jazz fusion legends redefining the genre for over four decades – blending the iconic music of Weather Report with bold reinterpretations and new explorations.

Swingin’ with Strings
Sunday 23 November, 6.30pm
The Jazz Repertory Company celebrates its 50th concert at Cadogan Hall with a production featuring Pete Long’s 40-piece orchestra in a wonderful selection of music from the 1950s and ‘60s including songs from Sinatra’s Capitol and Reprise years, Billie Holiday’s lush album of ballads Lady In Satin, plus selections from Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington and Nat ‘King’ Cole.

Colosseum + Soft Machine
Essential Progressive Jazz-Rock Double Bill
Thursday 27 November, doors 6pm
A double-bill of essential Progressive Jazz-Rock with Colosseum, who came to fame in 1969 with its debut album, Those Who Are About To Die Salute You, and the Canterbury-scene legends Soft Machine who shared the stage with the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, The Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa and more.

Jesse Cook
Saturday 29 November, 7.30pm
With a career spanning over 25 years and multiple accolades, the Canadian guitarist brings his innovative blend of flamenco, classical, jazz, and world beat to Cadogan Hall for one night only.

Tommy Emmanuel
Friday 23 & Saturday 24 January 2026, 7pm
With countless accolades including a Grammy award and multiple ARIA awards, this legendary guitarist and songwriter has dazzled audiences across the world with his melting pot of influences across genres, from pop to bluegrass, jazz to rock ‘n’ roll.

More information at http://www.cadoganhall.com

Cadogan Hall,
5 Sloane Terrace,
London SW1X 9DQ.

Box Office: 020 7730 4500

manchester jazz festival’s piano trail competition is back for 2025.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

mjf and Forsyth Music Shop have joined forces once again for the mjf2025 piano trail competition: to find Manchester’s hidden talents across a trail of 16 street pianos at locations across Manchester

We have received the following press release;

manchester jazz festival’s piano trail
competition is back for mjf2025!

manchester jazz festival and Forsyth Music Shop have joined forces once again for the mjf2025 piano trail competition: to find Manchester’s hidden talents across a trail of 16 street pianos at locations across Manchester city centre and beyond into Greater Manchester.

From 20 March – 31 May, the mjf piano trail competition encourages everyone to get creative and just have fun and for those who want to take part, there’s a chance to enter a competition to win a Yamaha digital piano and many more prizes!

THE LAUNCH
We’re delighted to announce that Emma Loat, Manager of Forsyth Music Shop, will launch the mjf2025 piano trail competition, which will take place from 6pm on Thursday 20 March at the Corn Exchange. The launch will feature live performances from last year’s winner of the piano trail competition, Ainsley Vanzyl, young piano prodigy William AN, and special guest Andrzej Baranek.

The mjf piano trail competition is delivered in partnership with the world-renowned Forsyth Music Shop of Deansgate and Yamaha pianos and is part of manchester jazz festival’s 30th anniversary celebrations (mjf2025) which will take place at 12 venues across the city from 16 - 25 May 2025.

The 16 piano locations are: Piccadilly Station, Manchester Arndale, Harvey Nichols, HOME, Victoria Station, MediaCityUK, Great Northern, Corn Exchange, Spinningfields, Royal Exchange Arcade, Central Library, Forsyth Music Shop, Aviva Studios, Trafford Palazzo, Grand Arcade (Wigan) and Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre (Oldham).

Alongside the piano trail itself, there will also be two bespoke piano trail walking tours available, run by Free Manchester Walking Tours (FMWT), on the 17 and 18 May (£10 per adult, children go free) and live performances at some of the pianos on the trail, more information to be announced soon. Visit http://www.manchesterjazz.com/pianotrail to find out more about the piano trail, the walking tours and how to take part in the competition.

HOW TO ENTER THE COMPETITION
To be in with a chance of winning a prize, simply find one of the pianos in the trail, capture a short video of your tune, 5 minutes max, and post the video to your Instagram, Facebook or X account (*not as a story). The competition closes at midnight on 31 May 2025. Tag mjf @manchesterjazzfestival on Facebook or Instagram or @manjazzfest on X and use the hashtag #mjfpianotrail2025
There are no rules regarding who can apply, what kind of music you play or what your performance involves. Just have fun and get creative!
At the end of the piano trail, mjf and Forsyth’s will select all winners and the winning entries will be showcased on social media and YouTube.

PRIZES
The prizes up for grabs so far are:
- Yamaha: Yamaha P145 Digital Piano
- HOME Bar & Kitchen: Two course meal for two (including bottle of wine/soft drinks)
- Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre: £50 Oldham Gift Card (all ages)
- Harvey Nichols: complimentary lunch for two people at the Second Floor Brasserie
with a bottle of Harvey Nichols Champagne
- Manchester International Festival 2025: 2 FREE tickets to MIF show, Football City,
Art United
- Birthday party for 12 Children at Oxygen, Quayside MediaCityUK (Family)

PLAY IT FORWARD: STREET PIANO FUND
manchester jazz festival and Forsyth’s Music Shop are joining forces to fundraise for a bigger and better piano trail with their Play it Forward: Street Piano Fund campaign; to maintain and expand the current network of street pianos to reach new venues, boroughs and communities across Greater Manchester all year round, to ensure more people have the opportunity to play and enjoy music-making, no matter their age or ability. Sourcing, servicing, delivering and then ongoing maintenance of the pianos or indeed replacing them (Piccadilly Station is currently on its third piano in as many years due to intensive use it gets!) is no small job. However, manchester jazz festival and Forsyth’s are keen to make this an ongoing sustainable legacy and are launching their Play it Forward: Street Piano Fund campaign to make it easy for everyone who appreciates the pianos to help keep them going for the benefit of all. To find out more and how you can support, please visit:
http://www.manchesterjazz.com/playitforward

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said:
“This city-region has music running through its veins, and helping connect people to new musical experiences and supporting talented musicians has always been so important to us. The mjf piano trail will take music back out onto the streets of Manchester, giving more people the chance to try their hand at playing and to encounter the vibrant music of our city in a really unique way.”

Emma Loat, Manager of Forsyth’s Music, said:
“For many years, we’ve had a street piano at the front of the Forsyth’s shop on Deansgate, so we know that Manchester and the surrounding areas is full of talented musicians and those willing to have a go. We’re really excited to supply 16 pianos to a growing number of venues for the mjf piano trail and we’d urge all those budding performers to come forward, have a go and be in with a chance of winning some fantastic prizes.”

James Sargeant from Yamaha, one of this year’s piano trail sponsors, said:
“We are thrilled to be working with the manchester jazz festival again this year in support of the mjf piano trail 2025. This fantastic initiative enables anyone and everyone to enjoy playing and listening to the piano, in some iconic locations across the city and of course, with the chance to win a Yamaha digital piano this is not an opportunity to be missed! We look forward to hearing lots of new talent which will no doubt emerge during the trail.”

mjf2025 takes place from 16 - 25 May at venues across Manchester city centre. Visit http://www.manchesterjazz.com for more information and to book tickets.

https://www.facebook.com/manchesterjazzfestival

https://www.instagram.com/manchesterjazzfestival/

https://x.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2FManJazzFest

Hashtag for piano trail: #mjfpianotrail2025

Guido Spannocchi, Touring schedule for March, April and May 2025.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Saxophonist, composer and improviser Guido Spannocchi has forwarded his latest newsletter including details of live dates with a variety of different line ups in the UK and Europe.

Guido Spannocchi writes;

Spring Tour

As spring slowly makes its way and awakens our curious mind hungry for culture I will be spending several weeks as a troubadour for contemporary music aiming to bring you old and new compositions. Sharing esteemed stages with exquisite musicians in hopes to meet new and old friends, tell everyone!
See you in the club!

27.March 8pm Brixton Brewery Taproom (UK)
(with Mariona DeLamo cello, Andrea DiBiase bass & Jansen Santana percussion)

With Tobias Meissl vibraphone, Jakob Gönitzer bass, Max Plattner drums:
30.March 8pm Zwe Vienna (AT)
31.March 8pm Music Lab Brno (CZ) (with Radim Pridal guitar)
2.April 8pm CulturCafe Smaragd Linz (AT)
3.April 8pm HoBiRaum Bad Vöslau (AT)
4.April 8pm Kulturbühne Dakig Gänserndorf (AT)

5.April 9pm Bloomsbury Club London (UK)
(with Francesco Ieraci guitar, Andrea DiBiase bass, Adam Texeira drums)

With Baran Say bass, Michal Stawarski piano, Ekin Gengiscan drums:
8.April 8pm Nardis Istanbul (TR)
11.April 8pm Pera 77 Istanbul (AT)
12.April 7pm Ahzuita Ankara (TR) (with Yunis Muti guitar)

With Chris Greive trombone, John Pope bass & Steve Hanley drums:
30.April 8pm The Globe Newcastle (UK)
1.May 8pm Carlton Club Manchester (UK)
2.May 9pm The Jazzbar Edinburgh (UK)

With Danny Keane keyboard, Andrea DiBiase bass & Pete Hill drums:
7.May 7pm Growlers & Cans Guildford (UK)
11.May 4pm Jazztrain Shoreditch (UK)

Remaining copies of “Live at Porgy & Bess Vienna” album now available at a reduced price!

Vinyl & CD Sales
https://kud.li/audioguido23

A bootleg video from our show at If Jazz Cafe Budapest last autumn.
Tobias Meissl vibraphone, David Doliner bass, Max Plattner drums

A bootleg video from our show at If Jazz Cafe Budapest last autumn.
Tobias Meissl vibraphone, David Doliner bass, Max Plattner drums
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj6bkNS1Ges

A video from our show at Marrs Bar “Music Spoken Here” series taken last spring with Danny Keane keyboard, Jason Simpson bass & Pete Hill drums
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnEubxhiddY

Links;

https://audioguido.com/

https://www.youtube.com/guidospannocchi

https://audioguido.bandcamp.com/

https://x.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Faudioguido

https://www.instagram.com/audioguido/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3kJWwaSVs6IKAtBxYupIhx

https://soundcloud.com/audioguido

Music Spoken Here, Worcester introduces new ‘Sunday Service’ strand, featuring soul, gospel and R’n'B.

Monday, March 17, 2025

MSH will be trying out its new 'Sunday Service', featuring soul, gospel & R'n'B with pilot shows arranged for the last Sunday in May and June, probably starting at 5pm and wrapping up around 7:30pm.

Dave Fuller of Music Spoken Here writes;

‘Sunday Service’ Pilot to Start in May

I’m really excited to announce that in a couple of months, we’ll be extending our live music programming at The Marr’s Bar and trying out a new ‘Sunday Service’, featuring soul, gospel and R’n'B. I’ve arranged two pilot shows that will run on the last Sunday in May and June, probably starting at 5pm and wrapping up around 7:30pm. If these pilot events are well supported, I’ll extend our programming from the Autumn to include more of the same vibe with monthly events on a Sunday evening.



The first show, on Sunday 25th May, will feature Birmingham-based Urban Soul Family (pictured), headed up by bassist Patrick White. On Sunday 29th June we have Danni Mayers, who performed one of her songs ‘Monday Blues’ during Reed Bass’ performance with us in December 2023 - watch it here!).



I’ll be keeping our ‘pay what you can’ admission model for these shows, however our current Club Membership benefits will only apply to our Thursday night jazz / fusion program, so everyone attending will need to contribute on the door. Depending on how well these events are supported, I may introduce an ‘all-inclusive’ membership next year that covers our Thursday and Sunday events, but we’ll work that out as we go.

http://www.musicspokenhere.club

The Marrs Bar
12 Pierpoint Street
Worcester,
Worcestershire WR1 1TA

Jazz in the West Midlands - March 17th - 23rd 2025.

Monday, March 17, 2025

A roundup of jazz, funk & soul gigs to check out this week in the West Midlands area. Listings supplied by Dave Fuller of Music Spoken Here, Worcester.

The Week Ahead

A roundup of jazz, funk, soul and blues gigs to check out this week in the West Midlands area.

Monday 17 Mar

Dom Franks’ Strayhorn
Cheltenham Jazz Club, The Victory Club Ballroom, Burlington House, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham GL50 2SY



Jazz at Pan-Pan: Kathryn Shultz / Nathan Thomas / Amy Coates / Isla Hutchins/ Jam night
Pan-Pan, 25D Floodgate St, Birmingham B5 5SL





Tuesday 18 Mar

Digbeth Jazz:
Dan McConkey
The Night Owl, 17-18 Lower Trinity Street, Birmingham B9 4AG





Wednesday 19 Mar

Van Morrison
Symphony Hall, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA



Upstairs at Cherry Red’s: Luke Chakrabati
Cherry Red’s, 88-92 John Bright Street, Birmingham B1 1BN



Bedford Street Jazz Jam (lineup not published)
Bedford Street Bar, 4 Bedford Street, Leamington Spa CV32 5DY



Henry Newman Jazz Experience
The Trumpet, 58 High Street, Bilston, Wolverhampton WV14 0EP





Thursday 20 Mar

Corn Exchange Jazz Club: Mike Hall with the Alex Steele Trio
Kings Head Hotel, 8 High St Ross-On-Wye HR9 5HL



CBSO An Evening of Thelonious Monk & Miles Davis
Symphony Hall, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA



Alison Rayner Quintet
The Albany Club, 10 Earlsdon St, Earlsdon, Coventry CV5 6EG



Bryan Corbett
Alsager Golf & Country Club, Audley Rd, Alsager Stoke-on-Trent ST7 2UR



Banda Brasileira
Eastside Jazz Club, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 200 Jennens Road, B4 7XR



Heatwave
The Jam House, 3-5 St Pauls Square, Birmingham B3 1QU



Saraband
Hush Bar, 2 The Terrace, Leamington Spa CV31 3AB





Friday 21 Mar

Soft Machine
Guildhall, Bore Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6LU



Steve Tromans Trio ft Giulia Marro
The Blue Piano, 24-26 Harborne Rd, Birmingham, B15 3AA



Tom Cawley
1000 Trades, 16 Frederick St, Birmingham B1 3HE



Red Lemons
The Jam House, 3-5 St Pauls Square, Birmingham B3 1QU



The Atlantic Players
The Hare & Hounds, High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7JZ



Jeremy
Hush Bar, 2 The Terrace, Leamington Spa CV31 3AB





Saturday 22 Mar



Sax In The City with The Notebenders
Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space, Symphony Hall, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA



Red Lemons
The Jam House, 3-5 St Pauls Square, Birmingham B3 1QU



Mike Davids Band
Cafe Metro, 46 Church St, Bilston, Wolverhampton WV14 0AH



Jack Tyson Charles
Hockley Social Club, 60 Hampton St, Birmingham B19 3LU



Variations with Tina Edwards & Digbeth Jazz
Artum at Hockley Social Club, 60 Hampton St, Birmingham B19 3LU



Trip for Biscuits
Hush Bar, 2 The Terrace, Leamington Spa CV31 3AB



Sunday 23 Mar

Jazz @ NAC Cafe Spotlight: Nat2
Newhampton Arts Centre, Dunkley Street, Wolverhampton WV1 4AN



Manos Puestas Trio
Temperance, 33 Bath St, Leamington Spa CV31 3AF







Have a great week!
Dave Fuller
Instigator, Music Spoken Here
http://www.musicspokenhere.club

Gaz Hughes - March 2025 Newsletter.

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Drummer, composer and bandleader Gaz Hughes has forwarded his latest newsletter including details of forthcoming recordings and live dates.

Gaz Hughes writes;

Hello Everyone!

I hope you’re keeping well! I just wanted to share some exciting news with you as we head into Spring…. drum roll please…

I’ll be recording a new album with my trio this summer! We have been busy behind the scenes writing and arranging new music. The trio has also been rehearsing and will be road testing the new music at a handful of gigs before headin into the studio at the end of May.

If you would like to hear the trio’s brand new material, here’s where we are playing over the next few months:

Sun 27th April - Huddersfiled Jazz Club

Fri 2nd May - Zeffirelli’s, Ambleside,

Wed 7th May - Concorde Club, Eastleigh

Sun 11th May - Electric Theatre, Guildford

Mon 12th May - Kennilworth Jazz Club

Wed 14th May - Scarborough Jazz Club

Fri 16th May - Wakefield Jazz Club

Tues 20th May - St.Ives Jazz Club

Thurs 22nd May - Fougou Music, Torbay

Fri 23rd May - Opus 4 Darlington ***

***  Special gig featuring:
Alex Clarke - Sax / Richard Wetherall - Piano / Gavin Barras - Double Bass / Gaz Hughes - Drums

All other gigs are:
Andrzej Baranek - Piano / Gavin Barras - Double Bass / Gaz Hughes - Drums

Competition Time
As you know, I have had a “Bebop” theme running though my last few albums with titles including:
Beboperation
Beboptical Illusion
Nuclear Bebopalypse
The best part? Most of the titles have been thought up by you lovely lot!
At every gig, people come up to me and suggest their ideas for album titles. We have such a good laugh that I would like to carry on the tradition!
If you would like to suggest an idea to be considered for the next album title, click on the link below.
If your idea is selected, your name will appear on the album credits and I’ll send you a free copy of the album as a big thank you!
https://us14.list-manage.com/survey?u=3d1a4407e6d7076d1684c7cd3&id=7e5b6f7a2e&ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_3_6_2024_14_30_COPY_01)&mc_cid=83848486f3&mc_eid=14f22e53a6&e=14f22e53a6

Upcoming Live Dates
Spring 2025

March

Sat 22nd March - Jamie Brownfield Quartet - Hornby

Wed 26th March - Dean Stockdale Quartet - Fleece Jazz Club

Sun 30th March - Cliff Ray Sextet - Wigan Jazz Club

April

Thurs 3rd April - Ray Butcher Quartet - Matt & Phreds, Manchester

Sun 6th April - with John Hallam - Farmers Arms, Bispham, Lancashire

Mon 14th April - Dean Stockdale Quartet , Music Village , Brussels

Thurs 24th April, - Meg Lee Quartet, Davenham Players Theatre, Northwich

Fri 25th April - with Emily Masser - Dragon Theatre, Barmouth, Wales

Sat 26th April - Hannah Brine Album Tour - Hermon Chapel Arts, Oswestry

Sun 27th April - Gaz Hughes Trio - Huddersfiled Jazz Club

May

Fri 2nd May - Gaz Hughes Trio - Zeffireli’s, Ambleside, Cumbria

Sat 3rd May - Hannah Brine Album Tour - Partington Theatre, Glossop

Mon 5th May - with Neil Yates - Penrhyn Arms, Llandudno

Wed 7th May - Gaz Hughes Trio - Concorde Club, Eastleigh

Fri 9th May - The Hot Jazz Biscuits - Shrewsbury

Sat 10th May - Hannah Brine Album Tour - Fiery Bird, Woking

Sun 11th May - Gaz Hughes Trio - Electric Theatre, Guildford

Mon 12th May - Gaz Hughes Trio - Kennilworth Jazz Club

Tues 13th May - Meg Lee Quartet - Morley Green Club, Wilmslow

Wed 14th May - Gaz Hughes Trio - Scarborough Jazz Club

Fri 16th May - Gaz Hughes Trio - Wakefield Jazz Club

Sat 17th May - Hannah Brine Album Tour - Pavillion, Matlock

Tues 20th May - Gaz Hughes Trio - St.Ives Jazz Club

Thurs 22nd May - Gaz Hughes Trio - Fougou Music, Torbay

Fri 23rd May - Dean Stockdale Quartet - Durham Gala Theatre

Fri 23rd May - Gaz Hughes & Friends - Opus 4 Jazz Club, Darlington

Sat 24th May - Dean Stockdale Quartet - Hexham Jazz Festival

Sun 25th May - Dean Stockdale Quartet - Wigan Jazz Club

For more info: http://www.gazhughesmusic.com

Website Shop
My albums can be now be bought directly through my website. To get your copy, click on the link below.
https://gazhughesmusic.com/shop

Drummer’s Corner
Recently, I’ve been revisiting the music of the late great Kenny Clarke! I love his playing especially his solo vocabulary and have spent many hours listening to and transcribing his music. I would like to share with you some of my favourite KC licks that I have heard on some of his most famous recordings.
(Click the link below)
https://mcusercontent.com/3d1a4407e6d7076d1684c7cd3/files/ab1108c8-3e9a-9bc5-a568-ddea34cbd758/Kenny_Clarke_Vocabulary.pdf?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_3_6_2024_14_30_COPY_01)&mc_cid=83848486f3&mc_eid=14f22e53a6

Drum Lessons With Gaz
For any drummers wanting to further their study. My drum studio, located in Middlewich Cheshire, is a purpose built studio acoustically treated to the highest standard with top of the range drum gear ranging from vintage Ludwig and Gretsch kits to modern Canopus drums. I have a large collection of cymbals from old stamp K Zildjian to modern day Meinl.

Online Lessons
If you can’t make it to the studio, I also offer lessons online. Whether you’re keen to dive deeper into Bebop drumming, rudiments, technique, drum vocabulary or solo development, get in touch as I love sharing my passion for music and drumming.

Ladbroke Hall, London, Jazz Programme for March and April 2025.

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Ladbroke Hall is a cultural venue which hosts weekly Friday Jazz Nights, drawing audiences from across London to enjoy live jazz accompanied by a special menu from the award-winning restaurant Pollini

We have received the following press release;

WEST LONDON HIDDEN GEM LADBROKE HALL IS FAST BECOMING A GO-TO DESTINATION FOR JAZZ LOVERS WITH ITS POPULAR FRIDAY JAZZ NIGHTS

“Some of the names coming to this former car showroom in Barlby Road are very special” UK Jazz News

Ladbroke Hall is a vibrant cultural venue which hosts weekly Friday Jazz Nights, drawing audiences from across London to enjoy live jazz accompanied by a special menu from Emanuele Pollini’s award-winning restaurant Pollini.

Built in 1903, the building started its life as a Clément-Talbot factory – a pioneering Edwardian car showroom – and is now the home to the spectacularly renovated Ladbroke Hall, featuring performance spaces, the Pollini restaurant and Carpenters Workshop Gallery’s London HQ.

Curated by saxophonist Zhenya Strigalev, Ladbroke Hall welcomes leading jazz artists every Friday for live performances in its Sunbeam Theatre. Tickets cost £10-£15 for standing tickets and £25-£30 for table seating.

Coming up in March, saxophonist and curator of the series Zhenya Strigalev celebrates his new quartet, taking the to the stage with drummer Harvel Nakundi, pianist Ivo Neame and bassist Ewan Hastie to perform Zhenya’s new original compositions and tracks from his last albums [14 March]. Nigerian-born, UK-based composer, guitarist and vocalist Femi Temowo, known for his work with artists such as Amy Winehouse, The Roots and Soweto Kinch, returns to Ladbroke Hall with a new programme featuring an all-star, six-piece band [21 March]. Later this month, Ladbroke Hall hosts a set from trumpeter Mark Kavuma and his collective, The Banger Factory – featuring Mussinghi Brian Edwards (tenor saxophone), Theo Erskine (alto saxophone), Deschanel Gordon (piano), Jack Garside (bass) and Jack Thomas (drums) [28 March].

Saxophonist Alex Garnett performs alongside Will Barry (piano), Ferg Ireland (double bass), Will Cleasby (drums) and Alex Garnett (tenor saxophone) [4 April] and the Micah Thomas Trio make their UK debut [11 April].  Tenor saxophonist Fraser Smith performs a set with his Quartet, featuring Leon Greening (piano), Simon Read (bass) and Steve Brown (drums) [18 April] and jazz singer Emma Smith closes the April programme with a vocal set, performing alongside Jamie Safir (piano), Conor Chaplin (double bass), Luke Tomlinson (drums) and Zhenya Strigalev (saxophone) [25 April].

Details of the jazz programme for May onwards will be announced in due course.

https://ladbrokehall.com/live-programme/jazz/

Friday Jazz Nights at Ladbroke Hall

14 March, 7:30pm – Zhenya Strigalev
Zhenya Strigalev – saxophone
Ivo Neame – piano
Ewan Hastie – double bass
Harvel Nakundi – drums
Special guest: Kieran Stickle – trombone
Jazz & Dinner
£25 Table seating | £10 Standing

21 March – Femi Temowo
Jazz & Dinner
Femi Temowo and a 6-piece band
£30 Table seating | £15 Standing

28 March - Mark Kavuma & The Banger Factory
Mark Kavuma – trumpet
Mussinghi Brian Edwards – tenor saxophone
Theo Erskine – Alto Saxophone
Deschanel Gordon – piano
Jack Garside – bass
Jack Thomas – drums
Jazz & Dinner
£30 Table seating | £15 Standing

4 April – Alex Garnett Quartet
Will Barry – Piano
Ferg Ireland – Double bass
Will Cleasby – Drums
Alex Garnett – Tenor Saxophone
Jazz & Dinner
£30 Table seating | £15 Standing

11 April – Micah Thomas Trio
Micah Thomas – Piano
Dean Torrey – Double bass
Kayvon Gordon – Drums
Jazz & Dinner
£30 Table seating | £15 Standing

18 April – Fraser Smith Quartet
Fraser Smith – Tenor
Leon Greening – Piano
Simon Read – Bass
Steve Brown – Drums
Jazz & Dinner
£30 Table seating | £15 Standing

25 April – Emma Smith
Emma Smith – Vocal
Jamie Safir – Piano
Conor Chaplin – Double bass
Luke Tomlinson – Drums
Zhenya Strigalev – Saxophone
Jazz & Dinner
£30 Table seating | £15 Standing

Ladbroke Hall

Ladbroke Hall, built in 1903, began as the Clément-Talbot factory, a pioneering Edwardian car showroom. Founded by Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury, the hall’s grand Beaux Arts architecture echoes an English country house, reflecting the Earl’s passion for classicism. During WWI, the factory also produced military vehicles, contributing to the war effort.

After the war, the site evolved, housing various automobile-related activities and Thames Television in the 1980s. Acquired in 2019 by Loïc Le Gaillard and Julien Lombrail, founders of Carpenters Workshop Gallery, the building was carefully restored, once again operated as a single entity.

Today, Ladbroke Hall a vibrant cultural venue open to all, showcasing all forms of artistic expression, from Jazz to dance and poetry, in line with its legacy of creativity and innovation.

https://ladbrokehall.com/

Ladbroke Hall,
79 Barlby Rd
London W10 6AZ.

Derby Jazz - Spring Programme 2025.

Friday, March 14, 2025

Derby Jazz has announced its programme for April and May 2025. Events take place at various venues around the city.

We have received the following information;

MINGUS MUSIC
DUBREK
Fri. April. 11th
Charles Mingus composed some of the greatest jazz ever written. Most bands avoid playing this great music for fear of sounding both too much like and not enough like Mingus. But since last October twelve jazz musicians from Derby have been working with their mentor Matt Ratcliffe on some of the wonderful tunes from three of his classic albums; MINGUS AH UM, BLUES & ROOTS and OH YEAH!. Tonight they celebrate the music they’ve learned together.

MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLERS
MUSEUM of MAKING
FRIDAY APRIL 18th
A celebration of the glorious and uplifting music of Weather Report.
Mysterious Travellers was formed by Jazz fusion drummer George Grignon (SoulDeep and Kallugah) to celebrate the music of Weather Report following the passing of founder member Wayne Shorter in 2023. Fretless electric bassist Dave Sturt (GONG and The Steve Hillage band) was first call in addition to rising keyboard star Robert Dimbleby. The incredibly talented saxophonist Jack Williams followed and the band is rounded out by master percussionist Rich Kensington. Mysterious Travellers will be performing pieces drawn from the entirety of Weather Report’s glorious heritage of electric jazz.

EMPIRICAL
DERBY MUSEUM & ART GALLERY
FRI. MAY 9TH
Multi award-winning UK jazz ensemble EMPIRICAL performing music from their new album Wonder is the Beginning, released on Whirlwind Recordings in 2024.
‘Empirical is still a reliable touchstone of contemporary British jazz at its most sophisticated.’ JAZZWISE
‘Empirical, around for an astonishing 15 years already, are one of the great British contributions to European jazz.’ DOWNBEAT

NICOLE MITCHELL
NEIL CHARLES
MARK SANDERS
DUBREK
SAT. MAY 24th
Nicole M. Mitchell is an award-winning American creative flutist, composer, bandleader and educator from Chicago. She is perhaps best known for her work as a flutist, having developed a unique improvisational language and having been repeatedly awarded “Top Flutist of the Year” by Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll and the Jazz Journalists Association (2010-2022).

Tickets via;
https://mjazz.co.uk/whats-on/

Chesterfield Jazz Club, Spring programme 2025.

Friday, March 14, 2025

Chesterfield Jazz Club has announced its programme for March, April and May 2025. Performers include Andrew Cleyndert, Gareth Lockrane, Alex Clarke, Wendy Kirkland. Schedule attached.

We have received the following information;

Chesterfield Jazz Club presents
ANDREW CLEYNDERT with the WENDY KIRKLAND TRIO
at The Olde House, Newbold Chesterfield S40 4RN
on THURSDAY MARCH 20th

Chesterfield Jazz Club presents
GARETH LOCKRANE with the WENDY KIRKLAND TRIO
at The Olde House, Newbold Chesterfield S40 4RN
on THURSDAY APRIL 17th

Chesterfield Jazz Club presents
ALEX CLARKE with the WENDY KIRKLAND TRIO
at The Olde House, Newbold Chesterfield S40 4RN
on THURSDAY MAY 15th

https://www.facebook.com/ChesterfieldJazzClub/

See also;
https://mjazz.co.uk/whats-on/

Transatlantic Hot Club UK Tour, April / May 2025 - Ben Creighton Griffiths (Harp), Adrien Chevalier (Violin), Ashley John Long (Bass), Jeremy Lohier (Accordion).

Friday, March 14, 2025

Transatlantic Hot Club, featuring- Ben Creighton Griffiths (Harp), Adrien Chevalier (Violin), Ashley John Long (Bass), Jeremy Lohier (Accordion) will be touring the UK in late April and early May.

Ben Creighton Griffiths has provided the following information;

Transatlantic Hot Club UK Tour 2025 - Ben Creighton Griffiths (Harp), Adrien Chevalier (Violin), Ashley John Long (Bass), Jeremy Lohier (Accordion)

24/04/25 - Concert - Guildford Jazz - Tickets https://www.guildfordjazz.org.uk/listings/rowe-etheridge-apr-2025-2xyjb

25/04/25 - Concert - Pavilions, Teignmouth - Tickets https://www.pavilionsteignmouth.org.uk/events/transatlantic-hot-club-2025

26/04/25 - Concert - UTEA, Wotton Under Edge - Tickets https://www.utea.org.uk/event-details/transatlantic-hot-club

27/04/25 - Concert - Insole Court, Cardiff - Tickets https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/transatlantic-hot-club-live-insole-court-2025-tickets-906580636087?aff=oddtdtcreator

30/04/25 - Concert - Ludlow Assembly Rooms - Tickets https://ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk/event/transatlantic-hot-club/

01/05/25 - Dinner Jazz - Maison De Boeuf, Cardiff - Bookings https://www.maisondeboeuf.com/

02/05/25 - Concert - Speakeasy Jazz Club, Portishead - Info https://www.facebook.com/speakeasyjazzclub1/

03/05/25 - Concert - Ullenhall Village Hall - Tickets https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/transatlantic-hot-club-live-ullenhall-tickets-932569740197?aff=oddtdtcreator

04/05/25 - Concert - Aberjazz Club, Ffwrn, Fishguard - Tickets https://www.aberjazz.com/index.html

See also Ben Creighton Griffiths’ website;
http://www.bjcg.co.uk

SERIOUS Announces 2025 London Summer Jazz Series.

Monday, March 10, 2025

Serious has announced their Summer Jazz Series, in which a handpicked collection of global jazz stars, inc. Herbie Hancock, will take to the stage at the Barbican and Cadogan Hall across June & July.

We have received the following press release;

Herbie Hancock announces 3-day residency at Barbican as part of Summer Jazz Series with Tigran Hamasyan, Brad Mehldau Trio and Madeleine Peyroux

ERIOUS Announce 2025 Summer Jazz Series

Herbie Hancock leads the way with 3 night Barbican residency

Brad Mehldau Trio, Madeleine Peyroux, Tigran Hamasyan and more also announced

June and July between the Barbican and Cadogan Hall

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
https://serious.org.uk/summer-jazz-series-2025

Serious are announcing their Summer Jazz Series, in which a handpicked collection of global jazz stars will take to the stage at the Barbican and Cadogan Hall across June and July. This news is led by a very special three night stint from legendary keyboardist and composer Herbie Hancock whose last performance at the Barbican in 2023 was described as “completely engrossing” by The Guardian.

Herbie Hancock returns to the Barbican Hall with a 3-night UK exclusive residency to celebrate his 85th birthday and over 50 years since his first ever London show, at the historic Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park. Herbie Hancock is a true icon of modern music. Throughout his explorations, he has transcended limitations and genres while maintaining his unmistakable voice. With an illustrious career spanning five decades and 14 Grammy Awards, he continues to amaze audiences across the globe.

There are few artists in the music industry who have had more influence on acoustic and electronic jazz and R&B than Herbie Hancock. As the immortal Miles Davis said in his autobiography, “Herbie was the step after Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, and I haven’t heard anybody yet who has come after him.”

Now in the sixth decade of his professional life, Herbie Hancock remains where he has always been: in the forefront of world culture, technology, business and music. Though one can’t track exactly where he will go next, he is sure to leave his inimitable imprint wherever he lands. This exclusive residency is promoted alongside Marshall Arts.

Tigran Hamasyan is considered one of the most remarkable and distinctive pianists and composers of his generation seamlessly fusing potent jazz improvisation and progressive rock with the rich folkloric music of his native Armenia. On 16 June, Hamasyan returns to the Barbican Hall to perform a special concert in which he brings his latest album, The Bird of a Thousand Voices to life, live with a quartet. This follows his Sold Out performance at Cadogan Hall as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival last year. Opening for Hamasyan is singer, violinist and composer Alice Zawadzki who has established herself in the peripheries and crossovers of the classical, folk, jazz and art-pop worlds. The award-winning singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer has released three albums of her solo work, the latest her highly lauded Za Górami, released on the iconic ECM Records in 2024.

One of the most lyrical and intimate voices of contemporary jazz piano, Brad Mehldau has forged a unique path, which embodies the essence of jazz exploration, classical romanticism and pop allure. Performing at the Barbican as a trio including Felix Moseholm and Jorge Rossy on 24 June as part of the Summer Jazz Series, Mehldau continues to garner numerous awards and admiration from both jazz purists and music enthusiasts alike. With his self-proclaimed affection for popular music and classical training, “Mehldau is the most influential jazz pianist of the last 20 years” (The New York Times).

Described as “the finest banjo player on the planet” by the Guardian, Béla Fleck’s new all-star trio completed by harpist Edmar Castañeda, and drummer Antonio Sanchez who composed the soundtrack to Oscar winning film Birdman (2014), and received a Grammy award in the same year for the soundtrack. Playing original repertoire, much of it collaboratively written, this trio embarks nightly on fearless explorations that audiences will find irresistible — rich with strong melodies, gorgeous harmony and grooves that twist and turn while feeling fantastic. Catch them at Cadogan Hall on both 9 & 10 July.

Following their successful show at EFG London Jazz Festival last year, which The Telegraph described as “a joyous evening” Take Me to the River All-Stars Memphis Soul Revue is a collection of some of the legendary Memphis musical talents who created countless classic hits that have stood the test of time! Featuring the Queen of Memphis Soul STAX legend and GRAMMY Nominee Carla Thomas who collaborated with R&B star Otis Redding, the legendary Hi Rhythm Section (the band behind 27 Gold and Platinum Records in a row, including all of Al Green’s classics, along with classics from Ann Peebles, Otis Clay, and many others) along with BBKing’s All-Stars vocalist Jerome Chism, GRAMMY winner Boo Mitchell (son of Willie Mitchell) and GRAMMY winner Martin Shore. Taking place the night is guaranteed to keep everyone dancing, shaking, and smiling! As if transported to Memphis itself. Expect to hear the best of Al Green, BB King, Otis Clay, along with classic songs Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes), B-A-B-Y, and the greatest hits from STAX and Hi Records.

And while celebrating the musical treasures of Mississippi, expect a stop over in Berclair, the birth place of BB King. On the occasion of the legend’s centenary, his musical collaborators will pay homage to his great legacy as well.

Fresh from two sold-out events at Saffron Hall and Cadogan Hall this month, Madeleine Peyroux is performing another London show at Cadogan Hall on 15 July for the Summer Jazz Series following her captivating ninth album, Let’s Walk, which came out last year to critical acclaim.

SUMMER SERIOUS DATES

16 June - Tigran Hamasyan + Alice Zawadzki, Barbican

24 June - Brad Mehldau Trio, Barbican

9 July - Béla Fleck, Antonio Sanchez, Edmar Castañeda, Cadogan Hall

10 July - Béla Fleck, Antonio Sanchez, Edmar Castañeda, Cadogan Hall

12 July - Take Me to the River All-Stars Memphis Soul Revue, Barbican

15 July - Madeleine Peyroux Cadogan Hall

24 July - Herbie Hancock, Barbican *

25 July - Herbie Hancock, Barbican *

26 July - Herbie Hancock, Barbican *

Serious is one of the UK’s leading producers of live jazz, international and new music through concerts, festivals, tours, digital shows, talent development schemes, learning and participation programmes, and bespoke events for all.

* co-promoted with Marshall Arts

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, first broadcast 09/03/2025.

Monday, March 10, 2025

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 09/03/2025, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

Radio Playlist from 9th March 2025

Yazz Ahmed
Waiting for the Dawn
A Paradise in the Hold
Night Time Stories

KOVÁSZ
Let’s Dance
Fermentum
BMC

Marcin Masecki
Brilliant Corners
Monk
BMC

Simon Jermyn
Gebeth
Obsany
Elastic Recordings

Michael Buckley
Strange Taste
Ebb and Flow
Livia records

Thomas Backman
Scherzo Demoniaco
Nothing
Modern Musik

Marius Neset
P11
Cabaret
ACT

Knats
One for Josh
Knats
Gearbox records

Landæus-de Heney- Osgood
Lullaby Boomerang
Dissolving Patterns
SFӒR

Josephine Davis
Samhain
Celtic Wheel of the Year
Ubuntu

Andreas Schaerer
Bad Eye
Anthem For No Mans Land
ACT

Hans Hulbækmo and Egil Kalman
Unit of Time
Unit of Time
Motvind

Anouar Brahem
The Eternal Olive Tree
After the Last Sky
ECM

Jon Balke
Ductus
Skrifum
ECM

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time:
http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 3pm onward

Also as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on Apple, Amazon, Deezer and other podcast sites.

Line-up confirmed for Petersfield Jazz & Blues Festival 2025.

Monday, March 03, 2025

Petersfield Jazz & Blues Festival 2025 is all set for Saturday, June 14th 2025 and will showcase twelve different acts. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Stellar line-up confirmed for Petersfield Jazz & Blues Festival 2025
BBC Radio 3 shows support for this summer’s festival

Hampshire’s largest jazz and blues festival has announced a stellar line-up for this year’s musical extravaganza.

Petersfield Jazz & Blues Festival 2025 is all set for Saturday, June 14th 2025 and will showcase world-leading talent from12 acts, featuring musicians who have played and collaborated with legends including Jeff Beck, Amy Winehouse, James Taylor Quartet, Van Morrison, Madonna, Incognito, Groove Armada, Bill Bruford and many more.

The festival, which has been promoted by Soweto Kinch of BBC’s Radio 3 ‘Round Midnight ‘will put the spotlight on an array of artists, many of whom are recognized internationally and some of whom also live in Hampshire and the surrounding areas. 

The confirmed line-up will be a thriller for jazz and blues fans alike and features:
The Full Circle Quartet
Jazz Samba
Betty Accorsi
Jana Varga
Meirer, Roth and Redtenbacher
Rainey’s Revue

Petersfield Jazz & Blues Festival 2025 takes place in the stunningly beautiful grounds of Churcher’s College, a leading co-ed private day school founded in 1722. 

Colin Clark, the chief organiser and driving force behind the festival which is now in its second year said; “Jazz and blues fans are in for a real treat in just a few months’ time. I’m delighted that we have secured such a depth and breadth of musical talent for the festival this year and we expect a sell-out show.”

Tickets are priced at £40 are limited and are available along with full details of the festival at:
http://www.petersfieldjazzfest.com

The venue, hosted by Churcher’s School is Ramshill, Petersfield, GU31 4AS and features two marquees, food and drink as well as ample parking for ticketholders.

Colin Clark’s inspiration for the Petersfield Jazz & Blues Festival came from running The Strange Fruit Jazz Club in Petersfield, which takes over Gallery No.30 on the third Friday of each month. This club has been thriving for over three years, consistently selling out events thanks to the remarkable local talent. With a wealth of musicians, artists, and actors in the Petersfield area, the success of Strange Fruit highlighted the need for a dedicated jazz festival.

About the line-up

The Full Circle Quartet has crafted an album inspired by the South Downs and was recognized by Jazzwise magazine as one of their top 100 picks for 2023. Under the leadership of the esteemed bassist Terry Pack, the band boasts an impressive array of talent. They delighted audiences last year and are returning due to popular demand.

Jazza Samba features the exceptional tenor saxophonist Mark Crooks and the award-winning guitarist Nigel Price, presenting a fresh take on the classic ‘Jazz Samba’. This performance pays homage to the iconic 1962 album by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd.

Betty Accorsi is a talented saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer originally from Italy, now residing in Brighton. She began her classical saxophone training at a young age at the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Milan. The Betty Accorsi Quartet has made notable appearances at venues such as Pizza Express Soho, the Pheasantry Chelsea, Hampstead Jazz Club, the Verdict Brighton, and the Brighton Jazz Festival.

Jana Varga: Blending a variety of influences, including classical music and the songwriting styles of Janis Ian, James Taylor, and the folk sounds of Paul Simon, Jana has developed a unique voice that continues to grow.  Currently, she regularly appears in the acclaimed ‘Joni Reimagined’ show,  a tribute to Joni Mitchell’s music, where she has recorded and performed live alongside platinum-selling artist Rumer. 

A festival one-off ‘super-group’ features top guitarists Nicolas Meier, Pete Roth, and bassist Stefan Redtenbacher performing for the first time ever as a trio. Their CVs are hugely impressive; 
UK-based guitarist Nicolas Meier has carved a reputation out as one of the world’s most original and uniquely talented guitarists. His considerable talents drew the attention of rock guitar legend, Jeff Beck, who made Nicolas a mainstay in The Jeff Beck Group—carrying him on two world tours during the course of the last several years.
Pete Roth is a versatile artist and accomplished session guitarist, born in Germany, where his musical journey began in the heart of a family deeply rooted in music. 
His new endeavour with his trio featuring bassist Mike Pratt and legendary drummer, Bill Bruford.
Stefan Redtenbacher was born in Salzburg and though most popular musicians are self-taught, Stefan took the formal training route, his natural talent and capacity for study taking him from the Vienna Conservatory to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Chichester University where he assembled his Funkestra, purveyors of a deft line in what their leader, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, terms ‘Strudel Funk’.

Rainey’s Revue showcasing music from the 1920s/30s/40s with classic songs by Ma Rainey. The music has been arranged by Richard Exall (sax/clarinet/flute) in conjunction with Musical Director, Dom Barnett (piano).  The established rhythm section of Sam Kelly (drums) and Marianne Windham (double-bass) are complimented by the acoustic jazz-influences of Tony Qunta (acoustic guitar). 

Sam Newbould - UK & European Tour Dates, March and April 2025.

Saturday, March 01, 2025

Saxophonist and composer Sam Newbould will be touring in the UK and Europe during March and April in support of his new album "Homing". Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Sam Newbould on tour

The prolific and multi award winning composer and saxophonist presents his latest album Homing, voted one of the best albums of 2025 by prominent Dutch newspaper NRC, among many other accolades. On his April run through the UK and Scotland, Newbould presents Homing as well as some brand new music, premiering for UK audiences.

Joined by tenorist Bernard van Rossum, celebrated pianist Xavi Torres (Jasper Høiby), bassist Jort Terwijn and ever-creative drummer Guy Salamon, Newbould’s show is not to be missed.

Be welcome. Join us for some great contemporary jazz in March and April!

Mar. 19, 2025 – Theater Orpheus, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
Apr. 7, 2025 – Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Apr. 8, 2025 – Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock, United Kingdom
Apr. 9, 2025 – Tolbooth, Stirling, United Kingdom
Apr. 10, 2025 – The Blue Lamp, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
Apr. 11, 2025 – Brewery Arts, Kendal, United Kingdom
Apr. 12, 2025 – Big Brass Blowout 2025, Bradford, United Kingdom
Apr. 13, 2025 – Jazz at The Merchants House, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Apr. 17, 2025 – Brebl, Nijmegen, Netherlands
Apr. 26, 2025 – Jazzahead Bremen 2025, Bremen, Germany

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etrJW2YHRoI

SMOKE Jazz Club, New York City, Programme for April 2025.

Monday, February 24, 2025

SMOKE Jazz Club has announced its schedule for April and early May 2025. Performers include Walter Smith III, One for All featuring Jon Faddis, Cyrus Chestnut, Something Else! feat. Vincent Herring.

We have received the following press release;

Smoke Jazz Club Announces April Line-Up including Jim Rotondi Tribute, Walter Smith III and More

Announcing SMOKE Jazz Club’s April Line-Up Featuring a Special Jim Rotondi Tribute Concert, the Return of Legendary Artists George Cables, Vincent Herring, and More

Walter Smith III Quartet (April 2-6)
George Cables Quartet (April 9-13)
ONE FOR ALL featuring special guest Jon Faddis
“Jim Rotondi Celebration” (April 16-20)
Cyrus Chestnut Trio (April 23-27)
Something Else! featuring Vincent Herring (April 30-May 4)

NEW YORK, NY, 02.24.25)
Hailed as the “#1 Jazz Club in New York City (SecretNYC),” SMOKE Jazz Club presents today’s leading artists in April aka Jazz Appreciation Month. The lauded tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III begins the month with a five-night run (Apr 2-6) at the helm of his stellar quartet. SMOKE is thrilled to host a special tribute concert series honoring trumpeter Jim Rotondi featuring the One For All ensemble with special guest Jon Faddis (Apr 16-20). Longtime audience favorites return to the club including legendary pianists George Cables (Apr 9-13) and Cyrus Chestnut (Apr 23-27), as well as Something Else! featuring Vincent Herring (Apr 30-May 4). For the complete and most updated April schedule, please visit http://www.smokejazz.com.

April 2025 Concert Schedule (subject to change):

Wed-Sun April 2-6 Walter Smith III Quartet
Walter Smith III – tenor saxophone
James Francies – piano
Harish Raghavan – bass
Kendrick Scott – drums
“A tenor saxophonist for our times.” – The Guardian
Tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III leads an exciting quartet featuring pianist James Francies, bassist Harish Raghavan, and fellow Houston native, drummer Kendrick Scott. Since his debut nearly two decades ago, Smith has become a cornerstone of the jazz scene, contributing to legendary groups such as Roy Haynes’s Fountain of Youth Band, the Terence Blanchard Quintet, Eric Harland’s Voyager, and the Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet, as well as collaborations with Jason Moran, Christian McBride, Gerald Clayton, and the Sean Jones Quintet, among many others.
JazzWise praises Smith for expressing his deep modern jazz roots with “an airy tenor sax tone and a ferocious yet understated technique.” Meanwhile, Downbeat highlights his “killing” tone and melodicism, noting his “vast and beautiful flow of ideas.”

Wed-Sun April 9-13: George Cables Quartet
Craig Handy – tenor saxophone & flute
George Cables – piano
Alexander Claffy – bass
Jerome Jennings – drums
“Anyone serious about jazz will tell you that George Cables belongs in the pantheon of the greatest jazz pianists.” – All About Jazz
Legendary pianist George Cables, celebrated for his impeccable sound, sensitive accompaniment, and distinctive playing, leads a stellar quartet. Joining him at SMOKE in this remarkable ensemble are saxophonist Craig Handy, bassist Alexander Claffy, and drummer Jerome Jennings.
Recently named an inaugural recipient of the 2025 Jazz Legacy Fellowship by the Mellon Foundation and the Jazz Foundation of America, Cables is described as a “humble keyboard genius with impeccable technique and a unique songbook.” A key collaborator with jazz icons like Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon, and Art Pepper, Cables’ contributions to jazz are undeniable. As a bandleader, he has released numerous classic recordings, solidifying his place as a major figure in the genre. The New York City Jazz Record hails him as “a piano giant,” while National Public Radio notes that his solos “reveal a deep sense of groove and pacing and a mind at work.”

Wed-Sun April 16-20­: ONE FOR ALL featuring special guest Jon Faddis “Jim Rotondi Celebration”
Jon Faddis – trumpet
Eric Alexander – tenor saxophone
Steve Davis – trombone
David Hazeltine – piano
John Webber – bass
Joe Farnsworth – drums
“New York’s premier hard bop supergroup” – JazzTimes
One for All, the renowned sextet featuring Eric Alexander, Steve Davis, David Hazeltine, John Webber, and Joe Farnsworth, is joined by special guest Jon Faddis for a heartfelt tribute to their beloved trumpeter and founding member, Jim Rotondi, who tragically passed away last summer at 61.
Formed in the late 1990s and deeply inspired by the iconic hard bop sextets of the golden age, One for All became a fixture at Smoke, delivering electrifying performances over the years. Their unique sound blends a deep reverence for jazz tradition with a forward-thinking approach that pushes its boundaries. As All About Jazz noted, “Cohesive and interdependent, these musicians bring out the best in one another.”
At the heart of this dynamic group was Rotondi—an exceptional composer, arranger, and performer—whose fiery contributions helped shape the sextet’s distinct identity. For these special performances, the great Jon Faddis, famed for his incredible technical prowess and work with jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie, joins One for All to honor Rotondi’s legacy with his own powerful voice.

Wed-Sun April 23-27: Cyrus Chestnut Trio
Cyrus Chestnut – piano
Dezron Douglas – bass
Willie Jones III – drums
“The best jazz pianist of his generation.” – Time
Renowned for his soulful brilliance, piano virtuoso Cyrus Chestnut leads an exceptional trio featuring bassist Dezron Douglas and drummer Willie Jones III. Chestnut’s playing, deeply rooted in gospel and blues, infuses each performance with profound emotional depth. As The New York Times notes, his “crisp articulation and blues-inflected harmony evoke another era… multifaceted and dynamic,” seamlessly blending tradition with fresh innovation to captivate audiences.”
Chestnut’s artistry has earned him widespread acclaim as one of the most distinctive and compelling jazz pianists of his generation. As The New York Daily News aptly describes him, he is “the rightful heir to Bud Powell, Art Tatum, and Erroll Garner.”

Wed-Sun April 30-May 4 Something Else! featuring Vincent Herring
Vincent Herring – alto saxophone
Jeremy Pelt – trumpet (except Sat)
Freddie Hendrix – trumpet (Sat only)
Wayne Escoffery – tenor saxophone
Adam Rodgers – guitar
David Kikoski – bass
Essiet Essiet – bass
Lewis Nash – drums
“Top-shelf soul-jazz and swing… Every one of these musicians is elite – it was an extraordinary set.” – Glide Magazine
Fiery and soulful alto saxophonist Vincent Herring leads this exceptional collective supergroup, bringing together trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, guitarist Adam Rodgers, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Essiet Essiet, and drummer Lewis Nash. On Saturday night, Freddie Hendrix will join in place of Pelt. Herring sums it up perfectly: “The best musicians playing great music and thoroughly enjoying it.”
Their repertoire reinvents classic soul jazz with fresh arrangements of iconic tunes while also introducing their own original contributions to the genre. The performances are rich, soulful, and irresistibly funky. As The New Yorker puts it: “This powerhouse ensemble taps into a timeless repertoire of funk-infused tracks by legends such as Bobby Timmons, Horace Silver, and Lou Donaldson, practically daring audiences to stay still or behave.”

About SMOKE
Located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side at the junction of Broadway and 106th Street (aka Duke Ellington Boulevard), Smoke Jazz Club is one of New York City’s premier live music venues. Renowned for offering top-notch programming of accessible, timeless jazz featuring legendary performers, modern masters, and rising stars, Smoke stands apart with its candlelit dining room, stellar acoustics, and classic American cuisine. Founded in 1999, SMOKE also boasts a GRAMMY-nominated label, Smoke Sessions Records, and a celebrated streaming concert series, Smoke Screens. For everything else, visit http://www.smokejazz.com.

Ticketing + Information:                                                                               
When: Wednesday-Sunday @ 7:00 p.m. + 9:00 p.m. and additional 10:30 p.m. (Fri & Sat only). Doors open at 5:00 p.m. (unless otherwise noted).
Where: SMOKE Jazz Club, 2751 Broadway (between 105/106th Streets), New York, NY, Train: 1 to 103rd Street.
Tickets: In-Person $35+. Livestream $15 (Fri only). For more information and to make reservations, please visit http://www.smokejazz.com.

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, first broadcast 23/02/2025.

Monday, February 24, 2025

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 23/02/2025, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

Radio Playlist - First broadcast Feb 23rd 2025

Mathias Eick
Partisan
Lullaby
ECM

Silvan Strauss
Chulas
Flukin’
Kabul Fire

Black Flower
Violet Drift
Kinetic
Sdban Ultra

Gouldian Finch
No filter
Schizo
Diger Distro

Dave Manington’s Riff Raff
Mr Owl ate my Metal Worm
Weightless
Lamplight Social Records

Four Disturbed Civilians
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis (EP)
Sonclair

Jef Neve & Teus Nobel
Weekend is On
Esho Funi
Blue Keys Productions

Nathan Ott
The Previous Life
Continuum
An Bruch

Young Mothers
Hymn
Better if You Let It
Sonic Transmission

Voyager 3
Etude
Voyager3
OnzeHeuresOnze

John Surman
Jack Knife
Flashpoints And Undercurrents
Cuneiform

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time: http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 3pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on Apple, Amazon, Deezer and other podcast sites.

Kings Place, King’s Cross, London - Programme for April 2025.

Friday, February 21, 2025

King Place has announced its music programme for April 2025 featuring jazz, folk, classical, contemporary classical and spoken word performances. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Kings Place in April - Aurora Orchestra, Alice Boyd’s ‘The Sounds of Kings Cross’, Folk Weekend and more

KINGS PLACE IN APRIL

Earth Unwrapped continues with Aurora Orchestra performing Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, Alice Boyd’s The Sounds of King’s Cross and a Folk Weekend inspired by birdsong, as well as two contrasting events in the Platoon Presents at Kings Place series

Aurora Orchestra performs Iain Farrington’s arrangement of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, and singer-songwriter and sound artist Alice Boyd presents The Sounds of King’s Cross

The Folk Weekend returns with an ornithological focus as part of Earth Unwrapped, featuring performances from Eliza Carthy, Martin Simpson, The Wilderness Yet and more

Platoon Presents at Kings Place events include pianist Belle Chen performing from her album Ravel in the Forest as well as a discussion between Stewart Copeland and Arash Safaian for Earth Day

Other highlights include the return of the Bach Weekend and Shadowlands presenting contemporary chamber music blending early music, folk and plainchant

EARTH UNWRAPPED | CLASSICAL, CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL, FOLK, SPOKEN WORD

Earth Unwrapped, the latest in Kings Place’s award-winning year-long series, continues in April 2025. Sub-titled Sirens for a Wounded Planet, it brings artists together to explore our relationship with the Earth and its eco-system, plant life and ornithology, the climate crisis, activism, protest and more, through music and spoken word.

Kings Place’s Resident Ensemble Aurora Orchestra perform Iain Farrington’s arrangement of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with mezzo-soprano Alice Coote and tenor Andrew Staples, conducted by Nicholas Collon in a programme that also includes music by Lili Boulanger and Jean Rebel [5 Apr]. Singer-songwriter and sound artist Alice Boyd presents folk-inspired harmonies, ambient electronics and field recordings in new soundscape installation The Sounds of King’s Cross [5 Apr], which explores places of natural beauty throughout the area, with another concert later that day inspired by her trip to the Cairngorms [5 Apr].

Kicking off the annual Folk Weekend [25-27 Apr], which this year is inspired by birdsong, English musician Eliza Carthy brings her unique, powerful voice and fiddle playing to Hall One [25 Apr]. Folk history writer and naturalist Andrew Millham discusses his debut book, Singing Like Larks, which explores the remarkable relationship between birds and traditional folk songs [26 Apr]. Folk trio The Wilderness Yet, comprising folksinger Rosie Hodgson, traditional fiddler Rowan Piggott and guitarist-flautist Philippe Barnes, brings their special sound to the Folk Weekend [26 Apr]. One of England’s most revered folk artists, Martin Simpson, is joined by virtuosos Liz Hanks on cello and Louis Campbell on guitar [26 Apr]. Fiddle player and composer Miranda Rutter and concertina player Rob Harbron perform Bird Tunes – an exquisite suite of folk music with birdsong at its core [27 Apr], and Chris Wood weaves the English folk tradition with contemporary parables [27 Apr].

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS | CLASSICAL, CONTEMPORARY, JAZZ, SPOKEN WORD

The celebrated Feinstein Ensemble, conducted by Martin Feinstein, returns for the Bach Weekend [12-13 Apr]. The first concert features music by Handel, Bach and Telemann, featuring Feinstein on solo recorder [12 Apr], and the second sees them perform Bach’s Magnificat in D alongside The London Bach Singers [13 Apr].

Australian pianist Belle Chen performs as part of the Platoon Presents at Kings Place series, presenting work from her Platoon album Ravel in the Forest, leading the audience through ancient woodland, clearings and canopies [10 Apr]. The series also presents a discussion between renowned composers Stewart Copeland (also known as the drummer of The Police) and Arash Safaian exploring their recent compositional projects relating to climate change and nature [22 Apr]. The Scottish pianist and composer Ethan Loch makes his London debut with a programme including music by Ravel, Debussy and Loch’s own piece, The Owl of Romanticism [24 Apr]. And the three vibrant voices of the jazz group Shadowlands – pianist Kit Downes, saxophonist and clarinetist Robin Fincker and singer Lauren Kinsella - perform a programme of improvisation and original pieces [3 Apr].

CLASSICAL | CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL  

Sat 5 Apr | Hall One 7.30pm
Aurora orchestra
song of the earth
Earth Unwrapped
Lili Boulanger (arr. Farrington) D’un matin du printemps
Jean Rebel Les élémens
Mahler (arr. Farrington) Das Lied von der Erde
Alice Coote mezzo-soprano |  Andrew Staples tenor
Nicholas Collon conductor |  Aurora Orchestra
Described by Leonard Bernstein as ‘Mahler’s greatest symphony’, Das Lied von der Erde is an incomparable musical homage to the natural world, and humanity’s place within it. Aurora performs the work in Iain Farrington’s chamber orchestra version alongside two of the leading Mahler singers of our time. Mahler’s Song of the Earth offers a glimpse into a composer wracked by extreme loneliness and an increasing obsession with his own mortality, in one of his most profoundly moving works.
£19.50 – £69.50; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s

Sat 12 Apr | Hall One 7.30pm
The Feinstein Ensemble with Catherine Manson
Bach, Handel, Telemann: Suites and Concertos
Bach Weekend
Handel Water Music, Suite No. 3 in G, HWV 350
JS Bach Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C, BWV 1066
Telemann Ouverture-Suite in A minor, TWV 55:a2
JS Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G, BWV 1049
Catherine Manson solo violin
Martin Feinstein solo recorder/director |  The Feinstein Ensemble
Martin Feinstein’s Bach Weekend begins with a feast of dances, featuring some of the most famous suites by Bach, Handel and Telemann. Bach’s uplifting Orchestral Suite in C is partnered with two other suites: Handel’s ever popular Water Music Suite in G and Telemann’s Orchestral Suite in A minor. Famous for its virtuoso solo recorder part, this is one of Telemann’s greatest instrumental works.
£20 – £50; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s

Sun 13 Apr | Hall One 3pm
The Feinstein Ensemble and The London Bach Singers
JS Bach: Magnificat
Bach Weekend
JS Bach Cantata: ‘Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgend ein Schmerz sei’, BWV 46
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F, BWV1049
Magnificat in D, BWV 243
The Feinstein Ensemble     |  Martin Feinstein recorder/director |  James Eastaway oboe
Anneka Scott corno da tirarsi |  David Blackadder trumpet |  Catherine Manson violin
The London Bach Singers |  Faye Newton soprano |  Zoë Brookshaw soprano | Martha McLorinan alto |  Gwilym Bowen tenor |  Ben Davies bass
Bach’s sparkling setting of the Magnificat has long been one of his most loved works, with it’s blazing trumpets and timpani. The sublime Cantata 46, written as part of Bach’s miraculous first cantata cycle in Leipzig, was the model for his Mass in B minor and is scored with extraordinary richness, using recorders, oboes da caccia and the corno da tirarsi, the slide horn, an instrument unique to Bach and only used by him on three occasions.
£20 – £50; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s

Thu 24 Apr | Hall One 8pm
Ethan Loch: Piano
Ravel Jeux d’eau
Ethan Loch The Owl of Romanticism
Chopin Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58
Debussy Prélude No. 7 (Bk II) ‘La Terrasse des audiences du claire de lune’
Prélude No. 12 (Bk II) ‘Feux d’artifice’
Rachmaninov Prelude in E flat, Op. 23 No. 6
Prelude in C minor, Op. 23 No. 7
Winner of the Piano Category Final at BBC Young Musician 2022, and blind since birth, Scottish pianist and composer, Ethan Loch, takes us on a colourful and virtuosic journey for his London debut, including impressionist works by Ravel and Debussy, Rachmaninov’s Preludes No. 6 & 7 and Chopin’s visceral Sonata No. 3 alongside Ethan’s own work as a composer.
£10.00 – £30.00; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s

CONTEMPORARY  

Thu 10 Apr | Hall One 8pm
PLATOON PRESENTS… BELLE CHEN
Ravel in the Forest
Platoon Presents at Kings Place
Belle Chen‘s album Ravel In The Forest, released on the Platoon label, leads the listener through ancient woodland, quiet clearings and tropical canopies. Notes fall like raindrops, quickening pace as the clouds gather. The piano melody splish sploshes into the electronic soundscape. We’re accompanied by birds, a chameleon, a dragonfly – the wonder of the natural world is imbued into this imaginary space.
£15 – £25; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s

FOLK  

Sat 5 Apr | Hall Two 6.30pm & 7pm
Alice Boyd: THE SOUNDS OF KING’S CROSS – SOUND INSTALLATION
Earth Unwrapped
Singer-songwriter and sound artist Alice Boyd brings folk-inspired harmonies, ambient electronics and field recordings to Hall Two, inviting us to ponder the intersection of human life and the landscapes we call home.
Immerse yourself in the vibrant soundscapes of King’s Cross’ urban green spaces. This sound installation weaves the natural ambience of the city with the voices of those who care for these cherished spaces.
£8

Sat 5 Apr | Hall Two 8pm
Alice Boyd & GUESTS: CONCERT
Earth Unwrapped
Singer-songwriter and sound artist Alice Boyd brings folk-inspired harmonies, ambient electronics and field recordings to Hall Two, inviting us to ponder the intersection of human life and the landscapes we call home.
In this performance, Alice Boyd and her ensemble share her latest music, including songs and sounds inspired by her trip to the Cairngorms retracing the steps of legendary nature writer Nan Shepherd.
£17; Half-price concessions

Fri 25 Apr | Hall One 7.30pm
Eliza Carthy
Earth Unwrapped |  Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
As the daughter of folk legends Martin Carthy & Norma Waterson, Eliza Carthy grew up immersed in the world of traditional music from an early age. Whether solo or fronting a big band, performing a centuries-old ballad or a self-written song, her powerful, nuanced voice, fiercely beautiful fiddle-playing, and mesmerizing performances have influenced a whole generation of young musicians.
£23 – £29; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s

Sat 26 Apr | St. Pancras Room 2pm
Andrew Millham
Singing Like Larks: A celebration of birds in folk songs
Earth Unwrapped |  Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
Andrew Millham will be discussing his debut book, Singing Like Larks, and the remarkable relationship between birds and traditional folk songs. In this special Earth Unwrapped event, Andrew Millham will delve into ancient folklore and relate his own experiences as a young author, describing his wild journey into the genre. He will also perform some traditional songs from the book both unaccompanied and on acoustic guitar.
£10

Sat 26 Apr | Hall Two 4pm
THE WILDERNESS YET
Earth Unwrapped |  Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
The Wilderness Yet continue to sing through the seasons as they explore the many branches of folksong and the growing influence of the natural world on British traditions and folklore. Taking their name from a Gerard Manley Hopkins poem, the Sheffield-based trio fuse the clear, charismatic vocals of Rosie Hodgson with the fine fiddling of Rowan Piggott and the deft guitar and flute playing of Philippe Barnes.
£16; Half-price concessions

Sat 2 Apr | Hall One 7.30pm
MARTIN SIMPSON + SPECIAL GUESTS
SKYDANCERS
Earth Unwrapped |  Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
Always prolific, and never one to rest long without a guitar in his hands and a song in his head, Martin Simpson continues to travel the length and breadth of the UK and beyond giving rapt audiences passion, sorrow, love, beauty, tragedy and majesty through his remarkable intimate solo performances. For this special concert Martin will be joined by the wonderful Liz Hanks on cello and Louis Campbell on guitar.
£23 – £29; Half-price concessions; £10 under-30s

Sun 27 Apr | Hall Two 4pm
Miranda Rutter & Rob Harbron
Bird Tunes
Earth Unwrapped |  Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
Fiddle player and composer Miranda Rutter and Rob Harbron on concertina bring Bird Tunes. Miranda Rutter has crafted every tune in the project out of fragments of birdsong which she recorded on her phone during woodland walks near her home.  The suite is both a love-song to the intricacy and beauty of birdsong, and a timely reminder of the struggles with habitat loss and human-made dangers faced by migrating birds today.
£16; Half-price concessions

Sun 27 Apr | Hall One 7pm
CHRIS WOOD
Earth Unwrapped |  Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
A self-taught musician, composer and song writer, Chris Wood is a lifelong autodidact whose independent streak shines through everything he does. His most recent album So Much to Defend has received wide critical acclaim and includes reflections on minor league football, empty nest syndrome, learning to swim, Cook-in Sauce and, not least, the Gecko as a metaphor for contemporary society. 
£20; Half-price concessions; £10 under-30s

JAZZ  

Thu 3 Apr | Hall Two 8.30pm
Kit Downes, Lauren Kinsella and Robin Fincker
Shadowlands
Inspired by a blend of early music, folk and plainchant Shadowlands weaves a form of contemporary chamber music rich in sonic textures. Thus the language of Kit Downes, an essential pianist of the new British scene, mixes with that of the Anglophile saxophonist and clarinetist Robin Fincker and the Irish singer Lauren Kinsella in a common desire to question slowness and good gestures. 
£20; Half-price concessions

WORDS  

Tue 22 Apr | Hall One 8pm
PLATOON PRESENTS… Stewart Copeland & Arash Safaian IN CONVERSATION
Earth Day Special on Nature in Music
Platoon Presents at Kings Place
Stewart Copeland’s Wild Concerto combines sounds from the natural world – captured as field recordings by Martyn Stewart – with their more traditional orchestral counterparts to create an engaging and distinctive sound world where Nature is the soloist.  Arash Safaian’s Birdsongs arose from the impulse to create an evocative narrative about our relationship with nature in the face of climate change and debate.
£20 – £30; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s

Sat 26 Apr | St. Pancras Room 2pm
Andrew Millham
Singing Like Larks: A celebration of birds in folk songs
Earth Unwrapped |  Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
Andrew Millham will be discussing his debut book, Singing Like Larks, and the remarkable relationship between birds and traditional folk songs. In this special Earth Unwrapped event, Andrew Millham will delve into ancient folklore and relate his own experiences as a young author, describing his wild journey into the genre. He will also perform some traditional songs from the book both unaccompanied and on acoustic guitar.
£10

ABOUT KINGS PLACE
Kings Place is an adventurous music and arts venue with an ambition to inspire local community and promote the power of the arts in our society.  Its venues enable learning, discovery, debate and experiences that are powerfully intimate, enabling human connection between artists and audiences.
The dedicated and supportive team programmes a series of festivals and events, developing cross-arts collaborations and artistic relationships that deliver unforgettable live experiences.
The award-winning concert series, Unwrapped, is its flagship programme, exploring big ideas and overarching themes across the year. Kings Place is also the UK’s home of live podcasting as creators and hosts of the London Podcast Festival.
As a registered charity Kings Place does not receive regular public funding. Income is generated through ticket sales, donations, grants, and the staging of world-class conferences and events.

Kings Place, 90 York Way, King’s Cross, London N1 9AG

http://www.kingsplace.co.uk

Serious -  2025 upcoming shows including Madeleine Peyroux, Tindersticks, Enji, Ludovico Einaudi, Sam Amidon, Lizz Wright, Bill Laurance & Michael League Duo, Neil Cowley Trio and more.

Thursday, February 20, 2025

London based promoters Serious have announced their concert programme for February to October 2025 with events taking place all around the UK. Press release including full schedule attached.

We have received the following press release;

SERIOUS
2025 Upcoming Shows
Including Tindersticks, Madeleine Peyroux, Lizz Wright, Tony Ann and more

View Events and Book Tickets Here
https://serious.org.uk/whats-on/upcoming-events

With 2025 fully underway, live music producers Serious already have a full calendar of vital artistic and cultural events coming up in London and beyond.

Madeleine Peyroux returns to the UK in February for two sold-out events at Saffron Hall in Saffron Walden on 22 February and London’s Cadogan Hall on 23 February following her captivating ninth album, Let’s Walk, which came out earlier this year to critical acclaim. Due to the demand, an additional Madeleine Peyroux London show at Cadogan Hall is announced for 15 July.

German jazz group Fazer are performing their first ever London show at The Cockpit on 24 February, expect their singular take on indie, jazz and psychedelic rock delivered with elegance, humour and depth.

Bill Laurance and Michael League once again join forces as a duo following their sold out EFG London Jazz Festival performance in 2023. They are embarking on a UK tour as they celebrate the release of their second album, Keeping Company. In March they perform at St George’s in Bristol on the 2nd, at Union Chapel in London on the 3rd and at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on the 4th. Support for these shows comes from one of the most electrifying forces in contemporary British jazz; Rosie Frater-Taylor.

Former Wild Beasts star Tom Fleming, returned earlier this year with his One True Pairing project and is performing a UK tour in support of new album Endless Rain which came out via Domino. Described by The Guardian as “heavy, hymnal folk”, he is heading out on the road in March, taking in Alphabet in Brighton on the 14th, the Cube Cinema in Bristol on the 15th and Band on the Wall in Manchester on the 16th.

Known for their richly orchestrated, darkly beautiful music, Tindersticks have carved a niche for themselves since their inception in the early 1990s. They returned with their new album Soft Tissue earlier this year, which earned itself a four star review from The Guardian: “the album’s sound … is abundant with lovely, subtle details.” They headline London’s Royal Albert Hall with a special performance including live strings on 17 March. Opening the night night is Irish folk singer Oisin Leech whose soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics will set the stage perfectly for one of the UK’s most vital bands.

Following her spellbinding performance at the Proms and a sold-out show at Cadogan Hall earlier this year, sensational singer Lizz Wright will bring her soaring jazz, gospel, blues and folk infused sound to the Barbican on 18 March. Canadian singer-songwriter and The Voice UK star STORRY will open the show with her lyrical songs and impressive voice, ahead of her headline shows in April.

After a 7 year hiatus, the Neil Cowley Trio returned with a new album last year and are heading out on a UK tour this Spring. Following their sold-out EFG London Jazz Festival show in 2024, they present music from their outstanding new album, Entity, alongside some fan-favourite Cowley classics at venues across the UK from 22 April to 3 May.

After selling out one Jazz Cafe and two EartH shows in 2024, Tony Ann returns for his biggest London show to date as he takes over the Barbican Hall. This will be followed with shows at RNCM Concert Hall, Manchester and St George’s, Bristol. Ann is a virtuoso solo pianist who seamlessly blends contemporary and classical styles. As a harmony connoisseur, he pushes the limits of neoclassical and popular music, crafting emotionally rich compositions.

Frontman Ilhan Ersahin is one of those rare moguls of the New York City underground scene via his club and record label, Nublu, and he’s spread his New York energy throughout the world whose jazz-rock fusion reaches the Jazz Cafe in London on 12 May.

Enji’s life has been a tapestry woven with threads from diverse cultures. Born in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, she was immersed in the rich traditions of Mongolian folk music from a young age. As she continues to navigate her path between tradition and innovation, Enji stands as a testament to the enriching experience of living between worlds and the art that emerges from embracing a multifaceted identity. She performs at Stone Nest in London on 14 May in support of her new album Sonor which was announced recently and arrives on 2 May.

Call it prairie noir or Canadiana desert rock: Toronto’s Abigail Lapell sings haunting, gorgeous modern folk songs. Lapell brings her live show to the Jazz Cafe on 14 May, performing vocals, piano, harmonica and finger style guitar. Joining her on stage is up-and-coming Canadian folk singer-songwriter Steph Cameron, presenting her new album Blood Moon, set to release in April 2025.

American folk artist Sam Amidon is performing his new release - and first on Rough Trade Records’ sister label River Lea Records - Salt River, at Stone Nest. The original date of 22 May SOLD OUT so a second show has been added on 21 May. On his new record, the Vermont native, who is now based in London, collaborated with saxophonist and producer Sam Gendel to reinterpret and regenerate ten songs that he has gathered together as part of a decades-long quest to recontextualise what it means to sing folk songs or make folk music.

Known for her carefree live performances and to the point lyrics, Summer Pearl sold out her headline show at the EFG London Jazz Festival at The Lower Third and also supported Philadelphia Hip Hop Legends; Digable Planets at Koko as part of the festival. She returns for a London headline show at Neon 194 on 22 May.

Praised by the Irish Times as a musician with an “insatiable appetite for adventure”, Irish fiddler Martin Hayes is announcing a UK tour in later this year with his trio completed by Brian Donnellan (bouzouki and concertina) and Conal O’ Kane (guitar), including two shows at London’s Stone Nest on 29 May.

Looking beyond the Spring, there are already a host of fantastic shows on-sale including Nashville guitarist William Tyler at the ICA on 4 June and virtuoso pianist Tigran Hamasyan at the Barbican on 16 June. The most streamed classical artist in the world, Ludovico Einaudi, has Sold Out 5 consecutive nights at the Royal Albert Hall from 30 June - 4 July ahead of further UK tour dates. Blending Kora with folk, Ballaké Sissoko & Piers Faccini will perform at the Union Chapel on 18 September in support of their new album Our Calling. On 19 October, Merope bring their contemporary vision of ancient Baltic music to Cafe Oto, tangling elements gleaned from jazz, traditional, ambient music, 20th century minimalism and kosmische.

Keep your eyes peeled for exciting news next week regarding the Summer Jazz Series, with Serious bringing a smattering of the best names in global jazz to the capital for special performances across the Summer.

SERIOUS Upcoming 2025 Programme

22 Feb - Madeleine Peyroux + Jack Barksdale - Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden

23 Feb - Madeleine Peyroux + Jack Barksdale - Cadogan Hall

2 Mar - Bill Laurance and Michael League - St George’s, Bristol

3 Mar - Bill Laurance and Michael League - Union Chapel

4 Mar - Bill Laurance and Michael League - RNCM Theatre, Manchester

13 Mar - One True Pairing - Band on the Wall, Manchester

14 Mar - One True Pairing - Alphabet, Brighton

15 Mar - One True Pairing - Cube Cinema, Bristol

17 Mar - Tindersticks - Royal Albert Hall

18 Mar - Lizz Wright + STORRY - Barbican

12 Apr - STORRY - Alphabet, Brighton

14 Apr - STORRY - Omeara, London

15 Apr - STORRY - YES, Manchester

16 Apr - STORRY - Headrow House, Leeds

17 Apr - STORRY - The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

22 Apr - Neil Cowley Trio - St George’s, Bristol

23 Apr - Neil Cowley Trio - The Bradshaw Hall, Birmingham

27 Apr - Neil Cowley Trio - RNCM Theatre, Manchester

3 May - Neil Cowley Trio - Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden

10 May - Tony Ann - Barbican, London

11 May - Tony Ann - Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester

12 May - Tony Ann -St George’s, Bristol

12 May - Ilhan Ersahin’s Istanbul Sessions - Jazz Cafe

14 May - Enji - Stone Nest

14 May - Abigail Lapell + Steph Cameron - Jazz Cafe

21 May - Sam Amidon - Stone Nest

22 May - Sam Amidon - Stone Nest

22 May - Summer Pearl - Neon 194

27 May - Martin Hayes Trio - Howard Assembly Room, Leeds

28 May - Martin Hayes Trio - Halle St. Peters, Manchester

29 May - Martin Hayes Trio - Stone Nest

30 May - Martin Hayes Trio - Lantern Hall, Bristol

1 Jun - Martin Hayes Trio - Nevill Holt Festival, Leicestershire

4 Jun - William Tyler - ICA

16 Jun - Tigran Hamasyan - Barbican

30 Jun - 4 Jul - Ludovico Einaudi - Royal Albert Hall

6 Jul - Ludovico Einaudi - Co-op Live, Manchester

8 Jul - Ludovico Einaudi - 3Arena, Dublin

10 & 11 Jul - Ludovico Einaudi - Edinburgh Castle

15 Jul - Madeleine Peyroux - Cadogan Hall

18 Sep - Ballaké Sissoko & Piers Faccini - Union Chapel

19 Oct - Merope - Cafe Oto

Serious is one of the UK’s leading producers of live jazz, international and new music through concerts, festivals, tours, digital shows, talent development schemes, learning and participation programmes, and bespoke events for all.
https://serious.org.uk/

Jammin’ ColorS Agency - Forthcoming concerts, March 2025 to January 2026.

Thursday, February 20, 2025

The Belgian music agency Jammin' ColorS has announced a series of concerts by its artists during 2025 / 6 with shows taking place in more than fifteen different countries.

Jammin’ ColorS
BOOKING ı MANAGEMENT ı  PRODUCTION ı PROMOTION

Jammin’colorS is happy to share with you the next 70 concerts of 2025 in more than 15 countries !

These artists are some of the best nowadays !
Listen, discover & feel the music

The artists will play in Slovenia, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, Estonia, Austria, Croatia, Greece, UK & USA.

More concerts will be confirmed month by month in Europe, UK & USA.
Stay tuned !

See YOU at one of these shows

MARCH 2025

04 Mar 2025 - Jeremy Pelt Quintet - Cankarjev dom - Ljubljana - Slovenia

11 Mar 2025 - Grégory Privat “Phoenix” - Nica Jazz Club - Hamburg - Germany

19 Mar 2025 - Jeremy Pelt Quintet - Nica Jazz Club - Hamburg - Germany

21 Mar 2025 - Pierrick Pédron 4tet “The Shape Of Jazz To Come” - Jazz Station - Brussels - Belgium

30 Mar 2025 - Morley “The Songs Of Bob Dylan & Joni Mitchell” - City Winery - New York - United States

APRIL 2025

05 Apr 2025 - Reggie Washington feat. Pierrick Pédron & Stéphane Galland - Belgian Jazz Festival - Brussels - Belgium

08 Apr 2025 - Christie Dashiell 4tet - Nica Jazz Club - Hamburg - Germany

10 Apr 2025 - Reggie Washington feat. David Gilmore & Gene Lake - MASTERCLASS - Conservatorium Van Amsterdam - Amsterdam - Netherlands -

11 Apr 2025 - Black Lives - La Coopérative de Mai - Clermont-Ferrand - France -

13 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Le Crescent - Mâcon - France

14 Apr 2025 - Black Lives - New Morning - Paris - France

14 Apr 2025 - Herve Samb All Star 4tet / 1st part of Black Lives - New Morning - Paris - France

15 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Teatro Golden - Palermo - Italy

15 Apr 2025 - Jacques Schwarz-Bart Trio - Sunset-Sunside - Paris - France

16 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Teatro Metropolitan - Catania - Italy

16 Apr 2025 - Jacques Schwarz-Bart Trio - Sunset-Sunside - Paris - France

17 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Jazz Dock - Prague - Czech Republic - Tickets

18 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Bimhuis - Amsterdam - Netherlands - Tickets

19 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - De Singer - Rijkvorsel - Belgium

20 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Jazz Station - Brussels - Belgium

21 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Nica Jazz Club - Hamburg - Germany

22 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Opderschmelz - Dudelange - Luxembourg

23 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Bix - Stuttgart - Germany

24 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Fasching - Stockholm - Sweden

24 Apr 2025 - Raul Midón - Villa Ferber - Ermatingen - Switzerland

25 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Unterfahrt - Munich - Germany

25 Apr 2025 - Raul Midón - Villa Ferber - Ermatingen - Switzerland

26 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Jazz Nad Odra - Wroclaw - Poland

27 Apr 2025 - Morley feat. Chris Bruce - Abbaye de Neimenster - Grund - Luxembourg

28 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Jazz Fest Brno - Brno - Czech Republic

29 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Sunset-Sunside - Paris - France

29 Apr 2025 - Morley feat. Chris Bruce - Sunset-Sunside - Paris - France

30 Apr 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - Sunset-Sunside - Paris - France

30 Apr 2025 - Morley feat. Chris Bruce - Sunset-Sunside - Paris - France

30 Apr 2025 - Raul Midón - Nica Jazz Club - Hamburg - Germany

MAY 2025

01 May 2025 - Raul Midón - Zig Zag - Berlin - Germany

02 May 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - The Bird’s Eye - Basel - Switzerland

02 May 2025 - Raul Midón - Playhouse Gothenburg - Gothenburg - Sweden

03 May 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Greg Hutchinson - The Bird’s Eye - Basel - Switzerland

03 May 2025 - Morley feat. Chris Bruce - Nica Jazz Club - Hamburg - Germany

03 May 2025 - Raul Midón - Soul Mama - London - United Kingdom

03 May 2025 - Fabrice Alleman “Obviously” - Music Village - Brussels - Belgium

04 May 2025 - Morley feat. Chris Bruce - L’Archiduc - Brussels - Belgium

22 May 2025 - Jeanfrançois Prins feat. Jean-Paul Estiévennart, Plume, Danny Grissett, Jay Anderson & E.J. Strickland - Flagey - Brussels - Belgium

22 May 2025 - Pierrick Pédron 4tet “The Shape Of Jazz To Come”  - Viimsi Artium - Harju Maakond - Estonia

24 May 2025 - E.J. Strickland feat. Soweto Kinch & Reggie Washington - Unterfahrt - Munich - Germany

28 May 2025 - E.J. Strickland feat. Soweto Kinch & Reggie Washington - Sunset-Sunside - Paris - France

JUNE 2025

01 Jun 2025 - Morley feat. Chris Bruce - Joe’s Pub - New York - United States

21 Jun 2025 - Black Lives - Domaine d’O - Fête de la Musique - Montpellier - France

JULY 2025

12 Jul 2025 - Christie Dashiell 4tet - North Sea Jazz - Rotterdam - Netherlands

27 Jul 2025 - Black Lives - Glatt und Verkehrt Festival - Krems - Austria

AUGUST 2025

02 Aug 2025 - Jeremy Pelt Quintet - Jazz & Blues Festival de Gouvy - Gouvy - Belgium

08 Aug 2025 - Black Lives - Gaume Jazz Festival - Rossignol - Belgium

10 Aug 2025 - Black Lives - Au Grés du Jazz - La Petite Pierre - France

21 Aug 2025 - Christie Dashiell 4tet - Festival de Malguénac - Malguénac - France

22 Aug 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Jure Pukl & Greg Hutchinson - Festival de Malguénac - Malguénac - France

29 Aug 2025 - Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Jazz en Sol Mineur - Hussigny Godbrange - France

SEPTEMBER 2025

11 Sep 2025 - Grégory Privat Trio “Phoenix” - Théâtre Marni - Brussels - Belgium

13 Sep 2025 - Fabrice Alleman « Coltrane ballads and around » - Music Village - Brussels - Belgium

NOVEMBER 2025

12 Nov 2025 - Black Lives - Teatro Metropolitan - Catania - Italy

13 Nov 2025 - Black Lives - Teatro Golden - Palermo - Italy

19 Nov 2025 - Christie Dashiell 4tet - Fasching - Stockholm - Sweden

21 Nov 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Kendrick Scott - Jassmine - Warsaw - Poland

23 Nov 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Kendrick Scott - Moods - Zurich - Switzerland

23 Nov 2025 - Christie Dashiell 4tet - Festival Éclats d’Émail - Limoges - France

24 Nov 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Kendrick Scott - Porgy & Bess - Vienna - Austria

25 Nov 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Kendrick Scott - Cankarjev Dom - Ljubljana - Slovenia

26 Nov 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Kendrick Scott - Cultural Centre Čakovec - Čakovec - Croatia

27 Nov 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richadson, Seamus Blake & Kendrick Scott - Narodni Dom - Maribor - Slovenia

28 Nov 2025 - Joe Sanders feat. Logan Richardson, Seamus Blake & Kendrick Scott - Cultural Center Krško - Krško - Slovenia

29 Nov 2025 - Gene Lake Project - Paradox - Tilburg - Netherlands

30 Nov 2025 - Gene Lake Project - Music Im Pflegidach - Muri, Switzerland

DECEMBER 2025

05 Dec 2025 - Reggie Washington feat. David Gilmore & Gene Lake - Half Note - Athens - Greece

06 Dec 2025 - Reggie Washington feat. David Gilmore & Gene Lake - Half Note - Athens - Greece

07 Dec 2025 - Reggie Washington feat. David Gilmore & Gene Lake - Half Note - Athens - Greece

08 Dec 2025 - Reggie Washington feat. David Gilmore & Gene Lake - Half Note - Athens - Greece

JANUARY 2026

24 Jan 2026 - Herve Samb All Star 4tet - Opderschmelz - Dudelange - Luxembourg

Ticket links at;
https://www.jammincolors.com/

Warren James - Gig list, February - May 2025.

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Guitarist / vocalist Warren James has forwarded details of his gig schedule until the end of May 2025, which will feature him performing with a variety of different line ups.

Warren James writes;

Gigs March to MAY: Jake Leg Jug Band / Warren James

Hi everyone, It’s amazing how we’ve almost reached the first quarter of the year.

The next 3 months are listed below - I hope we’ll see you at a venue along that old dusty road.

Gigs March to MAY: Jake Leg Jug Band / Warren James

FEBRUARY 2025

Wed 19 – Stoke on Trent, St Lawrence’s Church, Biddulph – The Jake Leg Jug Band - GOSPEL CONCERT

Fri 21 – Stoke on Trent, Biggnal End Cricket Club – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Thurs 20 – Didsbury, Jazz Club – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Thurs 27 – London, Butlers Wharf – The Silk Street Band

Wed 26 – Beoley, Village Hall – The Story of Skiffle

Fri 28 – Merthyr Tydfil – Cwb Crown – The Jake Leg Jug Band

MARCH 2025

Sun 2 – Willingham Jazz Club – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Fri 7 – Saltburn, Arts Centre – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sat 8 – Dringhouses, St Edward’s Church – The Jake Leg Jug Band Gospel Show

Sun 9 – Solihull, Jazzamataz – The Warren James Skiffle Group

Thurs 13 – York, Dringhouses Jazz Club – The Lonnie Donegan Story

Fri 14 – Sutton Coldfield, Guitar Club – Warren James Trio, with guests: Duncan Wilcox and Liam Ward

Sat 15 – Sutton Coldfield, Austin Seven Anniversary Dinner – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sun 16 – Coventry, Jazzamataz – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sat 22 – Totton, Hanger Farm – Warren James sings The Johnny Cash Songbook

Sun 23 – Uttoxeter, The Vaults – Warren James’ The Lonesome Travellers

Sun 23 - Old Barn Hall Jazz Club, Great Bookham - The Jake Leg Jug Band

Tues 25 – Slough, Datchet Village Hall – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Tues 25 - Calne, Calne Jazz Club - The Jake Leg Jug Band

Tues 25 – Eastleigh, The Concorde Club – Warren James’ Hit Parade Heroes

Fri 28 – Bristol, Old Duke – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sat 29 – Somerset, Street, Wessex Hotel for Ellie B Jazz Weekend – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sun 30 – Somerset, Street, Wesse Hotel for Ellie B Jazz Weekend – Baby Jools New Orleans Rhythm

Sun 30 – Halesowen, Jazz Club – The Story of Skiffle @ 7:30pm

APRIL 2025

Tues 1 – Leeds, Jazz Club – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Wed 2 – Hull, Private Engagement – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Fri 4 – Pontardawe, Valey Folk Club – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sat 5 – Bristol, The Old Duke – Warren James’ Hit Parade Heroes

Sun 6 – Worcester, The Chestnut Tree – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Wed 9 – Amersham, Jazz Club – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Thurs 10 – Watford, The Pumphouse Arts Centre – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sat 12 – Totton, Hanger Farm Arts Centre – Walk on Back to Happiness – Guest: Liam Ward

Sun 13 – St Albans, Venue and line up TBC – 3pm to 5:30pm – Silk Street Band

Tue 15 – Leeds, Jazz Club – Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics

Wed 16 – Romanby, Jazz Club – Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics

Thur 17 – Dringhouses, Jazz Club – Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics @ 12 noon

Thur 17 – 8pm – Nottingham, Rhythm Club – Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics @ 8pm

Fri 18 – 3pm – Nantwich Jazz and Blues Festival, No 9, Mill Street – Warren James’ Hit Parade Heroes

Fri 25 – Ongar, Jazz Club – The Jake Leg Jug Band @ 7:30pm

Sat 26 – Stony Stratford, York House Centre – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sun 27 – London, Primrose Hill, St Mary’s Church – The Jake Leg Jug Band - GOSPEL CONCERT

MAY 2025

Thur 1 – Ramsgate, Blues in a Bottle – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sat 3 – Camden, Green Note – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sun 4 – Filey, Folk Festival, The Evron Centre – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Wed 7 – Sylvies Place, Croydon PO Social Athletic Club, Warlingham – Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics

Fri 9 – Nantwich, Bridgemere Show Gardens – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sat 10 – Shatterford, Village Hall – Warren James’ Hit Parade Heroes

Sun 11 – Dove Holes, Village Hall – The Story of Skiffle @ 1pm

Fri 16 – Edinburgh, Jazz & Jive Club, Harriots Rugby Club – The Jake Leg Jug Band @ 7:30pm

Wed 21 – Sutton Coldfield Jazz club – Warren James’ Lonesome Travellers

Fri 23 – Ongar, Jazz Club – Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics @ 7:30pm

Sat 24 – Southend, Jazz Centre – The Jake Leg Jug Band @ 2pm

Sat 24 – Nottingham, TBC

Sun 25 – Stafford, Jazz Club – Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics @ 12:30pm

Sun 25 – Birmingham, SNOBS – Warren James’ Hit Parade Heroes @ 6:00pm

Thurs 29 – Runnymede, Historic Society – Talk on the life and times of Lonnie Donegan

Fri 30 – Droitwich, Jazz Club – The Story of Skiffle @ 7pm

Sat 31 – Exmoor, Simonsbath Festival – The Jake Leg Jug Band

http://www.warrenjamesguitar.com

Northern Line 2025 is Revealed.

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Jazz North has announced its latest roster of Northern Line - the live talent development programme for jazz across the North. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Northern Line 2025 is Revealed

Jazz North announces its latest roster of Northern Line - the live talent development programme for jazz across the North

Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles, Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band, Ex-Easter Island Head, Ellen Beth Abdi & The Exu make up the cohort of northern artists to watch

Northern Line is the live touring programme providing transformative support for northern jazz artists. Today, Jazz North announces the five outstanding bands selected to join the cohort.

Chris Bye, Jazz North CEO, says:
“Jazz North is proud to reveal the latest Northern Line roster.  Selected by a panel of industry experts and with closer engagement than ever before with the stirling promoters that make up the northern jazz community, Northern Line Round 11 represents some of the strongest artists across the region.  From solo to big band, raw to polished, contemporary to experimental, there is music here to thrill crowds, push envelopes and make waves locally, nationally and internationally. 2025 is shaping up to be a very special time for the northern jazz scene.”

Hailing from Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool: Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles, Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band, Ex-Easter Island Head, Ellen Beth Abdi & The Exu join the celebrated cohort of artists and will be available to book for activity starting in September 2025.

On joining the roster, Ex-Easter Island Head’s Benjamin Duvall, says: 
“We are very grateful to be selected to be part of the Northern Line programme and look forward to working with the team to get our music in front of new audiences in the UK. Since the release of our most recent album Norther in 2024, we have had the privilege of taking our music further afield than ever before, using the material as a jumping off point for adventurous improvisations and left-turns. We’re particularly excited to explore and present these musical developments, alongside expanding the live experience for the audience with Northern Line’s help.”

Northern Line artists were chosen with the support of an esteemed advisory panel of promoters, radio producers, artists and festival teams - Rivca Burns, Rob Farhat, Jez Matthews, Hannabiell Sanders, Thomas Rees and Josh Aitman.

The programme provides essential support to artists’ live touring ambitions. Each of the five bands will receive a £3000 live touring bursary and tailored 1:1 support across an 18-month period.

Francesca Knowles, says:
‘We’re overjoyed to be on this year’s Northern Line, having seen so many incredible artists on the roster over the years.  It’s exactly the boost we need to make this the live show we’ve always wanted it to be, and to get out there touring and sharing our music further afield with the necessary support.  Touring is (financially) getting harder and harder nowadays, so we’re so grateful to be able to jump into it with confidence and can’t wait to see what unfolds in the next year.’

Audiences can see the full roster perform live at the Northern Line showcase at manchester jazz festival (mjf) on 17th & 18th of May as part of the festival’s opening weekend at First Street.

mjf is the North’s most celebrated jazz festival, with a reputation for fostering rising jazz talent through their own bespoke development schemes and innovative events programme. This year, the festival celebrates its 30th anniversary edition.

Industry guests are invited to attend a networking reception on the Sunday afternoon, hosted by Jazz North.

Northern Line Artist Bios:

Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band
Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band is an organic and fluid ensemble of young jazz musicians drawn from across the Leeds and wider UK jazz scene. The band’s origins were as an informal five piece Sun Ra tribute project but quickly grew into a dynamic 25+ strong musical force with a reputation for energetic live performances and experimental arrangements.
Winners of 2023 The Peter Whittingham Jazz Award they have played shows at Manchester, Leeds, Lancaster and London Jazz Festivals and Love Supreme.
https://www.instagram.com/fergsimaginarybigband/
https://trashcityrecords.net/
https://fergusquill.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-lancaster-jazz-festival

Ex-Easter Island Head
Benjamin D. Duvall, Benjamin Fair, Jonathan Hering, Andrew PM Hunt
Ex-Easter Island Head are a UK-based experimental musical collective composing and performing music for solid body electric guitar, percussion and other instruments. The group plays multiple electric guitars augmented through mechanical preparations and extended techniques, creating hypnotic performances rich in repetition, shimmering drones and melodic invention through purposefully limited means.
Their records and live performances have received significant critical acclaim from the likes of The Wire, the Quietus and the New York Times. Favourably compared to the likes of Steve Reich, Glenn Branca and John Cage, the groups’ music has been praised for its mixture of percussive drive, emotional warmth and playful experimentation.
The group’s latest album Norther (2024) was named album of the year by Europe’s leading independent culture website, The Quietus. An interview in the same year for The Guardian described their music as “amongst the boldest experiments in British music”.
https://www.youtube.com/@Ex-EasterIslandHead-ed1uz
https://www.instagram.com/exeih
https://www.facebook.com/exeasterislandhead/
https://bsky.app/profile/eeih.bsky.social
https://exeasterislandhead.bandcamp.com/

Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles
‘Envelope-pushing’ accordion and percussion duo Thatcher and Knowles defy the preconceptions of what their instruments can do, breaking with tradition while tactfully adopting it as a foundation for playful experimentation. Their sensitive and dynamic live show incorporates drums, synths, keys and vocals in an unapologetic brew of colourful and creative composition. Their debut album ‘Emergency of the Female Kind’ showcases a spectrum of human-ness and the pair’s undaunted attitude to kicking off a genre revolution, and in 2025 they bring exciting new music to the forefront.
‘Brimming with invention and energy. Together they’re dynamite’ - The Crack
‘Perverse, and often fantastic’ - MOJO
https://www.instagram.com/amy_and_fran/
https://www.facebook.com/thatcherandknowles
http://www.atfk.co.uk
https://amythatcherfranknowles.bandcamp.com/releases

Ellen Beth Abdi
Mancunian music-maker Ellen Beth Abdi uses live loops, pokey drums, undulating synths and quietly subversive lyrics to mould her unique sound.
‘Potent and lyrical electronic soul with a social conscience. For the thinkers and the movers of this dimension and others’.
Ellen’s enchanting and distinctive sound has gained her spots at Manchester International Festival, and support slots for Olivia Dean, Hollie Cooke, Ishmael Ensemble, Oscar Jerome and Allysha Joy. She was invited to collaborate live with music legend Angélique Kidjo, opening Aviva Studios for Manchester International Festival 2023.
https://www.instagram.com/ellenbethabdi/?hl=en-gb
https://m.facebook.com/EllenBethAbdi/
https://x.com/ellenbethabdi
https://www.tiktok.com/@ellenbethabdi
http://www.ellenbethabdi.co.uk 

The Exu
James Mainwairing, Emil Karlsen, Dave Kane
The Exu is a powerful Leeds-based Anglo, Celtic, Scandi trio that redefines contemporary jazz with raw improvisation and deep, grungy, rocky attitudes. Featuring Mercury Prize-nominated saxophonist James Mainwaring, renowned bassist Dave Kane, and rising star drummer Emil Karlsen, their debut self-titled album blends jazz, rock, and improvisation. Fans of Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity, Fly Trio, and The Thing will resonate with their boundary-breaking sound.
https://www.instagram.com/the.exu/
https://theexu.com/
https://theexu.bandcamp.com/track/thatll-do-it

About Northern Line
Northern Line is Jazz North’s answer to live touring support for Northern artists. The programme champions the most pioneering, bold and innovative artists across the scene. It’s a roster of the best new talent, recognised by promoters, festivals, funders and management.
The programme supports northern artists to reach the next stage of their live performance career and meet their ambitions through targeted 1:1 support and network development. 
5 bands from jazz and jazz-related genres are selected each year through an open application and rigorous selection process using a panel of independent industry experts from across the UK.

About Jazz North
Jazz North is the Strategic Development Agency for jazz in the North of England.
Supported since its inception in 2012 by Arts Council England, Jazz North has a national and international reputation in Artist Development, Sector Support and Learning & Participation.
A registered charity that has developed and supported hundreds of artists, managers, venues, festivals and promoters over the years - Jazz North has a proud record of working with and on behalf of the northern jazz scene.

About manchester jazz festival (mjf) 
mjf is the city’s longest-running music festival, championing regional artists, new commissions, European collaborations and musical innovation.
mjf is back with a bumper edition from 16-25 May 2025, as the festival celebrates its 30th anniversary festival. Lighting up venues across the city, mjf2025 will see hundreds of northern, national and international jazz musicians descend on Manchester, showcasing the genre’s leading lights alongside its most exciting emerging talent. 
mjf is the only UK winner of the Europe Jazz Network Award for Adventurous Programming, the UK’s first festival Keychange signatory, supporting gender balance across stages, and was the first Founder Member of the Black Lives in Music charter. An Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, mjf also receives support through GMCA’s Culture Fund and Manchester City Council’s Culture Partnerships Grants programme.
For more information and ticket bookings visit http://www.manchesterjazz.com

Promoters can contact artists directly or via Jazz North for round 11 bookings from September 2025.

Currently available Northern Line artists include Tom Harris, Ceitidh Mac, Nat Sharp, DAYZY and Ni Maxine.

Visit http://www.jazznorth.org/northern-line for more information.

Fringe Jazz at The Bristol Music Club - Programme for February - June 2025.

Monday, February 17, 2025

Jon Taylor of Fringe Jazz has forwarded details of the organisation's live music programme for the coming months. Events take place at The Bristol Music Club, Clifton, Bristol.

Jon Taylor writes;

Fringe Jazz at The BRISTOL MUSIC CLUB
76 St Paul’s Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1LP

Wednesdays Doors at 7pm, Performance at 7.30pm

ADVANCE TICKETS at http://fringejazz.com/gig-list.html

19 Feb   Dan Newberry Quartet - £18
Dan Newberry - Sax,
Dan Moore - Piano
Ashley John Long - Double Bass
  Matt Stockham Brown - Drums

26 Feb     IAIN BALLAMY & GARETH WILLIAMS - £19

5 March   HOPKINS HAMMOND TRIO with Gary Alesbrook - £18
Matt Hopkins - Guitar,
Ruth Hammond - Organ,
Scott Hammond - Drums,
Gary Alesbrook - Trumpet

12 March OLIE BRICE QUARTET - £19
Olie Brice - Double Bass,
Rachel Musson - Tenor Sax,
Aexander Hawkins - Piano,
Mark Sanders - Drums

26 March   ART THEMEN QUARTET - £20
Art Themen - Sax,
Huw Warren - Piano,
  Riaan Vosloo - Double Bass,
Tony Orrell - Drums

2 April     TRIBUTARIES - Monk and Beyond - £18
Elliot Warburton - Piano,
Coren Sithers - Tenor Sax,
  Sabina Turvey - Bass,
Liz Exell - Drums

9th April   ADRIAN UTLEY / ROSS HUGHES /  ALEX BISHOP / RIAAN VOSLOO
SJM QUARTET - Scaling Jacques Montagne - £19
Adrian Utley - Electric Guitar,
Alex Bishop - Acoustic Guitar,           
Ross Hughes - Clarinets,
Riaan Vosloo - Double Bass

16 April   DAVE NEWTON / EUAN STEVENSON PIANO DUO - £18

23 April   SAM CROCKATT QUARTET - £19
  Sam Crockatt - Sax,
Rebecca Nash - Piano,
  Henrik Jensen - Double Bass,
Dave Smith - Drums

7 May   HUW WARREN (piano) & YURI GOLOUBEV (double bass)  - £18

14 May   PAUL DUNMALL QUARTET - £19
Paul Dunmall - Saxophones,
Liam Noble - Piano
John Edwards - Double Bass, 
Mark Sanders - Drums

28 May   ALEX MERRITT QUARTET - £19 featuring Elliot Galvin
Alex Merritt - Sax,
Elliot Galvin - Piano,
  Nick Pini - Double Bass,
Jeremy Stacey - Drums

4 June   TONY ORRELL’S BIG TOP - £19
Jake McMurchie - Sax
Raphael Clarkson - Trombone,
  Dan Moore - Piano,
Riaan Vosloo - Bass,
Tony Orrell - Drums

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, first broadcast 09/02/2025.

Monday, February 10, 2025

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 09/02/2025, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

Radio Playlist - first broadcast Sunday 9th Feb 2025
Available now at wwww.mixcloud.com/ukjazz

Andrea Ferrari
Drops
Liquid Walls
Dodicilune

Fabienne Ambhuel
Binocular
Thrive
Ubuntu

Bedmakers
Wheel Reels
Passe Montagne
Freddy Morezon

Kjetil Mulelid
Waltz for Agoja
And Now
Grappa

Joachim Kuhn
Höre und Sehe
Échappée
Intakt

Marcel Lüscher Quartett
Sing
Make Things Happen
Unit Records

Elia Aregger Trio
Strip Streets
Live
Unit Records

Adam Baldych
River
Portraits
ACT

Julia Hulsmann Quartet
Anti Fragile
Under the Surface
ECM

Sergio Armaroli & Giancarlo Schiaffini
Spirits Rejoice
Deconstructing Ayler in the Universe
Dodicilune

Johanna Summer & Jakob Manz
The Turmoil
Cameo
ACT

Julian & Roman Wasserfuhr
Dodo
Safe Place
ACT

Kitchen Toto
10
MécaniquePiano
Workin’ Label

Misha Mullov-Abbado
Song of Sobriety - No More Booze
Effra
Ubuntu

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time: http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 3pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on Apple, Amazon, Deezer and other podcast sites.

Alison Rayner Quintet new album “SEMA4” and UK concert dates, March - June 2025.

Monday, February 10, 2025

Featuring all new material "SEMA4", which will be released on 07/03/25, is the new album by the Alison Rayner Quintet recorded live at London's Vortex Jazz Club. Further live shows will follow.

We have received the following press release;

Alison Rayner Quintet
SEMA4
Blow The Fuse Records - BTF2515CD
Album release (CD & digital): Friday 7 March 2025

LIVE DATES;

Sunday 9 March – London, PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)

Saturday 15 March – Lincoln, The Blue Room

Sunday 16 March – Newcastle, The Globe

Thursday 20 March – Coventry, The Albany Club

Friday 4 April – Brighton, The Verdict

Tuesday 10 June – Leytonstone, East Side

“Bright, open jazz music that rejoices in human experience without sentimentalising it.” 
**** BBC Music Magazine

SEMA4 is the latest album by the Alison Rayner Quintet (ARQ), recorded live at The Vortex Jazz Club in East London. The performance was never intended for public release but, as bassist, bandleader and composer Alison Rayner recalls, listening to the recording revealed something very special. “While a live album may require some compromises, it offers something unique – a different vibe and energy that’s hard to capture otherwise.”

ARQ – Alison Rayner (double bass), Deirdre Cartwright (guitar), Steve Lodder (piano), Diane McLoughlin (saxophones), and Buster Birch (drums) – has spent twelve years crafting a unique sound that draws on jazz, folk, pop and Latin influences. The quintet’s chemistry is rooted in enduring relationships and Rayner credits their musical cohesion to the strong bonds they’ve developed over decades of collaboration. “Each musician in this band has a unique voice, but together we’ve built something greater than the sum of its parts,” says Rayner.

From the joyous, sun-drenched opener ‘Espíritu Libre’ to the playful odd metres of ‘Trip Dance’ and the hybrid reggae groove of ‘Semaphore’, SEMA4 showcases the quintet’s stylistic versatility and masterful interplay. Individual contributions from band members further highlight the collaborative spirit of ARQ. McLoughlin’s meditative ‘Looking ‘For A Quiet Place’ calls for calm amid modern chaos, Lodder’s swinging ‘Hamble Horror’ evokes cinematic heroics, and Cartwright’s ‘Signals From Space’ channels cosmic wonder with eerie, harmonically rich textures.

With Rayner’s assured leadership and contributions from all members, the album exemplifies the deep connection and vibrant energy of a truly collaborative ensemble. “I wanted the sensibility of a group where you rehearse together and work together,” Rayner explains. “That to me felt very important, to establish a connection, where you’re writing for people in the band. When you work with people for years, you’re really hearing the way they play.”

SEMA4 is released on Blow The Fuse Records in association with ECN Music.

The album was recorded live at The Vortex, London on 21 & 22 May 2024; mixed by Paul ‘PDub’ Walton at the Loft Studio, Surrey; mastered by Peter Beckmann at TechnologyWorks and produced by Rayner & Cartwright.

ARQ: Alison Rayner Quintet
The Alison Rayner Quintet (ARQ), led by award-winning bassist and composer Alison Rayner, features Buster Birch on drums, Deirdre Cartwright on guitar, Diane McLoughlin on saxophone and Steve Lodder on piano.  Rayner’s partnership with Cartwright dates back to the feminist rock scene of the 1970s and she has worked with Lodder and McLoughlin for over 30 years. Birch joined the group after meeting Rayner at the University of Glamorgan’s jazz summer school in 1998. ARQ has released three critically acclaimed albums: August (2014), A Magic Life (2016), and Short Stories (2019). The latter earned Rayner an Ivor Novello Composer Award for the track ‘There Is A Crack In Everything’. Winners of the Parliamentary Jazz Award and British Jazz Award for Best Small Group in 2018, ARQ has toured extensively across the UK and Europe.

Distribution via ECN Music/Proper Music

http://www.ecnmusic.com

https://www.propermusicgroup.com/

Tony Ann - UK Tour, May 2025.

Friday, February 07, 2025

Pianist and composer Tony Ann will play a short series of solo piano performances in the UK during May 2025. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Tony Ann
Sat 10 May 2025–Mon 12 May 2025

After selling out one Jazz Cafe and two EartH shows in 2024, Tony Ann returns in 2025 for his biggest London show to date as he takes over the Barbican Hall.

Ann is a virtuoso solo pianist who seamlessly blends contemporary and classical styles. As a harmony connoisseur, Tony pushes the limits of neoclassical and popular music, crafting emotionally rich compositions using the full range of the piano’s 88 keys.

With over 100 million views and more than 6 million followers on social media, Tony has introduced younger generations to neoclassical music through his “#playthatword” series. In partnership with Decca Records France (Universal Music Group), he released a trilogy of EPs—Emotionally Blue, Orange and Red —exploring diverse human emotions.

Tony has collaborated with artists like Don Diablo, Wrabel, and L.Dre, showcasing his versatility in EDM, Lofi, and Pop. He co-wrote the platinum US singles “Sick Boy” and “Call You Mine” with The Chainsmokers, and toured with them on the “Memories: Do Not Open” North American arena tour, performing on SNL and Good Morning America.

Tony’s world tour has seen sold-out shows in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Kuala Lumpur, connecting with fans worldwide.

Tony continues to release new music monthly, with his latest project themed around horoscopes, captivating audiences with his innovative and emotionally resonant performances.

Upcoming Dates:

Saturday 10 May | London Barbican Centre

Sunday 11 May | Manchester RNCM

Monday 12 May | Bristol St. George’s

Sat 10 May
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
Location
Barbican,
Silk Street
EC2Y 8DS
https://www.barbican.org.uk/
Tickets
https://serious.org.uk/events/tony-ann
£21 - £32 + booking fee

Sun 11 May
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
Location
Manchester, RNCM,
124 Oxford Road
M13 9RD
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/
Tickets
£20 - £25 + booking fee
https://serious.org.uk/events/tony-ann

Mon 12 May
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 7:00pm
Location
St. George’s,
Great George Street, Off Park Street, BS1 5RR
https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/
Tickets
£25 + booking fee
https://serious.org.uk/events/tony-ann?

Exceleration Music Announces Acquisition of Mack Avenue Music Group.

Thursday, February 06, 2025

Exceleration Music has announced the acquisition of Mack Avenue Music Group, the globally celebrated collection of jazz labels known for its exceptional roster of artists and award-winning catalogues.

We have received the following press release;

Exceleration Music Announces Acquisition of Mack Avenue Music Group, Expanding Exceleration’s Commitment to Jazz

Nashville, Jan 31, 2025 – Exceleration Music, the prominent global music company dedicated to advancing the future of independent music proudly announces the acquisition of Mack Avenue Music Group, the globally celebrated collection of jazz labels known for its exceptional roster of artists and award-winning catalogs.

This deal strengthens Exceleration Music’s commitment to both legacy and new jazz artists, as it already owns the legendary, multiple Grammy® award-winning, Candid Records. Post acquisition, Mack Avenue’s operations will be integrated with Candid Records to form Exceleration’s overall jazz group and will be led by current Mack Avenue President, Denny Stilwell. This collective jazz group will also feature a team of other key executives from both Mack Avenue and Candid Records.

Founded in 1999 by Gretchen Carhartt Valade, a passionate jazz fan and former chair of the American apparel brand Cathartt, Mack Avenue has been a driving force in the jazz world, delivering high-caliber releases from an esteemed lineup of artists. Key artists include Christian McBride, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Kenny Garrett. Mack Avenue’s labels have earned several dozen Grammy® nominations and awards, making the company a hallmark of excellence within the music industry.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Denny, his team, and the incredible Mack Avenue artist roster into the Exceleration family,” said John Burk, Partner at Exceleration Music. “The combining of Mack Avenue and Candid Records represents an important step in our mission to build the ultimate independent label home for today’s greatest jazz artists. Together, we will continue to honor the labels’ remarkable heritages while providing the resources and expertise to help our artists reach new heights.”

“Joining forces with Glen, John and the like-minded team at Exceleration is a transformative opportunity for Mack Avenue and our unique artist roster,” said Denny Stilwell, President of Mack Avenue Music Group. “With Exceleration’s support, knowledge and enthusiasm, we are confident our special brand as artist advocates will thrive as we continue to bring this fantastic music to the world.”

The acquisition includes Mack Avenue’s extensive catalog and its active roster of artists, ensuring their music reaches an even wider audience while retaining the unique essence that has made the label a standout in the industry. Exceleration Music plans to leverage its robust distribution, marketing, and technological resources to enhance Mack Avenue’s global impact.

This acquisition exemplifies Exceleration Music’s unwavering commitment to preserving and advancing independent music culture, ensuring that iconic labels like Mack Avenue continue to thrive in an ever-evolving industry.

About Mack Avenue:
Mack Avenue Music Group is a Detroit-based independent jazz label founded in 1999 by businesswoman and philanthropist Gretchen Valade. For over 25 years, Mack Avenue has been a leader in the global music community, committed to artistic excellence and innovation while expanding its family of imprints to include Rendezvous Music, Artistry Music, MaxJazz, Brother Mister Productions, and, most recently, the historic Strata-East Records. The label has also partnered with esteemed organizations, including the estate of Oscar Peterson/Two Lions Records and the Erroll Garner Project/Octave Music, to preserve and celebrate the legacy of music from the past 70 years.
Mack Avenue and its roster of world-class artists have received dozens of GRAMMY® Awards and nominations, reflecting the label’s commitment and dedication to pushing the boundaries of jazz and contemporary music with high-quality recordings, artistic integrity, and creative freedom, ensuring its artists’ voices are heard around the globe.
Learn more at http://www.mackavenue.com.

About Candid Records:
Candid Records was founded by arranger and bandleader Archie Bleyer as an offshoot of Cadence Records. Bleyer tapped the legendary Nat Hentoff as A&R man and producer of the first 30 records designed to capture the vibrant and creative jazz scene in New York in 1960 and ‘61. One cannot underestimate the breadth of these recordings - from bebop to the avant-garde, to blues. Candid then sat dormant for years until Black Lion Records founder and producer Alan Bates bought the label in 1989 and relaunched another highly successful era, recording another 300 titles and breaking stalwart artists such as Jamie Cullum and Stacey Kent. To continue the legacy, Bates sold the company to Glen Barros and Candid became the foundational label of the newly formed Exceleration Music Partners. Since its relaunch with Exceleration in 2021, the label has faithfully reissued its historic catalog and released a slate of highly celebrated new recordings from Eliane Elias, Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington and more. The
Exceleration era of Candid has earned nine GRAMMY® nominations and five GRAMMY® awards to date.
Learn more at http://www.candidrecords.com.

About Exceleration Music:
Exceleration Music is a company formed by global music industry leaders Glen Barros, John Burk, Amy Dietz, Charles Caldas, and Dave Hansen, to invest in the future of independent labels and artists. Established in 2020 with the core founding values of integrity, fairness, openness, humility and excellence, Exceleration offers personalized solutions to entrepreneurs seeking capital to achieve growth as well as those trying to achieve liquidity or an honorable exit. The company’s growing team of data, sales, and marketing experts, enhanced by the acquisition of leading digital and physical distribution and music services company Redeye Worldwide, works to preserve and enhance the legacies of both entrepreneurs and their artists alike. To date, Exceleration has acquired or formed strategic relationships with leading independents including +1 Records, Alligator, Azadi, Bloodshot, Candid, Down The Road, Heroic, Kill Rock Stars, Mom+Pop, SideOneDummy, The Ray Charles Foundation / Tangerine Records and Yep Roc Records. Learn more at http://www.excelerationmusic.com

Hattie Whitehead - UK tour, April - June 2025.

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Following the release of her album ‘Bloom’ vocalist, guitarist & songwriter Hattie Whitehead is touring the UK playing London, Sheffield and various rural towns throughout the Midlands and the North.

We have received the following press release;

HATTIE WHITEHEAD: UK Tour (April-June) / St Pancras Old Church, London (3 April) / Shares Live Performance @ The Grace, London

Following the release of her album ‘Bloom’ Hattie Whitehead is touring the UK playing London, Sheffield and various rural towns throughout the Midlands and the North.

“One of the greatest singers I have ever heard.” Jazzwise

“Rich, honeyed vocals, enthralling melodies and soul-baring honest lyrics.” The Telegraph

“Deeply melodic, building soulful, lilting vocals, subtle harmonies, swelling guitars and warm atmospherics.” i Paper

HATTIE WHITEHEAD
Announces UK Tour (April-June)
incl. St Pancras Old Church, London (3rd April)
+ Shares Performance of ’The Last To Come Along,’  filmed live at The Grace, London
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa0FA2Kalqo

Following the release of her debut album Bloom (October 2024) and a small run of shows including The Grace, London where the above performance of album track ‘The Last to Come Along’ was filmed, Hattie Whitehead announces an extensive UK tour. The dates include a special triple headliner night ‘Heartstrings’ at St. Pancras Old Church, London where Hattie will perform alongside Edward Randell and Tessa Rose Jackson (aka Someone) with the artists’ music arranged and performed by a string ensemble, followed by a run of dates across The North and The Midlands.

UK TOUR:

3rd April - Heartstrings @ St Pancras Old Church, London (with Ed Randall and Tessa Rose Jackson)

15th May - The Rankin Club, Leominster
16th May - St Anne’s Church, Bewdley
17th May - Violets Tea Room, Bridgnorth
18th May - Cafe9, Sheffield
30th May - Levens Village Hall, Cumbria
31st May - Orton Market Hall, Cumbria
1st June - Cotherstone Village Hall, Co Durham
3rd June - The Watson Institute, Castle Carrock
Tickets available via https://www.hattiewhitehead.com/live

Hattie Whitehead is a rising UK singer-songwriter much lauded for her solo work and for fronting Hejira, the band paying homage to Joni Mitchell. She is known for her striking vocals - crystal clear and honeyed - her lush folk-hued music, and her candid songwriting style. On her UK tour Hattie Whitehead will be performing tracks from her debut album Bloom (October 2024) that explored the aftermath of grief following the loss of her mother, mental health, and her experience as a woman within the music industry, with Hattie’s magical blend of raw honesty, empathy and hope.

Born into an artistic family, her late mother a music loving poet and her father celebrated jazz saxophonist Tim Whitehead, Hattie was raised on folk and jazz greats of the 60s and 70s such as Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake with a taste in contemporary songwriters such as Wolf Alice, Kurt Vile and Angel Olson, all collectively shaping her music that straddles modern and classic singer-songwriter styles.

On the strength of Hattie’s debut Home EP (2015) she was nominated for Glastonbury Emerging Talent and has since released two further EP’s Old Soul (2019) and Mechanism (2023), garnering fans in national media outlets such as The Telegraph and i Paper and in fellow musicians such as Elbow’s Guy Garvey (who invited Hattie to record one of his songs for Apple TV’s ‘Trying’ official soundtrack, with Hattie’s track ‘Ups and Downs’ from the Old Soul EP also featuring on the series). Hattie has also garnered much acclaim for her work fronting Hejira including, last year, a BBC 6 Music interview with Craig Charlies and a live review from Jazzwise who exclaimed of a Jazz Café, London performance: “The real star, of course, is Hattie Whitehead, one of the greatest singers I have ever heard.”

The forthcoming UK tour proceeds a busy 2024 which saw Hattie extensively tour the UK/Ireland as part of Hejira, and as a solo artist perform at Sidmouth Fringe Festival, support Indigo Girls on their UK tour including a night at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire, and play a run of small run of headline shows - including The Grace, London - to showcase her album ahead of the forthcoming extensive UK tour.

https://www.instagram.com/hattiewhiteheadmusic/

https://www.facebook.com/hattiewhiteheadmusic

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKpHfY4YBs0zCjwfiXMVDDQ

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7bQIC1auMQPcwd4zPrGeU4

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, first broadcast 26/01/2025.

Monday, January 27, 2025

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 26/01/2025, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

Radio Playlist from Sunday 26th January 2025

Makiko Hirabayashi Weavers
Up River
Gifts
enja/yellowbird

Bosque Sound Community
12 Angry Mushrooms
12 Angry Mushrooms
A.MA Records

Baschnagel Group
The Matrix has You
Luna Submarina
Unit Records

The Exu
Waffles
The Exu
Discus Music

Alexey Kruglov
Beyond the Silently Screaming Graveyard.
Transfiguration 100. Duos
SoLyd

Ingi Bjarni
Uplift
Hope
Losen

Clemens Kuratle Ydivide
Hamsters Wheel
The default
Intakt

Garn
Durchzogen
Loopwheel
RabbitHill Records

Escanzen
I Don’t Like Your Weird Stuff
To Not Forget the Stars
Auand

Glebe
L’Iseran
Gaudí
ECN

François Couturier, Dominique Pifarély
La chanson des vieux amants
Preludes and Songs
ECM

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time:
http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 3pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on Apple, Amazon, Deezer and other podcast sites.

An appeal from Cheltenham Jazz Club, plus schedule of forthcoming events.

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Cheltenham Jazz Club, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, is seeking volunteers to help ensure its continuation. An appeal from chairman Gil Emery is attached.

Gil Emery writes;

Dear Friends,

Since Simon Radford’s retirement, we got through Covid and gradually progressed, with the culmination of our successful 40th Anniversary gig.

This success is totally down to the hard work of the committee and the continuing support shown by our membership/mailing list and the wider audience.

Over the years, together, we have formed a great tradition of putting on live jazz in Cheltenham.

But can we continue?

Time is catching up with us, some of us are not as young as we used to be, and retirement from the committee is beckoning.

So, we are looking for volunteers to join the committee. This would involve attending meetings and help run the gigs. In addition,  anyone with sound system experience would be most welcome.

Any comments/suggestions would be gratefully received.

Best wishes,
Gil Emery
Chair: Cheltenham Jazz
e-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
07824 722981

https://www.cheltenhamjazz.co.uk

@cheltjazz

Future Gigs: -

10th February Steve Waterman Latin Jazz Quartet (Irving Studio) Sold Out!

17th March Dom Franks Strayhorn Organ Quartet (Victory Club)

14th April 2025 Steve Fishwick Quartet ‘Soul Time’. Exploring the legacy of Bobbie Timmons. (Victory Club).

19th May 2025 Andrew Cleyndert Quartet ‘Brazil Ahead’. (The Irving Studio).

16th June Brandon Allen/Alex Garnett Organ Quartet ‘Tough Tenors’ (Victory Club).
Celebrating the great tradition in jazz – the tenor battles.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and the Bethany Baptist Church announce 2025 Jazz Vespers concert series.

Saturday, January 25, 2025

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and the Bethany Baptist Church Celebrate 25 Years of Free Monthly Jazz Vespers Concerts. 2025 Schedule Includes Cassandra Wilson, Sheila Jordan, a.o.

We have received the following press release;

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and the Bethany Baptist Church Celebrate 25 Years of Free Monthly Jazz Vespers Concerts
Feb-Jun 2025 Schedule Includes Cassandra Wilson, Sheila Jordan,  Arturo O’Farrill, Rhoda Scott and More
sponsored in part by TD Bank

When: First Saturday of every month - February 1, March 1, April 5, May 3 and June 7, 2025. All shows begin at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Bethany Baptist Church at 275 W. Market Street, Newark, New Jersey
Tix + Info: FREE. For more info, please visit http://www.njpac.org or call 1.888.GO.NJPAC.

Sat 2.01 Sheila Jordan with Roni Ben-Hur and Harvie S
Sheila Jordan – vocals
Harvie S – bass
Roni Ben-Hur – guitar
Billy Drummond - drums
Co-presented by Bethany Baptist Church and NJPAC, February’s Jazz Vespers featured artist is Sheila Jordan. At age 93, the jazz vocalist is renowned as a pioneer of bebop and scat singing. “Whether singing well-known standards or original material, she makes it all sound like no one else,” The National Endowment for the Arts says about the NEA Jazz Master. Double bassist Harvie S will join her with his “tasty, melodic playing” (Arts Fuse), alongside “limber and inventive guitarist” (The Village Voice) Roni Ben-Hur and drummer Billy Drummond, who “command[s] the attention of a room without saying a word” (JazzTimes).

Sat 3.01 The Great City of Newark Jazz & Blues All Stars
Antoinette Montague – vocals
Leo Johnson – saxophone
Brandon McCune – piano
Earl Grice – drums
Co-presented by Bethany Baptist Church and NJPAC, March’s Bethany Vesper Concert Series features The Great City of Newark Jazz & Blues All Stars. Vocalist Antoinette Montague is joined by Leo Johnson(saxophone), Brandon McCune (piano) and Earl Grice (drums). These artists are noted for their superb dedication to Newark’s jazz scene, including performance, education and advocacy. They’ll bring it on home to Bethany with soul-stirring jazz, blues and swinging songs of Zion to lift and encourage.

Sat 4.05 Rhoda Scott
Co-presented by Bethany Baptist Church and NJPAC, April’s Bethany Vesper Concert Series combines jazz music and worship with organist Rhoda Scott, “undoubtedly one of the most dazzling legends of jazz” (Paris-Move). The daughter of an AME minister from Weymouth Township, New Jersey, she learned to play the organ at church. After moving to France early in her career, she launched to superstardom — becoming known as “l’Organiste aux Pieds Nus” (“The Barefoot Lady”) because of her unique habit of removing her shoes to play. Newark will be wowed by her high-voltage mix of hard bop and soul jazz.

Sat 5.03 Arturo O’Farrill
Co-presented by Bethany Baptist Church and NJPAC, May’s Bethany Vesper Concert Series featurespianist Arturo O’Farrill, a familiar face to NJPAC jazz audiences. Born in Mexico and raised in New York, the six-time GRAMMY® winner is a prolific musician, composer and passionate promoter of Latin music and its cultural heritage. He plays with bands and orchestras all over the world, including his own Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and the Arturo O’Farrill Sextet. DownBeat calls him “one of our greatest living pianists.”

Sat 6.07 Cassandra Wilson
Co-presented by Bethany Baptist Church and NJPAC, June’s Bethany Vesper Concert Series features jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson. The New Yorker hails her as “one of the most inventive and captivating singers of her generation,” with a “smokehouse contralto” equally adept with jazz, blues, country, folk and pop. The GRAMMY® winner and NEA Jazz Master is no stranger to Bethany Baptist and NJPAC. Her 2020 concert was part of an MLK Jr. celebration and the 80th birthday concert honoring Dorthaan Kirk.

About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®       
. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S. by assets, providing over 10 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Auto Finance, a division of TD Bank, N.A., offers vehicle financing and dealer commercial services. TD Bank and its subsidiaries also offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit http://www.td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/TDBank_US/. TD Bank is a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank, a top 10 North American bank. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD”. To learn more, visit http://www.td.com/us.

About NJPAC
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States.  It is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey — where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day.  As New Jersey’s anchor cultural institution, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State’s and the world’s best artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city.  Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts.  NJPAC has attracted more than 11 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.  Visit http://www.njpac.org for more information.

Jazz at Progress - Progress Theatre, Reading, Berkshire - Programme for Spring 2025.

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Jazz at Progress has announced its programme for February to May 2025. Events take place at the Progress Theatre, Reading. Schedule attached.

From;
https://www.jazzinreading.com/

Next up at Jazz at Progress

Jazz at Progress | Empirical Quintet | Buy tickets https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/progresstheatre/t-pqdrexd
Friday 21 February 2025 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
Empirical Quintet
The original quartet as above were: Tom Farmer bass, Nathaniel Facey alto sax, Lewis Wright vibes, Shaney Forbes drums. Lewis Wright has moved to the USA, so in his place is Jonny Mansfield. Since their start in 2007 they have played in quartet, quintet and sextet formations. For this event at Progress it will be a quintet with guest pianist Will Barry.
Empirical will be presenting a performance of their latest 2024 album Wonder is the Beginning, which is their first full length album in eight years, and is a mature musical statement that shows the band’s fire is still undimmed and their commitment to maintaining the legacy while forging their own unique path is as strong as ever.
Empirical’s trademark combination of complex, thoughtful writing and spontaneous improvisation is enabled by the absolute trust that comes from years of collective music making, and is at the heart of what makes Empirical stand out consistently on the musical landscape.
Press quotes:
‘…far from merely embracing the tradition, [Empirical] move the music forward to a new paradigm but in a characteristically subtle and sophisticated manner.’ Jazz Journal, 2024
‘Empirical, around for an astonishing 15 years already, are one of the great British contributions to European jazz.’ Downbeat, 2022
‘Empirical is still a reliable touchstone of contemporary British jazz at its most sophisticated.’ Jazzwise, 2022

Jazz at Progress | John Law’s Re-Creations “Many Moons” Tour | Buy tickets https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/progresstheatre/t-mopyoqa
Friday 4 April 2025 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
John Law piano
Sam Crockatt sax
Henrik Jensen bass
Alex Goodyear drums
John Law presents Re-Creations: creative arrangements of some of the world’s most familiar music. The idea is simple: they take the best-known tunes from all genres – jazz, pop, indie, rock, folk, classical sometimes – and re-create, finding new arrangements and new angles; sometimes just spontaneously re-inventing them.
But no matter how free and inventive they get, no matter how complex and intricate the arrangements become, audiences everywhere always feel part of the creative process, because they know the tune and recognise it when it comes back.
This is music played by highly skilled musicians.  Audiences don’t feel excluded. They are integral to the evening and the whole experience.
Featuring UK Parliamentary Jazz Award Winner saxophonist Sam Crockatt, Danish bass player and composer Henrik Jensen and a new young firebrand on the UK jazz drumming scene: Alex Goodyear
John Law“One of the UK’s most imaginative and versatile jazz pianists”– International Piano Magazine
“This was the best, and most dynamic, of the Re-Creations shows that I’ve seen. Law is a brilliant technician and his own playing was superb, as was that of his very able colleagues.” – The Jazz Mann

Jazz at Progress | The John Horler Trio: A Portrait of Bill Evans | Buy tickets https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/progresstheatre/t-eadpaxp
Friday 16 May 2025 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
John Horler piano
Alec Dankworth bass
Ronnie Jones drums
John Horler makes a welcome return to Jazz at Progress with his Portrait of Bill Evans. Accompanied by his long-time associate Alec Dankworth on bass and Ronnie Jones on drums, John will bring his ‘moonlight’ touch and imaginative flair for swinging improvisation to pay tribute to Bill Evans and his groundbreaking trio
John is a highly respected pianist and composer who has earned a formidable reputation on the British jazz scene over many years. Growing up in a musical family his gifts emerged at an early age and by the age of sixteen he was studying clarinet and piano at the Royal Academy of Music – an institution where, at that time in the mid-1960s, jazz was neither studied nor valued. John’s abilities were eventually fully acknowledged in later years when he was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) for his services to music
Perhaps best known for his 26-year stint as accompanist to Dame Cleo Laine, John’s impeccable credentials include playing in the big bands of Sir John Dankworth and Maynard Ferguson and supporting scores of visiting guest stars from America, most memorably a week-long gig with Chet Baker at The Canteen. He has worked with legends of the British scene such as Ronnie Ross, Peter King, Kenny Wheeler, Tommy Whittle, Tony Coe, Simon Spillett and Alan Barnes, and broadcast and recorded extensively,  including a number of highly acclaimed albums by his own trio
In his biographical notes, John writes:
For me music, and especially jazz, is about togetherness, about individual input being merged with others to make a whole piece of music.
I was not enthusiastic about the piano as a jazz instrument until I heard Bill Evans. He absorbed the music of the European composers Debussy, Ravel and even Brahms, which he welded into his own very special jazz language. I embraced that almost immediately and even today he is s till the most influential figure in my playing; not in a copying sense I hope, but in an inspirational way.
This is a priceless opportunity to see one of Britain’s most acclaimed jazz pianists playing the music he loves – not to be missed. As the saying goes, ‘Everybody Digs Bill Evans’.
‘John Horler is a quiet, dedicated, gently humorous man, the kind of musician whose work steals up on you. His piano playing, almost placid on the surface, is full of unexpected turns and hidden surprises.’ – Dave Gelly The Observer
Listen to John Horler & Tony Coe on ‘A Piece for Poppy’ from their album Dancing in the Dark recorded at the 2007 Appleby Jazz Festival
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8t0Ahp0Zv8.

Jazz at Progress | Emily Masser Quartet | Buy tickets https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/progresstheatre/t-avgjvkv
Friday 27 June 2025 | Progress Theatre, Reading | 7: 30pm | £19.00 (£17.00 concessions, £10 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee.
Emily Masser vocals
Matyas Gayer piano
James Owston bass
Steve Brown drums
Emily Masser Quartet
“Masser shows her excellent vocal skills and then seals the deal with a scat solo to die for” – Jazz Views
Rising star Emily Masser is an astonishing vocalist. Still just 20 years of age her range, variation and seemingly effortless delivery reflect a confidence and ability which belie her years.
Emily gained attention and encouragement from jazz luminaries Claire Martin and Liane Carroll. Her breakthrough came as a member of The Clark Tracey Quintet, with the release of their acclaimed album, “Introducing Emily Masser” consisting of Emily’s arrangements and vocals, taking classic jazz standards such as “So Near So Far” and “The Man I Love” and making them sound newly minted and excitingly different. Her contributions to this album enhanced Emily’s presence on the scene and also garnered support from jazz media, marking her as a “New Star of British Jazz” (London Jazz News). Her performance on this recording draws on influences and inspirations such as Annie Ross, Betty Carter, and Sonny Stitt and has already picked up the attention of reviewers, magazines and radio broadcasters.
London based, Hungarian jazz pianist Matyas Gayer has become a prominent part of the British jazz scene by forging his own style and musical voice through the use of the jazz piano tradition. A regular performer on the London and European jazz scene, Matyas has collaborated with the greats of jazz such as Eddie Henderson, Scott Hamilton, Rick Margitza, Grant Stewart, amongst others. He was recently part of a live recording at Pizza Express, Soho with Don Branden, shortly followed by a studio album recording with Scott Hamilton. Matyas has released a new trio record this year with Dave Green and Steve Brown.
James Owston is a double/electric bassist based in Birmingham. James is an active performer in his 3rd year studying at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. As well as running his own groups, James is currently playing with the Clark Tracey quintet.
Steve Brown is a British jazz drummer originally from Manchester. His career began in the 1990s, and he has since worked with notable artists such as Scott Hamilton, Barry Harris, Alan Barnes and Dave Newton, along with his involvement with The Echoes of Ellington band. He has been recognized with several prestigious awards throughout his career. Notably, he has won the British Jazz Award for Best Drummer multiple times, including in 2007, 2009, and 2013.

Progress Theatre
16 The Mount,
Reading RG1 5HL

http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk

All Of The Above - Folk Music Programme at Widcombe Social Club, Bath, Spring 2025.

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

All Of The Above, curated by promoter Nod Knowles presents jazz and folk events at Widcombe Social Club. The folk programme for Spring 2025 is attached.

We have received the following press release;

Folk music in Spring 2025

After three days of the acclaimed Bath Jazz Weekend, All Of The Above brings you two gigs of superb English and Scottish folk music for Spring 2025…. Featuring:

FRIDAY 4 APRIL
CHRIS WOOD
Widcombe Social Club
Doors 7.00pm - Chris Wood on stage 8.00pm
All Of The Above welcomes England’s passionate, compassionate, fierce, acute, witty, uncompromising and influential singer of traditional songs and composer of songs in the tradition - there’s no-one quite like Chris Wood.
Wood’s music reveals his love for the un-official history of the English speaking people. With gentle intelligence he weaves the tradition with his own contemporary parables. An independent streak shines through everything he does. Direct and unafraid to speak his mind, his song writing has been praised for its surgical clarity. Characteristically he cites his major influence as Anon.
Chris Wood’s most recent album So Much to Defend ranges in subject matter from football to empty nest syndrome, learning to swim, Cook-in Sauce and, not least, the Gecko as a metaphor for contemporary society.
Reviewing the album fROOTS MAGAZINE perceptively said:
Chris Wood might be the Ken Loach of songwriting. Very political, but at the same time full of compassion, and he grows sharper and more acute with each passing album. Hes good, quite probably the very best we have today, and we need him more than ever.
Similarly, ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE wrote:
“Steeped in tradition, yet always striving for a new day, this is a glorious album proving that Chris Wood is a bit of a national treasure.”
Tickets:  £ 18/£16 WSC members
BOOK ONLINE HERE
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/all-of-the-above-amp-bath-jazz-weekend-16630581839

Followed by…
SUNDAY 4 MAY
GNOSS
Widcombe Social Club
Doors 7.00pm - Gnoss on stage 8.00pm
AOTA presents traditional music from Scotland. Young generation Scottish artists GNOSS bring a rich tapestry of acoustic layers, outstanding musicianship, deep traditional roots and contemporary flair to their scintillating performances.
Gnoss combines the talents of:
Aidan Moodie (Guitar/Vocals)
Graham Rorie (Fiddle/Mandolin/Electric Tenor Guitar)
Connor Sinclair (Flute/Whistles/Vocals)
Craig Baxter (Bodhran/Percussion)
Gnoss’ signature sound combines songs and tunes brimming with character.  Triple Scots Trad Music Awards nominees, the band have built an invested following through their forward-thinking take on traditional music and the unique warmth of their live shows, proven through sell-out performances across the UK and Europe, including standout appearances at the Orkney Folk Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, Towersey Festival, Denmark’s Tønder Festival and Glasgow’s famous Celtic Connections.
Tickets:  £ 18/£16 WSC members
BOOK ONLINE HERE
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/all-of-the-above-amp-bath-jazz-weekend-16630581839

Widcombe Social Club
Widcombe Hill
Bath, BA2 6AA

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, first broadcast 12/01/2025.

Monday, January 13, 2025

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 12/01/2025, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

Radio Playlist, 12th January 2025

Now available at http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz

Xhosa Cole
Trinkle, Tinkle
On a Modern Genius
Stoney Lane Records

Jakub Paulski
Listopada part 2
Free’odde
V Records

Gianni Mimmo & Ove Volquartz
To Put it Mildly
Say When
Aut Records

Descamps
Llasa
Descamps & Descamps
Aut Records

Krokofant
Harry Davidson
6
Is It Jazz

Unionen
Den Grimme Elling
Unionen
WeJazz Records

Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm
Insect Love
Finding Hope (When All Seems Lost)
Myriad Streams

Kenji Herbert
Annie
A Million Forests of the Fall
Unit Records

John Hollenbeck & NDR BigBand
Owts Hgis
Colouring Hockets
Flexatonic Records

BSDE 4tet
Nord Scream 2, South Screams Too
Live at Parma Jazz Frontiere
GleaM Records

European Modern Jazz on the radio.

At any time: http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 3pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on Apple, Amazon, Deezer and other podcast sites.

Queer Jazz announce 2025 residency series at Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston, London, and PRIDE Events across the UK.

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Queer Jazz will launch a monthly London-based residency in February 2025 at the Vortex in Dalston. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Music News :
Queer Jazz will launch a monthly London-based residency in February 2025 at Vortex in Dalston

Queer Jazz Residency 2025 -
Vortex Jazz Club,  11 Gillett Square London, N16 8AZ

Queer Jazz is presented by international DJ, broadcaster, curator and music journalist Tina Edwards with Music Meditation founder and award-winning jazz musician Arowah (Jelly Cleaver, B.H.A.M., All Day Breakfast Cafe). Together, they aim to amplify and highlight queer artist identity in the jazz world, uniting queer musicians and crowds alike—not forgetting allies, too—whilst nurturing an inclusive space.

Numerous emerging jazz artists identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community, but most jazz fans would struggle to name more than a few queer jazz musicians throughout the entire genre’s history. Queer Jazz aims to raise visibility and foster community through its monthly events, which will showcase artists from across the Jazz spectrum, also leaning into soul and alternative R&B.

Artists programmed include London outfit Matters Unknown, a UK debut from Swiss band KNOBIL, pioneering collective Peng Femme Jam, soulful singer-songwriter Maya Law and UK Jazz linchpin Jessica Lauren who will be presenting a unique performance, especially for Queer Jazz.

Launching in February, Queer Jazz will be hosting monthly events at Vortex Jazz Club, showcasing both established and up-and-coming queer talent from across the UK and Europe. Line-ups and tickets for shows across the first half of 2025 will be available here from Monday 13th January:
https://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/event/queer-jazz-x-ljf/

The monthly London residency aims to build community in the evolving queer jazz network uniting queer-identifying artists together in a celebratory space where they can exist and perform authentically.

Results of the 2023 LGBTQ Musicians Insight Report clearly show queer musicians are struggling in the music industry, facing discrimination, mental health issues and lower pay. Only 32% of trans musicians feel safe enough to be open with their colleagues about their gender identity, and 43% of LGBTQIA+ musicians report poor mental wellbeing, with 30% reporting poor physical wellbeing.

Jazz has long been a space for innovation, freedom, and self-expression; a scene that celebrates diverse identities, including queer experiences. So far, Queer Jazz have programmed the likes of Isobella Burnham, Luca Manning, Eliza Oakes, AKIN Soul, Melbourne’s Emma Vollard and many more.

As well as the monthly residency in London, Tina and Arowah will soon be announcing three PRIDE events for Summer 2025.

About the organisers - Queer Jazz Co-Founders and Co-Directors, Tina Edwards and Arowah

Tina Edwards is a music multi-hyphenate, active as an international DJ, broadcaster, curator and music journalist. She’s been a vocal cheerleader of UK Jazz for over a decade, and has a track record for championing artists from their earliest gigs through to world tour status. She presented BBC One’s TV documentary Jazz UK: Spitting Fire and hosts radio across Worldwide FM, Soho Radio, British Airways, BBC Radio 3 and Bandcamp Weekly. She’s also programmed events at SXSW, The Great Escape, EFG London Jazz Festival, Roundhouse and many more.

Arowah is an award-winning jazz musician, bandleader and composer for B.H.A.M. and All Day Breakfast Cafe, and founder of Musical Meditation. They’ve performed internationally and have appeared on BBC, NPR, Bandcamp and NTS. Arowah is also founder of the recently-retired ‘Jelly’s Jams’ (2018-2023), a jam night that presented an explicitly BIPOC, Queer or fem house band.

“We’re so excited for 2025! It’s been a few years of build-up to this moment as we’ve tried to make space for queer jazz to exist. We’re now getting to bring this incredible, vibrant, queer jazz community into the spotlight and we’re also hoping to grow and nurture our community in the process. Come join the family!” - Arowah

Queer Jazz grew from a conversation between Arowah and I in April 2023. After only six live shows, we’re over the moon to be launching a monthly residency with the help of Arts Council England. There’s an incredible spectrum of queer talent across the UK and Europe and we’re proud to be able to provide a vessel for queer jazz artists to further build their communities and fanbases. After throwing a sold out show with The Vortex in Dalston in November 2024, we couldn’t imagine a better-suited team or venue to make this happen with - Tina

London Residency, Vortex Jazz Club (tickets £5-15 via Vortex website)
https://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/

February
QUEEN KALTOUM, support from Maya Law - February 5th, 20:00 - 23:00

March
Jessical Lauren, support from Efti’s Project - March 19th, 20:00 - 23:00

April
KNOBIL, support from Leo Lore- April 16th, 20:00 - 23:00

May
Peng Femme Jam, support from S0lar - May 14th, 20:00-23:00

June
Summer showcase
Details TBA

July
Matters Unknown, support TBA - July 16th, 20:00-23:00

Jazz events in and around Surrey and Berkshire during 2025.

Thursday, January 09, 2025

Guest contributor Trevor Bannister has forwarded the 'Surrey & Berks Jazzfinder', which lists forthcoming jazz gigs in Surrey, Berkshire and the surrounding areas.

January/February 2025

SURREY & BERKS JAZZFINDER

Jazz events in and around Surrey and Berkshire

The Albion, 34 Bridge Road, Molesey, East Molesey
3 February 2025 - Ember Big Band

Anne Boleyn Hotel, 29 The Hythe, Staines
Live jazz at lunchtime on the third Sunday of each month from 13:00 to 16:30 with lunch served at 13:30

The Barley Mow, Shepperton Green
Last Wednesday of each month - Alley Cats Jazz Band
15 January 2025- Peter Davies Quartet with Max Brittain
22 January 2025 - PD3
12 February, 14 May, 13 August, 5 November 2025 - Pimp My Jazz
12 July 2025 - Odyssey Blues & Soul Band

Bracknell Jazz at South Hill Park Arts Centre
10 January 2025 - Sarah Jane Eveleigh (voice) and Jonny Ford (Tenor)
7 February 2025 - The Karen Sharp Quartet
14 March 2025 - Jo Fooks (Tenor Sax), Steve Waterman (Trumpet), Buster Birch (Drums)
11 April 2025 - Martin Pyne’s “SMALL BLUE”
2 May 2025 - SATORI
13 June 2025 - Allison Neale (Alto), Colin Oxley (Guitar)
4 July 2025 - The Georgia Mancio Quartet
8 August 2025 - Karen Street (Accordion), And Tweed (Saxophone) & the Jazz Lions
5 September 2025 - Anöna Trio
3 October 2025 - ‘El Chamuyo’ Tango Quartet
7 November 2025 - Chris Biscoe plays Mike Westbrook

Carshalton Jazz, CryerArts Carshalton
15 January 2025 - The Filthy Six
12 February 2025 - An Adventurous Dream: The Music of Billy Strayhorn & Duke Ellington
12 March 2025 - Steve Waterman
16 April 2025 - Olivia Cure

Elmbridge Jazz clubs - Jazz at Imber Court Sports Club. Approx every month, usually on a Sunday

Guildford Jazz is a not-for-profit community arts organisation, bringing Britain’s finest jazz musicians to a local audience in an intimate and welcoming jazz club environment.
17 January 2025 - Dave Limina & Ross Stanley Hammond Organ Duo
23 January 2025 - James Davison & Callum Au Quintet - SOLD OUT!
14 February 2025 - Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Quintet

Griffin Park Jazz Club, Brentford - Traditional jazz on the second Monday of the month. Doors 19:45, Music 20:30 - 23:00. Admission £6

Hampton Hub Club, 3 Ashley Road, Hampton, TW12 2JA
16 January 2025 - Akasha - Fantastic Psychedelic Jazz
18 January 2025 - The Derek Nash Experience
26 January 2025 - Big Band Jazz with Dave Jones Nonet
22 February 2025 - Some Kinda Wonderful presents The Wonder of Stevie
23 February 2025 - Martin Nickels All Star Jazz Tentet
27 February 2025 - The Anita Carmichael Band
6 March 2025 - OMAR + QCBA
30 March 2025 - The Vince Dunn Jazz Orchestra

Jazz in Reading - A live jazz gig listings service from Jazz in Reading. Features mostly modern jazz gigs happening within 20 Miles or so of Reading

Login lounge - Weekly jazz brunch events every Sunday at The Atrium, 34 Park Street, Camberley, GU15 3PL
12 January 2025 - Jazz Samba
19 January 2025 - The Claire McAllister Trio
26 January 2025 - Trad’s Army
2 February 2025 - Rainey’s Ragtime 5
9 February 2025 - The Sarah Jane Eveleigh Quintet
16 February 2025 - The Maiuko Quartet and Special Guest Paul Brassington
23 February 2025 - The Nette Robinson Trio ft Tony Woods & Meredith White
02 March 2025 - The Ian Thomson Quintet
09 March 2025 - Hugh Turner’s Guitar Fiesta
16 March 2025 - Tony Woods & The Jazz Lions

Jazz at The Maltings, Farnham - Thursday lunchtimes, 13:00 to 14:00. House trio (Alex Forsyth, David Kirby and Marianne Windham) with monthly guest

Marlow Jazz Club, The Royal British Legion, Marlow - Gigs usually on Tuesdays
14 January 2025 - The Brandon Allen Quartet

Milford Arms - Jazz at the Milford Arms, 574 London Road, Hounslow. Every other Monday from 8:00pm

The Old Court, Windsor
19 January 2025 - Special Gala Charity Music Concert
25 February 2025 - Jazz Sabbath
Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Atwood Road, Maidenhead
10 January 2025 - The Jo Harrop Quartet
25 January 2025 - Oh la la! - A Night in Paris
7 February 2025 - Nic Meier and Friends
7 March 2025 - The Benn Clatworthy Quartet
4 April 2025 - Georgia Mancio Group
11 April 2025 - Where Rio de Janeiro Meets Bahia
Pangbourne Jazz Club - Pangbourne Working Mens Club, First Sunday of the month
2 February 2025 - Andy Panayi (Sax)
2 March 2025 - Mark Nightingale (Trombone)
6 April 2025 - Roger Beaujolais (Vibes)
4 May 2025 - Simon Bates (Sax)
1 June 2025 - Alex Clarke (Sax)
6 July 2025 - Denny Ilett (Guitar)
10 August 2025 - Derek Nash (Saxophone)
7 September 2025 - Alan Barnes (Saxophone and Clarinet)
5 October 2025 - Chloe du Pre (Vocals and Piano)
2 November 2025 - Jim Mullen (Guitar)
7 December 2025 - Paul Higgs (Trumpet)

Jazz Cafe - POSK (Polish Social and Cultural Association, Hammersmith
10 January 2025 - Duncan Lamont Songbook!
11 January 2025 - Laura Jurd
17 January 2025 - Lulu Pierre & the Copasetics: Tribute to Sarah Vaughan
18 January 2025 - Above the Clouds and Beyond: Ilario Ferreri Trio
24 January 2025 - Jonny Liebeck Quintet: Influences (EP Launch)
25 January 2025 - Imperial College Big Band & Oxford University J.O.
31 January 2025 - Way Out West Presents: The Music of Miles and Monk
1 February 2025 - Elliot Frost: Transatlantic Album Launch
7 February 2025 - Tenor Madness - Preludes and Grooves: Bach Reimagined!
8 February 2025 - Marta Mathea Radian Qrt: Polish Jazz Goes to the Cinema
14 February 2025 - Amy Lives! With a Valentine Twist!
15 February 2025 - El Chamuyo Tango-Jazz Qrt, ft Kamila Bydlowska
21 February 2025 - Chris Dean and his Quartet: Sliding Through Jazz!

Jazz at Progress - Progress Theatre, The Mount, Christchurch Road, Reading
21 February 2025 - Empirical Quartet
4 April 2025 - John Law’s Re-Creations “Many Moons” Tour
16 May 2025 - A Portrait of Bill Evans - John Horler Trio
27 June 2025 - Emily Masser Quartet

Riverside Arts Jazz - Monthly jazz concerts at Riverside Arts Centre generally on Sundays

Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre, Walton on Thames
19 January 2025 - 12:15pm Jazz and beer with Enrico Tomasso’s Riverboat Shufflers
7 February 2025 - 8:00pm The Green Chain Quartet
16 February 2025 - 12:15pm Jazz and beer with Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Band
8 March 2025 - 8:00pm Jazz Sabbath

Runnymede Jazz Club - Traditional Jazz Bands on a monthly basis, generally on the last Friday of the month. Concerts from 7.30 pm to 10.00 pm at The Addlestone Centre, Addlestone, Surrey
31 January 2025 - Jeremy Huggett’s Jazz & Boogie Band;
28 February 2025 - Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends;
28 March 2025 - Richard Leach’s Street Band
25 April 2025 - The Forest Hill Owls
30 May 2025 - The Excelsior Vintage Jazz Band
27 June 2025 - The Windy City Weatherbirds

Surrey Jazz Orchestra - Last Tuesday of the month at Jacobs Well Village Hall, Guildford (unless stated as elsewhere), plus other gigs in between
28 January 2025 - With Lana
25 February 2025 - With Nate Rogers
25 March 2025 - With Paul Hudson
29 April 2025 - With young talent Oliver Eley
27 May 2025 - TBC
24 June 2025 - TBC
29 July 2025 - TBC

Twickenham Jazz Club - Wednesday nights at The Cabbage Patch. Doors @ 7pm, Music @ 8pm

Watermill Jazz - Every Tuesday night, 8:30pm, Betchworth Park Golf Club
14 January 2025 - A Celebration of the music of Scott Hamilton
21 January 2025 - Kevin Hays & Jorge Rossy
28 January 2025 - Adrian Cox Trio - ‘Makin’ Runs’
4 February 2025 - Jay Phelps’ Kind of Blue Quartet
11 February 2025 - Jacqui Dankworth & Charlie Wood
18 February 2025 - Art Themen Quintet
25 February 2025 - Maura Segura Electric Quartet: Dunia

Way Out West - Regular monthly gigs at the Turks Head in Twickenham (unless stated otherwise)
19 January 2025 - Chris Biscoe plays Mike Westbrook - Riverhouse Barn, Walton On Thames
31 January 2025 - WoW presents Monk/Miles at the Posk, Hammersmith
16 February 2025 - Kate Williams
28 February 2025 - WoW presents West Side Story at the Posk, Hammersmith
23 March 2025 - Tom Millar
28 March 2025 - WoW presents Ellington/Strayhorn at the Posk, Hammersmith
20 April 2025 - Pete Hurt

Wraysbury, 1215 Club - The Hub, 12 High Street, Wraysbury
31 January 2025 - The Karen Sharp Trio

JAM SESSIONS

The Barley Mow, Molesey Road, Hersham KT12 4RS - Weekly jazz jam Wednesdays at 12:00

Guildford Bluegrass Jam, The Keep, Guildford - First Monday of the month at 19:30

Guildford Jazz - Last Tuesday of the month at The Britannia Pub, 9 Millmead, Guildford, GU2n 4BE Free entry, no tickets needed

Poacher Inn, South Warnborough - Sunday 15 September 2024 16:00 - 18:00

Jazz at the Steps - The Stepping Stones Pub, Westhumble Street, Dorking - Last Monday of the month at 19:45

Waverley Jazz Jams - First Sunday of each month (5-8pm) at the Waverley Abbey House Lounge

The Windsor Castle, 378 Carshalton Road, Carshalton, SM5 3PT - Last Wednesday of every month, 19:00 arrival for a 19:30 start

Woking Weekly Jam, Trinity Methodist Church, Brewery Road, Woking - NOT JUST JAZZ!

The Woods Shed Jazz Club - Village Centre, Englefield Green - Regular jazz workshop/jam session on Monday evenings (term time only). Contact Tony Woods for more details

JAZZ FESTIVALS & EVENTS
None advertising at the moment

BIG BAND LISTINGS

Berkshire
Apollo Big Band - Stockcross, near Newbury
Blue Sky Big Band
Dr G’s Little Big Band
The IJO Big Band
MillsTones Dance Band
Remix Jazz Orchestra - Finchampstead
Supertonics Big Band - Bracknell

Surrey
Big Beer Band
Centrepiece Big Band
Ember Big Band
Farnham Big band
Gray Matter Big Band
Jetstream Jazz Big Band - Gatwick
Jon Bird Big Band
Kingswood Big Band - Kingswood
Milestone Big Band
The OMEGA BIG BAND
Paul Sykes Big Band
Redstone Community Big Band
Rhythm and Groove Big Band - Godalming
Ron Green Big Band
Runnymede Jazz Orchestra - Egham
Somethin’ Else Big Band
Surrey Jazz Orchestra
Thames TV Big Band

Surrey Jazzfinder
If you would like to be added to the mailing list, know of any other regular events in the area or are organising a concert or event please let us know at:
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Georgia Mancio celebrates 25 years in music with a new album and a series of live performances.

Tuesday, January 07, 2025

Vocalist & lyricist Georgia Mancio, celebrates her 25th anniversary in music with a series of concerts & the release of her 9th album, ‘A Story Left Untold’ recorded with pianist Alan Broadbent

Georgia Mancio has forwarded the following press release;

Multi-award-winning jazz vocalist, lyricist and producer, Georgia Mancio, celebrates her 25thanniversary in music with a series of highlight concerts and the spring release of her 9th album, ‘A Story Left Untold’ (Roomspin Records), co-written with Grammy-winning pianist/composer, Alan Broadbent.

A supreme storyteller whose performances connect deeply with her audiences, Georgia’s work is characterised by authenticity, creativity, collaboration and a commitment to social and humanitarian issues.

Throughout this landmark year, she will feature her Quartet (Robin Aspland, Andrew Cleyndert, Dave Ohm); introduce new projects (Sam Dunn, Tony Kofi, Alex Hutton) and revisit her most pivotal partnerships (Liane Carroll, Ian Shaw, Nigel Price, Kate Williams, Gareth Lockrane).

Central to these, is her revered 12 year association with Alan Broadbent, with whom she has written over 40 songs, published two books and performed across Europe and the US, including iconic venues, Ronnie Scott’s and Jazz at Lincoln Center (NYC). Their new album, ‘A Story Left Untold’, masterfully blends the personal and political, across duo, quartet and orchestral settings. Set for release on 1 May with an accompanying 10 date tour, it completes a trilogy with the critically acclaimed ‘Songbook’ (2017) and ‘Quiet Is The Star’ (2021).

Georgia’s expansive artistry is reflected in her copious industry acknowledgements: First Prize in the Brussels International Jazz Singers’ Competition, presided over by Sheila Jordan (2006); Best Album (‘Finding Home’, 2020) and Best Vocalist (2021) at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards, and multiple nominations at the Jazz FM, British Jazz and Urban Music Awards.

Her reputation has been further consolidated by her formidable production skills, encompassing ‘ReVoice!’ – the international voice festival she devised and directed across multiple venues for 5 editions with artists including Gregory Porter, Carmen Lundy, Tuck & Patti, Beady Belle and Karin Krog (2010-2014) – and its successor, ‘Hang’ (2017-2019).

She also co-directs Eltham and Crystal Palace Jazz Clubs with drummer Dave Ohm, and her own independent label, Roomspin Records (2001-). Other credits include Pat Metheny (lyric approval), Bobby McFerrin, Bobby Wellins, Robert Mitchell, Nikki Iles and BBC Proms (2019).

http://www.georgiamancio.com)

Georgia Mancio 25th Anniversary DATES

12 January 606 Club (featuring Nigel Price)
16 January Eltham Jazz Club (featuring Sam Dunn)
31 January Chichester Jazz Club (Quartet)
22 February Hampstead Jazz Club (featuring Kate Williams)
28 February Wraysbury (featuring Alex Hutton)
9 March Ipswich Jazz Club (featuring Gareth Lockrane)
29 March The Vortex (Quartet)
4 April Norden Farm (featuring Alex Hutton)

‘A Story Left Untold’ Album Tour with Alan Broadbent
24 April Seven Leeds
25 April Sheffield Jazz Club
26 April Peggys, Nottingham
27 April Stapleford Granary (Duo)
29 April Jazz Hastings
30 April Pizza Express Jazz Club (Album Launch)
1 May Guildhall School Of Music and Drama (workshop)
2 May The Lighthouse, Poole
3 May Cranleigh Arts Centre

6 and 7 May Crystal Palace Jazz Club (featuring Ian Shaw)
12 June Eltham Jazz Club (featuring Tony Kofi)
29 June Whitstable (featuring Sam Dunn)
4 July Bracknell Jazz (Quartet)
13 July tba (featuring Liane Carroll)

PRESS QUOTES

“[Mancio] has everything covered – technical mastery, expressive range and a remarkable versatility”
The Observer 4****

“Impossible not to fall in love with her voice ... a magnificent example of strength and talent” Jazz In Europe

“a warm, rich playful sound with intimate, hip phrasing and spot-on intonation…Mancio brings grace and wisdom to each song. Her lyric-writing is sophisticated and sensitive beyond her years.”
Jazz Wax

Sheffield Jazz -  Spring 2025 season of gigs.

Tuesday, January 07, 2025

Sheffield Jazz has announced its gig schedule from January to May 2025. Events take place at Crookes Social Club, The Crucible Playhouse and Firth Hall at the University of Sheffield.

Roy Saxby of Sheffield Jazz writes;

Our first gig is at the Crucible Playhouse with Tommy Smith & Gwilym Simcock, together for a night of musical duets and improvisations. Then Dave O’Higgins returns to Crookes Social Club with his Monkin’ Around Quartet. This is followed by exciting young pianist/composer Sultan Stevenson’s trio. In February at Firth Hall we feature Azerbaijani piano virtuoso Elchin Shirinov and his trio. We return to Cookes for flautist Gareth Lockrane’s Quintet followed by Hejira – Celebrating Joni Mitchell, a 7-piece band who play the songs of Joni Mitchell. Next up is guitarist/composer Billy Marrows’ 12-piece ensemble Grande Familia. Our April date features vocalist Georgia Mancio & Grammy-winning pianist Alan Broadbent at Crookes. In May we welcome bassist Misha Mullov-Abbado’s regular six piece group and our final gig is multi award-winning pianist and composer Ivo Neame’s Trio playing music from their new album.

Full details are on our website http://www.sheffieldjazz.org.uk.

Sheffield Jazz Spring 2025 Season

Crookes Social Club, Mulehouse Road, Sheffield, S10 1TD Tel: 0114 266 0114 Doors open at 19.20,music starts at 20.00, finish time 22.45. Prices: Full £17; over 60s,
disabled, unemployed £15; students with NUS card £10; 15–17 year olds £5; under 15s Free. Advance tickets from http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/sheffield-jazz.

Crucible Playhouse, 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 1DA Tel 0114 249 6000 (in association with Music in the Round) Doors open 19.00 music starts 19.30, finish time 22.00.
Prices: Full £19; over 60s, disabled, unemployed £17; students with NUS card £10; 15–17 year olds £5; Under 15s Free. Advance tickets (no additional booking fee) from Crucible Box Office http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Firth Hall, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN Tel 0114 222 8888 (in association with University of Sheffield) Doors open at 19.00, music starts at 19.30, finish time 22.00. Prices: Full £18; over 60s, disabled, unemployed £16; students with NUS card £10; 15–17 year olds £5 Under 15s Free. Advance tickets from http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/sheffield-jazz.

For details visit http://www.sheffieldjazz.org.uk

Friday 10 January
at 20.00
Crookes Social Club
Dave O’Higgins’ Monkin’ Around
Quartet
Dave O’Higgins: tenor saxophone
Sean Fyfe: piano
Luke Fowler: bass
Billy Pod: drums
Tenor sax maestro and Sheffield Jazz favourite Dave O’Higgins returns with his latest project ‘Monkin’ Around’ playing more music by the great Thelonious Monk. Following his highly successful gig showcasing his ‘Play Monk & Trane’ album, here are three friends, with guest Sean Fyfe on piano for this gig, paying homage to Monk, one of the most original jazz composers of the 20th century. As demonstrated on their new album ‘4 in1’, they explore the quirky and memorable themes in Monk’s timeless, distinctive compositions. Many are well known, some rarely played, but all are swinging, grooving, lyrical and playful.

Friday 31 January
at 20.00
Crookes Social Club
Sultan Stevenson Trio
Sultan Stevenson: piano
Jacob Gryn: bass
Joel Waters: drums
Sultan Stevenson is one of the most exciting young jazz musicians whose captivating performances and original compositions have led to his rapid rise on the London scene. He is considered one of the brightest stars of his generation, winning Best Newcomer in the 2023 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. A product of the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy and Tomorrow’s Warriors, Sultan has shaped his musical identity through his cultural experiences, drawing heavily upon Jazz and African music. He cites McCoy Tyner, Kenny Kirkland, Geri Allen and Ahmad Jamal as some of his biggest inspirations, and this is reflected in his dynamic playing style.

Thursday 27 February
at 19.30
Firth Hall
Elchin Shirinov Trio
Elchin Shirinov: piano
Andrea Di Biase: double bass
Dave Hamblett: drums
Experience the fusion of contemporary jazz and Azerbaijani folk music through the original compositions of acclaimed pianist Elchin Shirinov, whose innovative style and virtuosic piano skills have earned him international recognition. Elchin featured in All About Jazz’s 2022 poll of the top 200 favourite living pianists in the world. With Italian Andrea Di Biase’s deep, lyrical bass lines and British drummer Dave Hamblett’s rhythmic precision, the trio creates a rich tapestry of sound that is intricate and accessible
and perfectly complement Elchin’s compositions. Expect a performance that transcends cultural boundaries and exemplifies the vibrant energy of modern jazz.

Thursday 7 March at
20.30
Crookes Social Club
Gareth Lockrane Quintet
Gareth Lockrane: flutes
Nadim Teimoori: tenor sax
Nick Costley-White: guitar
Oli Hayhurst: bass
Gene Calderazzo: drums
Flautist Gareth Lockrane, one of the UK’s most celebrated jazz musicians, leads a band of top musicians, all long-time collaborators. Gareth plays all the flutes and is also a pianist, arranger and a prolific composer. He is renowned around the world as one of the most versatile jazz flautists, boasting numerous accolades and awards and a string of high profile appearances alongside the likes of the James Taylor Quartet, Natalie Williams, Lianne La Havas, Nikki Iles and Bheki Mseleku. His other projects include his big band, his band ‘Grooveyard’ and his septet, all of which have produced acclaimed albums.

Friday 14 March
at 20.00
Crookes Social Club
Hejira – Celebrating Joni Mitchell
Hattie Whitehead: vocals & guitar
Pete Oxley - guitar
Oliie Weston - tenor & soprano sax
Chris Eldred - keyboards
Dave Jones: bass
Rick Finlay: drums
Marc Cecil: percussion
Hejira, a band of highly experienced jazz musicians who celebrate the work of singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell, mostly from the late ‘70s, put their own stamp on the material, whilst remaining true to the spirit of the originals. They’ve enjoyed sold out shows, standing ovations and acclaim from press and radio reviews.
Founded by guitarist Pete Oxley, the band is fronted band by Hattie Whitehead who has earned high praise for her vocal prowess, having, in her own way, assimilated the style of Joni’s vocals and plays guitar with Joni’s stylistic mannerisms. Expect an evening of great songs from Joni Mitchell’s back catalogue.

Friday 28 March
at 20.00
Crookes Social Club
Grande Familia
Teresa Macedo Ferreira: viola,
Tori Freestone: flute tbc,
Gustavo Clayton Marucci: clarinet & bass clarinet,
Chris Williams: alto sax,
Tom Ridout: tenor & soprano sax, clarinet, recorders,
Mike Soper: trumpet,
Olli Martin: trombone,
Anna Drysdale: French horn,
Billy Marrows: guitar,
Angus Bayley: piano,
Jonas Mbanu: electric bass,
Rod Oughton: drums
This gig is a rare chance to hear Billy Marrows and his chamber jazz group Grande Família play music from their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Penelope’. Recorded as a surprise for Billy’s mother Penny during her struggle with pancreatic cancer in summer 2023, it was released in her memory in January 2024. It features the group as a 12-piece ensemble and in smaller combinations, interspersed with intimate solo guitar vignettes. Their inventive contemporary jazz spans a wide emotional spectrum, with strong narrative and melodic solos and compositions at its heart. This melodic narrative shapes a beautiful evening of original music, not to be missed!

Friday 25 April
at 20.00
Crookes Social Club
Georgia Mancio & Alan Broadbent
Georgia Mancio: vocals
Alan Broadbent: piano
Andrew Cleyndert: bass
Dave Ohm: drums
Multi-award-winning vocalist/lyricist Georgia Mancio and double Grammy-winning pianist/composer Alan Broadbent present songs from their new album ‘A Story Left Untold’, alongside gems from their 40 strong back catalogues. This globally acclaimed collaboration spanning 12 years has been described as “one of the most formidable song writing partnerships of the 21st century” (Jazz Views), drawing comparisons to Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers & Hart, Cole Porter and Joni Mitchell. Their recordings
“Songbook”; and “Quiet Is The Star” were shortlisted Albums of The Year by the Arts Desk, Jazz Views and Jazzwise. With virtuosic performances, these songs, personal and political, beautiful and biting, are not to be missed.

Friday 9 May
at 20.00
Crookes Social Club
Misha Mullov-Abbado Group
Misha Mullov-Abbado: bass
James Davison: trumpet & flugelhorn
Tom Smith: alto sax
Sam Rapley: tenor sax
Liam Dunachie: piano
Scott Chapman: drums
Acclaimed bassist Misha Mullov-Abbado leads his regular group featuring some of the most sought-after young musicians in London. A prolific composer and arranger, Misha has worked with many top with musicians including Tim Garland, Viktoria Mullova, Rob Luft and Stan Sulzmann. The band will be playing music from their new album ‘Effra,’ due to be released in early 2025, which draws on a wide variety of influences from traditional jazz, swing and modern to Brazilian samba, classical music, minimalism and obscure. It showcases Misha’s ‘melodic gift’ (John Fordham, The Guardian) and ability to masterfully combine beautifully-crafted compositions with free-spirited improvisation.

Friday 16 May
at 20.00
Crookes Social Club
Ivo Neame Trio
Ivo Neame: piano
Tom Farmer: bass
James Maddren: drums
Multi award-winning pianist Ivo Neame leads his trio, featuring two of the finest UK-based jazz instrumentalists, playing music from his latest album ‘Zettalogue’. Ivo is one of a handful of musician/composers who are redefining the sound of British jazz with compositions that have an esoteric and highly original voice. His music is characterised by a stunning mix of virtuosity, sophistication and playfulness and his performances are known for their dynamic energy and emotional depth. All three musicians have strong, individual voices and are given space to make their mark on the music with a sound built on dynamic group interplay.

Liam Ward - 2025 gig list.

Monday, January 06, 2025

Blues harmonica player and vocalist Liam Ward has announced his gig schedule for February to November 2025 which will feature his playing and singing with a variety of different line ups. Details att

Liam Ward writes;

LIAM WARD MUSIC
2025 gigs

I’m about to jet off on my winter getaway, but I have lots of gigs planned for when I return in February. I’ve been invited on tour with an Oasis tribute band (playing the harmonica parts from their famous Knebworth 1996 show) and I will be on some gigs with the Jake Leg Jug Band (as a dep rather than a full-time member). Finally, I’m extremely excited to be teaching and performing at the World Harmonica Festival in Germany in October!

More events to be announced soon, check the website for the full list.
https://www.liamwardmusic.com/gigs-and-workshops

See you at one of the following:

SAT 15TH FEBRUARY Oasis Supernova @ Middlesborough Town Hall

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TUE 18TH FEBRUARY Cole & Ward @ Supper Club Hampton-in-Arden

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WED 19TH FEBRUARY The Jake Leg Jug Band - Gospel Concert @ St. Lawrence’s Church (part of Biddulph Up in Arms)

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FRI 21ST FEBRUARY Oasis Supernova @ Camp & Furnace (Liverpool)

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FRI 28TH FEBRUARY-SUN 2ND MARCH
EuroBlues Acoustic Weekend (Wantage, Oxfordshire)

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FRI 14TH MARCH Warren James Trio @ Sutton Coldfield Guitar Club

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WED 5TH MARCH Cole & Ward @ Cafe Rene (Gloucester)

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SAT 15TH MARCH Oasis Supernova @ Middleton Arena

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FRI 21ST MARCH Oasis Supernova @ Tavistock Wharf

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SAT 22ND MARCH Oasis Supernova @ The 1865, Southampton

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TUE 25TH MARCH The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Calne Jazz Club (Wiltshire)

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TUE 1ST APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Leeds Jazz Club

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FRI 4TH APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Valley Folk Club (Pontardawe, Wales)

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SUN 6TH APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Chestnut Tree (Worcester)

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SAT 12TH APRIL Walk On Back to Happiness @ Hanger Farm Arts Centre (Totton)

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WED 23RD APRIL Cole & Ward @ The Carpenters Arms, Miserden (Gloucestershire)

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FRI 25TH APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Ongar Jazz Club (Essex)

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SAT 26TH APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band @ York House Centre (Stoney Stratford)

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SUN 27TH APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band - Gospel Concert @ St. Mary’s Church Primrose Hill (London)

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THU 1ST MAY The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Blues with Bottle (Ramsgate)

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SAT 3RD MAY The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Green Note (Camden)

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SUN 4TH MAY The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Filey Folk Festival (North Yorkshire)

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TUE 6TH MAY Cole & Ward Trio @ Bristol Blues Club

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SAT 10TH MAY Oasis Supernova @ Stalyfest (Stalybridge)

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FRI 20TH JUNE Oasis Supernova @ Old Fire Station (Carlisle)

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SAT 21ST JUNE Oasis Supernova @ Venue Cymru (Llandudno)

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SAT 28TH JUNE The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Mogfest ‘25 (Hampshire)

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SUN 29TH JUNE The Jake Leg Jug Band @ M&J Jazz Weekend (Dawlish Warren, Devon)

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SUN 3RD AUGUST Oasis Supernova @ Kendal Calling

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SAT 6TH SEPTEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Bridport Arts Centre (Dorset)

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FRI 12TH SEPTEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Driotwich Jazz Club

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THU 18TH SEPTEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Ebberston Village Hall (Scarborough)

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SAT 20TH SEPTEMBER Oasis Supernova @ Made in Manchester 2025 (Stockport)

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SUN 21ST SEPTEMBER The Story of Skiffle @ Livermead Jazz Weekend (Torquay)

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THU 2ND OCTOBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Pump House Jazz Club (Watford)

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SAT 18TH OCTOBER Oasis Supernova @ The Forum Theatre, Romily

FRI 31ST OCTOBER-SUN 2ND NOVEMBER
World Harmonica Festival (Trossingen, Germany)

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SAT 8TH NOVEMBER The Liam Ward Band @ Diseworth Blues Club (Leicestershire)

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SAT 15TH NOVEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Calstock Arts (Cornwall)

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SUN 23RD NOVEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Chestnut Tree (Worcester)

Cheers,
Liam.

https://www.liamwardmusic.com/gigs-and-workshops

Shirley Smart - Newsletter, January 2025.

Thursday, January 02, 2025

Cellist, composer, improviser, bandleader & educator Shirley Smart has forwarded her latest newsletter including news of forthcoming live appearances with a variety of different line ups.

Shirley Smart writes;

Dear friends,

Happy New Year!!
It is, of course, semi-obligatory to send out a New Year Updates mailout, so here we are….
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and the start of 2025 finds you suitably rested / raring to go / hungover (delete as appropriate).

I have a few nice upcoming gigs in January with my main projects, and would be lovely to see you there if you are around!

11th Jan
Shirley Smart Trio
Toulouse Lautrec
19:30
Book Tickets
https://www.toulouselautrec.co.uk/etn/shirley-smart-trio-2/

23rd Jan
Quanta Piano Trio
Lauderdale House
19:00
Book Tickets
https://www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk/quanta

30th Jan
Shirley Smart Sextet
Vortex Jazz Club
19:30
Book Tickets
https://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/event/shirley-smart-sextet-3/

Plans for 2025

I’m hoping to develop them all of these projects in 2025 with new material amd recordings coming up.

I’m also wending my way through my PhD project- an autoethnography based on my 10 years in Jersualem - which I hope to complete this year. I’m also developing some creative writing ideas which have been stuffed away in my brain for yearsand I have decided its time to get them out,  so new things may be coming soon!

I wish you all the very best for 2025, and hope to see you around somewhere soon!

Sx

Shirley Smart Trio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y7KnRAX6ok
My longstanding project with John Crawford on piano and Demi Garcia Sabat on drums will hopefully be recording a new album this year.
Our first album ‘Long Story Short’ drew on my years in Jersualem, and has evvoled as a trio through our many erpformances together over the past few years.
My years in Jerusalem were a huge factor in my life, but I have been seeking other inspirations for the development of our sound and this year a trip to Barcelona and a visit to the buildings of Antoni Gaudi, especially the epic Basicila de la Sagrada Familia, and the rood garedn at the Pedrera had a very strong impact on me. Demi, who has played drums and percussionin my trio for many years, is also from Barccelona so this is a nice completing of a circle, and I am now working on our second album, which I hope will be released during 2025.
In the meantime, our current dates can be found here:
https://www.shirleysmart.com/gig-diary

Quanta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGbpIuogKRw
Quanta is a new piano trio, combining classical repertoire with improvised material, drawing on jazz, folk and free improvisation.
This is a very special project, that I look forward to developing further in 2025, and hope that we will also record our first album during the year.
https://www.shirleysmart.com/gig-diary

Shirley Smart Sextet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGWpPby3fE0
This project is an extension of my trio for which I wrote a set of music in 2024.
It features some amazing musicians - in addtiion of Demi and John, is James Arben on tenor sax, Alistair Martin on trumpet and Marcus Penrose on bass.
Sextet Dates
https://www.shirleysmart.com/gig-diary

FULL CONCERT SCHEDULE:

2025

11.01 Shirley Smart Trio           Toulouse Lautrec                       20:30

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23.01 Quanta                         Lauderdale House                     20:00

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26.01 Quanta                         Mill Hill Libary                         17:00

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30.01 Shirley Smart Sextet         Vortex Jazz Club                       20:30

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02.02 Medland/Smart Duo         Green Note                               20:00

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13.02 Stories Trio                   Sound Bureau                           20:00
                                        @ The Hamlet, Streatham

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23.04 Medland/Smart Duo         The Lescar, Sheffield                   20:00

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07.05 Shirley Smart Trio           Klaipeda Festival, Lithuania         tbc

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12.05 Quanta                         Luton Music                             19:30

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15.05 Shirley Smart Trio           Haslemere Festival                     20:00

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17.05 Medland/Smart Duo         Penge Music                           13:00

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18.05 Quanta                         Egham Music Society                 20:00

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17.07 Bezique                         Lichfield Festival                       20:00

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23.08 Bezique                         South Hill Arts Centre               20:00

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14.09 Bezique                         The Music Mix, Wivenhoe​          20:00

https://www.shirleysmart.com/

Free Monthly Jazz Jams To Continue in Newark, New Jersey in 2025.

Thursday, December 19, 2024

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) Will Continue To Present Free Monthly Jazz Jams at Clement’s Place, Newark in 2025. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Free Monthly Jazz Jams Continues in Newark in 2025

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) Continues Free Monthly Jazz Jams at Clement’s Place
sponsored in part by TD Bank

What:
Co-presented by NJPAC’s Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers Institute for Jazz Studies, Jazz Jams at Clement’s Place is a monthly Jazz Jams Session concert series (January-June 2025) featuring top-flight New Jersey musicians directed by pianist and bandleader, James Austin, Jr.  Audience members immerse themselves in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the players’ and listeners’ minds. All novice and seasoned jazz musicians and singers are welcomed to jam and improv with the professional band throughout the night. Co-producers: Wayne Winborne, Executive Director, IFJS and Eyesha Marable, AVP, Comm Engagement, NJPAC.

Who + When:
Every Third Thursday of the Month @ 7:30 p.m.:
Jan 16: vocalist Alicia Renee aka “Blue Eyes” with Ben Rubens (bass) and Jeremy Warren (drums)
Feb 20: James Austin Jr. (piano) and Luminescence band
Mar 13, Apr 17, May 15, and Jun 19: Artists TBA.

Where:
Clement’s Place, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall, Rutgers University, 15 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey

Tickets: Free. Seating is first come, first served. For more information, contact NJPAC at 1.888.GO.NJPAC/1.888.466.5722 or visit http://www.njpac.org/series/jazz-jams/.

Sponsorship
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S. by assets, providing over 10 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Auto Finance, a division of TD Bank, N.A., offers vehicle financing and dealer commercial services. TD Bank and its subsidiaries also offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit http://www.td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/TDBank_US/. TD Bank is a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank, a top 10 North American bank. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD”. To learn more, visit http://www.td.com/us.

About NJPAC
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States.  It is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey — where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day.  As New Jersey’s anchor cultural institution, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State’s and the world’s best artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city.  Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts.  NJPAC has attracted more than 11 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.  Visit http://www.njpac.org for more information.

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, first broadcast 15/12/2024.

Monday, December 16, 2024

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 15/12/2024, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

Radio Playlist, 15th and 22nd December 2024

This week’s show (and next week’s) feature my personal favourite albums of the year.

I don’t attempt to do a “best of”, I play them in alphabetical order, and they simply reflect my personal taste rather than any sort of objective measure.  After two months away from home (due to flooding) I know that I have missed some albums – so apologies if that included your favourites. People who enjoy my show will probably enjoy this selection - but most of the albums probably won’t feature on anyone else’s list.

I’ve put the full list here - Part one is available now on http://www.mixcloud.com, at Camp radio and as a podcast - Part two will be broadcast next Sunday and then available elsewhere next week.

I’ll be back with new releases in January - meanwhile do have a great Christmas and lets look forward to a happy and musical new year

Regards
Peter

As it turns out:
This year’s 20 albums include
7 from UK;  3 from Germany;  2 from Denmark
1 each from Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland
Only two labels (Clean Feed and Ubuntu) have more than one in the list – all the others come from a variety of independent labels.
My selection, in approximately alphabetical order:

ARTIST
ALBUM

Aki Takase/Daniel Erdmann
Ellington

Andrew Woodhead
Swing you Sinners

Blueblut
Lutebulb

Fire!
Testament

Flat Earth Society
The Last One

Friends & Neighbours
Circles

Ill Considered
Precipice

Japanic (Aki Takase)
Forte

Laura Jurd & Paul Dunmall
Fanfares & Freedom

Mike Chillingworth
Friday the Thirteenth

Moritz Stahl
Traumsequenz

Pat Thomas – Bleyschool
Where?

Rob Cope
Gemini

Roberto Ottaviano
Eternal Love People

Samuel Blaser Trio
Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground

Smag På Dig Selv
SPDS

Söndörgő with Chris Potter
Gyezz

Surman (John)
Words Unspoken

TGB
Room 4

Zeeberg (Jeppe)
Six Additional Pieces of Piano Music

European Modern Jazz on the radio.

At any time:
http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 3pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on various podcast sites.

Jazz in the West Midlands, December 16th - 22nd 2024.

Monday, December 16, 2024

A roundup of jazz, funk & soul gigs to check out this week in the West Midlands area. Listings supplied by Dave Fuller of Music Spoken Here, Worcester.

The Week Ahead

A roundup of jazz, funk & soul gigs to check out this week in the West Midlands area.

The Week Ahead

A roundup of jazz, funk & soul gigs to check out this week in the West Midlands area.

Monday 16th December

Table Jazz Christmas Special
The Table, 33 Lower Hall Lane, Walsall WS1 1RR





Wednesday 18th December

Christmas Special with the Lichfield Jazz Big Band
The Cathedral Hotel, Lichfield, WS13 7AR



Jazz Jam with Ray Butcher
Bedford Street Bar, 4 Bedford Street, Leamington Spa CV32 5DY



Thursday 19th December

Christmas Jazz at St. Anne’s Church
St Anne’s Church, Chasetown, Burntwood, WS7 3QL



Rod Mason / Bryan Corbett / Tom Kincaid
Alsager Golf & Country Club, Audley Rd, Alsager Stoke-on-Trent ST7 2UR



RBC Jazz Gala
Eastside Jazz Club, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 200 Jennens Road, B4 7XR



Detroit Soul Collective
The Jam House, 3-5 St Pauls Square, Birmingham B3 1QU



Friday 20th December

The Brand New Heavies
B:Music, Town Hall, Victoria Square, Birmingham B3 3DQ



Simon Spillett Big Band play Tubby Hayes
Unit 5 Fargo Village Far Gosford Street, Coventry CV1 5ED



The Notebenders
Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space, Symphony Hall, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA

Detroit Soul Collective
The Jam House, 3-5 St Pauls Square, Birmingham B3 1QU

Saturday 21st December

Calypso Moon
St Swithun’s Church, Church Street, Worcester, WR1 2RH



A Cheeky Christmas Cracker with Ola Brown & John Morris
The Blue Piano, 24-26 Harborne Rd, Birmingham, B15 3AA



Detroit Soul Collective
The Jam House, 3-5 St Pauls Square, Birmingham B3 1QU

Sunday 22nd December

Metzmas Sunday Special
Hockley Social Club, 60 Hampton St, Birmingham B19 3LU

Have a great week!
Dave Fuller
Instigator, Music Spoken Here

Upcoming jazz events at The Barbican, London, December 2024 - May 2025.

Friday, December 13, 2024

The Barbican has supplied a schedule of forthcoming jazz events.

UPCOMING JAZZ AT THE BARBICAN 2024/2025

London Symphony Orchestra: Christmas Swing with Frank Dupree (Wed 18 & Thur 19 Dec 2025, Barbican Hall, 7pm)

Theo Croker’s DREAM MANIFEST (Sat 15 Feb 2025, Barbican Hall, 8pm)

Maria Schneider + Oslo Jazz Ensemble (Sun 2 Mar 2025, Barbican Hall, 7.30pm)

Jazz at Lincoln Centre x London Symphony Orchestra (Sat 15 Mar 2025, Barbican Hall, 7pm)

Jazz at Lincoln Centre & Wynton Marsalis: The Democracy! Suite (Sun 16 Mar 2025, Barbican Hall, 7.30pm)

Lizz Wright (Tues 18 Mar 2025, Barbican Hall, 8pm)

Cassie Kinoshi x Ensemble intercontemporain (Sat 3 May 2025, Barbican Hall, 7.30pm)

For further information please visit http://www.barbican.org.uk

The Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, Greater London, EC2Y 8DS,

Brick Lane Jazz Festival, London announce the second wave of artists for their fourth edition, which will take place 25th – 27th April 2025.

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Brick Lane Jazz Festival returns in 2025 for its fourth year, with a line-up that mirrors the vibrant convergence of London’s thriving underground music scenes at 12 venues in & around Brick Lane.

We have received the following press release;

Brick Lane Jazz Festival announce the second wave of artists for their fourth edition including:

Reek0 + Live Band, Takuya Nakamura (Live), Quinn Oulton, Orii Orchestra, MckNasty, Andrew Ashong (DJ set), Richie, Audrey Powne, Neue Grafik, Allexa Nava, Deschanel Gordon, Lox, Toby Corton, Tendayi & Friends, Xhosa Cole, Alley Lloyd, Jamie Leeming, Shanise Hall, Kezia Abuoma, Tomorrow’s Warriors Frontline, BXLxLDN Interplay, Joti, Emily Tran Quintet, KO Quartet, Viva Msimang (DJ set), Klara Devlin Quartet, and David Kayode

25th – 27th April 2025 | Early bird tickets start from £29.95

Brick Lane Jazz Festival returns in 2025 for its fourth year, with a genre-defying line-up that mirrors the vibrant convergence of London’s thriving underground music scenes. Focused on spotlighting local and emerging talent, the festival brings together artists from jazz, hip-hop, neo-soul, R&B, breakbeat, and electronic music, performing across twelve iconic music venues on and around Brick Lane.

Having firmly established itself as a cornerstone of East London’s cultural landscape, the festival continues to uncover underground jazz gems while drawing in artists making waves on the UK scene, all set against the backdrop of some of the capital’s most renowned cultural hotspots. All festival venues are within a short walk from the central hub at the iconic Truman Brewery space on Brick Lane, transforming the site and surrounding area into a vibrant hive of gig-hopping excitement for three days every April.

Last month, the festival returned with their first announcement for 2025 including headliners Laraaji, Adi Oasis, and Ragz Originale, alongside groundbreaking artists such as Ogunjobi (winner of this year’s Parliamentary Jazz “Best Newcomer” award), Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble, Last Nubian, Marysia Osu, Marla Kether, Alina Bzhezhinska, Bnnyhunna, Jelani Blackman, Astrønne, and many more. Today’s new announcement sees the festival add a whole host of eclectic artists to the 2025 line-up including Tottenham DJ, MC, and producer Reek0, Birmingham trailblazer Xhosa Cole, French electronic jazz luminary Neue Grafik, cult Tokyo multi-instrumentalist Takuya Nakamura, drummer-in-demand and Stormzy collaborator MckNasty, and many more. Full line-up so far with day-splits below:

FRIDAY
Ragz Originale - Jelani Blackman - BINA. - Move 78 - Àbáse - Allysha Joy - Last Nubian (live) - MckNasty - Marla Kether - Andrew Ashong (DJ set) - David Walters - Rio Rainz - ECHT! - Faye Meana - Ari Tsugi - Allexa Nava - Tendayi & Friends - Kezia Abuoma - Emily Tran Quintet - KO Quartet - Viva Msimang (DJ set) - Arsen Superfly (DJ set) - Rohan Rakhit Presents: The Cockney Sikh vs Kieran Dotwav (B2B) - Nadī + many more TBA

SATURDAY
Adi Oasis - dialE - Afriquoi - Ife Ogunjobi - Reek0 + Live Band - Takuya Nakamura (live) - oreglo - Sans Soucis - Bnnyhunna - Liv East - edbl & Jackson Mathod - Katie Tupper - Richie - Audrey Powne - Neue Grafik - August Charles - Close Counters - papaya noon - Deschanel Gordon - Xhosa Cole - Shanise Hall - Toby Corton - Tomorrow’s Warriors Frontline - BXLxLDN Interplay - Joti - Tru Thoughts Records Presents: Steve Bamidele - WheelUP - Footshooter & Vimbai - Robert Luis - Lucy Michael & Rhys Baker + many more TBA

SUNDAY
Laraaji - Gary Crosby’s Groundation - Madison McFerrin - Flock - Quinn Oulton - Jasmine Myra - Ray Lonzano - Astrønne - Marysia Osu - Alina Bzhezhinska & Tony Kofi - Orii Orchestra - Bruno Berle - DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson - Jay Phelps - Sol Paradise - Mark Kavuma - Aldorande - Lox - Alley Lloyd - Jamie Leeming - Klara Devlin Quartet - David Kayode + many more TBA

Brick Lane Jazz Festival has been making waves on the UK music scene, growing from its modest debut across four venues in 2022 to a 12-stage extravaganza spanning Brick Lane and Shoreditch in just three years. With over 100 artists set to perform across this three-day celebration, the festival has quickly become a fixture on the music calendar. Crowned #1 Best London Festival by The Standard and #1 Best UK Festival by TimeOut in 2023, the festival has only amplified its impact in 2024 with the launch of BLJF Presents—a year-round event series showcasing the UK’s most exciting artists, record labels, and parties. After sell-out shows in Manchester, Glasgow, and London this October, BLJF Presents is heading to new heights with a major event at the iconic Barbican Centre planned for early spring 2025, plus more regional stops in Bristol, Brighton, and even Paris later in the year.

The Festival also recently announced their biggest one-off show to date in conjunction with local friends and venue The Barbican. Set to take place 15th Feb 2025, the unique DREAM MANIFEST show will be led by US-based trumpeter extraordinaire Theo Croker, and co-curated by acclaimed fashion designer Nicholas Daley. The show will bring together an exploration of soundscapes, style and the global jazz community for a very special night, Theo Croker’s DREAM MANIFEST will see Croker joined on stage at the Barbican by a suite of special guests from the London and international jazz and wider music scenes in February 2025. Tickets are available HERE.

The festival will once again partner with Jazz re:freshed and Tomorrow’s Warriors, both vital community organizations that nurture emerging talent in UK jazz. Tomorrow’s Warriors will be back as the festival’s charity partner, bringing an Emerging Talent Stage for fans to catch the next wave of jazz stars as they debut the freshest live material.

The festival’s stages are hosted by some of the most important venues in East London including Village Underground, Ninety One Living Room (hosted by Jazz re:freshed), Rough Trade East, 93 Feet East, Rich Mix, Juju’s Bar & Stage, and many more. As always, those without tickets can enjoy free-entry spaces throughout the site, including the Tomorrow’s Warriors live stage at The Brick Lane Tap Room, the Signature Brew stage at The Big Chill, and DJ stages at 93 Feet East and Cafe 1001.

Alongside today’s line-up announcement, the festival have also announced details of two new stages and partnerships. The first of which includes a headline partnership with Swedish keyboard specialists Nord, who will be taking over a new space opposite the Rough Trade stage on Dray Walk with a showroom of audiophile equipment for festival attendees’ pursuing pleasure as well as an exclusive solo performance each day from three very exciting acts from the London jazz scene. The second comes in the form of a new, unplugged stage in partnership with local brewery and music-aficionados Signature Brew in the former Big Chill space. Alongside a night time DJ lineup, the day programme will showcase intimate acoustic sets from local emerging talent.

Reflecting on this fourth edition, the festival’s Founder, Juliet Kennedy says,
“Every year I think, ‘Can we really top last year’s lineup?’ And yet, the talent in UK jazz just keeps raising the bar! This year’s lineup is a dream, and I can’t wait to bring everyone down to Brick Lane again with our fantastic partners, Tomorrow’s Warriors and Jazz re:freshed. Let’s go 2025!”

Early bird tickets for the festival are now on sale with Day Passes starting from just £29.95, and weekend passes from £89.95. Tickets and more info are available HERE
https://bookings.kaboodle.com/tickets?t=kaboodle-9y4i4&c=202&p=23079&k=54e35c88662cbe4ae4d92cc11b5052146c660d21

https://www.bricklanejazzfestival.com/

https://www.instagram.com/bricklanejazzfestival/

https://www.facebook.com/bricklanejazzfestival

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, first broadcast 08/12/2024.

Monday, December 09, 2024

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 08/12/2024, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

Radio Playlist 08/12/2024

This is my final regular show of the year - next week will be the first of two shows rounding up my personal favourite albums of 2024.
This week’s show tries to catch up on all the recent releases - but I know I’ve missed some that will have to wait until January.
The show as usual is available now at http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz and later on podcasting sites

Hayden Powell
Galaxies
Undergrowth
Bandcamp

Massimo Tata
Explorer
Kythnos
Alfa Music

Giancarlo Tossani Synapser
Do Geese See God
Nightrumor
Auand

Friso van Wijck
Framed
Candy Container
Trytone

Gregori Hollis
Dedicatòria
Now I know
Segell Microscopi

Markus Kaardal
Banjogoblins
Kaarma
Losen

Jansen – Jormin - Steinmetz
New Flower
The Pilgrimage
Traumton

Alessio Cazzetta
Crystal Castles
Love, Death & The Eternal Blues
Unit Records

Donder
Het Mierenlied
De Wonderen
W.E.R.F

Henkel Carlson Hall
Kreiseziehen
Kreiseziehen
AutRecords

Paggi, Dosoli, Conte
Attenti al Lupo
Fleca!
AutRecords

Colin Vallon
Ronce
Samares
ECM

Paul Dunmall & Kevin Figes
Baritone & Soprano Saxophone #1
Duos
Slam

Nick Bartsch’s Ronin
Module 66 (part)
Spin
Ronin Rhythm Records

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time: http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 3pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on various podcast sites.

Warren James - Gig list, December 2024.

Friday, December 06, 2024

Guitarist & vocalist Warren James has forwarded his live performance schedule for December 2024 which will feature his playing with a variety of different line ups, including The Jake Leg Jug Band.

Warren James writes;

Gig List December 2024

FIRSTLY - thank you to everyone who showed support for live music in 2024 - to everyone who bought a ticket and paid to come into any venue that we performed at - OUR SINCERE THANKS

THE JAKE LEG JUG BAND - DECEMBER 2024 GIG DATES

​FRI 06 DEC 2024   ST JAMES CHURCH (AUDLEY, STOKE-ON-TRENT)
7.30pm 2 x 60 min sets, http://www.jmj.org.uk  GOSPEL CONCERT

​SAT 14 DEC 2024   SHROPSHIRE BLUES & ROOTS CLUB (LUDLOW)
8.00pm, 2 x 45 min sets, @ Ludlow Brewery. http://www.facebook.com/ShropshireBluesClub

​SUN 15 DEC 2024   STAFFORD JAZZ SOCIETY (STAFFORD)
12.30pm, 2 x 50 min sets. @ The White Eagle Club. wwwstaffordjazz.org

​SUN 22 DEC 2024   HALESOWEN JAZZ CLUB (WEST MIDLANDS)
8.00pm, 2 x 60 min sets. @ Halesowen Cricket Club.

​TUE 31 DEC 2024   DEN ENGEL (LEEK, STAFFORDSHIRE) 9.30pm 2 x 45 min sets, http://www.denengelleek.co.uk

WARREN JAMES’ - DECEMBER 2024 GIG DATES

Fri 6 – Audley, CeO Church – The Jake Leg Jug Band

Sat 7 – Aylesbury, Stoke Mandeville Christmas light turn on - The Silke Street Band
@4pm Town Centre
@5pm The Bell Pub

Sat 7 – Soho, Arts Bar, Frith Street – Silk Street Band @7pm

Sun 8 – Uttoxeter, The Vaults of Uttoxeter – The Hit Parade Heroes – Guest: Mike Owen @4pm

Thurs 12 – London, Soho – Silk Street Music

Sat 14 – Doveholes, Jazz Club – Baby Jools & The Jazzaholics @8pm

Sun 15 – Stafford, Jazz Club – The Jake Leg Jug Band @12:30pm

Fri 20 – Tipton, Horseley Tavern – Hit Parade Heroes @8:30pm

Sat 21 – Louth, Jazz Club – The Story of Skiffle @8pm

Sun 22 – Halesowen, Jazz Club – Jake Leg Jug Band @8pm

Sun 29 – Worcester, Chestnut Tree – Warren James R’n'R duo @6pm

Tues 31 – Uttoxeter, The Vaults of Uttoxeter – The Hit Parade Heroes @4pm

Tues 31 – Leek, Den Engel – The Jake Leg Jug Band - NYE

http://www.warrenjamesguitar.com

Listen!,  Cambridge, Jazz Programme for January to May 2025.

Tuesday, December 03, 2024

Cambridge based promoters Listen! have announced their jazz programme for early 2025. Events take place at Cambridge Unitarian Church.

We have received the following information;

11th January: Mark Lockheart & John Parricelli
Mark Lockheart (saxophones & clarinets), John Parricelli (guitar)

8th February: Elliot Galvin - The Ruin
Elliot Galvin (piano & synths), Mandhira de Saram (violin), Ruth Goller (bass & voice), Sebastian Rochford (drums)

22nd March: Strange Meeting: The Music of Bill Frisell
Chris Batchelor (trumpet), Margrit Hasler (viola), John Parricelli (guitar), Dave Whitford (double bass)

12th April: The Little Radio
Iain Ballamy (saxophones), Stian Carstensen (accordion)

10th May: Héloise Werner & Colin Alexander
Héloise Werner (soprano), Colin Alexander (cello)

All concerts take place at: Cambridge Unitarian Church, 5 Emmanuel Road, Cambridge CB1 1JW
Advance tickets: £19.80 (including booking fee) from http://www.wegottickets.com/listencambridge
Save over £22 with a Listen! Season Pass… all five concerts for £76.30 (including booking fee)

More information: http://www.listencambridge.com

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, first broadcast 01/12/2024.

Monday, December 02, 2024

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 01/12/2024, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

Radio Playlist - first broadcast December 1st 2024

Hackney Colliery Band
Eleventy Three
Collaborations Vol 2
Bandcamp

Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp
Petis Bouts
Ventre Unique
Bandcamp

The Leif
A’ho
Det er en egen lomme
90.032 Records

Danielsson Pohjola Parricelli
Playing with the Groove
Trio
ACT

Oaagaada
Appyuan
Music Of
WeJazz

Paul Dunmall
The Past
Red Hot Ice
Discus

Joe Webb
Newcastle Full Feel
Hamstrings & Hurricanes
Edition

Charlotte Lang
OKAY
The Journey
Unit Records

Playtime
Into The Groove (with Byron Wallen)
Morse Code Through the Lights
Interrupto Music

Otto Kintet
Glinstergloed
Wildernis
Choux de Bruxelles

Alexi Tuomarila -
Circle
Departing the Wasteland
Edition

Bubu
Auf und Ab
10
Trouble in the East

uroboro
cesare ha detto
as in an unpicking of time’s garment
Discus

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time:
http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 3pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on various podcast sites.

Leeds Jazz Festival returns for its 4th edition from May 22 to May 27, 2025.

Friday, November 29, 2024

Leeds Jazz Festival has announced its return in May 2025. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

After a successful three years, Leeds Jazz Festival will return from 22nd - 27th May 2025.

Leeds Jazz Festival is set to return for its fourth edition from May 22 to May 27, 2025. The vibrant celebration of jazz will once again bring together a diverse lineup of talented artists, showcasing everything from contemporary to traditional jazz across multiple venues throughout the city.

In addition to live performances, the festival will offer workshops, artist talks, and special events designed to engage the local community and promote artistic growth. Stay tuned for more details and artist announcements at http://www.leedsjazzfestival.com.

The inaugural event took place between 1st and 12th June 2022. The programme featured a variety of free to access events and ticketed showcases, representing the wide diversity of Jazz in the city, with something for everyone, from the most die-hard jazz fan around to a first time attendee. You can check out the gallery and events listings to get a sense for the 2022 festival.

In 2024 the festival ran from 23rd - 28th May 2024, expanding on the previous years highlights; the Welcome to Leeds Stage and the range of gigs in venues across the city. DJ NikNak debuted an audio-visual installation based on their album ‘Inner Ireti’ thematically honouring the Black roots of Jazz and the further impact on music at Leeds Art Gallery. Music production workshops took place in the state of the art Leeds Beckett studios. All alongside a programme of gigs and panels celebrating the local scene and showcasing bigger names, from Nubiyan Twist to Fergus McCreadie Trio and DJ Tina Edwards.

Leeds Jazz Festival is produced by a city-wide network of partners, representing venues, programmers, musicians and more, coordinated by Music:Leeds, with public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England alongside Split, LeedsBID, Welcome to Leeds, Eiger Studios and Leeds City Council funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

About Music:Leeds
  act as a single, centralised point of contact that will coordinate activity to support, promote, develop and grow music-based activity within the city and wider region, across any level, medium, genre or pathway. We established Launchpad in 2019, an emerging talent development program that offers opportunities and support for emerging artists, musicians, producers, bands, composers and music professionals throughout the Yorkshire region. In 2020, as we began to work across a wider area, we launched Music Local to support and develop place-based music support systems and infrastructures, tailored to the needs of individual music communities beyond it’s hometown.

About LeedsBID (Leeds Business Improvement District)
A catalyst for change, LeedsBID works collaboratively to improve Leeds city centre for all who use it.
A not-for-profit, non-political organisation representing over 700 businesses, LeedsBID is delivering over £14m investment back into the city centre through its projects, events and activities (over the next five years 2020-2025).
http://www.leedsbid.co.uk

About http://www.welcometoleeds.co.uk
Welcome to Leeds, the official Leeds guide to the wider Leeds story, showcases, supports and celebrates the world class events, organisations and people in Leeds through storytelling, events, podcasts, features, films and more.

April May Webb Wins 13th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) has announced April May Webb as the winner of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

April May Webb Wins the 13th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition
as part of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival

NEWARK, NJ (For Release 11.25.24) — As part of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) today announced April May Webb as the winner of the 13th annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Hosted by WBGO Radio’s Sheila Anderson, yesterday’s “The SASSY Awards” presented the Top Five Finalists on the iconic NJPAC stage in front of a live audience and a distinguished panel of judges: NEA Jazz Master and four-time GRAMMY-winning drummer, producer, and educator Terri Lyne Carrington, GRAMMY-winning pianist and Director of Jazz Studies at William Patterson University Bill Charlap, powerhouse GRAMMY-winning vocalist Lisa Fischer, NJPAC’s Jazz Advisor and multi-GRAMMY-winning bassist Christian McBride, and acclaimed singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux.

Pulled from 220+ entrants from 21 different countries, these gifted young singers represent the next generation of great jazz vocalists. Ultimately, it was April May who received the top honor and a $5,000 cash award. April May is originally from Kansas and currently calls Connecticut home.

A musician, composer, educator, and co-founder of the jazz ensemble Sounds of A&R, she is a 2023 Chamber Music America Grant recipient and 2023 Jazz Road Artist, and has toured with jazz legends such as Thelonious Sphere Monk III and was selected by NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater as a Woodshed Network recipient. She also took center stage in internationally acclaimed artist Tschabalala Self’s New York play Sounding Board. April May made history as the first black woman to graduate from the William Paterson University Jazz Education program. Audiences can catch her performing at Dizzy’s Coca-Cola Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Manhattan this Spring 2025.

The Second Place honor and $1,500 prize went to Syndee Winters, a Los Angeles-based singer best known for her role as “Nala” in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway. Third Place and a prize of $500 was awarded to Oberlin alumna Georgia Heers hailing from South Carolina. Rounding out the Top Five was Amira B of New York City, and Angélique Nicolas of France.

About The SASSY Awards
The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, also known as “The SASSY Awards”, is open to singers over the age of 18, of all genders and nationalities, from anywhere in the world, and not signed by a major label. Entrants are judged on vocal quality, musicality, technique, performance, individuality, artistic interpretation, and ability to swing. What has become one of the top annual vocal competitions in jazz, The SASSY Awards offers outstanding jazz singers a one-of-a-kind platform for embarking on a career in the music business—and offers audience members a chance to discover the jazz stars of tomorrow. Past winners include Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, Laurin Talese, Samara Joy (GRAMMY Award winner for Best New Artist 2023), Gabrielle Cavassa, Tyreek McDole, and more.

The competition recalls the humble beginnings of legendary jazz singer/NEA Jazz Master Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990) who, back in 1942, was a Newark teenager and winner of an amateur singing contest at the Apollo Theater. That memorable night helped launch the lifework of one of the most successful, influential jazz vocalists in the history of American music. NJPAC has a long history of preserving and celebrating Sarah Vaughan’s music and impact. In 1999, NJPAC officially proclaimed the street in front of it as “Sarah Vaughan Way.” In addition to The SASSY Awards, NJPAC hosted several celebrations in the 2023-24 season honoring the centennial of Vaughan’s birth. http://www.sarahvaughancompetition.com       

About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®       
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at approximately 1,300 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance.
TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit http://www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook and on Twitter. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America.
The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD.” To learn more, visit http://www.td.com.

About NJPAC
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., is America’s most diverse performing arts center, and the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has served more than 10 million visitors (including over 1.9 million students and families) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. http://www.njpac.org

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, first broadcast 24/11/2024.

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 24/11/2024, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes

Radio Playlist
First broadcast Nov 24th on HayesFM, PureBeat Radio, Camp Radio
Available now at http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz

Mike Chillingworth
Ladies in Mercedes
Friday the Thirteenth
Ubuntu

Josephine Davies Satori
Up Helly Aa
Weatherwards
Whirlwind

Marie Krüttli trio
Rewire
Scoria
Intakt

Nacka Forum
A crank of mu
Peaceful Piano
Moserobie

The Minifique Orchesta
Verdi a Plovdiv
Verdi Remix
O&P Records

The Verge
The Blast Supper
The Verge
Is It Jazz

Flut
Driplines
Stones That I have Chiseled
Aut Records

Ivo Neame
Zettalogue
Zettalogue
Ubuntu

Eternal Triangle
Dig
Moving on – Live in Nijmegen
Sound of Niche

Samuel Blaser Trio
Dark Was the Night
Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground
Blaser Music

Perfect Stranger
Life & Times, part 3
Unfinished Business
Spark!

Sylvie Courvoisier
Twirling (for Ned Rothenberg)
To Be Otherwise
Intakt

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time: http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 FM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 3pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on various podcast sites.

Peter Slavid - ‘European Modern Jazz’ on the radio playlist, first broadcast 17/11/2024.

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Broadcaster & journalist Peter Slavid has forwarded details of the music played on his UK & European Jazz radio show on 17/11/2024, which is available via a number of UK & international radio stations

Peter Slavid writes;

My radio show is back!

After six weeks away as a result of my house being flooded, my jazz radio show and podcast is back, initially catching up with some of September’s albums:

Sylvaine Helary & Orchestre Incandescent
There is a solitude in space
Rare Birds
Yolk

ICP Orchestra & Friends
een_beete_zenuwachtig
HAN81
Bandcamp

Dario Miranda
All’ombra del tuo sguardo
La Dormiente
Losen

Joel Lyssarides - Georgios Prokopiou
A Night in Piraeus
Arcs & Rivers
ACT

Buechi-Hellmuller-Jerjen
Du fragsch mi waer i bi
Pink Mountain Sagas
Intakt

Bearzatti Risso Barbieri
Lees Dance
Anatomy
Auand

Matthias Spillmann Trio
Reincarnation
Walcheturm
Unit Records

AHL6
Escape
What happened to Eternity
Waschalon Records

Joachim Kuhn French Trio
Homogeneous Emotions
The_Way
ACT

Kubri
Spinasanta
Due
AUT Records

European Modern Jazz on the radio;

At any time: http://www.mixcloud.com/ukjazz.

Weekly:

http://www.hayesfm.org.uk 91.8 HayesFM – West London Community Radio Sundays 12.00

http://www.purebeatradio.co.uk  Sundays 10am

http://www.listen.camp/ Sundays 3pm onward

Later as “Peter’s Eurojazz Podcast” on various podcast sites.

Jazz at Cadogan Hall, London in 2025.

Friday, November 15, 2024

Cadogan Hall has announced a number of jazz events scheduled to take place in 2025. Fully detailed schedule attached.

We have received the following information;

Jazz coming up at Cadogan Hall

New on sale: The Clare Teal 7, BBC Big Band, Glenn Miller Orchestra

Some superb jazz events have gone on sale recently including Clare Teal, the BBC Big Band, Glenn Miller Orchestra, and Down for the Count Swing Orchestra as well as three new concerts by the brilliant Jazz Repertory Company.

The Jazz Repertory Company presents…
Book all three Jazz Repertory Company concerts below before 31 December and save 20% on full-price tickets.

The Benny Goodman Orchestra’s famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert
Sunday 19 January, 3pm
Bandleader and clarinettist Pete Long (Ronnie Scott’s Big Band, Echoes of Ellington and ex-sax star of Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra) and His Goodmen present a superlative recreation of one of the greatest concerts in jazz history.
Programme to include ‘Don’t Be That Way’, ‘Avalon’, ‘Blue Skies’, ‘Life Goes To A Party’, ‘Sing Sing Sing’ and many more.

Miles Davis 1957-9
Miles Davis 1957-9: Kind of Blue, Porgy and Bess, and more
Sunday 20 July, 6.30pm
Miles Davis’ work with arranger and bandleader Gil Evans ranks among the most celebrated collaborations in jazz history, and this concert features music from their first two albums together, Miles Ahead and Porgy and Bess.
The role of Miles is shared by Steve Fishwick and Freddie Gavita, winner of Best Trumpet Player at the 2017 British Jazz Awards, and the concert is presented by music journalist, author and TV presenter David Hepworth.

The Midnite Follies
Louis and the Duke – The Midnite Follies Orchestra
Wednesday 22 October, 7.30pm
In 1932, Louis Armstrong created a sensation when he appeared at the London Palladium. A year later Duke Ellington’s Famous Orchestra became the talk of the town when they topped the bill at the same venue performing such classics as Bugle Call Rag, Black and Tan Fantasy and Mood Indigo.
The Midnite Follies recreate Duke Ellington’s Famous Orchestra in all its majesty with Enrico Tomasso taking the role of Louis. The show, presented by our MC Kerry Shale, also includes a number of variety acts which intersperse the music (Duke was 14th on the bill after an evening of juggling, tumbling, magic and novelty items).

OTHER JAZZ EVENTS:

Paramount Band ft. Joe Lovano & Julian Lage
Thursday 23 January, 7.30pm
LIMITED AVAILABILITY
The Grammy Award-winning titan of jazz saxophone Joe Lovano and virtuoso guitarist Julian Lage join forces with longtime Lovano collaborator bassist Asante Santi Debriano, who first performed with Joe in the Archie Shepp Quartet in the 1980s, and drummer Will Calhoun (of Living Colour fame) for an evening of exquisite jazz stylings.

The Clare Teal 7
25th Anniversary Tour
Thursday 13 February, 7.30pm
She’s back! Award-winning jazz vocalist Clare Teal returns to Cadogan Hall next year with The Clare Teal 7 for a night of exhilarating swing. To celebrate 25 years of touring, she’ll be delving into her extensive 22-album back catalogue including fabulous new arrangements of old favourites.

Swinging at the Cotton Club
Featuring the Lindy Hop Dance Company
Friday 21 February, 7.30pm
Swinging at the Cotton Club returns to Cadogan Hall with its unique celebration of the dance and music of the iconic Cotton Club, New York’s celebrated nightclub of the 1920s. Expect an evening of exhilarating dance and music, all inspired by the most iconic of eras, The Roaring ’20s, recreated by the fabulous Lindy Hop Dance Company, alongside The Harry Strutters Hot Rhythm Orchestra featuring American vocalist Marlene Hill and compere/vocalist Megs Etherington.

Nai Barghouti
with the London Contemporary Orchestra
Saturday 22 February, 7.30pm
Award-winning singer, composer, and flautist Nai Barghouti is one of the most distinguished vocalists of her generation. With a layered ornamental technique, in which she uses her voice as a musical instrument, Nai brings a genre-defying link between Jazz and Arabic music.
Along with her Amsterdam-based quartet, she’s renowned for her stunning rearrangements of iconic pieces from Umm Kulthum to Fairuz as well as original work rooted in Arabic maqams, Jazz and classical Western music.

Cadogan Hall
5 Sloane Terrace
London SW1X 9DQ

BBC Big Band
Rhapsody in Blue – A Celebration of the Music of George Gershwin
Saturday 8 March, 7.30pm
Join the internationally acclaimed BBC Big Band and special guest vocalist Emer McParland for a unique celebration of the music of George Gershwin. Journey through a wonderfully diverse repertoire, arranged and curated by conductor Barry Forgie. The concert culminates with a performance of the iconic Rhapsody in Blue specially arranged for big band.

The Glenn Miller Orchestra
Directed by Ray McVay
Sunday 18 May, 5pm
Take a step back into the 1930s and ’40s with the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra, led by the acclaimed conductor Ray McVay, for the ultimate musical celebration of the legendary big band leader. The Orchestra will take you on a guided tour of Glenn Miller’s incredible musical legacy including his most celebrated hits, from ‘In the Mood’, ‘Moonlight Serenade’, and ‘American Patrol’ through to ‘Little Brown Jug’, ‘Tuxedo Junction’ and ‘Pennsylvania 6‑5000’ and many more.

Celebrating Sammy Davis Jr.

With the Down for the Count Orchestra
Saturday 21 June, 7.30pm
Join the 30-piece Down for the Count Swing Orchestra for a celebration of one of the most iconic figures in show-business history – the incomparable Sammy Davis Jr. – in his centenary year.
Enjoy timeless classics such as ‘Birth of the Blues’, ‘What Kind of Fool Am I’, ‘Me and My Shadow’ and of course ‘Mr. Bojangles’, brought back to life by the sensational Down for the Count Swing Orchestra with strings and vocalists, along with anecdotes about Sammy Davis’ life, original arrangements of some of his hits, and music by some of his contemporaries including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sarah Vaughan.

Cadogan Hall
5 Sloane Terrace
London SW1X 9DQ

BOX OFFICE: 020 7730 4500

https://cadoganhall.com/

Jim Simpson honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Birmingham man-about-music, Jim Simpson, received The Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Birmingham Awards presentation on Saturday 9th November at Eastside Rooms. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Birmingham Music Man Honoured With Lifetime Achievement Award

Birmingham man-about-music, Jim Simpson, received The Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Birmingham Awards presentation on Saturday 9th November at Eastside Rooms.

The Award acknowledged Jim’s “decades-long influence in the music industry and his work with The Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival and Big Bear Music, which have been instrumental in shaping Birmingham’s cultural landscape”.

This award is most timely, coming in the same year that The Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival celebrated its successful 40th year with 239 performances, 230 of them free admission, in 120 venues, attracting musicians from Estonia, Spain, Norway, Italy, France, Singapore and the U.S.A. This year Jim Simpson also became an Honorary Doctor of Music, awarded by The University of Birmingham.

The Jazz Rag, the nationally distributed magazine published by Big Bear Music was winner of The 2023 Parliamentary Jazz Award while the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival previously received The Lord Mayor’s Award “in recognition of outstanding achievement and exceptional service to the city of Birmingham and its people through inspirational and dedicated work which has enhanced and promoted the reputation of jazz in the city and internationally”.

The 9th year of the prestigious Birmingham Awards, organised by Anita Chumber and Ifraz Ahmed, “honours Birmingham’s outstanding individual, businesses and organisations, shining a spotlight on those who make the city a vibrant and inspiring place to live in and work”.

The full citation of Jim Simpson’s Lifetime Achievement can be read below:

Jim Simpson has been involved in music most of his life. He bought his first record when he was nine, formed a jazz record club at school when he was 14 and started teaching himself trumpet, formed his own band while serving in the RAF in Gibraltar. Back in Birmingham in the early 1960s, working as a photographer and moonlighting as a musician, he was leading his own band by 1964, soon quitting the day job and supplementing his income as a musician by freelancing as a photographer and focussing on developing his band, Locomotive. In 1968 Locomotive had a hit record with “Rudi’s in Love”, Simpson stopped playing to concentrate on band management, also taking on Tea & Symphony and Bakerloo, both of which he signed to EMI Harvest. That was the year he set up Big Bear Records, now the longest-standing UK independent recording company and also opened his Henry’s Blueshouse, every Tuesday at The Crown on Station Street. Here he discovered Aston band Earth, name-changed them to Black Sabbath, and taking them to two hit albums, “Black Sabbath” and “Paranoid” as well as the hit single “Paranoid”. When he lost Black Sabbath he turned his attention to finding important, yet neglected, American Bluesmen, invariably doing menial jobs in Detroit and Chicago. Over the following decade Simpson brought over a series of 35 U.S. bluesmen on extended tours of the UK and Europe and recorded them for his Big Bear Records.

In 1979 he signed Birmingham band The Quads to Big Bear, releasing the single “There Must Be Thousand” which charted with John Peel naming it his favourite single of the decade. This was a period when he recorded a string of Birmingham bands, enjoying particular success with Muscles and Garbo’s Celluloid Heroes.

In 1985 he launched The Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival, which this year celebrated its 40th consecutive year with 239 performances, 230 of them free admission, in 120 venues throughout the region.

Simpson still runs Big Bear Records and the artist agency Big Bear Music, publishes the nationally distributed Jazz Rag magazine, presents free live music at Snobs Bar with Henry’s Blueshouse on Tuesdays and Birmingham Rocks on Sundays and edits the weekly free Henry’s Bluesletter to a emailing list of nearly 16,000 people worldwide.

With his brother Ron, he has written three books, “Don’t Worry ‘Bout The Bear”- a biography, “Dirty Stop Outs Guide To 1970s Birmingham”.

Their third book, “Dirty Stop Outs Guide To 1980s Birmingham” will be launched at a free event, open to all at Henry’s Blueshouse at Snobs Bar on Tuesday 19th November at 6:45pm.

Jim Simpson was also a finalist for the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ category.

The Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival was a finalist for the Arts & Culture Award.

The full list of Award Winners can be found here;
https://www.birminghamawards.co.uk/birmingham-awards-2024-winners-announced/

Brick Lane Jazz Festival, London announce the first wave of artists for their fourth edition including headliners Ragz Orginale, Adi Oasis, and Laraaji.

Friday, November 08, 2024

Brick Lane Jazz Festival will return in 2025 for its fourth year. Events will take place over the weekend of April 25th - 27th 2025 at twelve different music venues on and around Brick Lane.

We have received the following press release;

Brick Lane Jazz Festival announce the first wave of artists for their fourth edition including headliners Ragz Orginale, Adi Oasis, and Laraaji

25th – 27th April 2025 | Early bird tickets start from £29.95

Artists so far include:

Laraaji, Adi Oasis, Ragz Originale, dialE, Gary Crosby’s Groundation, Madison McFerrin, Jelani Blackman, BINA., Afriquoi, oreglo, Move 78, Àbáse, Allysha Joy, Last Nubian (Live), Sans Soucis, Bnnyhunna, Liv East, Jasmine Myra, Ray Lozano, Astrønne, Marla Kether, edbl & Jackson Mathod, Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble, Katie Tupper, Marysia Osu, David Walters, Rio Rainz, Alina Bzhezhinska & Tony Kofi, Bruno Berle, ECHT!, Faye Meana, DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson, August Charles, Ari Tsugi, Jay Phelps, Close Counters, Sol Paradise, Mark Kavuma, Aldorande, papaya noon, Tru Thoughts Records Presents, Rohan Rakhit Presents & Arsen Superfly

Brick Lane Jazz Festival returns in 2025 for its fourth year, with a genre-defying line-up that mirrors the vibrant convergence of London’s thriving underground music scenes. Focused on spotlighting local and emerging talent, the festival brings together artists from jazz, hip-hop, neo-soul, R&B, breakbeat, and electronic music, performing across twelve iconic music venues on and around Brick Lane.

Having firmly established itself as a cornerstone of East London’s cultural landscape, the festival continues to uncover underground jazz gems while drawing in artists making waves on the UK scene, all set against the backdrop of some of the capital’s most renowned cultural hotspots. All festival venues are within a short walk from the central hub at the iconic Truman Brewery space on Brick Lane, transforming the site and surrounding area into a vibrant hive of gig-hopping excitement for three days every April. Today, Brick Lane Jazz Festival unveils the first round of their 2025 line-up.

Newly announced headliners include new age zen master Laraaji, French-Caribbean soul / funk rising star Adi Oasis and R&B trailblazer and producer-in-demand, Ragz Originale. Elsewhere the festival will feature appearances from rising stars in the jazz scene such as Ife Ogunjobi (winner of this year’s Parliamentary Jazz “Best Newcomer” award) and the Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble, as well as showcasing some of the city’s best electronic and experimental outfits with the likes of Last Nubian, Marysia Osu, and Marla Kether set to play. BLJF will also celebrate global artists with sets from Irish Jamaican artist Rio Rainz, Ukranian harpist Alina Bzhezhinska and Ghanian Dutch artist Bnnyhunna, as well as further spotlighting the ever-expanding R&B / soul crossover scene with performances from Jelani Blackman and Astrønne. The full list of artists and day spits are as follows:

FRIDAY
Ragz Originale — Jelani Blackman — BINA.  — Move 78 — Àbáse — Allysha Joy — Last Nubian (Live)  — Marla Kether — David Walters — Rio Rainz — ECHT! — Faye Meana — Ari Tsugi — Rohan Rakhit Presents: The Cockney Sikh b2b Kieran Dotwav, Nadī + TBA — Arsen Superfly (DJ set) + MANY MORE TBA

SATURDAY
Adi Oasis — dialE — Afriquoi — Ife Ogunjobi — oreglo — Allysha Joy — Sans Soucis — Bnnyhunna — Liv East — edbl & Jackson Mathod — Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble — Jay Phelps — Close Counters — papaya noon — Tru Thoughts Records Presents: WheelUP, Footshooter & Vimbai, Robert Luis, Lucy Michael & Rhys Baker + MANY MORE TBA

SUNDAY
Laraaji — Gary Crosby’s Groundation — Madison McFerrin — Flock — Jasmine Myra — Ray Lozano — Astrønne — Marysia Osu — Bruno Berle — Alina Bzhezhinska & Tony Kofi — DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson — Sol Paradise — Mark Kavuma — Aldorande + MANY MORE TBA

Brick Lane Jazz Festival has been making waves on the UK music scene, growing from its modest debut across four venues in 2022 to a 12-stage extravaganza spanning Brick Lane and Shoreditch in just three years. With over 100 artists set to perform across this three-day celebration, the festival has quickly become a fixture on the music calendar. Crowned #1 Best London Festival by The Standard and #1 Best UK Festival by TimeOut in 2023, the festival has only amplified its impact in 2024 with the launch of BLJF Presents—a year-round event series showcasing the UK’s most exciting artists, record labels, and parties. After sell-out shows in Manchester, Glasgow, and London this October, BLJF Presents is heading to new heights with a major event at the iconic Barbican Centre planned for early spring 2025, plus more regional stops in Bristol, Brighton, and even Paris later in the year.

The festival will once again partner with Jazz re:freshed and Tomorrow’s Warriors, both vital community organizations that nurture emerging talent in UK jazz. Tomorrow’s Warriors will be back as the festival’s charity partner, bringing an Emerging Talent Stage for fans to catch the next wave of jazz stars as they debut the freshest live material.

The festival’s stages are hosted by some of the most important venues in East London including Village Underground, Ninety One Living Room (hosted by Jazz re:freshed), Rough Trade East, 93 Feet East, Rich Mix, Juju’s Bar & Stage, and many more. As always, those without tickets can enjoy free-entry spaces throughout the site, including the Tomorrow’s Warriors live stage at The Brick Lane Tap Room, the Signature Brew stage at The Big Chill, and DJ stages at 93 Feet East and Cafe 1001.

Reflecting on this fourth edition, the festival’s Founder, Juliet Kennedy says, “Every year I think, ‘Can we really top last year’s lineup?’ And yet, the talent in UK jazz just keeps raising the bar! This year’s lineup is a dream, and I can’t wait to bring the get everyone down to Brick Lane again with our fantastic partners, Tomorrow’s Warriors and Jazz re:freshed. Let’s go 2025!”

Early bird tickets for the festival are now on sale with day passes starting from just £29.95, and weekend passes from £89.95. Tickets and more info are available HERE
https://bookings.kaboodle.com/tickets

Tineke Postma receives Edison Award.

Wednesday, November 06, 2024

Dutch saxophonist and composer Tineke Postma has received an Edison Award, National Category, for her album "Aria". The Edison is the oldest and most prestigious Dutch annual music prize.

We have received the following press release;

On October 7 2024, Dutch saxophonist and composer Tineke Postma received an EDISON AWARD, National Category, for her highly praised album ARIA.

The EDISON is the oldest and most prestigious Dutch music prize which is being awarded annually.

Quote from the jury: “Known for her powerful saxophone playing, Tineke Postma explores new boundaries with technical craftsmanship and discipline. This versatile album is a powerful statement in Postma’s development. The album has a characteristic and personal touch.

TOUR DATES
with David Doruzka, gtr / Robert Landfermann, db / Tristan Renfrow, dr

2024
28 Nov   Frankfurt, DE - Netzwerk Seilerei / Jazzfest

March 2025
14 Mar   London, UK - Soul Mama

SUMMER 2025
1-3 August   Bulgaria

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvEPigblnXM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m69i2PoST-8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsCgviwiqSM

ABOUT

As one of the most prolific and respected musicians to emerge from the vibrant Dutch scene, saxophonist and composer Tineke Postma has been touring internationally as a leader since 2003. With a catalogue of seven albums her international profile has resulted in the Rising Star on soprano award in the Downbeat Critics Poll 2019 and seen her perform alongside greats such as Herbie Hancock (watch here from 30:00’), Terri Lyne Carrington and Dianne Reeves.

Tineke is a musician of inventiveness and creativity, not afraid to explore the unknown, and revels in the inspiration of the master, Wayne Shorter, who once told her, before going on stage to perform together, “Let’s start composing”.

Before his transition in May 2023 Wayne declared (source: Clark Rundell) that Tineke Postma should be the one to take his role in his symphonic written work (Opera Iphigenia, Gaia, and Orbits) and she performed these works for the first time in June 2023 with Esperanza Spalding along with pianist Kris Davis, Terri Lyne Carrington and the Polish Symphony Orchestra in Poland at the Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa Festival).

Tineke’s latest album ‘ARIA’, released in May 2023 by Edition Records (UK), consists of a new book of adventurous compositions by Tineke with a new group of prolific and highly acclaimed musicians such as NYC based guitarist Ben Monder, bassist Robert Landfermann (Germany) and American drummer based in Amsterdam, Tristan Renfrow.  The album received raving reviews such as a four-star review in Downbeat. In May/June 2023 the Tineke Postma Aria Group embarked on a successful European release tour playing festivals and venues such as the Bimhuis in Amsterdam, Ronnie Scotts in London, the festival “Like a Jazz Machine” in Luxembourg, the Sunset/Sunside in Paris, the Unterfahrt in Munich and Moods in Zurich. For the next phase of European touring, the Tineke Postma Aria Group included the highly acclaimed guitarist David Doruzka, replacing Ben Monder. The dynamics of this band were such that she decided to write more material for it and Tineke a new album is planned to be recorded in March 2025.

PRESS about ARIA

“This will resonate with listeners who enjoy a fusion of innovative improvisations combined with compositions with an intentional artistic vision and desire to tell stories through music formed from the roots of jazz and European classical music.”
The Jazz Word

“There isn’t anything safe here and in the fractured splintering of the shards of rapture all four players maintain on this studio album ...  you can’t guess what’s next. ...Given the quality here there are so many multiple interpretations of response possible which is just one reason why this latest album from the remarkable Postma - taking up the mantle of Lee Konitz and making a paradigm shift that contributes so much to the state of the art - works so well.”
Marlbank

“The music is open and airy, but with a clear melodic vein in it. Postma is obviously a fearless musical soul who dares to go her own way and who succeeds in creating excitement and unexpected ways into her universe.”
Nettavisen Nyheten / Norway

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Below are video links of a few exciting projects TINEKE POSTMA was involved in recently: In June of this year the Polish festival Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa paid tribute to the symphonic legacy of Wayne Shorter, led by multi-instrumentalist Esperanza Spalding. A concert featuring Esperanza Spalding’s quartet with Tineke Postma, Terri Lyne Carrington and Kris Davis, conductor Clark Rundell and the Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Clark Rundell about Tineke Postma: “A saxophonist with extraordinary gifts but also a composer, recording artist and bandleader, Tineke remains one of the outstanding figures in jazz of her generation. ...In speaking with Wayne about these projects prior to his passing, I asked who he thought should play his role in his quartet. His answer: Tineke Postma. It is hard to imagine greater praise than to be Wayne Shorter’s choice as a replacement in his own quartet.”

https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/113215-001-A/esperanza-spalding-homage-to-wayne-shorter/

In July at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Tineke participated in Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standards Project. Here is a short excerpt of that concert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUTxs5Qp_kI

The French Jazz Academy “Academie du Jazz” awarded
TINEKE POSTMA
the “Prix de Musicien Européen 2020”

Neil Cowley Trio announce UK Tour, April / May 2025.

Tuesday, November 05, 2024

After a seven year hiatus, the Neil Cowley Trio reunite for their UK tour in 2025. They will present music from their outstanding brand-new album, Entity . Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

NEIL COWLEY TRIO
Announce 2025 UK Tour
Buy Tickets Here
https://serious.org.uk/events/neil-cowley-trio-2

New album ‘Entity’ out now

‘Entity’, the magnificent new recording from Neil Cowley Trio, was released earlier this year on 20 September. It is three friends, reunited, giving their all to each other to reach one common goal, inspiring, conversing and metaphorically dancing together.

The band are now announcing their 2025 UK tour dates in support of their new album, which MOJO described as “a masterclass in tension and release where even the most reflective of songs conceal telling hooks”. The seven dates take place from late April through to early May across the UK, full dates listed below. Buy tickets here.

In 2017, pianist and composer Neil Cowley pressed pause. Over the course of 12 years and 6 critically lauded albums he had built an army of fans with accolades rolling in. Yet the Neil Cowley Trio went into hiatus. But after 7 years of solitary music making, it was time for him to return to the joy of human connection. For Cowley, there are no closer musical allies and brotherhood than his Neil Cowley Trio cohort, bassist Rex Horan and drummer Evan Jenkins.

Cowley’s ear for a killer melody, majestic rolling grooves, power hungry cadences and emotionally charged pieces remain. ‘Entity’ is a magnificent return to form for the Neil Cowley Trio. It is a mature, sophisticated album of uplifting melody and delicate beauty. It is about the inherent joy, comfort and rewards of human connection in our digital world and an ode to friendship.

Neil Cowley Trio 2025 UK Tour Dates

22 April - St Georges, Bristol

23 April - The Bradshaw Hall, Birmingham

26 April - The Glasshouse ICM, Gateshead

27 April - Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester

1 May - Turner Sims, Southampton

3 May - Saffron Hall, Saffron Waldon

4 May - Howard Assembly Room, Leeds

Buxton International Festival announces its 2025 jazz programme.

Friday, November 01, 2024

The festival’s Jazz Weekender tickets go on sale on 1st Nov 2024, granting access to all BIF jazz events during the festival’s opening weekend, 10-13 July inclusive, for a discounted price of £175.

We have received the following press release;

Buxton International Festival will announce its 2025 jazz line-up at a special launch party today (1 November) at The Palace Hotel, Buxton. The festival’s popular Jazz Weekender tickets also go on sale granting access to all BIF jazz events during the festival’s opening weekend, 10-13 July inclusive, for a discounted price of £175.

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.

For further information visit: http://www.buxtonfestival.co.uk

Music Spoken Here, Worcester, 2025 Programme Preview.

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Dave Fuller, the instigator of the Music Spoken Here events at the Marr's Bar in Worcester has forwarded a preview of the club's 2025 live music programme. Details attached.

Dave Fuller writes;

2025 Programme Preview

We’ve got some really special shows coming up next year! You’ll start to see these published on our website and social media in the next few weeks and I’ve almost finished the artwork for the next round of flyers to cover December through to February, which will be going to print next week. One of the benefits of signing up to our mailing list is that you’ll get to hear about what’s coming up ahead of everyone else!



We’re kicking off 2025 on 9th January with the fantastic Latin 7-piece TRYPL, founded by Trevor Mires, Ryan Quigley and Paul Booth - three of the busiest session horn players in the UK who between them have worked with Incognito, Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies Quincy Jones and Louis Cole among many other top acts. If you were with us for HOOP in November last year, you’ll already be familiar with Paul and Ryan (check out this video from that incredible night!).



We’ve already had some top class drummers feature on our program over the last couple of years, but in January we’re kicking off a mini-series putting the spotlight firmly on the ‘throne’ with drummer-led bands, starting with Jas Kayser (pictured) on 23rd January. In 2021, Jas won the Parliamentary Jazz Newcomer of the Year and Jazz FM Breakthrough Act of the Year awards and she released her debut album in 2022 on the Jazz re:freshed label for their ‘5ive’ series. She has featured with leading artists including Jorja Smith, Alfa Mist, Nubia Garcia and Shabaka Hutchings, most recently joining Lenny Kravitz on his 2024 “Blue Electric Light” tour, which will finish it’s South American leg in December, resuming in Europe from February. This booking has been two years in the making with dozens of emails and phone calls and a change of manager in March this year, so I am really delighted to finally be able to announce it!



We’re following that up on 13th February with an incredible young Birmingham band Impossible Conversations, headed up by drummer Louis Hamilton-Foad (grandson of Jamaican sax legend Andy Hamilton who migrated to the UK in 1949, settling in Birmingham), then another fellow Brummie drummer (now living in London), Romarna Campbell on 27th February. The series ends with Nigerian percussionist Lekan Babalola with his Sacred Funk 4tet on 13th March. Lekan has worked extensively with one of my favourite jazz vocalists, Cassandra Wilson, for many years.



Remaining dates for your diary before the summer break are Rob Luft (27 March), Tomasz Bura (10 April), Hypnos Files (24 April), Empirical (8 May), Karim Saber (22 May), Dreamscapes (12 June) and John Law’s Recreations (26 June).



Don’t forget, you can see all these gigs for just £18 per month and bag yourself a super cool t-shirt and priority seating with our Club Membership. You won’t get a better deal than that for this standard of live music anywhere else!
https://musicspokenhere.club/a-new-approach/club-membership

Venue for all events;
The Marr’s Bar, 12 Pierpoint Street, Worcester WR1 1TA

More at http://www.musicspokenhere.club

Recipients Announced For 2024 Parliamentary Jazz Awards.

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

The recipients of the 2024 Parliamentary Jazz Awards were announced on Tuesday 29th October 2024 at 8pm. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Recipients Announced For 2024 Parliamentary Jazz Awards

The recipients of the 2024 Parliamentary Jazz Awards were announced on Tuesday 29th October 2024 at 8pm.

The Parliamentary Jazz Awards are organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG) and supported by music licensing company PPL. The Awards celebrate and recognise the vibrancy, diversity, talent and breadth of the jazz scene throughout the United Kingdom. The award categories reflect the ever-increasing scope of talent from within the UK’s jazz scene: Jazz Vocalist of the Year; Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year; Jazz Album of the Year; Jazz Ensemble of the Year; Jazz Newcomer of the Year; Jazz Venue of the Year; Jazz Media Award; Jazz Education Award and the Services to Jazz Award.

Chi Onwurah MP Chair of APPJG, said:
“These awards are a great opportunity to celebrate the talents and energies of the great musicians, educators, promoters, record labels, jazz organisations, blogs, jazz magazines and journalists who have kept jazz flourishing. These recipients demonstrate the wealth of talent and commitment that exists in the British jazz scene. Now in their 19th year, the Parliamentary Jazz Awards honour the best of British jazz. MPs and Peers in the All-Party Group is grateful to PPL music licensing company for supporting the event.

Lord Mann Co-Chair of APPJG:
“This has been another really strong year for the Parliamentary Jazz Awards in terms of talent and nominations. The well-deserved recipients are a veritable who’s who of names that have made a real impact on the music and helped make the UK one of the world’s leading jazz territories”.

Peter Leathem OBE, Chief Executive Officer of PPL said:
“PPL is delighted to support the 2024 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. The recipients reflect both the phenomenal jazz talent we have here in the UK and the community built around them in the nations and regions. Congratulations to the winners and all those nominated on their success to date. The Awards were introduced and presented by: Lord Mann and Chi Onwurah MP, Issie Barratt, Jo White MP, Yvette Griffith OBE, Steve Crocker, Orphy Robinson MBE, Peter Leathem OBE, Jane Cornwell, Jon Newey. MC Chris Hodgkins.

The band were: Andrea Vicari (piano), Alison Rayner (bass), Tori Freestone (sax), Henry Lowther (trumpet) and Noah Ojumu (drums).

The full list of recipients is as follows:

Jazz Vocalist of the Year
Emma Smith
Emma Smith’s star is on the ascendant. With diverse and extensive experience performing everywhere from the 02 Arena to the leading jazz clubs of New York City, collaborating and recording with the likes of Michael Bublé, Robbie Williams, Georgie Fame and Seal along the way, Emma Smith has created a formidable reputation as a powerful and expressive artist in UK jazz. Emma Smith’s many accolades to date includes the widespread success of her long established vocal harmony group The Puppini Sisters, as well as a stint as a broadcaster on BBC Radio 3, not to mention a range of awards and compliments from organisations and critics alike, including winning the prestigious ‘Worshipful Company Of Musicians Medal. Now with the release of the new album and a series of live dates throughout the UK.
https://www.emmasmithmusic.co.uk/

Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year
Emma Rawicz
Jamie Cullum calls British saxophonist Emma Rawicz “an astonishing talent”. Despite her young age of 22, she has already achieved an enormous amount: at 19 Rawicz
independently released her critically acclaimed debut album, “Incantation” and singlehandedly managed an extensive UK release tour, including headline appearances at prestigious venues including the Jazz Cafe and Ronnie Scott’s. Since then, her international career has flourished, playing in over 15 countries.
Rawicz’s achievements have been recognised: she is a recipient of Newcomer Parliamentary Jazz Award, finalist at the Jazz FM Awards and the BBC Young Jazz Musician Competition. The Royal Academy of Music recently awarded Rawicz the Musician’s Company Silver Medal for excellence and contribution to the institution, an award not previously given to a jazz student.
Rawicz has already had the privilege of working in important roles with some high-profile festivals and established ensembles: in 2023 she was the Cambridge Jazz Festival’s Artist in Residence. In addition to this, she has featured as a soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra at Queen Elizabeth Hall in the 2022 London Jazz Festival, and with the German SWR Radio Big Band at a sold-out Berlin Philharmonie in February 2024.
In 2024 and beyond, the future already promises to be exciting for Rawicz, as she heads into the studio twice more to record new music with previously unrecorded ensembles. 2024 will also see Rawicz graduate from the prestigious Royal Academy of Music and throw herself into a busy touring and recording schedule as her career continues to develop.
https://www.emmarawicz.com/

Jazz Album of the Year
Zoe Rahman “The Colour Of Sound”
Gathering together an eight-piece band of outstanding musicians, Zoe Rahman has created The Colour Of Sound: the most ambitious, many-hued, uplifting large-ensemble music of her multi-award winning career. Her choice of collaborators reflects her deep engagement with the diversity of contemporary Britain. Starting with the foundational rhythm team of explosive US native Gene Calderazzo on drums and long-time scene stalwart Alec Dankworth on bass, she’s built up a frontline of players from across the generations of current UK players. Trumpeter Alex Ridout and trombonist Rosie Turton represent the new wave of young empowered female players: flautist Rowland Sutherland and Zoe’s brother Idris Rahman on saxes and clarinet are joined by guest trumpeter Byron Wallen to bring their wealth of diverse musical heritage, their gravitas as long-time scene leaders, and their undimming passion and commitment to the project. The music paints on a wide canvas in vibrant colours.
Colour Of Sound combines Zoe’s unique and powerful writing with thrilling arrangements and dynamic performances from the whole band to create an album of jazz at its highest level that still communicates its message directly to the listener. It’s a splash of colour and a bold statement beautifully realised that is Zoe Rahman’s most compelling work to date.
https://zoerahman.bandcamp.com/album/colour-of-sound

Jazz Ensemble of the Year
Alina Bzhezhinska’s HipHarpCollective
Fresh off a blazing trail of festival and concert Gigs, Alina and the HipHarpCollective continue their momentum through the UK Jazz scene. Downbeat magazine has recently hailed Alina as one of the acts redefining the European Jazz scene, her unique approach to the harp and her compositions are captivating in the studio but take on a whole new level when experienced live.
Reflections follows up her critically-acclaimed debut album Inspiration. Alina Bzhezhinska collaborates with British jazz stars Tony Kofi (saxophones), Jay Phelps (trumpet), Julie Walkington (double bass) and vocalist Vimala Rowe, strongly supported by international talents Mikele Montolli (electric bass), Joel Prime (percussion), Adam Teixeira (drums) and Ying Xue (violin & viola).
https://www.hipharpcollective.com/

Jazz Newcomer of the Year
Ife Ogunjobi
Ife Ogunjobi is a London raised musician born to Nigerian parents whose music is an amalgamation of the sounds around his upbringing. Growing up in South East London, his surroundings have enriched his music with various genres such as Jazz, Afrobeat and Hip-hop. His musical concept removes the barriers between the different genres of music and portrays his authentic sound. Ife’s debut EP “Stay True” released September 14th 2023 Blending Fuji and Afrobeats influences from his Nigerian heritage with Jazz and Hip Hop elements that influenced his London upbringing. A vital contributor to the London scene, Ife is one fifth of the band Ezra Collective who won the 2023 Mercury Prize for their album “Where I’m Meant to Be”. As well as touring and recording with Ezra Collective he has also performed at sold out stadiums like “Madison Square Garden” with the likes of Wizkid and Burna Boy.
Ife has gained recognition through his sold-out headline show at London Omeara as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. As well as this he has also had packed festival appearances at Love Supreme and We Out Here 2022 and was curated by award winning DJ, Giles Peterson for Appleton Rum’s Jazz Sessions.
https://www.ifeogunjobi.com/

Jazz Venue of the Year
The Verdict Brighton
The Verdict in Brighton is celebrating its 12th Anniversary. Nominated APPJA Jazz Venue of the Year 2022/23/24. The Verdict is a multi award winning grass roots music venue, the only full time Jazz venue outside of London in the south of England, it has been named as one of the 10 top jazz clubs in Europe by The Guardian. Weekly hosting the best in jazz music with Top International acts, playing blues, swing, funk, Latin Jazz and fusion.
https://www.verdictjazz.com/

Jazz Media Award
Gilles Peterson MBE
Gilles Peterson is a broadcaster, DJ, and record label owner. He founded the influential labels Acid Jazz and Talkin’ Loud, and started his current label Brownswood Recordings in 2006. He was awarded an honorary MBE in 2004, the AIM Award for Indie Champion and the Mixmag Award for Outstanding Contribution To Dance Music in 2013, the PRS for Music Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music Radio in 2014, and The A&R Award from the Music Producers Guild in 2019.
Throughout his career, Peterson has played a pivotal role in promoting genres such as jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music. He started his career on pirate radio stations Radio Invicta and K-Jazz, later joining legal stations in London, first the newly founded Jazz FM, and then onto the dance music station Kiss FM. In 1998, he was hired by BBC Radio 1, and in 2012 he began hosting a three-hour Saturday afternoon programme on BBC Radio 6 Music. He hosts a syndicated radio programme that is broadcast in seven European countries.
In 2016, he launched the online radio station Worldwide FM with Boiler Room co-founder and original host Thristian Richards. He also hosts mixes and new music on his SoundCloud page, where he has over three million followers. He is behind several events celebrating the music that he supports through his DJ sets and radio shows. Since 2005, he has hosted the annual Worldwide Awards in London and Worldwide Festival in Sète. In 2019, launched the new We Out Here festival in the UK.
https://www.gillespetersonworldwide.com/

Jazz Education Award
Nikki Yeoh
Nikki is a jazz composer, pianist and educator recognised as one of the most ground-breaking contemporary jazz composers of her generation. She is mentor for Music for Youth and presented Music for Youth’s Jazz Evening as well as BBC’s Young Jazz Musician of the year. Her new composition ‘Nucleus’, commissioned by the National Youth Jazz Orchestra was premiered in 2022. Nucleus, which is dedicated to trumpet player & educator, Ian Carr, who was a major influence in Yeoh’s musical upbringing, as well as a major force in progressive UK jazz fronting the jazz-rock band of the same name.
Nikki Yeoh joined Guildhall School’s Music Education Islington team to develop jazz and improvised music provision for Islington children and young people. As a teacher and educator, Nikki teaches piano at The Camden School for Girls and Portland Place School, runs jazz ensembles for Camden Music and is a mentor for Music for Youth. She was also the Musical Director for the finalists of the BBC Young Jazz Musician 2020.

Services to Jazz Award
George Nelson – Moment’s Notice
George Nelson has built his regular Moment’s Notice events into one of the most sought-after tickets on the London jazz scene. With the launch of his new label Red Dust, listeners across the country will be able to hear the concerts for themselves. Moment’s Notice showcases five leading lights in the art of spontaneous composition. Each episode consists of one duo and one trio playing a fully-improvised, 40-minute sets. The evening culminates with a co Moment’s Notice showcases five leading lights in the art of spontaneous composition. Each episode consists of one duo and one trio playing fully-improvised, 40-minute sets. The evening culminates with a combo quintet set. Line-ups are curated by the event creator, George Nelson. Every episode takes place Amp Studios, Old Kent Road.
https://www.georgenelsonphotography.com/momentsnotice

Special APPJG Awards

Anita Wardell
Born in Guildford, UK, Anita moved to Australia with her family as a child. After attending secondary school she completed her degree in Music at the Adelaide University. In
1990, Anita relocated back to the UK where she studied at the Guildhall school of music and drama. Anita’s recording career began in 1995 with her CD, Why do you Cry? featuring pianist Liam Noble.
In 1998 she released Straight Ahead with international star pianist Jason Rebello.
Her longstanding musical relationship with pianist Robin Aspland started with the release of Until The Stars Fade in.
In 2004 she teamed up with tenor saxophonist, Benn Clatworthy, and recorded If You Never Come to Me.
Anita received the prestigious BBC Jazz Award for Best of Jazz category in 2006. In the same year she was signed to Proper Records and recorded Noted (2006) and Kinda Blue (2008).
Her latest album, The Road, was released in summer 2013. In the same year she won the Best Vocalist category in the British Jazz Awards
As you might have heard, earlier this year Anita had a stroke.” I’m making good progress and am currently in rehab”.
https://www.anitawardell.com/

Paula Gardiner
Paula Gardiner is best known for her work as jazz bassist and composer, based in Wales. Paula has just retired as Head of Jazz at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama after 22 years However, her professional career began as a classical guitarist and composer for theatre. She has written extensively for theatre, radio and film. Paula calls herself ‘The Accidental Bassist’, as a number of coincidences found her playing firstly electric bass in an afro-Cuban band, and then double bass for Cardiff’s central jazz club, The Four Bars Inn, providing the rhythm section for a host of visiting international artists.
She has recorded for several Welsh language artists including Sian James, Bryn Fôn and Iwcs a Doyle.
During the nineties and noughties, Paula founded several bands including the Paula Gardiner Quartet (featuring John Parricelli), 6, The Paula Gardiner Trio and the anarchic big band that was Wales’s Jazz Composers (featuring Huw Warren). She has worked internationally, taking her own music to the US and composing/conducting a major project in Wales and South Africa for the cultural Olympiad, 2012.
Paula has had a close association with the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year competition, most recently acting as mentor and bass accompanist for the televised final. She is an active member of the Ivors Academy Jazz Committee.
https://www.rwcmd.ac.uk/our-stories/celebrating-head-of-jazz-paula-gardiner

The All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG) currently has over 73 members from the House of Commons and House of Lords across all political parties. Their aim is to encourage wider and deeper enjoyment of jazz, to increase Parliamentarians’ understanding of the jazz industry and issues surrounding it, to promote jazz as a
musical form and to raise its profile inside and outside Parliament. The Group’s officers as at the Inaugural Meeting on 23rd July 2024 are the Chair, Chi Onwurah MP and Deputy Chair, Lord Mann. The Officers are Jo White MP and Lord Crathorne. The Secretary is Chris Hodgkins with the assistance of Simon Jennings, Will Riley-Smith of NorthPoint Strategy and Andrew Lansley. The Secretary operates on a strictly pro bono basis and no expenses of any kind are paid to the Secretariate. The contact address is: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
For further details of the Group including recent minutes and please see: https://www.parliament.uk/about/mps- and-lords/members/apg/

All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in this report are those of the group. This is not an official publication of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its committees.

About PPL
PPL is the UK music industry’s collective management organisation (CMO) for performers and recording rightsholders, founded in 1934. We license recorded music in the UK when it is played in public (bars, nightclubs, shops, offices, etc.) or broadcast (BBC, commercial radio, commercial TV, etc.) and we work to ensure that revenue flows back to both our own members and those of our international CMO partners. Our members include both independent and major record companies, together with performers ranging from emerging grassroots artists through to established session musicians and globally renowned artists. In 2023, PPL’s revenue was £283.5 million, the highest in the organisation’s 90-year history, and we paid close to 165,000 performers and recording rightsholders.
PPL’s public performance licensing is carried out on our behalf by PPL PRS Ltd, the joint venture between PPL and PRS for Music. Through a network of agreements with CMOs around the world, we also collect performance rights royalties internationally when music is played overseas in public and used on TV, radio and some online streaming services, as well as for private copying. International royalties are an increasingly important revenue stream for performers and recording rightsholders.

Liam Ward - Gig schedule for October 2024 to November 2025.

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Blues harmonica player and vocalist Liam Ward has announced his gig schedule for the coming months, which will feature his playing and singing with a variety of different line ups.

From;
https://www.liamwardmusic.com/gigs-and-workshops

UPCOMINGSHOWS

2024​

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SAT 26TH OCTOBER The Liam Ward Band @ Ram Jam Records (Kingston)
9.00pm, 2 x 45 mins http://www.ramjamrecords.co.uk

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FRI 1ST NOVEMBER Country/Rockaoke @ VanLove (Newbury Racecourse)
http://www.vanlove.com

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FRI 8TH NOVEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Emsworth Music Club (Hampshire)
8.00pm, 2 x 45 mins http://www.emsworthmusic.club

SAT 9TH NOVEMBER Warren James Skiffle Group @ Bridgwater Arts Centre (Somerset)
https://uk.patronbase.com/_BridgwaterArtsCentre/Productions/2P/Performances

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SUN 10TH NOVEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Bell Inn (Bath)
1.00pm, 2 x 45 mins http://www.thebellinnbath.co.uk

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SAT 16TH NOVEMBER Country/Rockaoke @ Buck n Bull Saloon (London)
http://www.bucknbullsaloon.com

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FRI 22TH NOVEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Extra Care Charitable Trust (Sutton Coldfield)
7.30pm, 2 x 60 mins http://www.extracare.org.uk

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SAT 23RD NOVEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band - Gospel Concert @ Nantwich Methodist Church (Cheshire)
7.30pm, 2 x 60 mins http://www.nantwichmethodist.co.uk

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SUN 24TH NOVEMBER Hit Parade Heroes @ Solihull Jazz
12.30pm, 2 x 60 mins http://www.jazzamatazz.org.uk

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WED 27TH NOVEMBER Warren James Skiffle @ Sutton Coldfield Jazz Club
http://www.facebook.com/SuttonColdfieldTradJazzClub

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SAT 30TH NOVEMBER Oasis Supernova @ Cinemac Live (Macclesfield, Cheshire)
http://www.cinemaclive.co.uk/product/oasis-supernova

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WED 4TH DECEMBER Cole & Ward @ Harborough Blues Club
7.30pm, 2 x 50 mins http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/harboroughblues

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THU 5TH DECEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Lyceum Folk Club (Newport)
8.30pm, 2 x 45 mins http://www.lyceumfolknewport.org.uk

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FRI 6TH DECEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band - Gospel Concert @ St. James Church (Audley, Stoke-on-Trent)
7.30pm 2 x 60 mins http://www.jmj.org.uk

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SAT 14TH DECEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Shropshire Blues Club
8.00pm, 2 x 45 mins http://www.facebook.com/ShropshireBluesClub

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SUN 15TH DECEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Stafford Jazz Society
12.30pm, 2 x 50 mins http://www.staffordjazz.org

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2025

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TUE 18TH FEBRUARY Cole & Ward @ Supper Club Hampton-in-Arden
Details TBC

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WED 19TH FEBRUARY The Jake Leg Jug Band - Gospel Concert @ St. Lawrence’s Church (Biddulph)
8.00pm, 2 x 60 mins (part of Biddulph Up in Arms) http://www.biddulphupinarms.com

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FRI 21ST FEBRUARY Oasis Supernova @ Camp & Furnace (Liverpool)
http://www.campandfurnace.com

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SAT 22ND FEBRUARY Oasis Supernova @ Square Chapel, Halifax
http://www.squarechapel.co.uk/shows/oasis-supernova-2

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FRI 28TH FEBRUARY-SUN 2ND MARCH EuroBlues Acoustic Weekend (Wantage, Oxfordshire)
http://www.euroblues.co.uk/acoustic-blues-weekend-wantage

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FRI 14TH MARCH Warren James Trio @ Sutton Coldfield Guitar Club
Details TBC

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SAT 15TH MARCH Oasis Supernova @ Middleton Arena
http://www.yourtrustrochdale.co.uk/whats-on/events

FRI 21ST MARCH Oasis Supernova @ Tavistock Wharf
http://www.tavistockwharf.com/whats_on

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SAT 22ND MARCH Oasis Supernova @ The 1865, Southampton
http://www.the1865.store/events/oasis-supernova

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TUE 1ST APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Leeds Jazz Club
8.00pm, 2 x 60 mins http://www.facebook.com/TheLeedsJazzClub

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WED 2ND APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band - Private Booking (Hull)

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FRI 4TH APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Valley Folk Club (Pontardawe, Wales)
8.00pm, 2 x 45 mins http://www.casbar.co.uk/pontardawe-valley-folk-club

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SAT 12TH APRIL Walk On Back to Happiness @ Hanger Farm Arts Centre (Totton)
http://www.minsteadtrust.org.uk/hanger-farm

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FRI 18TH APRIL Oasis Supernova @ Marble Factory (Bristol)
http://www.themarblefactory-bristol.com

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FRI 25TH APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Ongar Jazz Club (Essex)
8.00pm, 2 x 60 mins http://www.ongarjazzclub.co.uk

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SUN 27TH APRIL The Jake Leg Jug Band - Gospel Concert @ St. Mary’s Church Primrose Hill (London)
7.00pm, 2 x 60 mins http://www.stmarysprimrosehill.com

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THU 1ST MAY The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Blues with Bottle (Ramsgate)
8.00pm, 2 x 45 mins http://www.blueswithbottleclub.co.uk

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SAT 3RD MAY The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Green Note (Camden)
8.30pm, 2 x 45 mins http://www.greennote.co.uk

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SUN 4TH MAY The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Filey Folk Festival (North Yorkshire)
7.30pm, 2 x 45 mins (Venue: Evron Centre) http://www.fileyevroncentre.co.uk

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TUE 6TH MAY Cole & Ward Trio @ Bristol Blues Club
9.00pm, 2 x 50 mins http://www.facebook.com/BristolBluesClub

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SAT 24TH MAY The Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Jazz Centre UK (Southend)
2.00pm, 2 x 45 mins http://www.thejazzcentreuk.co.uk

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FRI 20TH JUNE Oasis Supernova @ Old Fire Station (Carlisle)
http://www.ofscarlisle.co.uk/event-oasis-supernova

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SAT 28TH JUNE The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Upton Jazz Festival
Details TBC http://www.uptonjazz.co.uk

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SUN 29TH JUNE The Jake Leg Jug Band @ M&J Jazz Weekend (Dawlish Warren, Devon)
12.30pm, 2 x 60 mins (Venue: Langstone Cliff Hotel) http://www.mjpromotions.co.uk

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FRI 12TH SEPTEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Driotwich Jazz Club
8.00pm, 2 x 50 mins http://www.richardleachjazz.co.uk/jazz-club

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THU 18TH SEPTEMBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Ebberston Village Hall (Scarborough)
7.30pm,  2 x 60 mins http://www.ebberstonvillage.wordpress.com

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SUN 21ST SEPTEMBER The Story of Skiffle @ Livermead Jazz Weekend (Torquay)
Details TBC

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THU 2ND OCTOBER The Jake Leg Jug Band @ Pump House Jazz Club (Watford)
8.00pm, 2 x 60 mins http://www.pumphouse.info