June 2019
The Leeds Jazz Festival is back - And It’s Bigger Than Ever
The third annual Leeds Jazz festival takes place between Thursday 18th and Sunday 21st July at Leeds College of Music and The Wardrobe. The festival, which has received funding from Arts Council England, features something for everyone, from established names in jazz to emerging talent, with build-up fringe events taking place at venues throughout city during the week before. It is once more curated by Jazz Leeds in partnership with Leeds College of Music.
The festival headliner this year is award-winning British jazz musician and composer, Andy Sheppard. He’s one of a few British musicians to have made a significant impact on the international jazz scene, playing and writing for settings from solo to big band and chamber orchestra. He appears with the much-feted Norwegian piano trio led by Espen Eriksen.
Another new collaboration at the festival is between pianist Frank Harrison and vocalist Brigitte Beraha. The music is melodic, romantic and understated, sometimes playful and sometimes dark but always striving for beauty. Beraha’s rich heritage is reflected in her lyrics - she sings in English, French and Italian
The festival also features a stunning Jazz Celebration of Windrush, a generation that made a lasting impact on the UK’s jazz scene. Internationally acclaimed UK jazz pianist Trevor Watkis has assembled an outstanding Anglo-American band to perform a special musical retrospective of jazz trumpeter Dizzy Reece, who began his ascent into the jazz scene after arriving in London from Jamaica and cutting his teeth among the best musicians in 1950s London, such as Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott and Victor Feldman.
Another highlight will be the all-star Electric Lady Big Band - ’50 years of Hendrix Masterpiece’. A 16-piece ensemble featuring an all-star cast of leading jazz improvisors, including Laura Jurd, Yazz Ahmed, Nathaniel Facey and Iain Ballamy, tackle Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 album Electric Lady land. The band feature brand new arrangements by guitarist Denny Ilett, inspired by the legendary Gil Evan’s re-workings of Hendrix in the 1970s.
Leeds favorites Roller Trio known for their epic memorably singalong melody hooks and blistering riffs are at the Brudenell Social Club on the Saturday - "Dark, menacing, bass heavy – the new sound of UK jazzzzzzz!" (Gilles Peterson)
Also appearing is stunning ECM record label artist, Israeli-born pianist Shai Maestro. Shai is familiar to UK audiences through his thrilling work with bassist and composer, Avishai Cohen and is set to appear at the festival with drummer, Ziv Ravitz and Peruvian bassist, Jorge Roeder - coming together in Leeds to achieve one of the most powerful and harmonious collaborations in the jazz world today.
A host of upcoming female musicians are making waves on the jazz scene at present. One of these is Bex Burch with her adaptations of Dagaare traditional music of North Ghana, which she learned during her traditional apprenticeship as a Gyil maker. Bex is set to appear in Leeds with her band Vula Viel.
Other emerging stars at the festival include the inspiring sextet led by bassist Misha Mullov- Abbado and the quartet of saxman Leo Richardson, who is one of the UK representatives at this year’s Rochester Jazz Festival in New York.
Events with a Leeds connection include drummer and big band legend Ronnie Bottomley's 90th birthday celebration with his Jazz Orchestra, a jazz film about the life of Leeds late young trumpeter Richard Turner, and the premiere of a new album from Leeds trombonist Kevin Holbrough. Have fun too with Simon Thackray's "Mrs Boyes Bingo" - a game of prize bingo with simultaneous drumming and percussion disruption from Mark Sanders and John Edwards.
There’s also an afternoon of local student and community bands at the Wardrobe on Saturday afternoon 20 July. They will include Blueberry Jam, Leeds Youth Jazz Rock Orchestra, Yaatri, Mondo Bizarre and Chapel FM Collective – lots of fun, and free admission.
The festival finale will be a tour de force of trios - “Trio Trio Trio”, a variety of sets and styles rolling seamlessly from one trio to another - from the soulful street vocals of Maggie Sommers to the raging urban horns of Alan Wilkinson and Tony Burkill.
The Festival takes place in the city’s arts quarter area. The main venues are Leeds College of Music and the Wardrobe, with fringe events taking place at venues throughout city during the week before. It is once more curated by Jazz Leeds, in partnership with Leeds College of Music.
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Overall festival tickets, day passes and individual concert tickets are available at Ticketsource, Jumbo Records, Leeds College of Music and, for Wardrobe events only, Luna Tickets. All tickets for age 25-and-under are half-price. For the full line up, including ticketed and free events, visit jazzleedsfestival.co.uk.
The festival founder, life-long jazz enthusiast and instrumentalist Steve Crocker has big plans for Leeds Jazz Festival, with an aim to grow it to a 10-day event by 2023 to coincide Leeds International Culture Festival.
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For further information, quotes and images, please contact [email protected] or call Claire on 07729 097 380.
Note to editors
See next page for programme of main festival and fringe events.
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Festival Dates
Main Festival
Thursday 18 July
Launch event - Ron Bottomley “Big Birthday, Big Band” @Leeds College of Music 8pm (pre gig talk 6pm)
Friday 19 July
Andy Sheppard with the Espen Eriksen Trio @Leeds College of Music 7.30pm
Windrush Jazz Celebration - the Music of Dizzy Reece @Wardrobe 8.30pm
Saturday 20 July
Shai Maestro Trio with Ziv Ravitz and Jorge Roeder/Brigitte Beraha and Frank Harrison @Leeds College of Music 6pm
Bex Burch and Vula Viel @Wardrobe 8.30pm
Leo Richardson Quartet @Leeds College of Music 2.45pm
Adrian Knowles and “Sounds of ’59” @Leeds College of Music 1pm
Fusebox presents: Mrs Boyes Bingo + Laura Cole solo@Leeds College of Music 4pm
New York Brass Band @Briggate 2.30pm
Community Big Bands @Wardrobe (afternoon) 12-6pm
Roller trio @Brudenell 6pm payf
Sunday 21 July
Electric Lady Big Band '50 Years of Hendrix's Masterpiece' @Leeds College of Music 6pm
Misha Mullov-Abbado Sextet @Leeds College of Music 2.45pm
Kevin Holbrough Quintet with Dave Newton @Leeds College of Music 1pm
Fusebox presents: ArchiFrisco + Chris Sharkey solo@Leeds College of Music 4pm
Jazz Industry seminar at Wardrobe 2-4pm
Learn to play jazz Workshop @Leeds College of Music 10-12midday
Festival Finale – “Trio Trio Trio” @ Wardrobe 8.30pm
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Festival Fringe events
Andy Panayi: Friday 12.7.19 Jazz at Bar on Park Lane, Roundhay Golf Club - Friday 21 June 8-11pm
US guitarist B.D Lenz: Sunday 14.7.19 @Seven Arts - Sunday afternoon 14 July 1.30pm + Jazz Leeds Workshop and Jazz Leeds Voices Choir
Jazz Films: Richard Turner, George Melly: Monday 15.7.19 @Seven Arts in Chapel Allerton, Monday 15 July 7.30pm
Resoul Jam @Wardrobe Monday 15.7.19 Harry Fowler, Theo Goss, Martin Longhawn and Malik Morgan Murphy and guests. 9pm .
“Odd Socks – Jazz and Quite Funny Poems” – John Brown (clarinet and poems) and James Birkett (guitar). @Heart in Headingley Tuesday 16 July 8pm.
Open Source Arts - Dance and Improvisation Workshop Tuesday 16.7.19 Afternoon workshop - 1A, Aire Place Mills, Kirkstall Rd, Leeds LS3 1JL
Headingley Swing Choir and Woodside Big Band Wednesday 17.7.19 @Heart in Headingley Wednesday 17 July 7.30pm.
GROW trio: Wednesday 17.7.19 @LS6 Café in Hyde Park Wednesday 17 July 8pm.
Nico Widdowson Trio: Wednesday 17.7.19 @Northern Guitars, 41 Call Ln, Leeds LS1 7BT Wednesday 17 July 8.30pm.
Rush Hour Jazz: Jenny Hammond Wednesday 17.7.19 @Seven Arts Chapel Allerton Wednesday 17 July 6-7.30pm.
George Hall and Nu Jazz Leeds: Thursday 18.7.19 @Hyde Park Jazz Club 7.30pm
Szun Waves and Leaf Label artists @Brudenell Sunday 22.7.19 6pm