Jean Toussaint, Michel Reis, Howard Alden in Leeds

Jean Toussaint's  Art Blakey project @Seven Arts 14 April

A lot to offer in Leeds this April with the Seven Jazz programme including Art Blakey saxman Jean Toussaint, Luxembourg pianist Michel Reis, rising Leeds tenor saxophonist Will Howard, and not one but two guitar legends - Jim Mullen and Howard Alden

Jim Mullen @Seven Arts 1.30pm, Sun 3 April, £10/8 concessions  
Jim Mullen guitar, Rod Mason sax, Ben Crosland el bass and Dave Tyas drums.
Jim Mullen is a truly original voice in contemporary jazz guitar. Originally from Glasgow, he moved to London and in 1975 met sax player Dick Morrissey, and began a 15-year association with funk/fusion band Morrissey-Mullen. Jim has been in demand ever since by visiting U.S. musicians.

Will Howard Quartet @Inkwell 1.30pm, Sun 10 April, £7/5 concessions
Will Howard sax, Joel Stedman guitar, Tom Riviere bass, Jordan Dinsdale drums.  Tenor saxman Will Howard is one of the most inventive young jazz musicians in the North. His quartet features a group of young talented Leeds musicians with their own contemporary take on standard tunes and Will's new compositions

Jean Toussaint's "Roots and Herbs" - the Art Blakey project @Seven Arts 7.45pm, Thursday 14 April, £20/18 concessions

Jean Toussaint tenor sax, Mark Kavuma trumpet, Ashley Henry piano, Daniel Casimir bass, Femi Koleoso drums Drawing on his experience as a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in the 1980s, Jean Toussaint commemorates The Messengers’ massive contribution to modern jazz. This line up of emerging British jazz musicians explores the music of the legendary bandleader and some of the amazing players who emerged from the Messenger ranks over four decades.  John and Kathy Dyson's trio are in support 8-8.30pm

Michel Reis European Quartet @Seven Arts 1.30pm, Sun 17 April, £10/8 concessions
Michel Reis piano, Stefan Karl Schmid sax Robert Landfermann bass, Jonas Burgwinkel drums.
The European Quartet features pianist Michel Reis, from Luxembourg and now based in New York. He has performed internationally in many of the world’s most famous venues and festivals. His quartet plays original music with atmosphere, lyricism and spontaneity.

Howard Alden @Seven Arts 1.30pm, Sun 24 April, £10/8 concessions
Howard Alden guitar, Darren Dutson-Bromley guitar Gary Jackson bass, Caroline Boaden drums 
It seems that the only thing regarding Howard Alden on which the critics have debate is whether the remarkable jazz guitarist is one of the best or just simply the best!  He has been a Concord Jazz recording artist since the late ‘80s and has recorded with Woody Herman, Benny Carter, Flip Phillips, Bud Freeman, Kenny Davern, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie and more.

Rush Hour Jazz @Seven Arts
Get out of the car and come an relax at Seven Arts - on the third Wednesday of each month 5.30-6.30pm. This month on Wed 20 April the guest is popular local jazz singer Ros Lewis, with Will Powell on guitar, Steve Crocker bass and Dom Moore on drums - payf collection

Join our Jazz Choir
Our Jazz Voices choir led by Tessa Smith, will start its summer term at Inkwell on Monday 11 April 7-9pm. We always do a gig at the end of each "term" - the one this summer will be rather special supporting John Etheridge and Vimala Rowe on Thursday 30 June @Seven Arts. Come along and give it a try! £25 for the series of six sessions, or £5 per session. You might even end up on the telly! Choir contact crockersteve@ntlworld.com.

A piano for Inkwell? 
Weʼre raising money to purchase an acoustic piano for the fantastic Inkwell Arts Leeds so we can invite more jazz pianists to play there. We've had a great response - just a few days to go now! There are 88 piano keys - Seven Jazz would like you to sponsor a key (or several!) https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/inkwell-piano

Venues
Seven Artspace: 31 Harrogate Road, Chapel Allerton, Leeds LS7 3PD.Tel 0113 2626777 or at Inkwell: 31 Potternewton Lane, Chapel Allerton, Leeds LS7 3LW (the former Shoulder of Mutton pub). More details www.sevenjazz.co.uk 

Tickets
Tickets for our concerts are available on the door, or in advance at any Seven Jazz gig, or online at our ticketsource booking site - https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/sevenjazzleeds

And yet more jazz! There are two jazz gigs being promoted at Seven Arts by others - Thursday 7 April 2016 John Law's New Congregation - 'These Skies In Which We Rust', an Arts Council funded jazz suite, and on 29 April the Big Easy play the music of  Louis Armstrong, Louis Prima, Nina Simone etc.