Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Festival goes “live” in your Living Room

Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues have got your 2021 May Bank Holiday sorted – beamed “live” and direct to a sofa near you. Starting on in the evening of Friday 30th April 2021 [International Jazz Day - of course] and continuing through the afternoons and evenings of Saturday 1st May and Sunday 2nd May 2021.

We are looking forward to streaming into your living room from The Grand, Clitheroe’s fabulous venue, 6 “Live” Bands. We are thrilled to welcome UK’s foremost blueswoman Kyla Brox to the festival mainstage on Sunday.  All our headliners are leading the artistic zeitgeist of the Jazz scene in the North today. They include Yaatri, the John Pope Quintet, Not Now Charlie, Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat, the Nicola Farnon Trio and Lancashire's very own 'groove machine' Neutrino.

There’s a fantastic showcase from the whole range of North West’s most popular artists including Festival favourites Western Valley Swing, the Pancake Steel Band and Red Hot Drop throughout the festival.

We’ve got fun for kids of all ages exploring the world of jazz and blues. Two workshops under the leadership of Issie Barratt, Artistic Director of the National Youth Jazz Collective, will deliver tips for musicianship and learning from young artists at the top of their game. Issie will be joined on Saturday by Alex Clarke and Ralph Porrett, finalists of Young Jazz Musician 2020, and on Sunday by Rosie Turton and Jas Kayser.   Electronic composer Shunya will demonstrate online insights into his musical world.  

All this as well as the promise of a whole range of ‘take outs’ from Ribble Valley’s fine hospitality outlets  – you can chose from fast food to gastronomic extravaganza – all specially tailored to our online Festival audience.

We are thankful for the help from all our sponsors - Arts Council of England, Ribble Valley Borough Council, Clitheroe Town Council and Honda Cars, Clitheroe. Our online Festival could not have been brought to you without their support as well as the efforts of all our wonderful volunteers.

For the Festival to be a real success though we NEED YOU - we need AN AUDIENCE - from far way and just up the road. Music doesn’t exist without the listener’s enjoyment – and this will be one of the first opportunities the amazing performers lined up for you this year will have had recently to share their talents and passion for creating jazz and blues with YOU.

So book out this weekend in your diary now!

During the festival, we’ll be giving everyone an opportunity to donate to this Festival’s Fund-raiser for Fair Pay to Musicians – so we hope everyone can dip into their pockets and purses to support Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues to keep jazz and blues alive into the future beyond these strange times.

When: From 6.30pm Friday 30th April 2021, 3.00pm Saturday 1st May 2021, Sunday 2nd May 2021.
Where : Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUfDHmQXUhlWVWH5-bUo6fQ and on Facebook
  https://www.facebook.com/RVJazzEventsFestivals

How to keep in touch and get all the latest news: access to the festival online brochure and to subscribe to our newsletter go to https://www.rvjazzandblues.co.uk/

For direct info and comment: Sue Bradley 07840 275 390, Matt Evans 07967 634683

 

Vote for your favourites in this year's 2021 Parliamentary Jazz Awards

Voting is now open for the 2021 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, which this year will take place online. Entries are open to anyone with the final deadline set for midnight on Tuesday 14th May 2021. The Parliamentary Awards celebrate and recognise the vibrancy, diversity, talent and breadth of the jazz scene throughout the United Kingdom.

"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 keep jazz flourishing, in spite of the challenges they faced in 2020”.  John Spellar MP, Lord Mann, Co-chairs of APPJAG, Alison Thewless MP and Chi Onwurah MP, Vice Chairs.
 
To vote please go to: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/parliamentaryjazzawards2021/          
 
Please note the criteria for the different categories (and one new category for Lockdown Innovation Award):
 
Jazz Album of the Year (released in 2020 by a UK band or musicians).
Services to Jazz Award (to a living person for their outstanding contribution to jazz in the UK).
Jazz Newcomer of the Year (UK-based artist, musician or group with a debut album released in 2020).
Jazz Education Award (to an educator or project for raising the standard of jazz education in the UK).
Jazz Media Award (including broadcasters, journalists, magazines, blogs, listings and books).
Jazz Venue of the Year (including jazz clubs, venues, festivals and promoters).
Jazz Ensemble of the Year (UK-based group who impressed in 2020).
Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year (UK-based musician who impressed in 2020).
Jazz Vocalist of the Year (UK-based vocalist who impressed in 2020).
Lockdown Innovation Award.

The awards are organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG), co-chaired by John Spellar MP and Lord Mann.