Jazz North announce six new trustees

Jazz North have announced the appointment of six new trustees joining its board; musicians Perrilena Alleyne Hughes, Richard Henry, Jilly Jarman and Dennis Rollins, Web Developer and CMS specialist Jeni Tehan and Communications Consultant Jon Beck. The new trustees will help Jazz North shape the future of the organisation as it navigates a new landscape for live music.

Dennis Rollins said, “I'm extremely excited to be appointed as a Trustee Board Member of Jazz North. As a musician and educator, I'm looking forward to being a part of a team dedicated and focused in making a difference to the lives of young musicians."

Trustees will join at an important time for the organisation, which has worked hard to support musicians and promoters throughout the pandemic, moving many of its career development activities, networking meetings and one to monitoring sessions online, and offering financial support packages and emergency funding advice to musicians and promoters.

Simon Ryder, Vice Chair said, “I am delighted that we have been able to appoint six Trustees of such high calibre who will bring a wide range of skills, perspectives and lived experience to further strengthen our board at this pivotal time for the jazz sector. We understand that the challenges we all face right now will have long term consequences for musicians, promoters and venues and our new Trustees will help to transform our work.”

CEO Lesley Jackson said “Alongside the challenges created by the pandemic, we also recognise that the jazz industry has a long way to go to become a truly diverse and inclusive sector. I am looking forward to working with our new Trustees to develop new plans and initiatives that will grow our reach, develop new partnerships and ensure that we are an organisation that stands up to inequality, invests in diversity and makes real change.”

The appointments, which will double the size of the Jazz North Board, were made after Jazz North adapted its recruitment process and enlisted the support of Black Lives in Music to help promote the vacancies. The new appointees join the other members of the Board of Trustees: Chair – Debra King; Simon Ryder; Alexander Douglas; Dafydd Williams; Craig Chapman and Neil Dutton.

 

Marsden Jazz Festival launch crowdfunding campaign

After the cancellation of one of the jazz events last year due to Covid-19, Yorkshire Pennines-based Marsden Jazz Festival are asking their audience to help support their spectacular return this Autumn.

To help deliver their covid-safe live music festival they’re asking for the support of their loyal fans and audiences to help make that happen. Their Crowdfunding campaign aims to raise £10,000 which will support the festival to return with all of the fun and celebration that visitors have come to love over the years, whilst ensuring audiences feel safe and happy, with covid-safe measures in place

Barney Stevenson, Artistic Director for Marsden Jazz Festival said: "By moving many of our gigs outdoors, we are transforming the festival into a fantastic, safe, high-quality live music experience that continues our tradition of diversity and inclusion and still feels like Marsden Jazz Festival. With your support, we can make these plans a reality. We can't wait to welcome you all back to Marsden this October."

With the thought that ‘simpler is safer’ in mind, the festival is planning to take most of its artistic activity outdoors including a headline outdoor stage on Peel Street, a youth stage on the Bandstand in the park, a delicious street food alley and the market in the park. Where activities are planned indoors they will be large venues where social distancing can be implemented alongside one way systems and with total clean down between gig

Every gift that donors can offer, whether £5 or £5,000, will help secure the festival’s ecstatic return this year. All gifts pledged to their Crowdfunder will go directly towards the very best world-class musical talent, immersive exhibitions, and providing opportunities for emerging, under-represented and young artists.

2021 Parliamentary Jazz Award nominations

The nominations have today been announced for the 2021 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. The Awards, organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG) with the support of PizzaExpress Live. The recipients of the 2021 Parliamentary Jazz Awards will be announced online on Monday 26th July 2021. The Parliamentary Awards celebrate and recognise the vibrancy, diversity, talent and breadth of the jazz scene throughout the United Kingdom. 

Following the online public vote for the Awards, the shortlist was then voted upon by a selection panel, that represent a broad cross-section of backgrounds united in their passion and knowledge of jazz. The winners, chosen by judging members of the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG), will be announced on Monday 26^th July 2021.

John Spellar MP, Co-Chair of APPJAG, 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 kept jazz flourishing, in spite of the challenges they faced in 2020.  In a year of hardship, unparalleled in the last 76 years, these shortlists demonstrate the wealth of talent and commitment that exists in the British jazz scene. Now in its 16^th year, the Parliamentary Jazz Awards honour the best of British jazz. MPs and Peers in the All Party Group are grateful to PizzaExpress Live for supporting the event.”

The full list of nominees is as follows:

Jazz Vocalist of the Year

Claire Martin,  Brigitte Beraha,  Georgia Mancio

Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year

Tony Kofi, Adrian Cox, Nubya Garcia

Jazz Album of the Year

Byron Wallen 'PORTRAIT: Reflections on Belonging' , Callum Au & Claire Martin 'Songs and Stories, Nubya Garcia 'Source'   

Jazz Ensemble of the Year

Kansas Smitty’s House Band,  Nigel Price Organ Trio/Quartet, Kokoroko

Jazz Newcomer of the Year

Jas Kayser   

Rosie Frater-Taylor, Deschanel Gordon  , Alex Clarke 

Jazz Venue of the Year

Colchester Arts Centre Jazz Club, 606 Club, Kansas Smitty’s , Peggy's Skylight -  - Live jazz and kitchen Nottingham   

Jazz Media Award

Jazzwise Magazine, Women In Jazz Media, London Jazz News 

Jazz Education Award

The Original UK Jazz Summer School, Nikki Yeo, Pete Churchill

Services to Jazz Award

Steve Rubie, Norma Winstone, Digby Fairweather

Lockdown Innovation Award

Liam Noble  - Saturday Lockdown Live Sessions, Joe Stilgoe's 'Stilgoe in the Shed' 100 shows , Adrian Cox's Sunday Service, The Globe Newcastle upon Tyne 

Congratulations to The Globe in Newcastle for their nomination (the only Northern nomination this year)

JAZZ CO-OP wins national business award

The determination of Newcastle’s Jazz.Coop to keep live music going during the pandemic has been rewarded with a national award. Following a public vote, it was declared the Small Community Co-op of the Year 2021. The Awards are organised by Co-operatives UK – the network for Britain’s thousands of co-operative businesses – and sponsored by The Co-operative Bank.

Dave Parker, co-chair of Jazz.Coop which owns The Globe music venue, said, “We’re delighted with this award because it recognises the vision, determination and hard work of members, volunteers and everyone else who helped keep us going during the pandemic, providing income for musicians, employment for staff, and joy for lovers of live music.

“Eight years ago, The Globe was a failing pub. Today it is an award-winning music venue and learning centre owned and run by a co-operative.

“It’s often been a struggle but we’ve succeeded by keeping people engaged. When lockdown started we invited our supporters to shape the future of The Globe and the response has been very positive – with donations, investments, volunteers, and loads of creative energy.

“We worked with musicians to develop livestreaming, and soon decided this was the way forward. The Globe was refurbished, and new equipment was installed by volunteers. We were fortunate in accessing funding from Power to Change and the Culture Recovery Fund.”

The Globe hosts jazz, folk, rock, classical and spoken word gigs that are enjoyed by small audiences in the venue and by more via livestream. It is set to hold a multi-genre festival on 23-25 July which is expected to be the first weekend after restrictions in England are lifted. The Globe also has a full programme of music courses, workshops and jam sessions ready to restart.

Rose Marley, CEO of Co-operatives UK said, “Huge congratulations to The Globe who have worked so hard … Rooted in their community, their members have a stake and a say, sharing in the co-op’s success, but also coming together when they are needed.  And because they are a co-op, these values are sustainable, they are not just a flash in the pan reaction to a crisis – their ethics form a core part of the organisation now and into the future.”

The Globe has been shortlisted for two other awards (The Parliamentary Jazz Award nomination was announced yesterday) and they are hoping for more good news by the end of July.

People can become members of the co-op and have a say in running The Globe by buying shares – see https://jazz.coop/join-us-membership-form/ 

 

Hull Jazz Festival Summer Edition gears up

Hull Jazz Festival 29th Summer Edition 22-24 July 2021 at Hull Truck Theatre

Snake Davis, Kate Peters, Nubian Twist, Late Night Marauders are headliners at Hull Jazz Festival Summer Edition   - as well as these two special festival commissions ....

Woke: Apphia Campbell
From the creator of the our sell-out show about Nina Simone, Black Is The Color Of My Voice, comes a new story about the 20th Century African American experience. Against a powerful soundtrack of original music and traditional gospel and blues, two women, 42 years apart become involved in the struggle for civil rights. One, a notorious Black Panther, Assata Shakur; the other, Ambrosia, a present-day university student enrolling as the 2014 Ferguson riots begin. Both challenge the American justice system, become criminalized through political activism, and ultimately are faced with the same choice: stay and fight, or flee? Woke won the coveted Scotsman Fringe First Award for its premiere season, and was highly commended by the judges of the Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award.
Fringe First Winner (2017) Amnesty Highly Commended Award (2017) Scottish Arts Award (2017)
“Campbell is the most powerful voice of Fringe” ★★★★ The Scotsman
“Inspiring! A fast and exciting play that ended with most of the audience standing and applauding.” ★★★★★ British Theatre Guide
By Apphia Campbell & Meredith Yarbrough
£16 (students and under-26s £6)

The Broken Orchestra
Lyn Acton, Vicky Foster, Emily Render, Ruthie Scott plus special guests and full 10-piece band
The Broken Orchestra is a celebration of a brighter tomorrow featuring four of Hull’s most revered vocalists.  An evening of atmospheric song, spoken word and electronica, with the collective lining up and performing for the first time as a 10-piece band.  Offering a dynamic perspective through the words and songs of four distinct northern female artists, Hereafter presents views on hope and revival as we move on from the surreal dystopia of lockdown into a new tomorrow.  Commissioned by Hull Jazz Festival to welcome live music back into our city with a positive view on times ahead.
£10 (students and under-26s £6; livestream £5)

Details and bookings https://hulljazzfestival.co.uk/

 

Jazz Leeds other gigs this July..

                                                Rafe's Dillema - Seven Arts 8th July 7.30pm

                                                Back Chat Brass 25 July 1.30pm  

We've told you about the JazzLeeds Reset festival on 17/18 July - but there a few other things you might like to try this month as well!

7 July Rush Hour Jazz - Brendan Duffy 6-7.15pm Wednesday - free/payf collection @Seven Arts Bar. 7 July is Seven Arts's birthday - so who better to play this gig than the musician who was there at the opening - Leeds sax legend Brendan Duffy with the JazzLeeds quartet Pete Rosser piano, Chris Bowie drums, Will Powell guitar, Steve Crocker bas.Come along before the footie! 

8 July Rafe’s Dilemma 7.30pm-9.30pm Thursday evening @Seven Arts Doors 7.00pm. Nel Begley on vocals, Jamil Sheriff keyboards, Pete Turner bass, and Katie Patterson drums. Rafe’s Dilemma celebrate literature, music and theatre. This young quartet brings together an eclectic mix of jazz, electronica and rock to tell stories of families on the edge. For this appearance they will feature some of the stories from Sheffield playwright Leo Butler from his short story Redundant premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in 2001 starring Lyndsey Marshal and directed by Dominic Cooke. Set in seventeen-year-old Lucy’s Sheffield council flat, the play follows a year in the promiscuous teenager’s life as she makes one disastrous choice after another. It is a dark, often humorous, examination of social poverty. "A tour de operatic jazzy-rocky-jazz. Beautifully developed since the original commissioned performance. A beautiful blend or musical scrumptiousness of all kinds" – Martin Powell BRMB radio Tickets £14 full price £12 concessions £7 (half price) for 25’s and under here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/sevenleeds/jazzleeds-rafes-dilemma/e-lxqlpy

11 July Dave Edwards “Doomtet”Sunday afternoon 11 July 1.30pm £10/8 (25 and under £5 kids under 16 free) Dave Edwards (el bass) Alex Fisher (sax) Will Blackstone (tpt) Nico Widdowson (keys) Steve Hanley drums. A quintet of some of Leeds finest young musicians playing the music and compositions of bass guitarist Dave Edwards.@Seven Arts  Tickets £10/8 live performance 1.30pm start. Tickets here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/sevenleeds/jazzleeds-dave-edwards-doomtet/e-pjakvg

Monday July 19 7-9pm Dom Moore's Jazz Workshop restarts at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm barn £10/8. If you want to take part contact Dom on (mobile) 07800 816 086  Looking forward to the first one!  one more time… - address is Sugar Well Rd, Meanwood, Leeds LS7 2QG

July 25th Back Chat Brass Sunday afternoon J 1.30-4pm @Seven Arts colurtyard - payf collection
1 band. 8 instruments. Infinite fun! Rooted in pop, funk and hip hop, our brassy beats give soul to Seven Arts courtyard.Since 2016, they’ve been wreaking havoc in venues around the world, coaxing even the stubbornest from their seats with their signature take on your go-to hits.The only thing that keeps you guessing will be what is coming up next!

 More detail www.jazzleeds.org.uk