Cheltenham Jazz Festival: The Puppini Sisters @ Cheltenham Town Hall - May 2

Rosanna Schura, Marcella Puppini, Kate Mullins (vocals); Martin Gormley (guitar); Henrik Jensen (bass); Peter Ibbotson (drums)

Day 2 had started well with a great gig by Joshua Redman and we returned to the Town Hall soon after for the Puppini Sisters. Now Steve booked this one, and thought he was getting something sophisticated and jazzy. I had more than half an inkling it would be more comedy cabaret based solely on their contribution to Micky Bubble’s Christmas Album and that was what we got. It reminded me of Girls Talk, the group made up of Claire Martin, Barb Jungr and Mari Wilson who were around about twenty years ago, (no one who saw them could ever forget Jungr’s unladylike, bovine bellow of It should have been me).

Nick Mondello interviews Paul Mercer Ellington

Nick Mondello - "Our Man in New York" - interviews Paul Mercer Ellington.

Paul, grandson of Duke, currently leads the 2026 version of the Ellington band and offers fascinating information about both Duke and his (Paul's) father Mercer Ellington who played trumpet with Duke as well as leading his own band. Lance

LINK

Press Release: Ticket Offer Newcastle Jazz Festival - Friday 26th – Saturday 27th June 2026

Newcastle Jazz Festival returns for its eighth season with a carefully curated programme spanning two days across Live Theatre venues in Newcastle city centre.

TICKETS

The 2026 festival celebrates the breadth and depth of contemporary British jazz, featuring leading figures in the UK jazz scene alongside musicians from our beloved North East.

Headlining Saturday evening is Mercury Prize-nominated trumpeter Laura Jurd, presenting a special concert re-imagining the legacy of Miles Davis on the centenary of his birth. Jurd's distinctive approach to the trumpet is internationally recognised, and this one-off concert brings together leading musicians for what promises to be a significant evening of music. Her programme draws on Davis's catalogue across his career, translating his energy and innovation into contemporary idiom—rock-tinged, groove-based music that honours the spirit of Miles whilst forging new territory.

Stockport Jazz

This Sunday Stockport Jazz welcomes the Vince Dunn Quartet to the Moor Club. The band features Vince on drums, Michael Hughes on vibes, Richard Wetherall on piano and Dave Lynane on bass.

Vince Dunn has over 30 years of experience as a drummer and musician. He has performed throughout the world with a wide and eclectic mix of artists with his own Orchestra and on sessions. These include Courtney Pine, The Funk Masters, Cleo Laine, Osibisa (New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival), Derrick McKenzie, award winning Blues Harpist Errol Linton, and BBC Jazz Award Winner Liane Carroll, and more.

Press release from Lancaster Jazz Festival - See you next time

It’s with a heavy heart we have to let you know that there will be no Lancaster Jazz Festival this year. Despite extensive efforts, we have been unable to secure funding from our primary funder and subsequently, we are not able to deliver the festival in 2026.

Since 2011, we have hosted a festival in the city of Lancaster, presenting artists and audiences with a welcoming space to come together and share in the celebration of contemporary jazz music. It’s been a hub for connectivity, collaboration and a spring board for some of the UK’s most innovative artists, creating so many spectacular performances over that time.

Cheltenham Jazz Festival: Joshua Redman Quartet @ Cheltenham Town Hall - May 2

Joshua Redman (tenor/soprano saxes); Paul Cornish (piano); Philip Norris (bass); Nazir Ebo (drums)

An early afternoon start for this one and I entered the Town Hall with mixed feelings. Despite being a more than capable composer himself, Redman has, in my ever so humble opinion, too often reverted back to playing the Great American Songbook and I think that this does both him and his audience a disservice in that, whilst this frequently makes for entertaining albums, you can’t help feeling that he is playing within himself and actually has more to offer.

Cheltenham Musings 1 - May 1

I trundled into Cheltenham Spa on a late running Cross Country train from Morpeth that had taken us to see Barnsley as a picturesque addition to the route. Don’t mention the points failure near Northallerton. This late arrival meant I had less than an hour to get to the DEYA Arena in the main festival site after dropping off luggage at the internationally acclaimed Clematis Guesthouse. This Steve and I managed to do with only 40 minutes to spare allowing us to enjoy the scenery on our walk.

Cheltenham is a lovely town. Originating as a spa town, (its original name is preserved in that of the two platform station with Starbucks café), it has Regency period buildings galore and a sub-Trevi fountain, (the Trevor Fountain?). There is the shop where my daughter and her husband bought their wedding rings and there is the Cheltenham Ladies College where, during Jazz Festival Week posh young ladies can go and have their ears assailed by the latest Norwegian skronk jazz. As you wander round the historical centre of town you can imagine Jane Austen setting off from Ashington to visit the best of Georgian society at the Spa (“Wor ye gannin, wor Jane?” “I’m gannin doon ta Cheltenhyam, mother, for ta tek tha watters.”)

The Chet Set @ The Globe, Newcastle - May 10

Pete Tanton (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

The Globe was the latest stop for Pete Tanton's winning project. His subject - Chet Baker - has pulling power. This evening the award-winning Railway Street venue pulled a decent crowd. What's more, it would prove to be an attentive, listening crowd. 

But not for me...I get along without you...The more I see you...Time after time...the lyrics so very familiar, beautifully sung by bandleader Tanton. Pianist Alan Law, a man who gives the impression he is never in a hurry, invariably finds the right chord under Tanton's vocal and he did just that this evening, time after time. 

Have you voted? I have!

Only three days to go to submit your nominations for the 2026 APPJG awards.

The public  vote closes on Friday May 15 so don't procrastinate but show your support for those you favour so Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

NOMINATE HERE!

Please note the criteria for the different categories:

Jazz Album of the Year (released in 2025 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 2025).
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, photographers 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 2025).
Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year (UK-based musician who impressed in 2025).
Jazz Vocalist of the Year (UK-based vocalist who impressed in 2025).

The awards are organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG), co-chaired by Dame Chi Onwurah MP and Lord Mann.

Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley Sextet @ Moor Club, Stockport - May 10

© Jeff Pritchard

Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley (bass); Graham South (trumpet); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax); Ellie Whiteley (trombone); Rich Jones (keyboards); Johnny Hunter (drums)

As soon as I saw the line-up for this gig I knew that it would be a night to remember and that's what it turned out to be. There were many exciting moments  provided by all six members of this fantastic ensemble. All the music played tonight were originals but as the band had already done some gigs in Liverpool and Stockport  they sounded like a well rehearsed unit. One front-liner I don't recall seeing before was Ellie Whiteley and she really nailed the trombone part. I particularly liked her unison work with the double bass on some of the tunes.