The North East is preparing for
an American invasion of the musical kind to mark the 10th
anniversary of the UK ’s
biggest jazz festival under one roof outside London ..
Tickets are now on sale for some
of the headliners at Gateshead International Jazz Festival, which brings a
whole host of jazz performers together under one roof at Sage Gateshead from
Friday 4th - Sunday 6th April 2014.
Combining musical performances
with opportunities for the public to get involved, the variety of artists and
styles mean you don’t have to be a jazz aficionado to have a great time.
Ros Rigby, Performance Programme
Director at Sage Gateshead, said: “Gateshead International Jazz Festival really
is something everyone should experience. The type of music that counts as jazz
often surprises people so people who think they are new to the genre are often
bigger jazz fans than they first thought!
“For the 10th Jazz
Festival we have our strongest ever line up, with stars from the jazz scene
coming to Gateshead from across the UK
and Europe – as well as some great American
names. Tickets are now on sale for some of the headliners and we’re expecting
them to go fast as it’s a rare chance to see some of these artists in the North
East.”
The American visitors include jazz pianist
and producer Robert Glasper who is
bringing his unique brand of late night cool to the Festival and expected to
sell out fast. Texas-born Glasper has worked with Jay-Z, Kanye West and Erykah
Badu and is known for his special blend of jazz with hip-hop.
The talents of vocalist and bass player Esperanza Spalding – the first jazz
artist to win a Best New Artist Grammy Award - saxophonist Joe Lovano and the hugely respected and prolific jazz fusion
drummer Jack DeJohnette, will be
performing as part of a new line-up called The
Spring Quartet.
And the Bill
Frisell Trio, featuring one of the world’s favourite jazz guitarists, will
be another major highlight.
The Festival always also includes great
performers from across Europe and this year will welcome the Norrbotten Big Band from the far north
of Sweden, with the acclaimed UK jazz composer Django Bates performing his Charlie Parker inspired programme which
received excellent reviews at the BBC Proms this year. This event will also
feature Swedish saxophonist Joakim
Milder and his suite of jazz arrangements of the music of the North East’s
own Prefab Sprout.
In addition to spanning the generations from
established to emerging stars, the festival features opportunities to
participate for both adults and young people, plus talks and interviews to give
audiences a chance to really get behind the music.
Rosemary Maddy from Prudhoe came along to
the festival last year because her husband is a big jazz fan with a wide
musical taste. She said: “I was really surprised by how many types of music
that jazz covers and had a brilliant time. The three piece jazz band Phronesis
were playing and everyone in Hall Two was rapt. I've been a ‘proper’ jazz fan
ever since.
“The fact it all happens in one place, and
there’s so much going on, was a real plus for me and I’m really looking forward
to the weekend in April now.”
The Gateshead International Jazz Festival
was the first festival held in Sage Gateshead after its opening in December
2004, and since that time has established itself on the UK scene, attracting
visitors from across the UK and beyond to the North East over the last nine
years. It is organised in collaboration with the London based music producers Serious who
organise the annual London Jazz Festival and a range of other tours and
projects.
Ros Rigby from Sage Gateshead commented:
“The combination of our star American and European artists and all the extras
to see and do over the weekend mean we’re expecting to welcome the festival’s
biggest ever audience. Whatever your musical tastes and whatever the weather on
the weekend, it will be worth coming on down.”
Gateshead International Jazz Festival takes place at Sage Gateshead
Friday April 4 to Sunday April 6, 2013. Tickets can be booked either by calling 0191 443
4661, online at www.sagegateshead.com or in person from
Sage Gateshead’s Ticket Office.
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