Durham Ushaw Jazz Festival

(Press release)

Attached is the programme for the Durham Ushaw Jazz Festival at the end of the month. It has been organised much in response to the popularity of the Lunchtime Concerts at the Gala and those of the Gala Big Band.  It takes place over three days from the evening of Friday 26th August to the evening of Sunday 28th (followed by a Bank Holiday so all can recover!)

There are familiar faces from the Lunchtime Concert Series (Zoe Gilby, Northern Monkey Brass Band) as well as some new faces for Durham (though probably not for those of you on Tyneside) (Pete Gilligan, Mark Williams, Joel McCullough). From further afield are bands such as Square One from Glasgow and the New Century Ragtime Band, as well as national and international stars such as Alan Barnes, Bruce Adams and Nigel Price. 

There's also a talk "What is Jazz" by BBC Radio 3's Alyn Shipton with Alan Barnes. Expect this to be both well-informed (both speakers) and full of anecdote and humour (Alan Barnes). 

And there's the Durham Alumni Big Band and The Early Bird Band (of young players from the Sage's jazz courses).

Tickets are now available via the Ushaw College website www.ushaw.org or by phone on 0191 334 5119.  There are individual performance prices as well as all evening tickets for Friday and all-day tickets for Saturday and Sunday. Tickets will also be on sale 'on the door'.

We hope to see many of you there to enjoy the first of what we would like to be an annual event.

Brian Ebbatson

Program.