Jazz North Artists Attract Capacity Crowds At Manchester Jazz Festival

(Press release

A showcase day of Jazz North’s northern line artists will take place in front of capacity crowds at manchester jazz festival this month. On Monday 23^rd July, nine bands from across the north will take to the stage in the Salon Perdu Spiegeltent in Festival Square from 12pm to 10.30pm to delight audiences with their take on contemporary jazz.

Hand-picked by an independent panel of jazz musicians and promoters, including Dennis Rollins, Amy Pearce, Wesley Stephenson, Jilly Jarman, Barney Stevenson and Juliet Kelly, the artists on Jazz North’s northern line programme are from the best in the north, as Lucy Woolley from Jazz North explains: “Our ambition is to highlight both the quality and variety of jazz being composed and performed by artists in the north. This year’s roster is no exception, reflecting the diverse talent living and working in the region. We can’t wait to showcase these fantastic artists in Manchester.”

First to play at manchester jazz festival will be contemporary jazz-rock quintet and Royal Northern College of Music alumni Artephis. Next will be violin and cello duo Täpp with electronic technology helping create their unique pieces, and then a sound that spans European avant-garde and spiritual blues from Treppenwitz. Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat follow, who aspire to write melodic, accessible jazz that anyone can enjoy. Classical and jazz combine in the improvisation of pianist Paul Taylor, and the Manchester Jazz Collective will perform their large-scale jazz set with influences not only from traditional jazz, but from afro-jazz, heavy metal and the middle-east. Hauntingly beautiful and uplifting melodies will come next from glowe_, followed by the Mark Williams Trio with their edgy sound inspired by rock, metal and electronic effects. The final act of the day is a ride into a heady, energetic world of live samba reggae, jazz, drum ‘n’ bass and afro-beat, with eight-piece ensemble, Ponyland.

Jazz North’s northern line programme enables these artists to further their careers, reach new audiences and tour beyond their region. One of the ways it does this is by presenting this showcase day at manchester jazz festival.

MJF Artistic Director Steve Mead says: “Jazz North’s northern line showcase is a celebration of the cream of northern jazz talent. The scheme is all about northern artists touring across the north with northern promoters and northern audiences. It will be a nonstop roller coaster of northern jazz.

The showcase is an experience for everyone – artists, promoters and audiences. It’s one of the few occasions when we have all the artists together on one day. We are filming them, so the artists get their showreels done that day. For the audience, it’s a very festive experience dipping into music you may or may not know. You only have to commit to 40 minutes per artist, which is a great way of getting a manageable amount of new music. The 40-minute sets also mean artists condense the best of what they have into that time.”

Listen to Jazz North’s northern line showcase podcast:

https://vimeo.com/279006346

Or visit:

http://www.jazznorth.org/northern-line-showcase-2018/

https://www.manchesterjazz.com/programme/?dates=mon-23

·         Line-up:

12pm – Artephis

1.10pm – Täpp

2.20pm – Treppenwitz

3.30pm – Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat

4.40pm – Paul Taylor

5.50pm – Manchester Jazz Collective

7.30pm – glowe_

8.40pm – Mark Williams Trio

            9.50pm – Ponyland

·         Jazz North is a jazz development agency funded by Arts Council England as a sector support organisation. It supports artists, grows audiences, inspires children and young people and builds networks.

·         Jazz North’s northern line project supports and develops a roster of artists by:

o   encouraging regional promoters and new/rural promoters to take risks by programming northern line ensembles

o   absorbing some of those risks by subsidising the cost of artists’ fees

o   offering professional development opportunities for the selected artists

o   strengthening and extending the northern touring circuit

o   providing a shop-window for the music, artists, promoters, the northern jazz scene and Jazz North

o   presenting a day-long showcase at manchester jazz festival 2018 at which all selected ensembles perform to the public and invited promoters

o   filming/recording every showcase performance for the artists’ showreels

o   offering artist photo-shoots and interviews for each band