Buxton International Festival (BIF) is delighted to announce the appointment of Neil Hughes as the Festival’s new Jazz Director. Neil joins the creative team for BIF 2022 (7-24 July) with immediate effect.
Commenting, Neil says: “I am delighted to bring my twenty years Jazz experience to Buxton. The talent we have booked for the festival highlights the strength in depth of UK artists. We will cover all genres from Basie to Bowie over seventeen wonderful concerts.”
Michael Williams, Buxton’s CEO adds: “This is a really exciting development for BIF and Neil has pulled a mighty programme together for 2022 with some of jazz’s leading lights. Developing the Festival’s jazz programme is an obvious step for BIF and we look forward to broadening our audience next summer.”
Highlights include:
Gwylim Simcock and Mike Walker will perform a special BIF programme with their award-winning band, The Impossible Gentlemen;
Ian Shaw and Guy Barker will launch a new project, City to City;
· BBC Radio 2 and Jazz FM star, Clare Teal will appear in a brand-new show with her sextet;
· AMC Gospel Choir will perform with a full band plus six singers, all of whom have appeared with Hacienda Classical;
· BBC Young Jazz Musician 2018, Xhosa Cole.
FESTIVAL TIMELINE
Booking for the Jazz Weekend will open in December 2021. The full Festival programme and festival brochure will be issued in March, with Priority Booking from 1 March 2022 and Public Booking from 29 March 2022.
For further information
visit: www.buxtonfestival.co.uk
3 comments :
Covering all genres from Basie to Bowie? Basie didn't make any records as a leader under his own name until 1936, so apparently we can't expect any Classic jazz, New Orleans jazz, early Swing, or indeed anything from the first 20 or so years of recorded jazz. And Bowie, though venerated as a pop star, as far as I know has as much to do with Jazz as Florence Nightingale. Sad and disappointing.
Steve, good to have your comments, as always. However, as regard the all genres from Basie to Bowie (I'll get to him shortly) it is fair comment. It's laying out the roadmap. Had there been a full stop after genres then it would put it into an entirely different context. As well you know there are also jazz festivals around who ignore the fact that there is life beyond Ma Rainey.
Bowie, of course, is another matter. Just about every jazz festival these days whether it be EFG, Cheltenham or Newport seems to think that by flashing the name of a rock/pop legend - dead or alive - it will increase the diversity of punters whilst, in the end, pleasing neither.
An alternative thought is that one faction may come to appreciate the other - maybe...
Steve certainly has a valid point regarding the under representation of early jazz in this part of the country, the exception being Mike Durham's Classic Jazz event. As to David Bowie, while he wasn't a recognised jazz musician, he was certainly highly regarded by various members of the jazz fraternity. In fact he recorded in London during the late sixties with John McLaughlin no less. I remember John tweeted on Bowie's demise that he was a musical genius.
However, as far as jazz goes I suppose the jury's out.
Post a Comment