Category: Featured Article
The Jazz Promotion Network aims to advance and support professional development, information exchange and partnership opportunities for the UK & Irish jazz industry, artists and audiences. It’s a collaborative network that enables the diverse UK & Irish jazz sector to thrive, innovate and inspire. Their conference took place in Cardiff, Wales on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th November, hosting 207 musicians, educators, students, promoters and other jazz professionals. Jointly hosted by Cardiff University Music Department and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD), the conference achieved the highest attendance numbers to date, including many first-time delegates. One of those 207 was our budding Youth Advisory Board Member, Finn Muir-Cochrane. Discover how he found his time below.
“This was my first time at the Jazz Promotion Network conference, and at the start I definitely felt a bit out of my depth. There were people in the room who have been shaping festivals and venues for years, and it was hard not to be aware of that. But quite quickly I realised how small the jazz world can be — I kept spotting people I’d met through mjf or crossed paths with in different projects. That familiarity made the space feel a lot more approachable.
What I appreciated most was how open the conversations were. People spoke honestly about the challenges they’re facing, as well as the things they’re excited about. Nothing felt polished or overly formal. Whatever the topic was, there was a sense that people genuinely wanted to share experiences and learn from each other.
There was also a clear willingness to collaborate. Promoters, venues, artists, and organisers all seemed interested in supporting one another, rather than protecting their own corners. As someone attending on behalf of the mjf Youth Advisory Board, it was encouraging to see that younger voices can fit naturally into those discussions. It didn’t feel like trying to break into a closed room — more like joining a community that’s figuring things out together.
What struck me most across the day was how each session felt like a small window into the tensions and possibilities shaping the future of jazz — and how often those conversations circled back to people, power, and access.I kept noticing the points that echoed questions we ask in our meetings: Who gets in? Who gets heard? And who decides?
What I’m Bringing Back to mjf
Sitting through the sessions, I kept thinking about how the ideas being discussed could shape the work we do on the mjf Youth Advisory Board. A lot of the conversations — especially around programming, inclusivity, and grassroots support — made me rethink what it means to open doors for people rather than just talk about it in theory.
The programming session reminded me how many artists never make it past the first stage of being seen. The idea of working more closely with venues feels relevant to us too. They know which emerging artists are building real connections with their communities, and they often spot talent long before any formal application process does.
The inclusivity session had the strongest impact. Learning about “Penguin Pebbling” gave me a practical way to think about how we create space for neurodivergent young people. Not everyone thrives in loud or fast-moving networking environments, and we don’t have to pretend that they do. Small gestures, quieter introductions, and slower ways of building trust might help more young people feel comfortable getting involved with us.
The panel’s advice about reaching out to Black-led organisations and grassroots groups also stayed with me. It was a reminder that diversity doesn’t happen by waiting for people to arrive. It happens when you go to where people already are, listen properly, and build relationships rather than expecting communities to find you. This feels like a clear next step for the Youth Advisory Board — not a big statement, but a practical shift in how we meet people.
In all of these conversations, I could see ways for the Youth Advisory Board to become more open, more representative, and more responsive to the realities young people face. It feels less like adding new tasks and more like adjusting the way we approach the work we already care about.
Closing Thoughts
Leaving the conference, I felt a mix of realism and optimism. The conversations made it clear that the industry is facing genuine challenges — around access, decision-making, resources and representation — and no one pretended otherwise. But what also came through strongly was a willingness to talk honestly about these problems, rather than avoid them or dress them up.
I saw people who care about the future of jazz and are trying to make meaningful changes, even if the pace is uneven. Some areas are moving forward — more awareness around inclusive practice, more interest in working collaboratively, and a clearer understanding of how structural issues affect artists and communities. At the same time, there are places where progress is still slow, particularly when it comes to who holds power and whose voices are listened to.
As someone coming in as a younger representative, it was helpful to see both sides of this. It’s encouraging to know that many people in the sector genuinely want things to improve, but it’s also important to recognise where intentions haven’t yet turned into action. That balance feels necessary if we’re going to keep pushing things in a better direction for arts in the UK and Ireland.
Finn is a member of our youth advisory board, helping to shape the future of our festival. Learn more about the work they do here.
“On the 25th of February at Aviva Studios, mjf’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) held their first industry talks with mjf director Steve Mead.
Their objective was to gain more insight into the live music industry, specifically about the different aspects and roles within festivals, mjf’s beginnings, the changes to the roles and challenges over the years, and most importantly: the mistakes. While the YAB members prepared various engaging questions for Steve, the audience was equally attentive and enthusiastic as the event progressed into a Q&A.
Steve provided everyone with a lot of advice that doesn’t only apply to the path of establishing oneself professionally, but also in life. For example, when asked about what advice he would have given his younger self, after a reflective pause he simply replied, “Be yourself.” In a world that expects so much of everyone, especially young people, it was refreshing to be told to stay authentic to ourselves. Similarly, when asked about how to manage people effectively his response was once again quite straightforward and down-to-earth as he said, “Just be a decent human being.”
Furthermore, Steve debunked the idea that confidence is a stable, attractive or visible attribute and that in fact a controlled fear or ‘under-confidence’ can be the key propeller to make things happen.
Special thanks to Georgie, a fellow YAB member, who interviewed Steve, also to the mjf staff who helped out, the YAB members who prepared this, and of course, to Steve Mead who as always dazzled us with a statement suit (during the event we found out that he has around thirty-six different suits in his closet!)”
With thanks to YAB member, Kalina Kolodziejska. The next YAB Industry talk will take place at The Social in Aviva Studios on the 2nd of April, 6-7 pm featuring composer and artists, Thanda Gumede. Click here to register for your free ticket.
On Saturday 8th March, we marked International Women’s Day by sharing, celebrating and honouring ALL of our female-identifying artists taking to the stage for mjf 2025. But since then, we’ve been fortunate to sit down & delve deeper into the craft of three of our headline artists taking to the stage this year: Yazz Ahmed, Camilla George & Sanem Kalfa. From a variety of different backgrounds, each artists’ work contains strong international links with their musical identity infused by their mixed heritages.
Read on to learn a little more about their work, influences and advice for the next generation.
1.) Could you speak a little about your route into jazz. How did you get your start?
My maternal grandfather, Terry Brown, was a jazz trumpet player in the 1950s, playing with the likes of John Dankworth, Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott. Later he became a record producer for Pye and Phillips. He played his favourite records to me when I was just 10 years old and ignited my love of jazz and of the trumpet. The first jazz record I can remember was by Dizzy Gillespie and I was hooked. I loved the freedom of expression, the rule breaking, the mixing of genres and it made me feel excited.
2.) If you had one piece of advice for an early career female artist on the beginning of her journey with jazz, what would it be?
Work hard and don’t give up! The reality is that you may have to shout louder and work harder than your peers because sadly, we can still get overlooked. You might feel frustrated and down trodden, trying to get yourself heard, but be brave and call out any injustices and move towards those that nurture you. My career has been filled with many failures and I’ve come across lots of discrimination but I refused to let anything get in the way of following my passion.
3.) ‘A Paradise in the Hold’ has been a 10- year-long development process. Can you reflect on this?
I’m really glad that I took my time over recording this music and creating this new album. If I’d rushed into recording it back in 2015 it would have been a pale shadow of what it’s become. This music was conceived before the release of La Saboteuse, my second album, and at a time when the chemistry between the members of my band were still developing. During the next decade we performed hundreds of times together in different combinations, all around the world, and one of my aims when recording was to capture some of that live energy in the studio. Also I hadn’t yet met Natacha Atlas, Randolph Matthews or Alba Nacinovich, three of the wonderful singers on the album, or even begun working with George Crowley on bass clarinet. They have all shaped the music you will you hear by the force of their passionate artistry. It did take longer to complete than I had planned, partly because of the pandemic, but it was during that period of enforced isolation that some of the most creative developments took place, at home in my studio.
4.) The album’s musical influence comes from your Bahraini roots – how has it been to embrace and delve deeper into this side of your heritage?
This has been an ongoing process that really started in 2008, when I decided to take some some Arabic lessons (sadly I wasn’t taught to speak Arabic at home and went to an English speaking school). I also began studying Middle Eastern music and actually took some lessons with violinist Samy Bishai, who appears on the opening track of A Paradise In The Hold. This led to an experimental recording session with bass player, Janek Gwizdala, which became the framework for my debut album, Finding My Way Home. That was really me dipping my toe into this fusion of Arabic music, jazz and electronic soundscapes, which has developed over the years. I gradually began to investigate the unique and melancholy Bahraini folk music more deeply. I was trying to avoid the generic cliches familiar from western film scores, whenever the action takes place at an oasis for example. I’m so moved to have been able to include my Bahraini family on this record, it makes me feel more connected to that culture and more accepted by them for who I am.
1.) Could you speak a little about your route into jazz. How did you get your start?
I got into jazz because my Dad used to sit me on his knee every Sunday and play all of his jazz vinyl. He was an avid jazz fan and love Sonny Stitt, Jimmy Smith and Sidney Bechet. He used to regale me with stories about when he had seen jazz legends in concert such as Cannonball Adderley- I was hooked!
2.) If you had one piece of advice for an early career female artist on the beginning of her journey with jazz, what would it be?
I think it would be to focus on your craft- I have never let myself be defined by boundaries others have put on me, you really just need to aim to be the best musician that you can absolutely be I believe.
3.) Your latest 2022 album ‘Ibio Ibio’ draws on influences from your Nigerian heritage & specifically the Ibibio tribe. How has it been to embrace & delve deeper into this part of your heritage & identity?
I have always written music inspired by Nigerian and Grenadian heritage and that has been something that was incredibly important to me as a composer and performer. I enjoy researching more into my heritage in order to write and create new works.
4.) Your music is self-described as containing a politically minded subtext. Could you expand a little more on this? What conversations are you exploring within your music?
My music is really about peace, hope and love and the desire that we can all live together as one. That is the main political theme throughout.
Sanem Kalfa1.) Could you speak a little about your route into jazz. How did you get your start? Why jazz? Was there one moment or series of moments that enabled you to fall in love with genre?
I didn’t grow up listening to jazz music. I was more into Turkish pop when I was very young, then I jumped blindly into classical music studying at the high school also where I met the cello. Towards the end of my university years I started to sing and got into jazz songs then so on.
I’m here till this day with many changes and many transformations.
2.) If you had one piece of advice for an early career female artist on the beginning of her journey with jazz, what would it be?
This would be a suggestion to every artist in the early stage, to be supportive, to stand behind their own personalities, and value what has made them here today. Respect the past and be visionary.
3.) Within both your own heritage & the makeup of the band itself there is a real fusion of cultural landscapes & identities (South Korea, Turkey, Netherlands, The Caribbean). Could you reflect upon how this has impacted your musical soundscape?
The way we grow up has a big part in who we are today. And our cultural background is a great part of it. But mainly what is important is that we meet in one place and develop a common language. I believe this makes music special, that I hope will reach the audience from us.
4.) ‘Miraculous Layers’ is described as a project that “explores the spectrum of human feelings, yearnings, fears and delights contained in and expressed by the human voice.” Could you expand upon this? What might an audience expect from your performance with us?
Since we come from different backgrounds, different places, different textures… we meet many times in a common place as it comes to the feelings. We just experience, process and express them differently. With Miraculous Layers, we are aiming to open the door of feelings, bravely and by meeting in a common place with the audience.
As the UK’s first festival signatory to Keychange, mjf has a long history of gender balance and representation throughout its work: not just in each festival line-up, but in our talent programmes, teams, board, and in our approach to making the jazz sector a fairer place to work and enjoy music. We are proud to programme some of the best contemporary female–identifying stars spanning all ages across the jazz industry. Click here to view our full lineup.
mjf is delighted to announce the appointment of Victoria Robinson as chair to our board. Victoria will take over from Professor Kirsty Fairclough who held the position for over 6 years. Speaking on her time with mjf, Kirsty noted:
“I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together. The passion and dedication of our team have been the heart and soul of every event, ensuring we bring the magic of jazz to life for our community. It has been an honour to lead such a brilliant group of people, and I am excited to see how the festival continues to grow and inspire in the years to come.”
Our board, under the helm of Victoria, will continue to play a pivotal role in mjf’s development guiding the organisation through our next period of development including our 30th anniversary festival edition.
Click here to know our 30th anniversary festival edition.
“I’m so excited to be joining mjf as Chair. It’s an organisation that truly values and supports artists, and gives audiences the thrill of discovering live music in a city-wide celebration that always inspires. I cannot wait to work more with the team to keep driving this diverse, innovative, creative festival to do what it does best: help artists find themselves and audiences lose themselves.”
Victoria Robinson is the Chief Executive of The Met, a leading arts centre and cultural hub in Bury. Under her leadership, The Met has become a driving force for musical excellence, artist development, and community engagement across Greater Manchester. She oversees both its charitable and trading arms, ensuring its sustainability and growth.
Over the past decade, Victoria has led major transformations, including a £4.6 million redevelopment and the creation of a new community arts space. She also positioned The Met as a digital innovator during lockdown through its United We Stream partnership.
With over 25 years in the music and arts sector, Victoria has worked in event promotion, commercial PR, and cultural leadership. She played a key role in establishing the Bury Business Improvement District and continues to champion culture as a tool for regeneration.
An influential voice in the industry, she serves on the Greater Manchester Music Commission, Night Time Economy Board and now we are delighted to welcome her onto our board.
She will take up the role of chair alongside our previously appointed board including: Iain McKeith, Nelson Beaumont-Laurencia, Yemi Bolatiwa, Gawen Higgins, Robin Phillips, Lucy Scott, Danni Skerritt, Eric Solomons, Thanda Gumede & Julia Payne.
PRS Foundation’s New Music Biennial
mjf is proud to be one of the 20 organisations to have been selected to premiere new work as part of the PRS Foundation’s New Music Biennial.
PRS Foundation’s New Music Biennial is a critically acclaimed free festival presenting 20 pieces of new music across two festival weekends, at Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture (6th – 8th June 2025) and London’s Southbank Centre (4th-6th July 2025), broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and available for download from NMC Recordings.
Click the link here to learn more.
A premiere of our work (P E A C E) will take place at The Carlton Club during mjf2025.
Click the link here to browse our work.
P E A C E
We are delighted to present the world premiere of this brand new commission, conceptualised and created by former mjf originals and hothouse artist, Verity Watts.
Does music about peace have to be peaceful? What does peace sound like in 2025?
Drawing on her creative catalogue, Verity Watts brings together four world-class artists from contrasting experiences: musically, culturally and spiritually. In the gloriously diverse city of Bradford, where the first Peace Studies department was inaugurated and now houses the Peace Museum, ‘P E A C E’ finds musical commonality in the cracks and creates something beautiful by joining together contrasts. Featuring electronic sounds, rap, scratching, spoken word, bassline improvisation and fused with historic archive audio samples, mjf presents a radical and ambitious commission.
The collaborators will include world champion turntablist DJ Woody; legendary jazz bassist Dave Kane; Bradford-born singer, rapper and songwriter Kenzo Jae; poet and spoken word artist Scout Tzofiya Bolton and Archive Producer Anna Rhodes who will curate audio samples from Bradford, that feature in the music.
Thank you to the Peace Museum, University of Bradford’s Peace Studies Department and Bradford City Museum for their generous support.
Click here to learn more about the commission.
We are back! #mjf2025 has landed, with our full line-up announced and on sale via Eventbrite.
Jazz lovers rejoice – mjf is back to jazz up your summer with a bumper edition, as we celebrate our 30th anniversary festival.
Lighting up venues across the city, mjf2025 will see hundreds of artists from the north (Olivia Cuttill Quintet, Ponyland, Ladies of Midnight Blue), across the UK (Steam Down, Mammal Hands, Camilla George) and abroad (ganavya, Sylvain Rifflet, Sanem Kalfa, Nabou, Ella Ronen) as they descend upon Manchester, showcasing the genre’s leading lights alongside its most exciting emerging talent.
And of course we’ll be seeing our 30th birthday out in style with two special celebratory events (our 30th anniversary party feat. Honeybee Jazz and the mjf wrap party feat. Ed Kainyek Quartet) taking place at the ultimate late night venue, Matt & Phreds. Plus this year we welcome the addition of three new venues to mjf: Aviva Studios, Flawd Wine Bar and Stage & Radio.
Click here to find out more below and browse our full line-up here.
Opening Weekender: mjf@First Street
Our free opening weekender celebrates the breadth and individuality of our home-grown scene: bands from, or with a strong connection to, the north. It’s also about shining the spotlight on artists who’ve journeyed through some of our talent development programmes in recent years.
As well as some of the north’s leading artists gracing our House of Social Main Stage (Ubunye, Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band, Mali Hayes, Phil Meadows’ Beware of the Bear) on Friday and Saturday, you can check out some of the northern bands from our Soundcheck and hothouse artist development programmes on the Ask Garden Stage (Thanda Gumede, Cup Noods, Trees.R.Good). Accomplished performers in more intimate settings adorn the HOME Stage (Jose Dias, New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds, Jascha Bingham Trio) throughout each day.
On Sunday we partner with Jazz North for the return of the Northern Line showcase: we’ll present the five acts selected by industry experts for their 2025 artist roster (Ex Easter Island Head, The Exu, Ellen Beth Abdi).
Returning mjf Legends
It wouldn’t be our 30th anniversary without paying tribute to some of the legendary artists that have been instrumental in shaping mjf. This includes Richard Iles’ Miniature Brass Emporium, for which Richard will revisit mjf’s first ever commissioned work from 25 years ago in New Futures II. Fittingly reinvented for 2025, this performance brings together players from the original line-up with emerging players of today.
Norma Winestone, Nikki Iles, Mike Walker and Steve Watts come together for Small Print, a chamber iteration of the cherished Printmakers ensemble. John Helliwell’s Super Big Tramp Band have reunited for an anniversary show at RNCM, and in a nod to our original 1996 lineup, John Ellis, who headlined our very first festival back then, will bring his new band to the stage as part of the opening weekender.
P E A C E
Continuing our commitment to new work, mjf is one of the 20 organisations selected for the PRS Foundation’s 2025 New Music Biennial, for which we’ve commissioned sound artist Verity Watts to create P E A C E. Airing at mjf, Bradford UK City of Culture and South Bank Centre and broadcast on BBC Radio 3, the radical work uses turntables, spoken word, bassline improv and archive audio samples to ask us what peace sounds like in 2025. You can witness the premiere at The Carlton Club as part of our Brume x mjf night.
St Ann’s Church
A firm favourite venue for mjf regulars, St Ann’s welcomes Matt Owens back for the album launch of Keys, a work he premiered there at mjf 2014 that focusses in on music for various keyboard instruments, including the noble St Ann’s Church organ.
Low Four Studio
We’re partnering with this intimate recording and performance space to offer you the chance be in the audience for three live recording/streaming sessions, with artists including Alice Zawadzki’s Za Górami and Elliot Galvin’s new quartet.
Band on the Wall
Once again we’ll head to Band on the Wall for a jam-packed party weekend. Highlights include Afro-punk band Steam Down, visionary saxophonist Camilla George and a new duo bringing together the talents of celebrated pianist Gwilym Simcock and fast-rising saxophonist Emma Rawicz, along with a host of free gigs in The Copper Bar throughout.
mjf at Aviva Studios
In collaboration with Factory International, we’ll welcome to Manchester a triple bill of the most genre-pushing international jazz artists from across Europe. International work has always played a pivotal role in the mjf programme, often giving many artists their UK debut. In these free to access performances, you can hear Nabou (Belgium), Sanem Kalfa’s Miraculous Layers (The Netherlands) and Sylvain Rifflet’s We Want Stars (France). In between sets, unplugged performances from Lou Barnell + Neighbourhood Voices choir and the high-energy Young Pilgrims brass band fill the outdoor space.
Click here to discover more free to access performances.
We can’t wait to welcome you!
First time attending a jazz gig? – click here to this handy article and it will let you know what all the fuss is about!
1) Can you introduce yourself & your work to our audiences?
My names Rory A. Green, I’m a contemporary guitarist, improviser and composer based in Manchester. A lot of my music is centred around sharing stories, either from my own personal experiences or around thoughts, feelings and emotions that are perhaps more shared experiences. I take a lot of infulence from both my European and African heritage (English / Ghanaian). Sonically my music maybe sits around artists ranging from Danish guitarist Jakob Bro, Jasmine Myra and folk artists such as Daudi Matsiko.
2.) Was it fate / destiny to become a musician? & more specifically a jazz musician? Can you remember that first concert, record or experience that introduced you to jazz?
I think it was? But I also think it wasn’t at the same time! I never had the biggest in music as a kid, I went through flute and cornet before settling on guitar but even then I didn’t enjoy it – My guitar lessons at school meant I didn’t have a break and at the age of nine I was more concerned with digging up worms than scales! In my mid to late teens I started to really connect with the guitar. I didn’t just enjoy playing it but I had developed a deeper emotional connection with music as a whole. Discovering jazz was a very long journey for me. I grew up mostly in the Leigh / wigan area and I struggled to find music I was seriously into and also people to help guide me with this but at the time. It wasn’t until I was in college studying music where my teacher Frank Beaver introduced me to Stuart McCallum’s music where I properly discovered not only jazz but a type of music where self expression and individuality was vital.
3.) You’ve been involved in mjf from hothouse to performing at the festival. Could you speak a little about your time on our talent development programme, how you started your journey with mjf & how it helped you to break through to that next level?
The hothouse programme was a very instrumental part to my development as a musician. It was the first time I’d ever been able to really focus on my craft, develop my skills as a composer, guitarist and work on my musicianship as a whole. Being able to have Stuart McCallum as my mentor as well was a very eye opening experience and helped my realise where I wanted to take my music but also cemented the idea of pursuing music as my full time career. The help from mjf as a whole has helped take my career to new heights, the faith and support that I’ve had over the years has helped me to keep progressing
4.) It’s been nothing short of incredible watching your career develop from touring with GoGo Penguin to opening for Laura Misch at mjf 2024 & now a TikTok Rising Star. What’s been your career highlight so far? & what’s next on the horizon?
I’ve been so proud of everything I’ve accomplished so far! Supporting Laura Misch was incredible and joining GoGo Penguin on the road whilst playing for Nina Cobham was a time I won’t forget! Gaining attention from Fender Guitars and Guitar World Magazine was also a dream come true! My biggest plan now is to get some new music out for 2025…
5.) Any spoilers you can give for the new imminent single release?
I don’t want to give too much away but I can say that it’ll released on the 30th of January with a special event on the 29th at Band on The Wall!
6.) What would be your dream headliner for mjf2025 & our 30th festival?
My dream headliner would be Jakob Bro! His music is just so full of emotion and character! Especially his playing in his quartet with Thomas Morgan, Palle Mikkelborg and Jon Christensen.
Catch Rory performing at Band on the Wall, 29th January. This will be shortly followed by Rory’s hotly anticipated & newest single release on the 30th January. Click the link here to book tickets to Rory’s gig at Band on the Wall.
Rory is an alumni of our talent development programe, hothouse. It is with special thanks to our friends and their ongoing support that we are able to help up and coming contemporary jazz artists such as Rory to transform and take their practise to the next level. Click here to learn how you could also support mjf and its artists.
Read on as Youth Advisory Board member, Georgie Harold-Moss, takes us on a journey through our opening weekend at First Street (17-19 may) for #mjf2024!
If music be the food of love, then Jazz has got to be my favourite cuisine – and what better feast than the opening weekend of Manchester Jazz Festival 2024 at First Street! Last weekend I had the chance to get a taste of some of the finest music in the Jazz scene all for free! Here’s what was on the menu:
For starters, I headed to the Home Stage to see Claire Victoria Roberts, who, with an enchanting voice, lulls you into a new realm with her blending of folk, classical and jazz. Just as I was closing my eyes to relax into the music, I caught Claire raising her violin and to become ensemble leader in a stunning string interlude, which there were to be many more of. Explaining her own connections to each piece of music, and with each song a conversation between her own voice and fiddle, the lounging audience were taken on a journey from Welsh love songs over to the samba of Brazil.
Peckish for more, I walked over to the Main Stage for my first course, the Maja Mannila Trio. Hailing from Helsinki the trio is led by Maja, a singer, composer and pianist with a truly unique tone and incredible vocal control. I was able to kick back on a deck chair and enjoy their original music, which combined old skool soul with its slapping funk bass with drawn back moments of exposed instrumentals forefronted by Maja’s whistle tones and scatting that stopped passers by in their tracks.
For my main course, I managed to catch the Atatu Trio at the Ask Garden Stage. A fusion of Latin, Jazz, Brazilian and Funk; with songs like ‘Brexit Blues’ each composition is brimming with character, with comforting, meditative grooves soon overtaken by the bass on a mission. Spoken word takes precedence in the Trio’s pieces where the music acts as a running map outlining a route for poignant socio-political observations. Safe to say I was trying to Shazam every song.
Time for a palate cleanser – so I headed back to the Main Stage in time to catch Conor & The Greenskeepers, an eclectic band showcasing arguably the best new Hip Hop / Jazz fusion in Manchester. Fronted by Conor Michael featuring a nine-piece band, these guys had me jumping back up to dance every time I thought I needed a rest. From an incredible blend of salsa beats and smooth lyrical writing to formidable brass that was shoulder to shoulder with Conor’s effortlessly empowering bars, the stage was lit up with an infectious energy cultivated by each member of the band. My highlight had to be trombonist Emily Mason’s emceeing which had the entire crowd hypnotised and immersed in her clockwork flow.
For a sweet treat to conclude my musical buffet, I caught Vipertime on the Main Stage. Formed in Leeds, the band emulates a style blending post-punk Jazz with funk, soul and plenty of skillful improvisation. I was really excited by the hints of Arabic-inspired harmonies as well as the incredible stage presence of all band members, especially saxophonist Ben Powling. With their set ending the Sunday evening, we couldn’t get enough of this funkadelic foursome, and were treated with some encores to dance off into the night.
Suitably stuffed, I couldn’t imagine a more fantastic array of Jazz to see in the first truly sunny summer weekend in Manchester. I’ll be sure to be back next weekend when the festival continues at Band On The Wall with even more incredible shows for all musical cravings.
Our closing weekend will take places at various venues across Manchester including Band on the Wall, RNCM, Stollerhall & Forsyths Music Shop. Click here to view the full lineup. Georgie is a member of our Youth Advisory Board. Applications are now open for those aged between 18-25 with an interest in festivals, music and / or jazz. Click here to learn more and apply.
Planning on coming along to our FREE opening weekend at First Street? But not sure what to do with the children? Well there’s something on offer for everyone this festival season, as we proudly introduce our jammed packed family friendly lineup of activities. All events will take place on the morning of 18th May and are free to access. Read on to discover more.
South African born Thanda Gumede will lead a mass singing workshop. Teaching songs in Zulu and/or Xhosa, Thanda will include warm-up exercises and teach joyous South African harmonies and the signature click sounds of the southern Bantu languages.
The workshop will lead to the choir performing on the Ask Garden Stage with Thanda’s band.
Click here to get the free ticket.
Jazz band ain’t misbehavin’ will lead a series of interactive concerts designed to introduce young children to jazz and improvisation in an upbeat and ever silly way. Yet they do not make light of jazz masterpieces, ensuring fun for the whole family.
Free, no booking required.
Exploring carnival rhythms, singing and all sorts of spontaneous music making with acoustic Roots Duo Mambo Jambo. And they might just be the biggest acoustic duo you’ll ever see; a truly unique two-piece known for performing lively, joyous mash up of roots, world, folk and jazz.
Suitable for all ages. Instruments provided.
Free, no booking required.
Manchester-based Little Groovers is an award-winning mixed-age music session for babies and young children under the age of 7. Each fun-filled session is led by a trained musician. Sing, play gorgeous percussion instruments and listen to live performance. A huge parachute, tactile props, scarves, ribbons and bubbles make each session a fun, interactive and engaging musical experience. Learn through music about counting, rhythm, taking turns and practising social skills.
Free, no booking required.
Make a Bee with Bianca
Come along and join in on this creative bee making workshop. Inspired by our lovely bee icon (designed by Paul Hemmingfield) participants creations will decorate our Ask garden stage.
Free, no booking required.
Facepainting
There will also be an opportunity for professional face painting and bio glitter, suitable for all ages, with the talented Anna.
The family friendly activities will take place at our free opening weekend on the morning of the 18th. Participation is free, operating on a first come first served basis. They have been kindly supported by Ask Real Estate.
No musician more embodies the dramatic transformation in the British jazz scene over the past thirty years than saxophonist Courtney Pine.
A groundbreaking multi-instrumentalist; in the 80’s he was one of the first black British jazz artists to make a serious mark on the jazz scene, with his first album “Journey To The Urge Within” – and some 30 years on (now with an OBE and CBE for services to music), he continues to break new ground with a string of highly-acclaimed recordings and numerous prestigious industry awards. His album “Modern Day Jazz Stories” was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2000 and he was the recipient of the Gold Badge award in 2002.
He has released 16 studio albums to date and continues to tour worldwide with his award-winning band, playing clubs, concert halls and festivals from Glastonbury to Fuji Rock, Montreux to Cape Town.
The team at mjf were privileged to sit down with Pine and learn a little more about his influences, career highlights (of which there are many) and most importantly, what Manchester audiences can expect from his gig with us this year at #mjf2024.
1.) What we love about your work is that you seamlessly blend reggae & hip-hop with classical jazz. Could you speak a little about what lies behind this and influences you in this musical
choice? Seamlessly blending music from different parts of the world is very difficult but I found that the roots of all these different styles are African. My study of African music made it easier to blend rhythm, harmony and melodies and perform these style in a personally satisfying way.
2.) What can audiences look forward to from your performance at manchester jazz festival (mjf)? Are there any special arrangements, repertoire choices, collaborative teams etc.? And, what can fans expect as part of your 60th celebration release of ‘House of Legends’? I have found Manchester audiences to be very open and understanding of what I have been pursuing musically over the years. Improvisation is core to my performances and this project, ‘House of Legends’, reflects our cultures ever evolving diversity in sound.
3.) As one of the first black British jazz artists to make a serious mark on the genre following the release of your debut album Journey to the Urge Within, how do you feel things have changed for up-and-coming young black artists and musicians within the jazz world and has it changed for the better? I believe that the musical environment has changed and I do remember as a sixteen year old being advised not to pursue and career through the university route as black people like me were wasting time going in this direction. I believe from the evidence of the many positive diverse British jazz musicians that we have now that their experiences in higher learning has helped them, and us, as supporters of UK Jazz Music.
4.) Reflecting back on your career to date, what have been some of your top highlights? I have far to many highlights and most of them are about achieving more than what was expected of me and my choice to perform improvised music. Meeting my heroes; Sonny Rollins, Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Ernest Ranglin, Monty Alexander, Grace Jones, Manu Dibango, Donald Byrd and many others has enriched my quest for knowledge. Performing in Jamaica, South Africa, Brazil and Japan. Recording with artists as diverse as Bob Marley, Brian Ferry, Kate Bush, Paul Young, Soul II Soul and Alan Parker – the list can go on, but I do realise that signing to Island Records for 7 years and still making music to date is also a big highlight.
5.) Is it true you practice 8 hours a day, every day? No, the truth is that I don’t practise enough! 8 hours is not enough! Jazz music is such deep water and when I think about the humans that have created this legacy, there’s not enough hours in the day but still I try to research, apply and develop myself as a positive musician.
6.) Here at mjf, we champion the very best homegrown, up and coming contemporary jazz artists. We’d love to know what you see are the current opportunities and challenges in the music industry for new artists? Do you have any good advice for the younger generation who are pursuing a career as a professional jazz musician?I believe that artists, especially, in the United Kingdom, have in this day and age the opportunity to reflect who we are and make a positive artistic statement without prejudice. Technology, our society blended together under the improvisers muse, can make for a very unique sound. I have found that when music reflects life, then life will reflect music.
Courtney Pine will close the manchester jazz festival, 2024, with a very special concert, marking his 60th birthday with a special edition of his award winning-project ‘House of Legends’. Band on the Wall, main stage, Sunday 26th May, 8PM, £28. Click the link here to purchase tickets.