Category: Featured Article
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 17th May and are free to access. Read on to discover more.
South African born Thanda Gumede is an award-winning vocalist and a multi-disciplinary artist of dual Zulu and Xhosa heritage, hailing from Durban, in South Africa. Β His performance on the Ask Garden Stage will include a very special appearance from the Olympias choir, made up of families and young people from the Olympias music group.
Join us for a playful, thematic take on an adult yoga class – for all the family! With creative movement, breathwork, stretching, and a little relaxation. No experience neededβjust bring your energy and a smile!
Suggested age 3+ family friendly yoga, all abilities welcome.
Click here to register for a free Yoga with Gilly ticket.β
Z – Arts presents ‘Adventures in Wonderland’ β
Curiouser and curiouser?
Created by Z-arts in partnership withΒ Macmillan Childrenβs Books, step into Aliceβs shoes and have your very own magicalΒ Adventure in Wonderland, celebrating 160 years of Alice. An enchanting play experience which invites children and families to explore Wonderland, using imagination to create their own fantastical adventure. Β β
βFree, 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.
βFree, no booking required.Β
Plant MCR presents ‘Make Your Own Meadow’
Join Plant Co-operative for a hands-on, family-friendly workshop where you’ll sow your very own mini wildflower meadow in a pot to take home with you, perfect for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and even night-time navigators like moths!Β
βFree, no booking required.
Forget modern medicineβThe Doctors of Music are here with a bold new prescription: jazz! Convinced that music can cure what ails you, this group of rogue doctors is taking their unconventional methods to test on an unsuspecting public.
Expect a show thatβs as unpredictable as it is entertaining. The βdoctorsβ will call on audience members to join them on stage, roaming the crowd, handing out instruments like prescriptions, or performing spontaneous musical assessments on their new-found patients.
The family-friendly activities will take place at our free opening weekend on the morning of the 17th May. Participation is free, operating on a first come first served basis. They have been kindly supported by Ask Real Estate.
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.Β
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?Β
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? Β
Work hard and donβt 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 Iβve come across lots of discrimination but I refused to let anything get in the way of following my passion.
3.) βA Paradise in the Holdβ has been a 10- year-long development process. Can you reflect on this?
Iβm really glad that I took my time over recording this music and creating this new album. If Iβd rushed into recording it back in 2015 it would have been a pale shadow of what itβs become. This music was conceived before the release ofΒ 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 hadnβt 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 albumβs musical influence comes from your Bahraini roots β 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 wasnβt 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 ofΒ 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,Β 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. Iβm 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?Β
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? Β
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 βIbio Ibioβ 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?Β
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?Β
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?Β
I didnβt 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? Β
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? Β Β
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.) βMiraculous Layersβ is described as a project that βexplores the spectrum of human feelings, yearnings, fears and delights contained in and expressed by the human voice.β Could you expand upon this? What might an audience expect from your performance with us? Β
Since we come from different backgrounds, different places, different texturesβ¦Β Β 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.Β We are proud to programme some of the best contemporary femaleβidentifyingΒ starsΒ spanning all agesΒ acrossΒ 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.
“Iβm so excited to be joining mjf as Chair. Itβs 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.”Β
Victoria RobinsonΒ is the Chief Executive ofΒ 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 Β£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 itsΒ United We StreamΒ 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 theΒ 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,Β Nelson Beaumont-Laurencia, Yemi Bolatiwa, Gawen Higgins, Robin Phillips, Lucy Scott, Danni Skerritt, Eric Solomons, Thanda Gumede & Julia Payne.
PRS Foundationβs 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 Foundationβs 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 β 8th June 2025) and Londonβs 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.Β
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,Β conceptualised and created by former mjf originals and hothouse artist, Verity Watts.Β
Does music about peace have to be peaceful? What does peace sound like in 2025?Β
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, βP E A C Eβ 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.Β Β
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 theΒ Peace Museum,Β University of BradfordβsΒ Peace Studies Department andΒ Bradford City MuseumΒ 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 β 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 genreβs 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. Itβs also about shining the spotlight on artists whoβve journeyed through some of our talent development programmes in recent years.Β
As well as some of the northβs 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 SoundcheckΒ andΒ hothouseΒ artist development programmes on theΒ Ask Garden StageΒ (Thanda Gumede, Cup Noods, Trees.R.Good). Accomplished performers in more intimate settings adorn theΒ Home Stage (Jose Dias, New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds, Jascha Bingham Trio) throughout each day.Β
On Sunday we partner withΒ Jazz North for the return of the Northern Line showcase: weβll present the five acts selected by industry experts for their 2025 artist roster (Ex Easter Island Head, The Exu, Ellen Beth Abdi).Β
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 Ilesβ Miniature Brass Emporium, for which Richard will revisit mjfβs 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 EΒ
Continuing our commitment to new work, mjf is one of the 20 organisations selected for the PRS Foundationβs 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 Annβs Church
A firm favourite venue for mjf regulars, St Annβs 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.Β
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 GΓ³rami 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 canβt wait to welcome you!
First time attending a jazz gig? β 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, Iβm 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 wasnβt 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 didnβt enjoy it – My guitar lessons at school meant I didnβt 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 didnβt 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 wasnβt until I was in college studying music where my teacher Frank Beaver introduced me to Stuart McCallumβs music where I properly discovered not only jazz but a type of music where self expression and individuality was vital.
3.) Youβve 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 Iβve had over the years has helped me to keep progressing
4.) Itβs 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. Whatβs been your career highlight so far? & whatβs next on the horizon?
Iβve been so proud of everything Iβve accomplished so far! Supporting Laura Misch was incredible and joining GoGo Penguin on the road whilst playing for Nina Cobham was a time I wonβt 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 2025β¦
5.) Any spoilers you can give for the new imminent single release?
I donβt want to give too much away but I can say that itβll 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.Β
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.Β
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!Β
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 Majaβs 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 Trioβs 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 Conorβs 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 Masonβs 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 couldnβt get enough of this funkadelic foursome, and were treated with some encores to dance off into the night.
Suitably stuffed, I couldnβt imagine a more fantastic array of Jazz to see in the first truly sunny summer weekend in Manchester. Iβll 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.Β
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 Thandaβs 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. β
Mambo Jamboβ
Exploring carnival rhythms, singing and all sorts of spontaneous music making with acoustic Roots Duo Mambo Jambo. And theyΒ might just be the biggest acoustic duo youβll 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. β
βFree, 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.
βFree, no booking required.Β
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.
βFree, 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.Β
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 byΒ Ask Real Estate.
β
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” β 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 βModern Day Jazz Storiesβ 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.Β
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 βHouse of Legendsβ? 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?Β 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.Β
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.Β
6.) Here at mjf, we champion the very best homegrown, up and coming contemporary jazz artists. Weβd 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, Β£28. Click the link here to purchase tickets.Β
This year, we are proud to announce a very special collaboration with Matt & Phreds, as part of the festival. Fancy listening to one of the North West’s most revered 20 piece big bands, whilst tucking into a slice of pizza from a very special brunch menu? Well, now you can as the Tom Sharp Jazz Orchestra’s Big Band Brunch comes to mjf2024! And there may even be chance for you to control the setlist… Read on to learn more about this large jazz ensemble, as we sat down with leader, Tom Sharp, for an exclusive interview.
Even more exciting: for this performance, TSJO invites you to play BIG BAND BINGO with them! Pick a number between 1 and 200 (yes 200) when you arrive, and it will be entered into a draw which aligns that number with a song the band can play. That means YOU get the chance to influence a portion of the bandβs setlist; and thereβs some pretty fun tunes in that list of 200β¦
1.) You started life as a rehearsal big band β what does that mean and how did the band transform into one of West Yorkshireβs most in-demand jazz ensembles?Β
When I moved to Yorkshire in 2012, it struck me instantly that the students at the Leeds Conservatoire (then the College of Music), University, and other establishments, had ample opportunity to practise the art of big band playing while they were within education, but there was nothing for them as soon as they were ejected out of the system, only a handful of professional-level jazz orchestras whose members were holding onto their seats until they were fired or died. I don’t know why I felt like I should be the person to provide such an opportunity – perhaps coming from the Midlands where such institutions exist more readily and having experience of them, or simply because I had a drive to enlarge my own musical circles – but I invited the few players I knew, they invited the players they knew, and fairly swiftly we had a group of us meeting fortnightly with the sole aim of challenging ourselves with increasingly difficult repertoire. It was baffling to me at the time, as it still is now, why people kept on turning up, but they did, and we found ourselves after a couple of years in command of a pad of tunes that were picked almost because of their esotericism. As to being in-demand, it wasn’t long after that that people began to want to hear them played. Fundamentally, when you set a group up with no intention of it ever performing, the sole focus becomes on the quality of the music, rather than anything else, and, in a somewhat backwards way, this is the group that people want to hear play more than any other!
2.) Any highlights from this past year touring together?Β
After recording our upcoming album ‘Daybreak Express’, which functions somewhat as a celebration of the type of music in which the ensemble has specialised for its first decade, we’ve taken some time to focus on some lesser known bodies of work, and engrossing ourselves in the soundworld of a particular composer or arranger for half a year or so. My highlight of the last year was almost certainly performing Johnny Richards’ epic Cuban Fire Suite in its entirety (which is as sweaty as it sounds) replete with bass saxophone, tuba and auxiliary percussion on the hottest day of the year last summer to close an outdoor festival in Leeds.
3.) We know that your band seamlessly blends big band repertoire of the 20th century alongside arrangements from members of the orchestra. Could you tell us what inspires you so much about these classics?Β Β
When most people think of big band ‘classics’, their minds drift to Ellington and Basie in the thirties and forties. Personally, the canon on which I was brought up was a slightly later school of arrangers like Bill Holman, Bob Florence and Rob McConnell. These charts all swing, hit hard and fast, and are what the majority of the players in the band would term ‘a roast’. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not putting chops on a pedestal, far from it, but very often the difficulty of these arrangements dissuades most ensembles from bothering with them, so it’s a delight to be able to give them some air time.
4.) And what can audiences expect from those newer arrangements of yours?Β Β
We’re blessed to count amongst our personnel past and present some incredibly gifted arrangers. Again, the way the band was formed has something to do with this – when you have an ensemble who meet religiously to do nothing other than rehearse, it provides a perfect opportunity for people not only to workshop large ensemble ideas in the flesh, but also to know exactly for whom they are writing, as opposed to perhaps writing a piece for an ensemble that meets less frequently, or is put together for a specific concert. The outcome of this is that the arrangements can be carefully and especially prepared for the group, and can be workshopped over a longer period. And of course, our members have changed over time – but this just makes the development of these charts all the more fun as time goes on.
5.) What is the best part of leading/playing in such a big band? Β
When the band began, as a result of being short of players, and of wanting to direct the sound most easily from within the ensemble, I was playing lead trumpet, and couldn’t take the opportunity to direct the group from without. Consequently (and again, because the majority of our experience is rehearsing in a square where we can all hear one another, rather than on a bandstand where you might all be able to follow a conductor), and perhaps in part because of the fast and hard-swinging repertoire we began life playing, one of our core musical priorities was on developing a good sense of time and ensemble expression without the need to have someone waving their arms. The sense of ownership of the sound that every individual player needs to take, because of this, is enormous, and I am incredibly grateful to all the players in every section who willingly burden themselves with this mantle. As the band grew, I was able to take more of a back seat from playing, which only led me to discover my favourite thing about leading this band – it directs itself! Medical mishaps meant I was unable to be present at the first day of recording our most recent album, but I didn’t even need to be. I have immense confidence and respect for each individual player to take care of themselves, their section, and the sound of the group as a whole – and that very firmly constitutes the ethos of the group.
6.) And, finally, can you give a short phrase to sum up what our audiences might expect from your Matt & Phreds Big Band Brunch featuring, βThe Tom Sharp Jazz Orchestraβ?Β
Big. Band. Bingo: YOU CHOOSE THE SETLIST (watch and learn…)
The Tom Sharp Jazz Orchestra will play Matt & Phreds as part of their Big Band Brunch, Sunday 19th May, 12-3PM. Tickets can be found here. Click here to view the rest of our lineup for the festival.