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Rachael Jean Harris

Band on the Wall (bar stage)

Rachael Jean Harris vocals, guitar, keyboards 

Wildly original songwriting” (Tom Robinson, BBC6 Music) 

Hailing from The Wirral, Rachael Jean Harris draws much inspiration from a love of adventurous writers such as PJ Harvey and Esperanza Spalding. Her songs fall into themes surrounding the lives of people on the raw edges of existence – women in conflict zones, men in long-term confinement – whilst her recent work takes on more personal themes, intertwined with a love of the natural world and interest in ornithology. 

Her two most recent releases, Battledress and Imprint (both 2022) have attracted plays on BBC6 Music. 

Her songs are beguiling and break all the rules…” (Derek King for Liverpool Acoustic) 

Photo by Debbie Ellis

Free admission, no ticket required

Date: sunday 28 may

Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Price: Free

Pyjæn

Band on the Wall (bar stage)

Ben Vize saxophone, ewi / Dylan Jones  trumpet / Tjoe Man Cheung guitar / Benjamin Crane bass / Charlie Hutchinson drums 

PYJÆN reach inside the deep, multidimensional well of what is broadly called Jazz and bring together all its diverse components in a singular, emotional sound. 

They released their debut self-titled album in 2019 to wide critical and public acclaim, garnering support from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Jazz FM, and Clash Magazine. 

The new chapter of their musical journey created room for featured artists once again, an exercise they thoroughly enjoyed on their Sage Secrets EP with Blue Lab Beats and Odette Peters, which reached over 1M streams on Spotify within only 6 months, testimony that the band has become a major force in the UK “Jazz and beyond” scene. 

In 2021 they released their second full album, Feast, their most daring release yet, with thirteen tracks and five features ranging from singer Renato Paris on By Your Side, to Glasgow Jazz legend Corto. Alto on Stay Home. Feast was recorded over five days at Peter Gabriel’s legendary studio Real World Studios. 

The band is now in the process of releasing their third EP Sunset Milk Tea. This collection of tunes were recorded during the Feast recording sessions at Real World Studios, but were not released until now. The band will be releasing a single every month, starting with Halloween special Spook on the 28 October, and finishing with the release of the EP on 24 March 2023. 

Adventurous songwriting, meticulous timing, incredibly tight horn arrangements and an obvious joy to play together are PYJÆN’s hallmarks. 

Free admission, no ticket required

Date: sunday 28 may

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Price: Free

Nguvu

Band on the Wall (bar stage)

DOWNLOAD MJF2023 LEAFLET

Jamal Lewis-Service drums / Lila Hutchinson, Tayo Weekes vocals / Helena Summerfield alto saxophone / Ejaz Ibrahim electric guitar / Wayne Brown keyboards / Laetitia Alexandratos bass guitar 

Manchester-based Nguvu return to manchester jazz festival, bringing their unmissable blend of jazz fusion, neo-soul, hip-hop, rock and afro-inspired funk to the Band on the Wall bar stage! 

NGUVU is a Swahili term that translates to power, force and energy. But here in the UK, NGUVU is what happens when you blend nasty baselines, dreamy chords, powerful vocals, sexy sax and godly grooves into one phenomenally phat and funky sound.  

Being the musical brainchild of drummer, Jamal Lewis-Service, NGUVU merges beautiful blends of world music, jazz-fusion, neo soul, hip hop, rock and afro-inspired funk, which this band uses to leave you flying high on pure groove. 

DOWNLOAD MJF2023 LEAFLET

Date: saturday 27 may

Time: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Price: Free

Emily Mercer

Band on the Wall (bar stage)

DOWNLOAD MJF2023 LEAFLET

Emily Mercer vocals, piano / Tom Welsh electric guitar  

Emily Mercer is a Manchester-based singer-songwriter creating rich, piano-driven arrangements. Her music is a genre-bending fusion of her jazz, pop, folk and R&B influences, full of striking harmony, soaring melody and punchy grooves. Mercer’s songs have a flair for the dramatic and an ongoing theme of truth: millennial angst, self-sabotage, confronting personal agendas – each song acts as a call for an end to our self-limiting beliefs. 

As co-runner of Manchester Women Songwriters, a community of female identifying musicians, Emily is motivated by connection and collaboration, demonstrated by the host of Manchester talent involved in her solo project.  

Her jazzy, quirk-pop creations are full of surprising twists and turns, as packed with charming idiosyncrasies as they are big, hummable tunes.” – Manchester Evening News 

Free admission, no ticket required 

DOWNLOAD MJF2023 LEAFLET

Date: saturday 27 may

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Price: Free