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Venue: mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Cheshire Youth Music for Life Jazz Orchestra

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Jo McCallum director   

The CYMFLJO comprises the best young jazz musicians in Cheshire; their opening set for mjf 2025 features newly commissioned works by established internationally renowned artists including Nikki Iles, Mike Walker and Laura Jurd, alongside works by upcoming young composers. The CYMFLJO has been one of ten youth jazz orchestras across the north to participate in an Arts Council England funded project in 2024/25, commissioning ten British jazz artists to write new pieces for the ensembles. The commissioned music is written in a contemporary big band style, with each composer’s individual compositional voice being evident whilst providing plenty of opportunities for the young musicians to improvise. 

Photography Credit: Mark Lear 

Date: friday 16 may

Time: 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm

Time: 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Price: Free

Ubunye

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Dave Evans keyboards, vocals / Xolani Mbatha, Nokulthula Zondi vocals / Emma Johnson tenor saxophone / Aaron Wood trumpet / Nik Svarc guitar / Sam Dutton-Taylor bass / Steve Hanley drums 

Ubunye’s inspirational fusion of jazz, dance and Afro-beat encapsulates the soul of South Africa, and is swiftly winning the band a legion of fans across the UK and beyond.  

Featuring two powerful vocalists from South Africa’s Kwa Zulu Natal region, combined with a dynamic rhythm section and an array of guest artists, Ubunye’s music is a special blend of contemporary jazz, Afro-pop and traditional ‘Isigqui’ Zulu music.  

Ubunye won the best UK jazz ensemble award at the prestigious Parliamentary Jazz awards in 2023 and have recently released their new album ‘Tell me the Truth’, which immortalises the energy and spirit of their revered live shows.  

Ubunye (loosely translated as ‘Oneness’ or ‘Unity’) is the concept of keyboard player and lead songwriter David Evans, who first collaborated with baritone singer Xolani Mbatha on a festival project in Leeds. Their working relationship flourished, eventually resulting in the recruitment of their most talented colleagues.  

The exciting new line-up features the cream of the Leeds jazz scene, perfectly complementing the vocal frontline and providing a robust sonic force that is as soulful as it is compelling.  

“Vibrant Afro-Jazz band Ubunye performed to a sold-out show as part of London Jazz Festival. Their 10-piece outfit wowed our Holburn crowd with their distinctive high-energy sound.” Pizza Express Live  

‘Ubunye blew the roof off. Unique rhythms, passionate singing and fabulous songs, all delivered with soul…the joy and positivity shone through. Mesmerising.’  Neil Hughes, Buxton International Festival. 

Photography Credit: Samantha Toolsie 

 

Date: friday 16 may

Time: 8:00 pm - 8:45 pm

Time: 9:00 pm - 9:45 pm

Price: Free

Mali Hayes

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Mali Hayes vocals / Thomas Fripp guitar / Max O’Hara keyboards / Jamie Moore bass / Tom Pattinson drums  

Mali is one of Manchester’s success stories and mjf is proud to welcome her back to open the Saturday programme on the Main Stage. Her music takes influence from jazz, neo-soul and R’n’B, perfumed with vibrant real-life stories and coloured with honesty and soul. Her relaxed yet impassioned delivery – compared to that of Jill Scott and Erykah Badu – has captured fans far and wide, and is endorsed by airplay from Jamie Cullum, Jamz Supernova and Gilles Peterson.  

Early experience singing backing vocals for Tito Jackson, JP Cooper, Mica Millar and more, has inspired Mali’s soulful sound. After support from Future Bubblers, Help Musicians UK, PRS and MOBO, as well as being featured as one of Clash Magazine’s ‘Artists Set To Rise’, Mali is set to continue the journey in 2025 and beyond.  

With performances at The Jazz Cafe and We Out Here, along with support slots for Bilal, Jamila Woods, Alfa Mist, Poppy Ajudha, Blue Lab Beats, Sons Of Kemet, and Yazmin Lacey – and a collaboration with Foreign Beggars and Maverick Sabre – under her belt, Mali continues to prove herself as an artist of vision, dedication and drive. 

“A really great new British female vocalist from Manchester…She’s got a real un-flashy kind of approach which I really like. Kind of a milder Jill Scott / Erykah Badu, definitely one to watch. We’ll be hearing a lot more from her, I’m sure!” – Jamie Cullum – BBC Radio 2 

 

Date: saturday 17 may

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:10 pm

Price: Free

Olivia Cuttill Quintet

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Olivia Cuttill trumpet / Issey Chivers vocals / Tom Harris electric piano / Josh Vadiveloo double bass / Miles Pilinger drums  

Olivia Cuttill – trumpet player, composer, lyricist and band leader – brings her quintet of hand-picked young stars to the mjf Main Stage.  

Raised in East London, a recent graduate from Leeds Conservative and alumnus from mjf’s hothouse programme, Olivia comes from a musical family of three generations. Elements of soul, jazz and blues and run deep through her sound.  

Telling stories through song and improvisation, Olivia’s influences include Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Louis Armstrong and more. Featuring music from her quintet’s debut album, ‘The Whole Damn Plan’, their recent single ‘TV License Man’ and some soon-to-be-released new music, Olivia performs with fluency and conviction: a bright, fast-blossoming flower of the new generation of jazz artists, not to be missed.  

Date: saturday 17 may

Time: 3:15 pm - 4:25 pm

Price: Free

Beware of the Bear

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Phil Meadows saxophone / TBC guitar / Joe Downard bass / Jay Davis drums  

Beware of the Bear seamlessly blend jazz and improvised music with electronica and beat, drawing from influences like Bonobo, Bill Frisell, Donny McCaslin and J-Dilla. Their signature sound interweaves swirling textures, soaring melodies and infectious grooves whilst creating space for all musicians to improvise.  

Band leader Phil Meadows began his saxophone journey at 12, inspired by Lisa Simpson’s duet with Bleeding Gums Murphy. He went on to study at Chets and Leeds Conservatoire, and his first band featured as one of the earliest mjf introduces gigs in 2009. Several years on, he’s one of the UK’s leading saxophonists, composers and conductors, with accolades including two Parliamentary Jazz Awards, a London Music Award, and the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award. 

Phil has worked with an impressive range of artists, from NYC jazz trumpeter Ingrid Jensen to European piano trio Phronesis, guitarist Femi Temowo, and UK jazz stars like Laura Jurd and Elliot Galvin. He’s toured Europe with electronic music pioneer Matthew Herbert and completed a residency in the Netherlands with acclaimed pianist Rogier Telderman. He also holds a longstanding residency at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, showcasing the best in upcoming UK jazz talent under the Future Movers monocle. 

Beyond small-group jazz, Phil is celebrated for his innovative work with orchestras, specialising in cross-genre collaboration as a conductor and arranger with the Grammy-winning Metropole Orkest, BBC Concert Orchestra, and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.  

‘Future jazz gods on the rise’ – TimeOut London 

‘A great stage presence and an unforgettable instrumental style.’ – Jazzwise Magazine 

Date: saturday 17 may

Time: 5:30 pm - 6:40 pm

Price: Free

Ex-Easter Island Head

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Benjamin D. Duvall prepared guitar & percussion & sampler & keyed zither / Benjamin Fair prepared guitar & percussion / Jonathan Hering prepared guitar & percussion / Andrew PM Hunt prepared guitar & percussion

mjf partners with Jazz North to present a showcase of the latest northern artists to be selected for the groundbreaking touring programme Northern Line. 

Ex-Easter Island Head is a Liverpool-based experimental musical collective composing and performing music for solid body electric guitar, percussion and other instruments. The group plays multiple guitars augmented through mechanical preparations and extended techniques, creating hypnotic performances rich in repetition, shimmering drones and melodic invention through purposefully limited means. 

Their records and live performances have received critical acclaim from The Wire, New York Times and The Quietus, who bestowed their Album of the Year accolade in 2024’s Norther. 

Favourably compared to Steve Reich, Glenn Branca and John Cage, the group’s music has been praised for its mixture of percussive drive, emotional warmth and playful experimentation.  

They have performed worldwide in venues ranging from the tiny Scottish island of Iona to a 150-year-old brewery in Berlin, with major festival appearances including ATP, Supersonic and Le Guess Who? Collaborators have included the BBC Philharmonic, composer Arnold Dreyblatt and musicians Laura Cannell, Charles Hayward and Andre Bosman in the group Whistling Arrow. 

“Amongst the boldest experiments in British music” – The Guardian 

 

Please note the Great Manchester Run is taking place on Sunday 18th May between the hours of 9 – 12 pm. Please allow for extra travel time during this period. 

Date: sunday 18 may

Time: 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm

Price: Free

Ladies of Midnight Blue

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Hannabiell Sanders bass trombone, percussion, vocals / Yilis del Carmen Suriel percussion, vocals  

Led by multi-instrumentalist Hannabiell Sanders, Ladies of Midnight Blue is a dynamic duo that fuses rhythms, brass, and vocal chants to create an energetic musical tapestry that transforms every stage into a vibrant celebration of freedom and community.  

The duo shares an unmatched chemistry that drives their mission to use music as a tool for social change. With their resonant sound and commitment to meaningful artistry, they push creative boundaries, building connections and uplifting spirits through music that is as powerful as it is unforgettable.  

Through their music and initiatives, they engage in a variety of impactful work that inspires communities and empowers the creation of inclusive cultural events. Their commitment to activism and education is evident in their TEDx Newcastle talk, “Performance, Ethos, & Everyday Activism.” From headlining festivals to grassroots projects, Ladies of Midnight Blue empowers audiences and communities worldwide.  

Photography Credit: Anna Miller

Please note the Great Manchester Run is taking place on Sunday 18th May between the hours of 9 – 12 pm. Please allow for extra travel time during this period. 

Date: sunday 18 may

Time: 5:30 pm - 6:15 pm

Price: Free

Ponyland

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Frankie O’Keeffe vocals / Matt Forster sax & synth / John Pope bass / Jordie Cooke guitar / Adam Stapleford, Mark Johnson drums

Ponyland are a psychedelic punk force of nature; a multi-limbed monster of scuzzed-out riffs and thunderous ritualistic grooves. Combining the grinding onslaught of Lightning Bolt, the ecstatic spectacle of Sun Ra and the irreverent spirit of System of a Down, this unhinged, masked menagerie has to be seen to be believed. Intoxicating rhythms meet hook-driven waves of riffage, with ecstatic energy that will make your legs rattle uncontrollably. 

The band formed in 2017, whilst founding members Jordie and Frankie lived off-grid in a Cumbrian forest, surrounded by a community of like-minded freaks: a defiant DIY spirit runs through the practice of the band, inspired by artists such as Rage Against The Machine, Lightning Bolt, Tortoise and Sons of Kemet.  

A grassroots approach to touring has kept them vitally connected to their audience and reflects both their egalitarian performance style and the self-reliant production of both their full-length albums.  

In 2019 they travelled to the Netherlands to represent the UK at Rotterdam’s prestigious InJazz Festival, and they have shared stages with kindred spirit bands like The Comet is Coming, Snapped Ankles and BCUC. 

Having headlined stages at Solfest, Kelburn Garden Party, Eden Festival, Lindisfarne Festival, Kendal Calling and many renowned venues across the UK, their dynamic, ecstatic live show brings our opening weekender at First Street to raucous close. 

Please note the Great Manchester Run is taking place on Sunday 18th May between the hours of 9 – 12 pm. Please allow for extra travel time during this period. 

Date: sunday 18 may

Time: 7:00 pm - 7:45 pm

Price: Free

John Ellis Band

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

John Ellis keyboards, vocals / Grant Russell double bass / Jimbo Breen drums / Rick Weedon percussion 

John Ellis is a maverick musician, writer, and producer from the North of England. He performs with his own bands and Manchester compatriots Honeyfeet and Baked A La Ska. His adventures have led to contributions to the work of many well-established artists, both live and on record, including Corinne Bailey Rae, Tom Jones, Lily Allen, The Cinematic Orchestra, Alabaster Deplume, James Yorkston, and John Squire. 

He has also spent the last 20 years producing and writing music at his studio, Limefield in Manchester. 

John performed at the very first mjf in 1996, closing the event with a performance by his Big Bang. Having been featured at many mjfs since, as one of Manchester’s most cherished creative people, we’re delighted- he is appearing at mjf30. 

“Either there are a lot of Mancunians in London who are following Manchester’s thriving jazz underground, or the charisma of singer/pianist John Ellis’s Big Bang has reached those parts of the population most localised jazz phenomena don’t reach.” – John Fordham The Guardian 

Please note the Great Manchester Run is taking place on Sunday 18th May between the hours of 9 – 12 pm. Please allow for extra travel time during this period. 

Date: sunday 18 may

Time: 4:00 pm - 4:45 pm

Price: Free

Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles

mjf @ First Street (House of Social Main Stage)

Amy Thatcher accordion / Francesca Knowles percussion 

mjf partners with Jazz North to present a showcase of the latest northern artists to be selected for the groundbreaking touring programme Northern Line. 

‘Envelope-pushing’ accordion and percussion duo Thatcher and Knowles return to mjf as they continue to defy the preconceptions of what their instruments can do, breaking with tradition while tactfully adopting it as a foundation for playful experimentation. Their sensitive and dynamic live show incorporates drums, synths, keys and vocals in an unapologetic brew of colourful and creative composition. Their debut album ‘Emergency of the Female Kind’ showcases a spectrum of humanness and the pair’s undaunted attitude to kicking off a genre revolution, and in 2025 they bring exciting new music to the forefront. 

‘Brimming with invention and energy. Together they’re dynamite’ – The Crack 

Please note the Great Manchester Run is taking place on Sunday 18th May between the hours of 9 – 12 pm. Please allow for extra travel time during this period. 

Date: sunday 18 may

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:15 pm

Price: Free