The lineup for the 22nd Manchester Jazz Festival has been announced and features 100 events, a great line-up of local, regional and international talent and an exciting new Festival Square venue.
The Manchester Jazz Festival (MJF) is unlike any other event on the jazz festival circuit. Accessible to all and with many free events, MJF features 10 days of contemporary jazz from the North West, the UK and abroad with national premières of original work and international debuts. The festival aims to champion regional artists and focus on musical innovation – this year featuring over 100 bands and over 500 musicians.
Taking place between Friday 28 July and Sunday 6 August, this year sees the festival celebrating jazz100 – the 2017 centenary of the first jazz recording – with 100 gigs (more than ever before) and 100 hours of exceptional entertainment taking place in some of Manchester’s premier venues. The full programme is now live and features UK and world premières; local gems and European debuts; hands-on music-making for all ages; young talent via ‘MJF introduces’; well-established stars; boundary pushing ideas and memorable musical encounters.
New for this year, a luxurious Salon Perdu Spiegeltent is the star attraction in Albert Square. This intimately-circular Art Nouveau venue is one of only a few left in the world and packs plenty of personality. Dripping ‘Great Gatsby’ glamour, with oak panelling, tête à tête booths and an opulent, mirrored bar it is home to many of this year’s MJF events – including a ‘secret’ finale like no other.
Headliners in the Salon Perdu include: the hugely popular Riot Jazz Brass Band giving MJF a spirited blast-off; the Denys Baptiste Quartet – The Late Trane re-imagining the later period of John Coltrane; Shri – Just a Vibration creating a fun, big-sounding Bombay mix of Indian and brass styles; French musician Edward Perraud and his quintet, Synaesthetic Trip, making their UK debut and Baked à la Ska feeding its quirky music through a ska machine. Vocalist Fini Bearman’s pure-tones bring the festival to a mesmerising close on the final Sunday.
Making a welcome return with a new twist, this year Jazz North’s northern line presents 11 FREE gigs in 11 hours from the best northern jazz talent. Following last year’s successful short season of jazz-related films, Jazz on Film returns at HOME. The Midland and MJF extend their winning formula of exceptional food combined with quality music in a delightful setting with new jazz brunches as well as afternoon teas. The MJF introduces strand brings young talent to the festival. From Manchester vocalist and songwriter Mali Hayes; fast-rising quartet Plume and Caitlin Laing’s band of RNCM students Mighty Stranger; and from Leeds Wandering Monster.
Other Festival highlights include Dave Maric’s ‘Decade Zero’ with acclaimed piano trio Phronesis and the award-winning Engines Orchestra; the UK debut and sole UK performance of the Joshua Redman ‘Still Dreaming’ Quartet, promoted in collaboration with RNCM; Pete Lee’s ‘The Velvet Rage’ marking the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the the world première of ‘Cottonopolis’ by Andy Stamatakis-Brown, celebrating Manchester’s iconic past as the 19th century engine of the Industrial Revolution and the heart-beat of Madchester’s late 1990s dance-music scene. Cottonopolis will create a compelling narrative for an atmospheric club night of jazz set to the soundtrack of mill machinery with DJs and live projections.
With limited capacity for Salon Perdu events, we advise early booking. MJF news, tickets and booking information can be found at www.manchesterjazz.com