Next month sees the return of one of the biggest European celebrations of latin music. La Linea – the London Latin Music Festival – takes place throughout London from 1-28 April with a mind boggling array of latin styles featuring some of the leading bands from around the world. 20.03.06

The Gateshead Jazz Festival is just around the corner, taking place in mid-March. One of the more unusual concerts this year is broadcaster Campbell Burnap's Tribute to Jack Teagarden, the pre-war trombonist you hear little about these days. Burnap, one of Smooth FM's last remaining real jazz broadcasters, has been a long time fan and has frequently championed Teagarden's legacy in his own concerts. The Tribute takes place at the Sage, Gateshead on 18 March. 19.02.07

Candid records may be best known for artists who have made their names on the label like Jamie Cullum and Clare Teal but the London-based record company is in the process of promoting a whole new breed of artists and tonight sees the start of its annual week at the Pizza Express Jazz Club, London with gigs every night until 4 November. First up on at the Pizza tonight and tomorrow is Filipina singer Mishka Adams (pictured) who launches her follow up album to God Bless The Child, titled Space. 30.10.07

Tomorrow night sees a special concert at London’s Spice of Life at Cambridge Circus as three generations of Tomorrow’s Warriors, alto saxophonists Jason Yarde, Nathaniel Facey and Andre Brown, play a tribute to legendary alto saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley in ‘Somethin’ Else’. Supported by Peter Edwards on piano, Neil Charles on bass and Andrew Chapman on drums, this concert celebrates the music of the underrated saxophonist, who, in addition to his famous stint with Miles Davis, was also an instrumental figure in the birth of the soul jazz and jazz-rock movements.
18.04.07

It's an unlikely combination, easy on paper, difficult in execution but last night at Live On The Park in London, Carmina brought its synthesis of road hardened jazz and folk to the metropolis with considerable aplomb and sophistication. 05.07.06

Aidan O’Rouke, Andy Sheppard, Kuljit Bhamra, Sheema Mukherjee and Simon Thoumire combine as Cascade next month on 1 Feb at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall following dates in London and Birmingham in January. The project, set to tour later in the year in addition, is a cross musical, cross cultural concept featuring fiddle, saxophone, tabla, sitar and concertina. 
10.01.07

In a coup for the Jazz Cafe in London singer Cassandra Wilson begins a four night run at the club tonight, a residency that sees the top rated American singer in London for one of her longest spells. Wilson, who first sprung to prominence with the Brooklyn-based M-BASE movement in the 1980s, has gone on to forge a very successful solo career, lauded by rock and jazz critics alike. 24.09.07

Celebrating its 15 years in Camden the Jazz Café is booking a series of big name artists for a season this autumn leading up to the 2007 London Jazz Festival in November. While subsequent bookings are yet to be announced things get off to a pretty spectacular start with an exclusive 5 nights for top American singer Cassandra Wilson. 12.08.07

One of Paris’s leading jazz clubs, Duc de Lombards is hosting a three-day special event next week showcasing the best in Catalan Jazz. Organised by the ICIC (Catalan Institute for the Cultural Industries) and Alex Dutilh, editor of French jazz magazine Jazzman, Jazz De Catalogne à Paris presents five of Catalonia’s leading jazz groups over three nights from 9.30 pm.  19.04.07

Dates for the 2007 Cheltenham International Jazz Festival have just been announced and will run from Thursday 3 May to Monday 7 May. The festival, now in its 12th year, is held in association with BBC Radio 2 and takes place in the Town Hall Main Stage, Town Hall Pillar Room, Everyman Theatre, Subtone, the Daffodil and, for the first time, a festival marquee adjacent to the Town Hall. 
15.12.06

Sangam, saxophonist Charles Lloyd’s group featuring percussionist Zakir Hussain and drummer Eric Harland, is to perform during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo on 10 December. This year the Nobel Peace Prize is shared by Al Gore and the head of the IPCC, Rajendra Pachauri. 19.11.07

24.06.08

The Cheltenham Jazz Festival has announced its full line-up for this year's extended event running from 1-7 May. Topped by American legends Charles Loyd and Bennie Maupin the festival this year extends its range of venues to include a Madeleine Peyroux show at the Centaur, a new Marquee, plus shows at St Andrew's church and the University of Gloucestershire. Special strands this year include a Czech stream, the Jerwood jazz generation and a residency by Bob Brookmeyer. 01.03.07

The Cheltenham Jazz Festival got underway last night with US singer Madeleine Peyroux on stage at Cheltenham Race Course's Centaur venue. Tonight it's the turn of Imelda May and Ray Gelato with the festival getting into full swing at the weekend with a plethora of high profile gigs including Bennie Maupin, Charles Lloyd, Bob Brookmeyer, Silje Nergaard, Gilad Atzmon, Guillemots and many more. 02.05.07

The Cheltenham Jazz Festival drew to a close on Monday, bringing to an end this year's event which was mostly blessed by fine weather, large crowds and a busy programme of international and UK talent. Added to the main programme a fringe line-up based at a specially erected marquee behind the Town Hall added that mercurial "festive" buzz that give the festival this year added impact. Highlights this year included the first ever appearance at the festival by Charles Lloyd, packing out the Town hall on the Sunday evening while earlier over at the Everyman theatre Bennie Maupin delivered a dazzling rhythm-driven set decorated expertly by longtime musical colleague Munyungo Jackson. 09.05.07

The Cheltenham Jazz Festival held in association with BBC Radio 2 began today with Jazz It Up on the stage of the Pillar Room in the Town Hall.  The festival runs until Monday 1 May 2006 and is sponsored by Jazzwise. 27.04.06

Eartha Kitt has got the Cheltenham Jazz Festival underway in style, while tonight at the Centaur, the biggest venue in town, it’s Van Morrison, with Courtney Pine (pictured) taking the main stage at the Town Hall. Tomorrow there’s Maceo Parker featuring Dennis Rollins at the Town Hall and Gwyneth Herbert at the Pillar Room. 30.04.08

The UK jazz festival year moves up a gear in the spring with the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, the programme of which has just been unveiled. Van Morrison, Eartha Kitt, Maceo Parker, Courtney Pine, Tim Berne, Jack DeJohnette (pictured), Bobby Previte, Bill Frisell, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth have all been booked for this year’s HSBC Cheltenham Jazz Festival that runs from 29 April-5 May and for which Jazzwise is a media sponsor. 28.02.08

The Cheltenham Jazz Festival has announced a new title sponsor and additions to the programme for this year's festival that runs from 27 April -1 May 2006. For the first time the festival will be sponsored by BBC Radio 2 with the station hosting three concerts at the festival. 17.02.06

Guitarists Billy Jenkins and Steve Morrison are not your average blues guitarists. While capable of tearing through an Albert King-style routine or cruising comfortably on a mid- to up-tempo urban blues, the pair, especially when Jenkins finds the right button, switches effortlessly to another level. When this happens he might pick up the harmonica or more typically he starts to drop in references to his beloved south east London, singing, if you like, the Lewisham blues. 12.11.07

The Big Chris Barber Band and John Etheridge are among the artists booked for the Nantwich Jazz, Blues and Music Festival in Cheshire next month, taking place at venues across the town over the long Easter weekend from 20-24 March. The organisers are hoping to attract some 40,000 visitors. Venues include the Nantwich Civic Hall, Crown Hotel, the Bowling Green pub, Harrison’s Wine Bar, the Nantwich Museum, town library and McCormick’s café. 13.02.08

Alto saxophonist Christian Brewer sets out on an extensive UK tour with his quintet in support of a new album, Seesaw, scheduled for June release. 09.05.06

Taking place between Monday 17 and Thursday 20 March the prestigious Guildhall music school showcases its many undergraduate talents with a series of gigs that will see some of the today’s pre-eminent jazz musicians leading student ensembles as well as performing with their own bands.
04.01.08

The Margate Jazz Festival returns next month at the seaside town’s Piazza and other local venues from 6–22 July. The event hosts a variety of singers promising performances ranging from gospel, blues, soul and fast swing. These singers include nationally acclaimed Christine Tobin accompanied by versatile guitarist Phil Robson and soulful Ian Shaw performs with pianist Alastair Gavin. Bebop and scat expert Anita Wardell performs on 14 July while Pauline Black performs a new solo project paying homage to jazz legends Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. The BBC Big Band, John Etheridge, Sarah Jane Morris and Barb Jungr are also included within the jazz festival. 
05.06.07

The Manchester jazz festival takes place on 18-26 July with highlights including singer Christine Tobin (pictured), Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca and the clarinettist Gabriele Mirabassi’s trio. A newly commissioned work for 2008 titled 'Ropes' by local guitarist Mike Walker featuring Iain Dixon and US drummer Adam Nussbaum, with a 30-piece string orchestra, is also scheduled plus Tom Cawley’s Curios with Neil Yates’ 5 Countries Trio on 24 July, 06.06.08

Cool Yule at the Purcell Room in London and The Front Room at the QEH on the South Bank Centre from 13-29 December has become an annual alternative to the more traditional Christmas musical activities. 
16.11.06

Sir Richard Rodney Bennett and Claire Martin are to take part in a special charity event next month at the actors’ church St Paul’s in London’s Covent Garden on 18 November. 02.10.06

Travel to the outermost northern suburbs of London and you'll come across a gleaming new tower block, part of which houses the Artsdepot arts complex with two theatres within, an art gallery and much more in the otherwise unlikely surroundings of North Finchley. The venue has just announced its programme for the autumn and within it there's a strong jazz element. 22.08.07

The Marlborough Jazz Festival bursts into life today at 5pm with an opening ceremony led by Clare Teal ahead of her headlining performance at 9pm tonight on the Friary Marquee stage. 07.07.06

Cleo Laine, John Dankworth and Friends raised the magnificently vaulted roof of St Luke's Church, Battersea on Saturday night with a rousing performance that contrasted the darker hues of newly written material with Ellington classics, Goodman stompers and heart-tugging ballads and blues. 16.10.06

The last night of a short British tour found the Robert Glasper trio in the fairly louche surroundings of Charlie Wright’s International Bar in Hoxton. The north London neighbourhood, where the club is located, on any given Saturday night is buzzing with a young fashionable crowd trawling the bars and clubs, looking for the next big thing and many made their way on Saturday to Charlie Wright’s, newly reopened after a refurbishment. 
31.03.08

The Cobweb Collective is set to shake up the already vibrant scene in Birmingham launching a new website and preparing for a major gig at the Drum. It aims to provide "a comprehensive representation of jazz that happens in the city of Birmingham." A group of musicians involved in playing a supportive role by promoting and running gigs in Birmingham since 2006 when it was founded by Percy Pursglove, Mary Wakelam and Sam Slater. 04.02.08

The Belfast Festival at Queen's gets underway on Friday night and runs through until 3 November. As always there's a substantial music programme and this year's jazz and world music interest includes Billy Jenkins, EST, Mose Allison, the Blind Boys of Alabama, The Necks, and Sherman Robertson. 16.10.07

It’s only a month away now until the HSBC Brecon Jazz Festival, set to take over the Welsh market town from 9-12 August. The main programme for Brecon this year has a line-up that includes Joe Lovano, the Mingus Dynasty Band, Hiromi, Jools Holland, Jessica Williams and Mulgrew Miller. But one element of the event which makes it quite distinct is the Stroller programme which has just been announced.  04.07.07

Not long to go until the London Jazz Festival, the UK's biggest jazz festival. The 10 day event gets underway on Friday. 08.11.06

Not long to go now for the Manchester Jazz Festival that starts on 22 July, the major jazz festival in the north west of England.

04.07.06

19.07.07

Courtney Pine is reforming the Jazz Warriors for the first time in over two decades for a special concert at the Barbican next week as part of the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade. The saxophonist first formed the Jazz Warriors in 1984 with then up and coming players such as Gary Crosby, Orphy Robinson, Mark Mondesir and Cleveland Watkiss.  28.09.07

Quite staggeringly tonight marks the debut of the UK’s leading jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine at Ronnie Scott’s in London, the first of two special nights at the club with the Jazz Warriors, when he launches their new album Afropeans. Speaking exclusively to Jazzwise, Courtney says: “I actually sat in with Elvin Jones there and got a European tour with him out of it. Art [Blakey] came backstage and told Elvin to take me on tour – Art had made up his mind about me when he sat in with the Jazz Warriors. Unfortunately I have not had a chance to headline at Ronnie’s ever!”
02.05.08

Courtney Pine played his debut gig at a packed Pizza Express Jazz Club last night as part of the Jazzwise To The Power Of Ten festival at the club. A dazzling extended set saw Courtney at the height of his powers with a set that showed his astonishing saxophone technique and sheer joie de vivre. 29.03.07

Saxophonist Courtney Pine is to take part in The Long Weekend in The Turbine Hall at Tate Modern in London on 28 May. He will perform the world premiere of his composition for Kenneth MacPherson's recently restored cult film Borderline from 1930, starring Paul Robeson. For more info go to www.tate.org.uk 20.04.06

Saxophonist Courtney Pine has won another award, best jazz act at the Urban Music Awards which was presented to him at a ceremony in London's Covent Garden at the weekend. A winner of many awards it follows his success earlier in the year at the Ronnie Scott's Awards. 06.11.07

The Coventry Jazz Festival has just announced its programme for this year's event, set to take place in the midlands city's Cathedral Quarter from 25-29 May. 22.02.06

South African trumpet icon Hugh Masekela and boogie-woogie pianist Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra get the Coventry Jazz Festival underway this evening. Earlier, the festival opens in regal style with the Henry VIII Big Band plus Drumestra and the Denise Gordon Quintet performances in the afternoon. The festival, which this year celebrates 10 years of activity, continues tomorrow with highlights including the BBC Big Band with Liane Carroll and Alan Barnes, Tom Cawley’s Curios and the Bryan Corbett Quartet with Deirdre Cartwright and Ed Jones. 22.05.08

Held over the late May bank holiday weekend from 24-28 May the Coventry Jazz Festival is set for another strong year with a line up that includes the Mingus Big Band, Henri Texier, the Stan Tracey Big Band, Gwyneth Herbert, Bheki Mseleku, Andy Sheppard and Polar Bear. Local musicians who form the Phoenix Collective will also take part in this year’s festival. For more info go to www.coventryjazzfestival.com 23.03.07

Brecon is getting back to normal today after a weekend of jazz that saw large numbers of visitors, up to 70,000 people, flocking to the Powys market town for the annual festival. 14.08.06

Saxophonist Chris Biscoe, the Chris Laurence Quartet, Curios, Sarah Moule, Gilad Atzmon (pictured), Stan Sulzmann and the Theo Travis Quartet all feature in the new season of gigs at Lauderdale House in London's Highgate.
09.04.08

The Black Box in Belfast hosts saxophonist Dave Binney's Quartet on Sunday 11 May, as part of a short Irish tour, a rare sighting in the city for the Downtown-schooled American player. 08.05.08

Jazz trios have reinvented themselves over the past decade and have now become the leading way for young jazz groups to attract new audiences and feed new creative areas for jazz musicians to explore. Following on from what EST and The Bad Plus have achieved the German group [em], otherwise known as the Michael Wollny Trio have been winning audiences all over Europe over the past few years. Just recently they won the Ronnie Scott's international newcomer award voted by readers of Jazzwise.
20.08.07

A Czech jazz trio whose style is tinged with Moravian folk and soul, pays a visit to the Pizza Express Jazz Club in London's Soho on Thursday and Friday this week.
05.09.06