ArrayFunk saxophonist Maceo Parker returns to the UK for a series of concert hall dates this month.
02.03.06

On Tuesday evening, on an idyllic summer's day, as 2,500 people sat some of whom were munching through the contents of their picnic hampers and quaffing champagne on the smartly mown moat at this year’s Tower of London Music Festival, Madeleine Peyroux seized the stage.
13.07.06

In what should prove a huge boost for British jazz in Canada and the USA, the International Association Of Jazz Education will be hosting an extensive showcase of home grown Brit talent at its annual conference, which this year takes place in Toronto from 9-12 January. With the backing of an Arts Council of England grant, Jazz Services is organising the initiative that will include many performances from the length and breadth of the current scene, as well as new commissions and an industry panel.

19.10.07

The upcoming Manchester Jazz Festival, running from 21-28 July, is marked by two major commissions of new work planned for premieres at the festival. In the first bassist Jon Thorne has been commissioned to write 'Watching the Well' a celebration of lengendary Pentangle bassist Danny Thompson who this year reaches his 50th year in the music business. The piece will be performed at the RNCM Haden Freeman Concert Hall on 25 July.
25.05.07

The funky Matt & Phred’s consolidates its position as Manchester’s premier jazz club with a solid new season of bookings.  Despite both its namesake’s original owners having left the venue, new manager Dean Moull is keeping the vibrant and varied programme of new and emerging talent very much to the fore of the venue’s packed roster.
09.01.08

Worshipped for his phenomenal ability to slap the bass almost as much as he is remembered for his role as Miles Davis’ right hand man in the trumpeter’s latter years, Marcus Miller’s live show is bright and brassy and far from quiet. Effortlessly mixing up funk, soul and jazz sensibilities Miller combines legit jazz lines with cool showmanship, and with strong material from his fab new studio album ‘Free'. His gig from Amsterdam will broadcast live on a high-quallity audio and video stream from Dutch music website Fabchannel.
17.10.07

The Nice Jazz Festival paused to pay respect to bassist Marcus Miller on Monday.
28.07.06

Leading UK drummer Mark Sanders teams up with US jazz improv legends bassist William Parker and saxophonist Charles Gayle for a UK and Ireland tour this month organised by Midlands promoter Birmingham Jazz. Sanders who has been one of the improv community's drummers of choice in the UK for many years is in stellar company with Gayle, who is seen as one of the true heirs of Albert Ayler and Parker, recently in the UK with Cecil Parker and well known for his work with David S. Ware. 03.09.07

Just announced, the Guildhall Annual Jazz Festival takes place from 27-30 March at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. 08.03.06

Northampton School for Boys is to host two workshop concert days, the first this month with guitarist Martin Taylor and next month with vocal group The Swingle Singers. Each day will feature an afternoon workshop for students and teachers followed by an evening concert, open to the general public.

Martin Taylor visits on Tuesday 7 February while The Swingle Singers day is on Thursday 9 March. The afternoon workshops start at 2.30pm, and places for students and teachers must be booked using a form available from the school music office (tel. 01604 230240). The evening concerts are both in The Cripps Hall Theatre. Tickets cost £10.To book phone 01604 258666
02.02.06

Leading guitarist Martin Taylor unveils his new band at Ronnie Scott's in February as he prepares to release latest disc Freternity. He's at the club with his new look band featuring trumpeter Guy Barker from 1-3 Feb. Also at Ronnie's, still settling down after the refurbishment and booking changes last year, is German trumpeter Till Bronner from 5-7 Feb, keyboardist/singer Frank McComb from 8-10 Feb, US singer Diane Schuur from 12-14 Feb, Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow and Eldar from 15-17 Feb, Lew Soloff and Joe Locke 19-21 Feb, Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley 22-24 Feb, Mica Paris 25 Feb and Steve Smith and Vital Information from 26-28 Feb. For more info go to www.ronniescotts.co.uk 19.01.07

After his success in the recent BBC Jazz Awards in winning the Heart of Jazz award, guitarist Martin Taylor is in the midst of a busy spell of touring which follows on from the release of his latest album Freternity earlier this year. Autumn dates include Hilton hotel, Blackpool (4 Sep), Town Hall Hamilton (14 Sep), Gala Theatre Durham (15 Sep), Garrison Theatre, Lerwick (23 Sep), Stables, Wavendon (27 Sep), Scarborough Jazz Festival (30 Sep), Coolham Village Hall, Surrey (26 oct), Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin (27 Oct), Festival Theatre, Pitlochry (3 Nov) and Pizza Express Jazz Club, London (6-15 Nov). 27.07.07

Jazz Yorkshire is to promote a showcase on 10 November at the Millennium Hall in Sheffield. The third such event of the year the local Sheffield scene is represented by the Convenience Shopping sextet plus pianist Matthew Bourne, the doyen of the Leeds scene, appearing with the trio Bourne-Davis-Kane.
For more info go to www.jazzyorkshire.org 24.10.06

30.05.08

It’s been a prolific and productive nine years for the F-ire collective and for Barak Schmool and his Méta Méta band last night at the Pizza Express Jazz Club in London. Part of the fifth annual F-ire Festival the group launched its latest eponymous album in great style to an almost full club. 10.01.08

The great pianist McCoy Tyner is set to release an all-star quartet album in the UK with saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts for Half Note records and Bath festival has just announced that as part of its sixtieth anniversary year the quartet will appear at the Forum on Monday 26 May, the only date announced for the UK this year so far. 05.02.08

Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in London has confirmed what could be one of the hottest jazz club tickets this year by announcing that the McCoy Tyner Quartet, with the blockbusting line-up of Joe Lovano, Christian McBride and Jeff “Tain” Watts, is to play at the club, on 30 and 31 May, for the very first time. 07.03.08

May’s Bath festival from 21 May-7 June marks its sixtieth birthday and within the broad sweep of the prestigious classical programme the festival has exclusively booked the McCoy Tyner quartet on Monday 26 May at The Forum. The classic Coltrane quartet pianist and composer is also joined by distinguished saxophonist Joe Lovano, Christian McBride, the foremost US jazz double bassist of his generation and the extraordinary drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts best known for his tenure with the Branford Marsalis Quartet.
26.02.08

Swiss guitarist Nicolas Meier made quite an impact with his debut album Orient a few years back and his follow up Yuz looks set to build on the buzz the album caused at the time. Drawing on jazz, flamenco and middle eastern styles the new album is released by the Naim label and Meier is touring it with a Jazz Services backed tour that begins next month. 09.03.07

On a positive note for jazz just over 11 per cent of the entries for this year’s Nationwide Mercury Prize were for jazz albums, proportionally much larger than the genre’s market share. 22.06.06

Two huge blows to the jazz world were suffered at the weekend with the announcement of the deaths of Michael Brecker of leukemia at the age of 57 and of Alice Coltrane following respiratory failure at the age of 69. 15.01.07

Michael Brecker, the great saxophonist who died in January, won two Grammys posthumously at the Grammy awards in Los Angeles last night. He won for best jazz instrumental solo on 'Some Skunk Funk' from the BHM album of the same name recorded with his brother Randy and the WDR Big Band. The album was also voted best large jazz ensemble album.  12.02.07

Among the wealth of special programming celebrating the music of Miles Davis broadcast over this weekend to mark what would have been Miles Davis' 80th birthday, is a tribute concert on BBC Radio Three tomorrow from 4-5pm. 26.05.06

Mishka Adams and Mina Agossi are two of the artists to perform at Soho’s Pizza Express Jazz Club as part of the Candid International Jazz Festival, which begins this week. 30.10.06

This year’s Bath International Music Festival began on 18 May and runs until 2 June with the main focus this coming weekend. As usual there is a strong classical music focus but importantly for jazz fans the unique jazz weekend with its strong European focus remains a highlight of this important festival although jazz pops up at other times beyond the weekend itself. The jazz programme includes: Dhafer Youssef (24 May, Assembly Rooms); Ferenc Snetberger (25 May, Assembly Rooms); Henri Texier Strada Quartet, John Taylor and Tom Arthurs (25 May, Pavilion); Mingus Big Band Masterclass (26 May, Assembly Rooms); 21.05.07

The Mingus Big Band is set to embark on its first regional tour in the UK from 22-30 May in the year when celebrations are taking place for the 85th anniversary of Mingus’ birth. Set up in 1991 the band is organised by Mingus’ widow Sue and has evolved into one of the most creative big bands in jazz with a strong cast of leading New York players, including for this tour Ryan Kisor, Wayne Escoffery, Craig Handy, Ku-umba Frank Lacy, Conrad Herwig and Boris Kozlov.  28.03.07

This year’s Bath International Music Festival, running from 18 May-2 June has, as usual, a strong classical music focus but importantly for jazz fans the unique jazz weekend with its strong European focus remains a highlight of this important festival although jazz pops up at other times beyond the weekend itself. 06.03.07

Following the busy week-long showcase last November, Candid records once more takes over London’s Dean Street Pizza Express Jazz Club for another week of gigs this time from 10-16 March. Alternating during the week between Candid’s usual staple of vocalists with more adventurous instrumental artists the London-based label is still setting its sights on promoting new signings.  20.02.08

Pianist Robert Mitchell and violinist Omar Puente have teamed up for a new CD, Bridges, out next month on the F-ire label. It’s the first time the pair have recorded together and marks a departure for Mitchell who is best known for his work with six piece group Panacea and his recording for the Dune label, Voyager. 
27.10.06

Following the protests and criticism that followed the decision by the MOBO award organisers to drop the jazz category at last year's event, jazz has been reinstated for this year's affair. In a neat twist, two of the most vocal protesters, Soweto Kinch, a past winner, and Abram Wilson have been nominated in a list that also includes Byron Wallen, Wynton Marsalis and Dee Dee Bridgewater. 23.08.07

The MOBO (Music of Black Orgin) awards organisers have taken the decision to scrap the award for best jazz act at this year's awards, due to be held next month.  02.08.06

09.11.07

This year’s Montreux Jazz Festival continues in its long-established tradition of providing a massive selection of contemporary music over two weeks. The varied programme provides an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, world and rock acts and always attracts some impressive visitors. Jazz highlights of the programme include: Dennis Rollins (7 July), Chick Corea and Gary Burton (9 July, Miles Davis Hall); Brad Mehldau and Pat Metheny (11 July, Miles Davis Hall); George Benson & Al Jarreau (12 July, Auditorium Stravinski); Jeff Beck feat. Vinnie Colaiuta and Jason Rebello (15 July, Auditorium Stravinski); Medeski, Scofield Martin & Wood (16 July, Miles Davis Hall); Norah Jones (17 July, Auditorium Stravinski); Van Morrison and friends (18 July, Auditorium Stravinski); A Blues Evening with Van Morrison, Solomon Burke, Dr. John, Booker T & The MGs (20 July, Auditorium Stravinski).
30.04.07

The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland has announced details of a special tribute concert to legendary producer and arranger Arif Mardin who died on Sunday. 29.06.06

Trumpeter Guy Barker is set to tour his most ambitious project to date timed to coincide with a new double CD The Amadeus Project, Guy’s first since Mercury-nominated Soundtrack back in 2002 and just ahead of Guy’s 50th birthday in December. Based on Mozart’s opera Die Zauberflöte the double CD featuring ‘dZf’ and ‘The Amadeus Suite’ grew out of a 2006 commission by BBC Radio 3 and the Mainly Mozart festival in San Diego to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. 
08.10.07

Paul Rutherford, a leading figure on the British free and improvising jazz scenes for many years, has died, at the age of 67. Best known for his pioneering use of multiphonics (where the player sings into the mouthpiece while playing) Rutherford formed the group Iskra 1903 with guitarist Derek Bailey and bassist Barry Guy in the 1970s which lasted with a different line-up until the mid-1990s. Rutherford also played with Mike Westbrook and the free jazz leviathan Globe Unity Orchestra but also liked to perform solo and recorded albums such as The Gentle Harm of the Bourgeoisie. 07.08.07

The Museum Of Garden History, in Lambeth, south London has suspended its jazz programme, cancelling previously announced concerts including this Saturday’s gig by flautist/saxophonist Finn Peters and one on 15 December by pianist Michael Garrick (pictured). 06.12.07

Outstanding young jazz musicians are invited to apply for the 2006 Peter Whittingham Award. The £4,000 award is given to an innovative recording, composition or performance project in the field of cutting edge jazz. Applicants must be under the age of 26 on the closing date of Friday, 20 October 2006.
23.08.06