Romarna Campbell, Skylla, Joe Armon-Jones and Tomorrow’s Warriors Take Over for Jazz Stroud Fest 2024 line-up
Mike Flynn
Friday, April 12, 2024
The funky Cotswolds jazz extravaganza returns with another buzzing line-up of new names and exciting headliners
The Jazz Stroud Festival returns to the Cotswold town on the second spring bank holiday weekend running from 23 to 26 May. The eighth edition of the festival features headliners including keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones (of Mercury Prize-winners Ezra Collective) leading his own jazz and afrobeat influenced band; Mercury nominated saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi joins electronica jazz trio un.procedure (see this May issue’s Taking Off feature); renowned bass guitarist and singer Ruth Goller appears with her beguiling Skylla vocal project and rising Scottish saxophonist Matt Carmichael performs his jazz-folk-infused original music.
Things get under way with a Tomorrow’s Warriors Takeover on the Thursday night (23 May) showcasing three emerging bands: newly formed hip hop-fusion five-piece BIG MASSIVE; the funky horn-powered Frontline and jazz-rock inspired drum prodigy Romarna Campbell.
The line-up also includes emerging vocalists such as Donna Thompson, TLK, Ines Loubet, Tianna and Steam Down’s And-Is-Phi, while Run Logan Run drummer Matt Brown appears with his horn-heavy 6161 project. There’s also a label showcase from PRAH Foundation while Bristol’s SpaceJams collective will be in residence for some spontaneous music making across the weekend.
Now in its eighth year, the festival, which began as a small, single venue weekender featuring Get The Blessing and Andy Sheppard, has organically grown to take in several key venues around the town including the magnificent Grade 2 Listed Brunel Goods Shed, beautiful St Laurence Church and funky SVA Studios Bar as well as break out live spaces in the town’s two vinyl emporiums, Sound Records and Klang Tone.
Initially featuring bands and artists drawn from the Bristol and South West talent pool for the first two years – Jazz Stroud was perfectly placed to ride the British New Jazz explosion of 2018-19 and featured some of the leading lights of the scene – often before they hit the big time – these included stunning shows from Nubya Garcia, Comet is Coming and Emma Jean-Thackray relatively early on in their careers.
For the full line-up visit www.jazzstroud.org
