Jazz breaking news: Jazz North East Announces Exciting International Programme For May
Thursday, April 15, 2010
The newly refurbished Gateshead Old Town Hall and the Bridge Hotel pub will be the flagship venues for the upcoming Jazz North East programme.
The avant-garde US saxophonist Sonny Simmons, whose last performance in the North East in 2008 was hailed as the ‘Gig of the Year’ by The Observer will make a welcome return on Sunday 9 May. Teaming up with the Sheffield-based trio of Derek Shaw (trumpet and valve trombone), John Jasnoch (guitar and oud) and Charlie Collins (drums and cajon), Simmons’ re-emergence in the mid – 1990s hailed the return of one of the pioneers of free jazz.
The Paris-based Emile Parisien Quartet, winners of the ‘Best New Act’ category at 2009 French National Jazz Awards, will also be making an appearance on Thursday 6 May. Fresh from an appearance at London’s Kings Place the saxophone-led ensemble are representative of a renewed interest in French jazz among the UK jazz scene.
Closer to home, two fine duos will play a double bill on Thursday 20 May: Jason Yarde and Andrew McCormack will take a break from their respective recent orchestral excursions with the LSO to present music from their critically acclaimed album My Duo. Long-time Yarde associate and one-time Steve Coleman pianist Robert Mitchell will also appear in duet with Cuban-born violinist Omar Puente.
– Peter Horsfall