Gateshead International
Jazz Festival
28th -30th March 2008
Introduction We are proud to present the programme for our fourth International Jazz Festival, celebrating the past, present and future of jazz. The unmissable programme of Hall One concerts celebrates the creativity of artists who have delivered life-enhancing music year on year, decade on decade – the charismatic Cleo Laine and John Dankworth, a rare appearance from the great Gilberto Gil and quintessential jazz guitarist John Scofield. The Festival’s fresh look at tradition brings together Keith Nichols’ joyous recreations of the 1920s and 30s, and author, journalist and broadcaster Alyn Shipton’s Jazz Library Goes Live (adapted from the BBC Radio 3 programme, Jazz Library). In an extended Night with Blue Note the past suddenly collides with the present with the label’s hottest new signing, pianist Robert Glasper, who according to Blue Note’s CEO, Bruce Lundvall, is “one of the most exciting younger musicians I’ve heard in some time.” The Festival tracks the myriad paths of the future with Acoustic Ladyland, Fulborn Teversham, Fraud, Empirical, Tim Garland’s Lighthouse Trio, Gwilym Simcock, Asaf Sirkis, Finn Peters, The Neil Cowley Trio and Denmark’s Ibrahim Electric.
And it sees young musicians starting out when The Sage Gateshead’s Learning and Participation team programmes a youth jazz afternoon with one of its popular and hugely talented youth ensembles, Jambone, plus Rocket Science, a brand new jazz/rock line-up. For the first time the orchestra of The Sage Gateshead, the worldclass Northern Sinfonia, takes part in the Festival. On the Dark Side is an exciting programme of contemporary music inspired by jazz and improvisation, including a major new piece by composer Peter Weigold to be performed by leading cellist Matthew Barley (recently seen on BBC TV in ‘Classical Star’), plus a piece by saxophonist, composer, and now Tyneside resident, Tim Garland. And with Schmazz and A Better Noise co-promotions, a Jazz Action jam session and teatime slots in the Jazz Lounge for local bands including Extreme Measures, the local connection also grows ever stronger. Ros Rigby Performance Programme Director, The Sage Gateshead John Cumming Director, Serious
The Sage Gateshead in association with Serious international live music producers.
THE 2008 FESTIV Friday 28th March Cleo Laine and John Dankworth
Early Years: All That Jazz!
Hall One, 7.30pm
The Greggs Children’s Room, 10am (Under 5s) and 11.30am (Planet Music, age 5-7)
Pre-concert talk with Alyn Shipton:
Alyn Shipton: Jazz Library Goes Live
The History of Blue Note Hall Two, 7pm
A Night with Blue Note with Robert Glasper Trio, Dylan Howe Quintet and DJ Dean Rudland Hall Two, 8pm
Eddie Prévost Quartet featuring Alexander von Schlippenbach
The Jazz Lounge, Northern Rock Foundation Hall, 8.30pm
Saturday 29th March
The Jazz Lounge, 11am-12.30pm
Tim Garland’s Lighthouse Trio with Asaf Sirkis & the Inner Noise and Gwilym Simcock Trio Hall Two, 2pm
Jambone plus Rocket Science The Jazz Lounge, 2.30pm
James Birkett and Rod Sinclair Guitar Duo
The Jazz Lounge, 6pm-7pm
JazzDaze Family Trail
Pre-concert talk: Alyn Shipton in conversation with Gilberto Gil Hall One, 6.30pm
Jazz for Everyone Workout
Gilberto Gil - Luminoso
ExploreMusic, Concourse and around the building, from 10am Music Education Centre, 10am-1pm
Hall One, 7.30pm
VAL AT A GLANCE Acoustic Ladyland, Fulborn Teversham, Fraud and DJ Dave Guy Hall Two, 9pm-1am
Brazilian Late Night Dance Party with Monica Vasconcelos and band and DJ Patrick Forge
Concourse and The Jazz Lounge, 10.30pm-late
Sunday 30th March JazzDaze Family Trail
ExploreMusic, Concourse and around the building, from 10am
Film screening: ‘Stan Tracey: Godfather of British Jazz’ The Jazz Lounge, 12noon
On the Dark Side: Tim Garland, Matthew Barley, Peter Weigold and Northern Sinfonia Hall One, 2pm
The Neil Cowley Trio, Finn Peters and Ibrahim Electric Hall Two, 2pm
‘Milestones’ Jam Session (run by Jazz Action) The Jazz Lounge, 2.30pm-5pm
Extreme Measures
The Jazz Lounge, 6pm-7pm Pre-concert talk: Alyn Shipton talks to John Scofield Hall One, Level 3 bar, 7pm
Bunny, Benny, Bix & Bing with Spats & His Rhythm Boys featuring Keith Nichols Hall Two, 7.30pm
John Scofield Band plus Empirical Hall One, 8pm
Gateshead International
Jazz Festival
2008
FRIDAY 28th MARCH Cleo Laine and John Dankworth Hall One, 7.30pm
Britain’s ‘jazz aristocracy’ plays The Sage Gateshead for the very first time. Celebrating their joint 80th birthday in 2007, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth have personified British jazz since the 1950s, in a partnership that’s created an astonishing range of great music, from landmark big band suites to deftly arranged song cycles. Choosing from a unique repertoire that embraces Duke Ellington, settings from Shakespeare, and distinctively original music which has caught the imagination of audiences worldwide, their terrific band includes soloists of world-class calibre - Guy Barker, Mark Nightingale and Allan Ganley. Tickets: A/B £23.50 C £19.50 D £13.50 E £7
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Pre-concert talk with Alyn Shipton: The History of Blue Note
Hall Two, 7pm Free to ticket holders for A Night with Blue Note
A Night with Blue Note with Robert Glasper Trio, Dylan Howe Quintet and DJ Dean Rudland Hall Two, 8pm
The legendary Blue Note record label has run hand in hand with the history of jazz since the late 1940s, and is the home of many of the classic recordings of all time. The back catalogue is breathtaking, and its backbone of fiercely swinging hard bop, latin jazz, and the funk-and-soul-drenched Hammond sounds of the 60s has fired up dance floors and concert halls alike. Tonight’s concert visits the deep soul of Blue Note, but also marks the fact that this is a living, breathing label. Perhaps the hottest
of the current crop of Blue Note artists is pianist Robert Glasper. With roots in the jazz mainstream as well as contemporary hiphop, the Robert Glasper Trio takes the acoustic piano trio to a new place, where delicate and effortlessly swinging interplay hits edgy urban beats with razor sharp intensity. Drummer Dylan Howe “makes it new... it’s as if bebop were still hot and wet from its Harlem womb” – the word from no less than Robert Wyatt. Dylan’s freewheeling Quintet has made a telling impact in recent years, playing “searing modal hard bop, scorching originals drawing on the spirit of classic 60s Blue Note,” (Time Out). DJ Dean Rudland, responsible for a series of extremely hip Blue Note compilations, spins the wheels of steel. Tickets: A/B £16.50 C/D £13.50 E £7
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Eddie Prévost Quartet featuring Alexander von Schlippenbach
The Jazz Lounge, Northern Rock Foundation Hall, 8.30pm Drummer Eddie Prévost has been a commanding figure in British free music for over forty years, both with cult improvising collective AMM, and in collaboration with many of the world’s most innovative players. For this Festival set he’s joined by pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach, founder of the Globe Unity Orchestra and a veritable giant of European free jazz, yet here making his first ever Tyneside appearance just ten days before his 70th birthday! The Quartet is completed by Alan Wilkinson, one of the most ferocious saxophonists around, whose work with tumultuous trio Hession/Wilkinson/Fell stripped the paintwork from many a venue in the 1990s, and by Joe Williamson, a London-based Canadian who is probably the only free improv bassist to list Curtis Mayfield and Igor Stravinsky as major influences! Co-promotion with Schmazz and A Better Noise Tickets: A/B/C £13.50 D/E £7
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SATURDAY 29TH MARCH JazzDaze Family Trail
ExploreMusic, Concourse and around the building, start the trail any time from 10am to 5pm at ExploreMusic Families are welcome to undertake this specially designed mystery jazz trail around our spectacular building. The trail starts and finishes in ExploreMusic, the high-tech music information centre based at the east end of our Concourse, where there will be an opportunity to play with the JazzDaze website, specially commissioned from Courtney Pine to provide a way in to jazz for young people of all ages! Check out the website yourself now at www.jazzdaze.org. Free entry
Jazz for Everyone Workout
Music Education Centre, 10am - 1pm Workshops for all abilities run by some of the Festival guest artists along with the regular tutor team, including sessions ranging from Brazilian music to an introduction to free jazz. For further information contact Ben Gilbert: ben.gilbert@thesagegateshead.org.
Early Years: All That Jazz!
The Greggs Childrens Room, 10am and 11.30am A chance for young children to experience jazz at close quarters. • Under 5s at 10am. Tickets £3 per person, whatever their age. • Planet Music for 5-7yrs at 11:30am. Tickets £4 per person, whatever their age. Parents/carers must attend these sessions with their children.
Alyn Shipton: Jazz Library Goes Live
The Jazz Lounge, Northern Rock Foundation Hall, 11am - 12.30pm Writer and jazz historian Alyn Shipton’s weekly programme for BBC Radio 3 is a fascinating guide to building a collection of essential jazz recordings - a journey that rolls from the music’s early days in New Orleans and New York to the global kaleidoscope of styles that make up jazz in the twenty-first century. In this live version, Alyn delves into the recording histories of key artists appearing at this year’s Festival. Free entry
Tim Garland’s Lighthouse Trio, Asaf Sirkis & the Inner Noise and Gwilym Simcock Trio Hall Two, 2pm
Tim Garland’s association with Tyneside over the past few years has enabled audiences to hear the absorbing range of music created by one of the UK’s finest jazz exports – a fine saxophonist whose associations with Chick Corea and Bill Bruford have made an international impact, and a gifted composer for both classical and jazz resources. Launching a new recording today, Tim’s Lighthouse Trio features two major jazz voices in their own right, Asif Sirkis and Gwilym Simcock. The Festival has taken the opportunity of adding sets by pianist Gwilym Simcock’s Trio (Gwilym’s own debut recording was released to great acclaim in late 2007) and the Inner Noise, drummer Asaf Sirkis’ collaboration with guitarist Mike Outram and Steve Lodder on keyboards. Tickets: A/B/C/D £13.50 E £7
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Jambone plus Rocket Science
The Jazz Lounge, Northern Rock Foundation Hall, 2.30pm The Sage Gateshead’s own youth big band Jambone has taken part in every Gateshead International Jazz Festival to date. This year as well as performing its own spot, featuring some specially prepared material, Jambone welcomes a new jazz/rock ensemble, Rocket Science, made up of members of Jambone and students from our Weekend School. Free entry
James Birkett and Rod Sinclair Guitar Duo
The Jazz Lounge, Northern Rock Foundation Hall, 6pm - 7pm The James Birkett and Rod Sinclair Guitar Duo was formed in 1997 with the express purpose of rediscovering and recreating some of the most influential guitar music recorded in the 1920s and 1930s. In particular, the duo is drawn to the acoustic guitar repertoire of jazz and blues artists such as Eddie Lang, Lonnie Johnson, Carl Kress and Django Reinhardt. Free entry
Pre-concert talk: Alyn Shipton in conversation with Gilberto Gil Hall One, 6.30pm
Free to ticket holders for the Gilberto Gil concert
Gilberto Gil - Luminoso Hall One, 7.30pm
Gilberto Gil is one of the great cultural icons of our time. Making a very rare appearance outside London, Gil plays in a solo setting that gets to the very heart of the art of a consummate
songwriter. Tonight’s concert reflects the recording ‘Gil Luminoso’, with songs that stretch back over twenty-five years of a fascinating career. In the 1960s, Gil was at the heart of Tropicália, the most important creative movement in Brazil since bossa nova – politically charged and controversial, this led to his exile in London in 1969, where he absorbed the influences of popular music, from rock to reggae, all of which have informed an inspirational spirit that transcends genres and nationalities. Gil’s role in today’s Brazil is pivotal - he remains a hugely popular performer - but has also crucially been active as Minister for Culture for his country until very recently. Tickets: A/B £23.50 C £19.50 D £13.50 E £7
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Acoustic Ladyland, Fulborn Teversham, Fraud and DJ Dave Guy Hall Two, 9pm - 1am
A triple bill that turns into a full-on club night, featuring a series of bands that turn the idea of jazz on its head – today’s brit-pack plays a hard-edged urban fusion that throws a raw avant-rock attitude into the jazz ring... Acoustic Ladyland loves to mess with the conventions of jazz, but is not in the least inhibited by jazz traditions. Its fiercely post-punk attitude is fast and furious, charismatic and completely riveting. Led by saxophonist Pete Wareham, the band also features one of today’s great drummers, Seb Rochford (who studied at Newcastle College) whose new band Fulborn Teversham runs from hard to soft, quiet to loud, happy to angry, punk to jazz to folk to electro and beyond. Fraud is the next generation, the band of the moment. Led by saxophonist James Allsopp and drummer Tim Giles, it’s a mix of ruthlessly trimmed funk and a slaughterhouse approach to improvisation. Tickets: A/B/C/D/E £13.50 (A/D/E club style/standing; B/C seated/reserved)
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Brazilian Late Night Dance Party with Monica Vasconcelos and band and DJ Patrick Forge The Jazz Lounge, Northern Rock Foundation Hall and Concourse, 10.30pm - late
Based in London, but steeped in the music of her native Brazil, Monica Vasconcelos continues today’s Brazilian theme with an intimate late night set, the ideal context for her sinuous interpretations of Brazilian classics, complemented by her own beautifully crafted songs. She has recorded some six fine albums, with the most recent, ‘Hih’, also featuring the wholly individual voice of Robert Wyatt. When it comes to spinning Brazilian grooves, DJ Patrick Forge is the king. Forge spent much of the late 80s and 90s DJing alongside Gilles Peterson at the famous Dingwalls club in Camden. He is a member of UK Brazilian dance act Da Lata and hosts the longest running Brazilian club night at Notting Hill Arts Club, encompassing all styles of Brazilian music. Forge’s personal love affair with the funky 1970s Brazilian sound can be heard on his compilation album ‘The Brazilian Funk Experience’ on which he presents twenty solid gold Brazilian nuggets. What better artist to cook up some Copacabana spirit on the Concourse after Gilberto Gil? So get on your dancing shoes and enjoy the grooves. Tickets: £7/free to ticket holders for Gilberto Gil or Acoustic Ladyland. No concessions or flexi-buy.
SUNDAY 30th MARCH JazzDaze Family Trail
ExploreMusic, Concourse and around the building, start the trail any time from 10am to 5pm at ExploreMusic See Saturday 29th for details.
Film screening: ‘Stan Tracey: Godfather of British Jazz’ The Jazz Lounge, Northern Rock Foundation Hall, 12noon
Growing out of the groundbreaking Black Audio Film Collective and building a reputation on their pioneering use of engaged documentary, archive footage, sound system, dub and jazz, Smoking Dogs Films is committed to continuing expansion in the narrative possibilities of film. With an instinctive feel for the music, their jazz documentaries are outstanding. Their award winning film ‘Stan Tracey: Godfather of British Jazz’ is a deeply moving portrait of one musician’s lifetime achievement in a career spanning sixty years as pianist and composer. Through its mix of archive, landscape and interviews with musical giants such as saxophonist Courtney Pine, Cleo Laine and Humphrey Lyttelton, a story of British culture emerges that has never been told. Tracey has appeared at two previous Gateshead International Jazz Festivals and we are delighted to pay tribute to him with this excellent film. Free entry
On the Dark Side: Tim Garland, Matthew Barley, Peter Weigold and Northern Sinfonia Hall One, 2pm
This showcase of fast moving pieces from the last fifteen years features British and American composers who have a special relationship with jazz. It features Tim Garland on saxophones, Mark-Anthony Turnage’s soulful work ‘Kai’, a homage to Charlie Parker, and a brand new work by composer/improviser Peter Weigold written for the extraordinary talents of cellist Matthew Barley (presenter of BBC TV’s ‘Classical Star’), plus The Sage Gateshead’s own orchestra Northern Sinfonia, who recorded a number of Tim Garland’s compositions for his CD ‘The Mystery’. This concert also marks the culmination of a major educational project on the theme of improvisation involving Weigold and Barley working with talented school-age musicians and Northern Sinfonia players. Tickets: £13.50 (Level One only)
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The Neil Cowley Trio, Finn Peters and Ibrahim Electric Hall Two, 2pm
The wealth of new talent emerging from the British scene is further reflected in a triple bill that also features Denmark’s finest young band. The Neil Cowley Trio has travelled a long way since it burst on to the scene in 2006 with its debut CD ‘Displaced’, picking up awards and touring extensively. Previously of Brand New Heavies and Zero 7, Cowley brings a highly personal take to the art of the piano trio, with catchy hooks building into jaw-dropping grooves... “witness the creation of beautiful, melodious, joyful music,” (Straight No Chaser). This performance marks the release of the Trio’s second recording – as does that of Finn Peters.
Firmly established as a soloist of genuine class, Finn’s awesome fluency on both alto sax and flute is complemented by an approach to writing that draws from a wealth of experience running from the contemporary dancefloor to the further reaches of avant-jazz and contemporary music - his Finntet’s previous recording ‘Su-Ling’ drew a tremendous reaction from press and audiences alike... “a seriously heavy player,” (Straight No Chaser). Ibrahim Electric has flown out of Denmark with a headlong fusion of jazz, afro-beat, surf and down-home funk, a hardgrooving organ trio that tips its hat to spiritual ancestors Fela Kuti, Booker T., The Tony Williams Lifetime and Jimmy McGriff. Tickets: A/B/C/D £13.50 E £7
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‘Milestones’ Jam Session (run by Jazz Action)
The Jazz Lounge, Northern Rock Foundation Hall, 2.30pm - 5pm ‘Milestones’ is a regular jam session run by Jazz Action with a house band led by Noel Dennis to encourage aspiring musicians to further their improvisation skills and gain experience of the thrill of performing live. All of this takes place in a very relaxed environment open to any musician and, although it is primarily jazz biased, musicians with little or no improvisation background are very welcome. Free entry
Extreme Measures
The Jazz Lounge, Northern Rock Foundation Hall, 6pm - 7pm This new band from the North East led by Barbados-born drummer David Carnegie has quickly established itself as the most dynamic group to emerge from the North East in years. The full line up comprises Jamie McCredie (guitar), Ben Gilbert (keyboards), David Carnegie (drums), Gary Turner (saxophone) and Stuart Davies (bass). Free entry
Pre-concert talk: Alyn Shipton talks to John Scofield Hall One, Level 3 bar, 7pm
Free to ticket holders for the John Scofield concert
Bunny, Benny, Bix & Bing with Spats & His Rhythm Boys featuring Keith Nichols Hall Two, 7.30pm
Berigan, Goodman, Beiderbecke and Crosby: these four men had a major influence on the hot jazz of the twenties and thirties. Between them they played with all the greatest jazzmen of the era, both white and black. Spats & His Rhythm Boys evoke the spirit of their music, by turns both exciting and tender, with great authenticity, love and respect. The band features Tom “Spats” Langham (vocals, guitar, banjo and ukulele), Mike Durham (trumpet), Paul Munnery (trombone), Norman Field (clarinet, bass clarinet, alto, tenor and C melody saxophones), Keith Nichols (piano and vocals), Frans Sjöström (bass saxophone) and Pete Soulsby (percussion). Tickets: A/B/C/D £13.50 E £7
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John Scofield Band plus Empirical Hall One, 8pm
John Scofield is one of today’s guitar heroes. His trademark sound is quite unique, a masterly improviser who pitches in somewhere between post-bop, funk-edged jazz and a real feel for the blues. He’s played in the most rarefied company - from the electric maelstrom of Miles Davis, the deep grooves of Medeski, Martin and Wood, to collaborations with Jim Hall, Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny and many many more. Scofield makes a very rare appearance in the north, with a brand new band and a brand new recording ‘This Meets That’. The band features a long time partner in drummer Bill Stewart, and a cracking horn section of young Stateside guns... moreover, “Sco’s tunes and grooves are as great as ever,” (The Guardian). An equally powerful horn section fronts Empirical, another British band-of-the-moment, whose debut CD on Courtney Pine’s label has created a real stir in this country and internationally. Saxophonist Nathaniel Facey and trumpeter Jay Phelps are a fearsomely talented front line whose interplay with a driving rhythm team won them the European Broadcasting Union Award at this year’s North Sea Jazz Festival. Tickets: A/B £19.50 C £16.50 D £13.50 E £7
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Concessions c and Flexi-buy savings f apply to all of the above events unless otherwise stated. See inside back cover for details.
Throughout the weekend... The Jazz Lounge, Northern Rock Foundation Hall Conveniently positioned between Halls One and Two, the Northern Rock Foundation Hall transforms into The Jazz Lounge for the weekend, hosting performances, jam sessions, film screenings, talks and more. Concourse Live sets running from 1pm-6.30pm (with breaks) on Saturday and Sunday with a general focus on younger performers in the region, including ensembles from Newcastle College Jazz and Popular Music Course, plus members of Jambone and students from The Sage Gateshead’s Weekend School, a Festival merchandise stall run by Matt Stoddart, plus our own Sir Michael Straker café/bar and brasserie serving delicious food throughout the weekend. Our bars will also be open late on both Friday and Saturday nights.
Highlights from last year’s Festival
Photography Mark Savage
Booking Information: Ticket Office: 0191 443 4661 www.thesagegateshead.org Concessions c Concessions are available where you see this symbol. Flexi-buy Savings f These concerts are available as part of our Flexi-buy packages of 3, 6 and 9 concerts which offer savings. We make a handling charge of ÂŁ1 per transaction for concert tickets booked on-line, over the telephone or by post. Getting to The Sage Gateshead Thanks to Nexus you can travel to/from The Sage Gateshead by Metro for free when attending a performance, just show your concert ticket on the Metro. We are also on the Quaylink Q1 bus route; phone Traveline on 0870 6082608 or log on to www. newcastle.gov.uk/quaysidetransit for more information. Ask the Ticket Office for information on accessibility, parking, group bookings and food and drink.
The Sage Gateshead Founding Patrons The Sage Group plc The Barbour Trust Northern Rock Foundation The Garfield Weston Foundation Joan and Margaret Halbert