Debbie Harry opens Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2011
Gateshead International Jazz Festival, 25th – 27th March 2011
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Debbie Harry – the iconic voice of Blondie - opens the Gateshead International Jazz Festival in only the third ever performance of a concert that takes her long-standing collaboration with one of the definitive alt-jazz bands of recent years, The Jazz Passengers, into a brilliant orchestral dimension. The Sage Gateshead’s resident orchestra, Northern Sinfonia are renowned for their ability to take on new challenges, and provide the additional element, alongside conductor Robert Ziegler, that will make this the most exciting opening for the Gateshead International Jazz Festival to date.
This concert epitomises a programming approach to an action packed Festival weekend from the 25th – 27th March 2011 that combines performances from some of the leading lights in jazz today from the USA, the UK and Europe, with a strand of participatory activity that involves young people from both sides of the Atlantic. The Jazz Passengers – heroes of New York’s downtown jazz scene - stand at the heart of the weekend’s programme, leading ‘Subway Moon’, an inspired project that explores the urban myths and the real stories of subway culture, with a mix of some sixty or more young people from New York and Tyneside. Conceived by New York composer and saxophonist Roy Nathanson, the participatory work will culminate in a large musical ensemble of lyricists, rappers and musicians, including The Sage Gateshead’s youth jazz big band, Jambone.
The Festival is packed with great singers of contrasting backgrounds and styles. Cleo Laine’s voice is one of the defining instruments in jazz, with a captivating stage presence second to none; she returns to the Festival after a sold-out show back in 2008 in a new programme premiered at the 2010 London Jazz Festival, featuring the next generation of her hugely talented family, singer Jacqui Dankworth and bassist Alec Dankworth.
The Festival picks the pollwinners; Joe Lovano won no less than three awards at the most recent Downbeat Critics Poll. Voted Artist of the Year and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year, he’s joined by his band Us Five – who won Ensemble of the Year in the same poll. Following on from his set and making up the double bill is five time GRAMMY nominee Mike Stern who will be joined by the acclaimed drummer Dave Weckl, Bob Malach on sax and bassist Tom Kennedy.
Other artists include MOBO award winner and Mercury Prize nominee Soweto Kinch playing tracks from his latest album, ‘The New Emancipation’; Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra joined by two hugely individual and influential soloists, saxophonists Evan Parker and Lol Coxhill; world renowned guitarist Martin Taylor; and Christine Tobin, BBC Jazz Awards Best Vocalist winner, sings songs from Carole King’s classic album, ‘Tapestry’. The wider European scene is also represented with a triple bill drawn from the 12 Points Festival, which acts as a launchpad for some of the continent’s most exciting young performers – the UK’s TrioVD, featuring Gateshead-born guitarist Chris Sharkey are joined by France’s Donkey Monkey and a tremendous new solo voice from Norway, Mari Kvien Brunvoll.
Taking the Festival to a worldwide audience will be BBC Radio 3’s Alyn Shipton who will present the Buck Clayton Legacy Band at the Festival to be recorded for BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Line-Up and who will also interview Joe Lovano and Mike Stern for his Jazz Library programme.
Gateshead International Jazz Festival always has a strong emphasis on participation - from singing workshops with Cleveland Watkiss, to joining the Festival Choir, to observing a masterclass taken by one of the festival performers. There is also a programme of free concourse music over the weekend featuring students from the BMus Jazz course now based at The Sage Gateshead and other youth and adult jazz ensembles from the region.
Ros Rigby, Performance Director, The Sage Gateshead said: “This year’s Festival has the strongest American focus of our seven Festivals to date, alongside the excitement of the current UK and European jazz scenes. As ever, we’re really excited to be able to bring such a fantastic group of artists together all under one roof for a full weekend.”
The Gateshead International Jazz Festival is produced by The Sage Gateshead in association with Serious, international producers of new music.
To book tickets call 0191 443 4661 or book online at www.thesagegateshead.org Concessions and flexi-buy discounts are also available, offering savings when you book – please check when booking.