14 February 2018
Newsdesk
Stars from all corners of the globe will once again descend on the Regency town of Cheltenham for the return of the Cheltenham Jazz Festival. Boasting a unique programme packed with UK debuts, one-off performances and exclusively curated concerts, this year's festival, which runs from May 2nd to 7th, is set to deliver its trademark, broad-appealing mix of the best classic and contemporary jazz, soul, blues, and pop on offer from an array of international powerhouse acts, and the brightest emerging talent.
Joining an impressive raft of high-profile names already announced for this year’s festival, including the likes of Kamasi Washington, Randy Crawford, Donny McCaslin, Beth Hart and Nigel Kennedy, are visionary singer-songwriter Van Morrison, multi-million-selling Corinne Bailey Rae, award-winning pop-jazz singer Caro Emerald and chart-topping Irish vocalist Imelda May. Rick Astley will be exploring jazz and the Great American Songbook backed by the Ronnie Scott’s Big Band and internationally revered food critic Jay Rayner fronts his much-lauded piano quartet. 2018 will also see the festival's first curated concert series by DJ and broadcaster Gilles Peterson, which will feature shows from neo-soul frontrunner Jordan Rakei, MOBO and Jazz FM Award-winning drummer Moses Boyd's Exodus, and the hotly-tipped UK singer-songwriter Zara McFarlane. Artistic Curator Jamie Cullum has once again selected some of his stand-out acts for the festival, with Mercury-nominated prog jazzers Dinosaur, cinematic nu-jazz outfit Portico Quartet, and the first ever UK performance from Christian McBride’s Big Band among his top picks.
Other heavyweight names confirmed for the 6-day event are British jazz giant and multiple MOBO winner Courtney Pine’s celebrated collaboration with soul singer Omar, legendary funk crew Tower of Power, Roller Trio with an exclusive set premiering new material, inimitable US jazz vocalist China Moses, boundary-pushing sounds from venerable British saxophonist Evan Parker’s Trance Map+ for what will be their second ever performance, Seun Kuti, the son of the legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, with his late father’s band Egypt 80, and previously unheard material from Empirical.. Kansas Smitty’s House Band return to the Daffodil following their sold-out takeover last year to present their best of the programme from their East London bar. Also back by popular demand are electronic musicians Iain Chambers and Dan Nicholls with their Recomposed series, which this year will see performances from Swiss vocalist Lucia Cadotsch and Kit Downes’ fierce piano trio ENEMY, who launch their new album at the festival, reworked and artfully mixed into an entirely new piece of music at the Parabola (“an exhilarating ride” – The Guardian). A unique cross-arts project is also set for the Parabola, which brings together the dynamic Birmingham-based band Hansu-Tori with dancers from Birmingham Royal Ballet to perform excerpts from their show Wolves Are People Too, inspired by the iconic Japanese animation film Wolf Children.
Long-standing festival partner BBC Radio 2 will host live onsite broadcasts across the weekend, including a Rollin’ On The River themed Friday Night Is Music Night which will see the BBC Concert Orchestra and Guy Barker Big Band plus a host of acclaimed guest vocalists including Shaun Escoffery and Vanessa Haynes on a musical journey along the Mississippi River. There will also be live broadcasts from Clare Teal and Jo Whiley, as well as from Cerys Matthews and Gilles Peterson on BBC Radio 6Music.
Representing the younger generation are London-based contemporary jazz guitarist Rob Luft, the breathtaking vocals of Jazzmeia Horn, who blew audiences away with her performance at this year’s Grammys ceremony, US soul singer Jalen N’Gonda, best known for his 2017 breakthrough hit “I Need You”, Jamie Cullum’s festival pick vocalist Anoushka Lucas, and a double bill from 24-year-old rising star vocalist Hannah Grace, and last year’s winner of Glastonbury’s ‘Emerging Talent’ competition Josh Barry.
As well as providing a platform for a new generation of artists, the festival offers a range of inspirational opportunities for young people: introducing jazz to preschoolers in the Yamaha Discovery Space; initiating primary-aged children in the joy of jazz; providing performance opportunities for local school jazz bands; and offering behind the scenes access and one-on-one career advice from industry professionals, which will be available for the first time this year by appointment. The winner of the inaugural LetterOne ‘RISING STARS’ Jazz Award, 19-year-old guitarist Tom Ibarra, will start his tour of the seven major jazz festivals in Europe at Cheltenham.
The 2018 Cheltenham Jazz Festival is hosted in a tented festival village in the town centre’s picturesque Montpellier Gardens, featuring the Henry Westons Big Top stage, Jazz Arena, Free Stage, Yamaha Discovery Space, a programme of family activities and events and a food, drink and market area. The Festival reaches beyond the festival village into Cheltenham bringing jazz to venues throughout the day until late into the night. These include Cheltenham Town Hall, Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre, Hotel du Vin, Malmaison and The Daffodil, as well as a dynamic free fringe line-up …around town with over 90 shows across the festival weekend.
Tickets go on sale to members from February 28th and on general sale from March 7th.
Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2018:
Wednesday 2 May
Jazzmeia Horn
The Daffodil
Randy Crawford
Henry Westons Big Top
Thursday 3 May
Eric Gales
Jazz Arena
Van Morrison
Henry Westons Big Top
Jay Rayner
The Daffodil
Nigel Kennedy plays Jimi Hendrix
Cheltenham Town Hall
Kansas Smitty's Presents: Cherise Adams-Burnett
The Daffodil
Friday 4 May
Jazz in Everyday Places walk
Meeting point: Parabola Arts Centre front steps
Jalen N'Gonda
Jazz Arena
Double Bill: Lucia Cadotsch Speak Low & ENEMY
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
Recomposed
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
Friday Night is Music Night: Rollin' on the River
Henry Westons Big Top
Courtney Pine featuring Omar
Cheltenham Town Hall
Rob Luft
The Daffodil
Dinosaur
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
Kansas Smitty’s House Band Presents: Rachael Cohen
The Daffodil
Sam Redmore (DJ set)
Malmaison Basement Room
Saturday 5 May
BAM! Babies’ Academy of Music
Yamaha Discovery Space
Sounds and Songs of Latin America with Camilo Menjura
Yamaha Discovery Space
Jazz Exchange: Trondheim and Birmingham
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
Family Sing with Becki Biggins
Yamaha Discovery Space
Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan
Cheltenham Town Hall
Gilles Peterson Presents: Moses Boyd's Exodus
Jazz Arena
Melissa James
Hotel Du Vin
Kadri Voorand
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
Henry Westons Big Top
Portico Quartet
Jazz Arena
Jason Moran and the Bandwagon
Cheltenham Town Hall
Roller Trio
Parabola Arts Centre
Beth Hart
Henry Westons Big Top
Jim Black Malamute
Parabola Arts Centre
Anoushka Lucas
The Daffodil
Gilles Peterson presents: Zara McFarlane
Jazz Arena
Kansas Smitty's House Band with Special Guest Clare Teal
Support act: Sarah Munro
Cheltenham Town Hall
Imelda May
Henry Westons Big Top
Evan Parker's Trance Map +
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
Gilles Peterson & Jordan Rakei
Cheltenham Town Hall
Kansas Smitty's Presents: RP Quartet
The Daffodil
The Ultimate House Party
No 131 Lounge
Sunday 6 May
Laura The Musical Explorer
Yamaha Discovery Space
Adriano Adewale: Jazz & Percussion from Brazil
Yamaha Discovery Space
What A Wonderful World with Tim Hopgood
Yamaha Discovery Space
Wolves Are People Too
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
Andy Sheppard
Cheltenham Town Hall
China Moses
Jazz Arena
Issie Barratt's INTERCHANGE
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
Double Bill: Hannah Grace & Josh Barry
Henry Westons Big Top
Donny McCaslin
Jazz Arena
Christian McBride Big Band
Cheltenham Town Hall
Alexander Hawkins / Elaine Mitchener Quartet
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
Kamasi Washington
Henry Westons Big Top
Arun Ghosh
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
PP Arnold
Jazz Arena
Rick Astley
The Daffodil
Corinne Bailey Rae
Henry Westons Big Top
Tower of Power
Cheltenham Town Hall
Vein with special guest Stan Sulzmann
Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre
Kansas Smitty's Presents: Pete Horsfall's Sunday Service
The Daffodil
Monday 7 May
Family Show: Young Pilgrims & Bostin' Brass
Jazz Arena
Beep! Ben Lee & Friends’ Introduction to Jazz
Yamaha Discovery Space
Grace Savage
Yamaha Discovery Space
Riot Jazz
Henry Westons Big Top
Showcase: Ashton Jones & Demi Marriner
Jazz Arena
Rick Astley & Ronnie Scott’s Big Band
Henry Westons Big Top
Empirical
Jazz Arena
Caro Emerald
Henry Westons Big Top
