Top talent heads to Cambridge Jazz Festival
The Cambridge Jazz Festival returns to showcase a wealth of local and global talent, alongside a celebration of jazz icons, for two weeks in November.
Offering a range of musical styles, including early and modern jazz, Latin, soul, funk, blues, and rock, the 2023 programme includes a series of recitals, instrumental and vocal workshops, Q&As with musicians, jam sessions, family events, and live painting from visual artist-in-residence Gina Southgate.
One of the most anticipated events includes a performance from MOBO award-winning saxophonist, composer and broadcaster, YolanDa Brown, at Saffron Hall on November 17, while fellow MOBO award-winners, Incognito, make a welcome return to the festival one day before, on November 16, at the Cambridge Junction. The jazz, funk and soul collective released their debut album, Jazz Funk, back in 1981.
The festival, sponsored by Cambridge BID and supported once again by the Cambridge Independent, will also welcome influential cult band, A Certain Ratio, who will be blasting out their unique jazz, hard funk, dance, samba, post-punk and pop sound at the Cambridge Junction on November 17.
Further top names this year include festival artist-in-residence, Emma Rawicz, a young saxophonist and composer already making waves on the UK music scene and beyond, Zoe Rahman, one of the brightest stars on the contemporary jazz scene, the talented Leon Foster Thomas, one of the leading steel pan jazz virtuosos in the world, and Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band, who will be opening the festival on November 12.
Led by maverick bass player, composer and bandleader Fergus Quill, the band’s eccentric live performances showcase their leader’s cosmic, comical and original compositions alongside a selection of references including Art Ensemble of Chicago, Duke Ellington, Indian brass band music, and even Beatles tunes.
Additional highlights include performances from The John Hendricks Songbook with Cleveland Watkiss and the Pete Churchill Quartet, the Alice Zawadzki Trio, the James Pearson Trio featuring Tim Boniface, Tori Freestone and Alcyona Mick, and Tom McGuire and the Brassholes.
Gil Karpas, the Cambridge Jazz Festival’s co-director, said: “Over two glorious weeks we will celebrate jazz in every form with the very best artists, music, talent, diversity and creative legacies in our ninth edition.
“We are honoured to have the British jazz scene’s rising international talent, the award-winning UK saxophonist Emma Rawicz, as our artist-in-residence.
“Emma will be performing with her quintet for a headline show at Cambridge Junction. She will also be writing a new commission, especially for the festival, and will be performing it for the festival finale at West Road Concert Hall with the Cambridge University Jazz Orchestra.
“We very much look forward to welcoming everyone to the festival in November.”
Natalie Cargill, from Cambridge Bid, added: “We are delighted to be the proud sponsors of the Cambridge Jazz Festival, where the rhythm of music and the heartbeat of the community converge.
“As champions of artistry and cultural enrichment, we are thrilled to be involved in an event that resonates with our vibrant city.
“The team at the jazz festival work tirelessly to make an incredible event come alive for the community and further.”
[Read more: Top British jazz singer Zoe McFarlane to be artist-in-residence at 2022 Cambridge Jazz Festival]
The Cambridge Jazz Festival kicks off on Sunday, November 12, and runs until Sunday, November 26. The full line-up is available to view now at cambridgejazzfestival.info.
