Ubunye
John Pope Quintet
Caroline Boaden Fourtet
Green Tangerines
Alison Rayner Quintet
Clark Tracey Sextet
Greg Abate + Pete Rosser Trio
Eternal Triangle – Trevor Watts/Veryan Weston/Jamie Harris
Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat
Ben Crosland Quartet
Xmas Party – Patsy Gilbert Quintet – Pete Rosser – Jenny Smith

 

Ubunye

Friday 1 October

Ubunye - www.wakefieldjazz.orgUbunye (oneness) unites singers from Kwa Zulu Natal with musicians from Leeds in an inspirational blend of styles and cultures. High energy beats and traditional vocals sounds combine with Jazz and Gospel and morph into new contemporary styles. At times it’s energetic at other times delicate and quiet.

High energy African beats and traditional sounds morph into more contemporary African musical styles. All that and the jazz skills of this established quartet. Bring it on!

“It’s a soulful, goose bump inducing experience.” – Manchester Jazz Festival

“no one who hadn’t heard them perform before could quite anticipate the ways in which Ubunye would be remarkable” – Wakefield Jazz

Ubunye - www.wakefieldjazz.orgNokuthula Zondi-Kamudyariwa – vocals
Xolani Mbatha – vocals
Thandanani Gumede – vocals
Dave Evans – keyboards
Kenny Higgins – bass
Sean Hunt – drums
Liam DeTar- guitar

Website: www.ubunye.co.uk

Ubunye will be releasing their debut album early in 2022.


John Pope Quintet

Friday 8 October

John Pope - www.wakefieldjazz.orgOpenhearted quintet led by Newcastle bassist/composer John Pope, with earworm tunes and shades of Ornette Coleman’s freewheeling collective style.

John Pope – bass
Jamie Stockbridge – alto sax
Faye McCalman – tenor sax/clarinet
Graham Hardy – trumpet
Johnny Hunter – drums

Website: www.johnpopebass.co.uk

 


Caroline Boaden Fourtet

Friday 15 October

Caroline Boaden - www.wakefieldjazz.orgStylish and intelligent jazz from some of Yorkshire’s finest musicians, led by drummer Caroline Boaden, featuring originals and classics, from Monk to Joni Mitchell.

Caroline Boaden – drums
Stella Midgley – vocals/guitar/lap steel
Jamil Sheriff – piano
Ed Harrison – bass

Website: click here to visit

 


Green Tangerines

Friday 22 October

Green Tangerines - www.wakefieldjazz.orgContemporary foot-tapping jazz-funk from Liverpool, with more than a nod to the 70s – assertive horns and rippling electric guitar over a tight rhythm section.

Sarah Sands – vocals/sax
Sam Taylor – trumpet
Jack O’Hanlon – guitar
Fran Mills – bass
Tom Hudson – drums

Website: www.greentangerines.co.uk

 


Alison Rayner Quintet

Friday 29 October

Alison Rayner Quintet - www.wakefieldjazz.orgAlison Rayner has been a leading light of British jazz for over 30 years, with the Guest Stars in the 80s and with the Blow The Fuse partnership. Strong heartwarming tunes and incisive improvising, with musical influences from around the world.

Alison Rayner – bass
Diane McLoughlin – saxophones
Deirdre Cartwright – guitar
Steve Lodder – piano
Buster Birch – drums

Website: www.alisonrayner.com


Clark Tracey Sextet

Friday 5 November

Clark Tracey - www.wakefieldjazz.orgRemarkably now a sexagenarian veteran of British jazz, Clark returns to Wakefield with the latest iteration of his Art Blakey-inspired hard bop sextet, featuring some of the UK’s finest young musicians, and special guest Mark Armstrong, director of NYJO.

Clark Tracey – drums
Mark Armstrong – trumpet
James Wade Sired – trombone
Tom Ridout – sax
Gareth Williams – piano
James Owston – bass

Website: https://clarktracey.com


Greg Abate + Pete Rosser Trio

Friday 12 November

Greg Abate - wakefieldjazz.orgNew York saxophonist Greg Abate is one of the best exponents of seat-of-the-pants barnstorming bebop, channelling the spirit of Charlie Parker and putting the Wakefield Jazz house rhythm section firmly through its paces. Unrehearsed spontaneity.

Greg Abate – alto sax
Pete Rosser – piano
Sam Jackson – bass
drums – John Settle

 

 


Eternal Triangle – Trevor Watts/Veryan Weston/Jamie Harris

Friday 19 November

Trevor Watts by Gerard Rouy - www.wakefieldjazz.orgThe legendary improvising saxophonist/composer Trevor Watts was present at the birth of free jazz in 1960s London as part of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble (with John Stevens et al). This new trio features long-time collaborator Veryan Weston (whose 70th birthday celebrations here at Wakefield Jazz were postponed last year) and percussionist Jamie Harris. This new music builds on Trevor’s vital Moiré Music band of the 1980s to perform some new open-ended pieces based on African/Latin-influenced rhythmic structures.

Trevor Watts – alto + soprano sax/composer
Veryan Weston – piano/synth
Jamie Harris – congas/percussion

Website – Trevor Watts: Click here to visit

Website – Eternal Triangle: Click here to visit


Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat

Friday 26 November

Emma Johnson - www.wakefieldjazz.orgCinematic jazz composed by Leeds-based Emma Johnson, with strong melodies and cathartic improvisation. As featured on their new cd Worry Not.

Emma Johnson – tenor sax
Fergus Vickers – guitar
Richard Jones – piano
Angus Milne – bass
Steve Hanley – drums

Website: www.johnsonmusic.co.uk


Ben Crosland Quartet

Friday 3 December

Ben Crossland - wakefieldjazz.orgHuddersfield-bassist leads his current quartet featuring avuncular saxman Rod Mason, playing a mix of originals and contemporary classics by John Scofield and Jaco Pastorius.

Ben Crosland – bass
Rod Mason – sax
Dean Stockdale – piano
Dave Tyas – drums


Xmas Party

Friday 10 December

Christmas

New Listing

We are sorry to inform you that Tina May is unwell and has had to pull out of the Christmas gig at Wakefield Jazz on Friday 10th December.

What we have decided to do is showcase Wakefield (and Leeds) finest musicians in a three set extravaganza.

Fresh from his performance at the Leyburn Festival, our Arts Council funded intern, Ben, will take charge of the first set and feature singer Patsy Gilbert. The second set will be under the stewardship of our own Pete Rosser, so anything could happen – but we know that it will be good. He has enlisted Jenny Smith for vocal duties. The third set will joyously prepare you for Christmas.

Patsy Gilbert / Jenny Smith – vocals
Richard Ormrod – saxes
Ben Gilbert / Pete Rosser – piano/accordion
José Canha – bass
Caroline Boaden – drums


 

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