Norwegian nights and new artist spotlights lined up for the Cheltenham Jazz Fest

One booking that’s certain to provoke a reaction will be phenomenal drummer Paal Nilssen-Love who’s known for his work with altoist Ken Vandermark and The Ex, his solo drum performances and his critically lauded Large Unit band. For Cheltenham, the drummer will unleash Circus (29 April). Formed in lockdown when he could only work with local musicians, Nilssen-Love picked players from the classical, pop, rock, experimental and jazz worlds, then composed music for his seven ‘Circus Performers’ who range across the stage to enact it. These include vocalist Juliana Venter, guitarist Oddrun Lilja Jonsdottir and trumpeter Thomas Johansson who pass the baton and take the music in new directions from improv to rock, jazz to ambient, with Nilssen-Love on his huge drum kit.

Fellow Norwegians, the Espen Eriksen Trio, are joined by high-flying Bristol saxophonist Andy Sheppard to play music from their well-received 2022 album In The Mountains (29 Apr). And Norway’s deep folk roots entwine in the music of Angrusori (30 Apr), an extraordinary project bringing together the Norwegian Stavanger Kitchen Orchestra and Roma musicians led by Iva Bittová to present unique arrangements of traditional Roma songs.

Elsewhere the focus on emerging talent includes rising guitarist/singer-songwriter Rosie Frater-Taylor (pictured above) who plays an intimate show at The Daffodil restaurant on the opening night (26 Apr); the Festival’s talent development strand once more offers opportunities for young, up-and-coming jazz artists with a vocal double bill with newcomers Tamzene and Immy in the Jazz Arena (29 Apr). The PAC weekend programme gets off to an artfully bombastic start with students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire/Siena Jazz-Accademia Nazionale del Jazz in Italy (29 Apr) performing together as part of a musical exchange programme showcasing a wide range of jazz styles. And away from the main festival venues, ECM-signed keyboardist Kit Downes will take things to an immersive spiritual level at St Andrew's Church (1 May), bringing together his love of jazz and church organ music for a mesmerising solo organ performance.

These shows join those already announced in Jazzwise – including BBC Concert Orchestra Soul Jazz Summit; Mica Millar; Skylla; Stian Westerhus; Ronnie Scott’s Big Band with Tony Hadley; Georgia Cécile; Ezra Collective; Black Top feat. Xhosa Cole; Rodrigo y Gabriela; Van Morrison; Lizz Wright; Julian Lage Trio; Stanley Clarke 'N' 4EVER; Fergus McCreadie Trio; Deadeye with Kit Downes/Reiner Baas/Jonas Burgwinkel; Laura Jurd's Tony Dudley-Evans Tribute; Laura Mvula; Squeeze; Damian Lewis with Kansas Smitty’s; Binker Golding group; and Gregory Porter & Friends. Jazzwise is festival media partner.

For full listings and tickets visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz