Jazz breaking news: Countdown To Jazzwise To The Power of 15
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
It’s less than a week to go to Jazzwise To The Power of 15, which begins on Monday night at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in London.
Tickets are selling fast with Saturday night’s Chris Potter shows the first to sell out.
The six-day festival, running through until Saturday 17 March, marks the first time that Jazzwise, which published its very first issue at the end of March in 1997, has worked with the world famous Soho institution for a week-long festival. The vibrant mix of leading US, European and UK talent, a line-up that embraces revered global figures in jazz, and the legends of tomorrow alike, will make this a week to remember for a very long time.
The festival has been specially programmed by Jazzwise’s Jon Newey and the Ronnie Scott’s team to showcase the legacy, diversity, and cutting edge of jazz with six days of exceptional artistic talent championed by Jazzwise over the past 15 years.
Jazzwise To The Power of 15 begins on Monday 12 March with Troyka, the prog-jazz trio of Kit Downes, Chris Montague and Josh Blackmore in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Music Big Band, directed by Nick Smart. Dubbed Troyk-Estra, this is a unique chance to hear Troyka ahead of the release of their latest album Moxxy for leading jazz indie Edition in June, performing specially commissioned new material. Opening night also features the charismatic Arun Ghosh Quintet. Ghosh, who appeared on the cover of Jazzwise last September, was as he likes to say “conceived in Calcutta, bred in Bolton, matured in Manchester”, and has taken the clarinet into brand new territory since breaking through with his striking Indo-jazz debut Northern Namaste. With his hard hitting band, Ghosh is sure to go down a treat on opening night.
Tuesday 13 March is a not-to-be-missed double bill of Empirical and cutting edge Berlin piano trio Michael Wollny’s [em]. Empirical won Jazzwise Album of the Year for their eponymous debut in 2007, and subsequent albums have built on the distinctive vision of the band steeped in the traditions and spirit of such iconoclastic figures as Eric Dolphy and Cannonball Adderley. Michael Wollny’s [em] in just five years have built a significant reputation in their homeland and beyond and their new album Wasted & Wanted audaciously harnesses the energy of a high powered improvising unit and the hugely contrasting figures of Schubert and Kraftwerk. If they play ‘The Model’ on their rare UK gig on Tuesday you’d put money on the word getting round pretty fast.
A bona fide jazz legend is in the house for Wednesday 14 March and Thursday 15 March with the great Ron Carter appearing with his high powered Foursight Band featuring first class pianist Renee Rosnes playing their Dear Miles project. Carter was the bassist in the Second Great Miles Davis Quintet in 1964-68 joining Miles, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and the late Tony Williams in the historic band, which released albums such as ESP, Miles Smiles, Sorcerer, Nefertiti, and Miles in The Sky. Support on the Wednesday is by the hugely promising Zara McFarlane band. Singer McFarlane, who cut her teeth as a singer with Jazz Jamaica, released her debut album Until Tomorrow on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label, featuring original songs, standout track ‘More Than Mine’, and treatments of cult pianist Harry Whitaker’s work. Support on Thursday is by the much talked about quartet of young saxophone breakthrough star Josh Arcoleo who last month launched his debut album Beginnings to rave reviews. With the unjaundiced optimism of youth, a wealth of good tunes of his own to hand, the means to deliver it, and a communicative romanticism Arcoleo is a great artist in the making.
And bringing the festival to a close with two houses each night, Chris Potter, one of the finest tenor saxophonists on the planet, headlines on the final two nights of Jazzwise To The Power of 15 on Friday 16 March and Saturday 17 March. Last in London during the London Jazz Festival, Potter dazzled in McCoy Tyner’s band at the Barbican on a magnificent rendition of ‘My One And Only Love’. In Potter’s band is the outrageously talented young Cuban pianist David Virelles who blew everyone away who heard him at Ronnie’s with Steve Coleman on the LJF opening night. The band is tightly anchored by the widely admired drummer Gerald Cleaver. Support on the Friday night is by the upcoming trumpeter Laura Jurd and her band, while cult jazz and folk-tinged singer Sara Mitra and her band provide sterling support on closing night.
– Stephen Graham
Tickets are selling briskly so call Ronnie Scott’s now to book on 020 7439 0747 or visit www.ronniescotts.co.uk
Ron Carter (pictured, top), Troyka (above) and Michael Wollny's [em] (above, right)