Jazz breaking news: Full Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2013 Line Up Announced
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
The full programme for this year’s Gateshead International Jazz Festival, which runs from Friday 5 to 7 April 2013 at The Sage, Gateshead, has been confirmed with the addition of saxophonist/rapper Soweto Kinch’s (pictured left) band and gypsy jazz guitar giant Bireli Lagrene and his quartet.
Also appearing are leading UK saxophonist Andy Sheppard and edgy Leeds-based guitarist Chris Sharkey, who join forces for a repeat performance of their barnstorming Saxophone Massive, which was a part of last summer’s BT River Music. A Scandi-jazz strand is also present as Little Radio, aka saxophonist Iain Ballamy and Norwegian accordionist Stian Carstensen, and Finnish groups the Verneri Pohjola Trio and Oddarrang, who join Danish bass man Jasper Høiby’s hard-hitting Phronesis on the bill.
Broadcaster/musician Alyn Shipton presents Jazz Words – a strand exploring the relationship between jazz and poetry – appearing with his Larkin’s Jazz group, plus an appearance by singer Christine Tobin, who will perform music from her highly regarded W.B. Yeats-inspired album, Sailing to Byzantium. Shipton will also host a live edition of BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Record Requests from the festival. Popular headliners include Ruby Turner and the Brand New Heavies, plus a resurgent NYJO and a performance by Tim Garland with Lighthouse and the Northern Sinfonia.
For more info go to www.thesagegateshead.org/gijf13
– Mike Flynn