Jazz breaking news: Julian Arguelles opens Camden Town’s Con Fest on Friday
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
This Friday evening will see the explosive opening of Con Fest 2010, a jazz festival in the heart of London’s Camden Town.
Now in its second year, the festival has attracted a wealth of the UK’s finest musicians to the Constitution Pub’s cellar bar, easily found just off St. Pancras Way.
The opening night, Friday 23, features not only one of Europe’s most revered improvisers in saxophonist Julian Arguelles, playing here with the stellar-rhythm section of Gwilym Simcock (piano), Steve Watts (bass) and Martin France (drums) but also the newly-formed Gourlay/Gavita Big Band who will present a set of electrifying originals played by the cream of London’s contemporary jazz musicians including Martin Speake, James Allsopp, Nick Smart, Alistair White and Kit Downes.
The strong programme continues as the Wayne Krantz-influenced jazz-rock trio Troyka take the reins on Saturday 24, followed by trumpeter and founder of the Con Fest Richard Turner’s searing post-bop group Round Trip. The final day of the festival on Sunday is a chance to see both the highly regarded Partisans and African explorers Outhouse in this most intimate of venues.
– Peter Horsfall
Tickets are priced between £10 and £15 with three-day tickets for £25. For more information email jazzattheconcellarbar@gmail.com To purchase tickets go to www.bit.ly/176mUz