Jazz breaking news: Marius Neset and Jack DeJohnette mark RNCM 40th
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music marks its 40th birthday celebrations, which begin on 15 November, with a packed seven-month programme including several key jazz dates among a busy classical roster.
The countdown to the anniversary began this week with a solo concert by leading US jazz pianist Fred Hersch (10 October), which will be followed by a powerful tribute to improv sax great Joe Harriott from bassist Gary Crosby’s Nu Civilisation Orchestra (20 October), the concert also marking the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence. Jazz vocalist Christine Tobin performs songs from her superb recent album Sailing To Byzantium (21 October) while October closes with the RNCM Saxophone Day (28 October).
The latter all-day event features the Massed Saxophone Orchestra, Apollo Saxophone Orchestra playing the music of Barbara Thompson, a recital from RNCM graduate Huw Wiggin, and closes with a dynamic double bill topped by Norwegian sax sensation Marius Neset (pictured above). The band features Swedish pianist Magnus Hjorth, and the fiery rhythm section team from Phronesis of bassist Jasper Høiby and drummer Anton Eger, with support from the Karen Sharp Quartet. November’s highlights include iconic drummer Jack DeJohnette (12 November), Portuguese fado star Carmino (14 November), the heavy electro-improv of John Paul Jones/Supersilent group (16 November) plus tenorist Dave O’Higgins with the RNCM Big Band (17 November).
New York-based pianist Uri Caine also appears as part of the college’s ‘Ludwig van’ series celebrating Beethoven’s music, and plays ‘Beethoven 1 Improvised’ improvising around the composer’s first symphony, while singer/pianist Liane Carroll lines up with the RNCM Big Band for a lively seasonal finale (22 December).
For more info go to www.rncm.ac.uk
– Mike Flynn
Photo: Tim Dickeson