Jazz breaking news: Phronesis, Jerry Dammers Spatial AKA Orchestra and trioVD for North Sea
Monday, June 28, 2010
The biggest jazz festival in Europe, the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam annually pulls in most of the major jazz talent in the world, crammed in over three days.
But in recent years the programme has rarely featured much of the new or established UK jazz scene.
Not any more, in a sign that the word has got out about the strength of the new jazz here, North Sea beginning at the end of next week on Friday 9 July and running until Sunday 11 July, has a lively smattering of top UK jazz talent.
Featured bands include Phronesis, about to release their latest album Alive in late-July; Scottish saxophone quartet Brass Jaw; Andy Sheppard’s international Movements In Colour band; skronksters trioVD; the John Escreet Project (led by the US-based English pianist who was once a member of Empirical); the Sun-Ra and Alice Coltrane-inspired Jerry Dammers Spatial AKA Orchestra bristling with leading figures from the new UK jazz scene; and top film composer / big band arranger Colin Towns’ Mask Orchestra. Marquee names booked this year include Herbie Hancock, Ornette Coleman and Pat Metheny.
– Stephen Graham
For more go to www.northseajazz.com