Jazz breaking news: Van Morrison and Gregory Porter confirmed for Cheltenham Jazz Festival
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Van Morrison and Gregory Porter are the latest big names to be confirmed for this year’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival, which runs from 1-6 May, with Morrison (pictured left) returning for the first time since his appearance in 2008.
Soul-jazz vocal sensation Porter, whose commanding debut appearance last year was one of the highlights of the festival, has been confirmed as Artist in Residence which will see him play a headline concert and possibly make guest appearances with some of the other artists appearing at the event. Other additions announced this week also include singers Claire Martin, Madeleine Peyroux, Laura Mulva and Mercury nominated vocalist Lianne La Havas, who join heavyweight instrumentalists Ravi Coltrane, Gary Burton and the Mike Stern/Bill Evans band on this year’s impressive programme.
Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane brings in his acclaimed new quintet featuring Ralph Alessi, David Virelles, Drew Gress and Eric McPherson; guitarist Mike Stern has reunited with saxophonist Bill Evans for a storming quartet featuring bassist Tom Kennedy and drummer Dave Weckl; and Dave Douglas will be playing a set based around his recent album Be Still. Shabaka Hutchings and Seb Rochford’s new project, Sons Of Kemet are added along with a special double bill of Polar Bear and Roller Trio and an intriguing Anglo-Norwegian Edition records quartet featuring Dave Stapleton, Neil Yates, Marius Neset and Daniel Herskedal. Neset will also perform with his own quartet, playing music from his forthcoming new album, Birds, on Edition records.
The festival, now in its 18th year and held in association with BBC Radio 2 and sponsored by Jazzwise, is staged in Cheltenham’s Montpelier Gardens in a tented festival village that features the main 1,300-seater Big Top stage, the Jazz Arena that seats 630, a free stage and a food, drink and market area. The nearby Parabola Arts Centre will host a strand of emerging and experimental groups while the Daffodil restaurant will also be presenting artists as part of the festival.
For ticket details and info go to www.cheltenhamfestivals.com