Breaking News

: Breaking News; 28 November 2008

Hugh Hopper benefit at 100 Club

London’s 100 Club is hosting a special benefit night for bassist and composer Hugh Hopper who has been ill for several months. Hopper, who is best known for his work with Soft Machine from 1968 onwards, has recorded a number of solo albums and experimental collaborations and, in recent years, has toured and recorded with Soft Machine Legacy,the band that also includes John Marshall, John Etheridge and Theo Travis. He has been suffering from early stages of leukaemia and following treatment, is now in a stable condition requiring a long period of convalescence. The benefit at the 100 Club, Oxford Street takes place on 14 December and is being held to celebrate his work and raise funds to help him through this difficult period. So far the line-up includes Soft Machine Legacy with bassist Fred Baker standing in, Delta Saxophone Quartet, Phil Miller In Cahoots, Bash Quartet featuring Alex Maguire, Patrice Meyer, Fred Baler and Liam Genocky and from France the Sophia Domanchic and Simon Goubert Duo. Ticket details from 100 Club box office on 020 7636 0933

: Breaking News; 27 November 2008

National Jazz Archive Announces New Patrons

The National Jazz Archive has been awarded a sizeable Project Planning Grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and announced a number of new, high profile patrons. From its inception in 1988 the NJA has become the UK’s premier research and information centre for jazz and new patrons Courtney Pine, Gary Crosby, Liane Carroll, Baroness Amos and Deirdre Cartwright join the existing patrons, who include Sir John Dankworth CBE, Dame Cleo Laine, Sir Michael Parkinson CBE, Kenny Ball, The Rt Hon John Prescott MP and George Webb. The Project Planning Grant will help to aid the time-consuming and expensive process of preparing a bid for another, larger grant from the HLF to help with the proposed improvements to access the NJA’s collections and archives, particularly in terms of making material available online. While striving to help researchers, students, the media and the general enthusiast, the NJA is not easily accessible to the majority of the population due to being based in Loughton Library, Essex. The NJA is consequently developing an outreach programme that will provide selected libraries and universities with duplicate NJA material.

: Breaking News; 25 November 2008

Corea/McLaughlin Band Closes LJF With A Bang

Supergroup combinations can be a difficult proposition. Big name stars crank anticipation to the max and put bums on seats for sure, but often fail to fully deliver and match the lofty expectations.

Yet thankfully this was never the case with the astonishing performance that the John McLaughlin and Chick Corea Five Peace Band turned in with more than a little help from Kenny Garrett, Christian McBride and Vinnie Colaiuta to close this year’s London Jazz Festival with an almighty bang.

: Breaking News; 24 November 2008

ECM Label Celebrates Its Fortieth Birthday With Kings Place Festival

March next year sees a special 4-day ECM Live festival at new London chamber venue Kings Place which coincides with the 40th anniversary of the label. ECM Live begins on 18 March with the Rosamunde Quartet followed the next day by Dino Saluzzi and the Marcin Wasilewski Trio. On 20 March there’s Norma Winstone and Cyminology plus an ECM jam with some of the musicians involved in the festival on the same stage. The festival comes to a head with Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin and the Julia Hulsmann Trio on 21 March. For more go to www.kingsplace.co.uk

: Breaking News; 21 November 2008

Joshua Redman to release new album

January sees the release of US saxophone star Joshua Redman’s latest and easily most adventurous album, Compass. Following on from 2007 album Back East, Redman is joined by Brian Blade (drums), Larry Grenadier (bass), Gregory Hutchinson (drums) and Reuben Rogers (bass) on a set that includes Redman originals and ‘Moonlight’, a version of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. The loose, free-jazz nature of much of the album allied with the “double trio” setting on some tracks is an intriguing prospect for long term fans and a clear turning point in Redman’s career. Redman is due in the UK for dates in March which include the Gateshead Jazz Festival and Ronnie Scott’s club.

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