Headlining
the 2008 Festival at Newark Palace Theatre are leading jazz vocalist
Claire Martin in an intimate concert with Sir Richard Rodney Bennett on
May 17th , followed on May 18th
by The Big Chris Barber Band, one of Europe’s most successful
traditional jazz and blues bands. Brimming with explosive energy, the
current holders of the BBC Jazz Album of the Year, The Neil Cowley
Trio, will be appearing. The young and talented Victoria Hart returns
on the back of her success at last year’s festival, while Gospel
singer, Shirley Alexander from the home of jazz, New Orleans, gets the
weekend underway with Brian Carrick and his band in a double bill with
Newark's own Trumpeter Nathan Bray who premiers his specially
commissioned Newark Suite for Jazz Orchestra, funded by Awards For All.
Other
top names include Guy Barker, David Newton and Pete Long all appearing
on one stage for Jazz et Vin! on May 17th and top violinist Tim
Kliphuis celebrates the 10th Anniversary of Stéphane Grappeli's birth
with his Trio and 8 times award-winning pianist David Newton on Sunday
afternoon. Tim is also presenting a Jazz Violin workshop on the
Saturday.
Newark
Jazz Festival will repeat the successful primary school jazz workshop,
where local children meet professional jazz musicians, culminating in a
noisy and colourful parade through the town on Sunday 18th
May. Winners of last years East Midlands Young Jazz Awards will get
their chance to play with top bands and under 25’s from the region are
encouraged to enter the 2008 competition, judged during the Festival.
Festival
director Paul Sparks said: "The event has attracted so much attention
over the past two years that top performers are now approaching us,
asking to be involved. Jazz is so varied there is bound to be something
for everyone to enjoy. Even people who know little about jazz will love
listening to live music played by such amazing musicians.”
Newark
Jazz Festival was formed by local business people to encourage new
visitors to the town, boost the local economy and raise Newark’s
profile. Every business that participated reported an increase in
turnover during the 2007 Festival and many events were fully booked
well in advance. Festival co-director, Peter Duncan added: “Newark has
a unique blend of small independent shops and leisure venues, set in a
stunning location. We wanted to give people from outside the immediate
vicinity a reason to come and visit, and to refresh the town for those
of us living here. The Festival’s success is great for Newark and great
for Newark’s businesses.”
This
year’s lead sponsor is Strays Bookshop and Coffee Bar whose involvement
with the Jazz Festival has already had a direct and long term impact on
its business. Mat Short at Strays said: "The Newark Jazz Festival is
great because no matter what type of jazz you're into, it'll be playing
somewhere. Big band, small band, funky, avant-garde, vocal or swing,
the variety is almost unbelievable for what is effectively a free
festival to its patrons. A big well done to the organisers!
"I
feel that the Newark Jazz Festival offers a very personal feel for the
visitors to the venues. It's not often that you can sit ten yards from
a jazz gig and enjoy the music in such a close proximity to the artist.
It's quite unique"
Tristan
Boxall at sponsors, Pizza Express said: “We are delighted to be
sponsoring the festival gain after record breaking weekends in the
first two years. We tend to have laid back, easy listening jazz but,
during the festival you can walk round the town centre and experience
the full range of the genre...from traditional to modern.”
Press release: 14 Jan 2008
For more press information telephone Sarah Braund 01636 525643 or email
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