Neil Hughes, Jazz Director on the Buxton Worldwide Pageant talks about his method to programming the pageant this 12 months, and picks 4 private highlights. It’s an fascinating conundrum…how DO you observe up from 2023’s “Wynton Marsalis on the Opera Home”…?

Neil Hughes writes: After I method programming for 20 gigs over 17 days – hyperlink to full record beneath – I all the time search for a steadiness – throughout instrumental, vocal, style, geographies, completely different tempos at completely different instances of the day and simply the broadest church doable for a listening viewers. So many variables exist, together with availability, auditorium measurement, and finances – all need to be regarded as you deliver a programme collectively when there are usually not solely jazz lovers on the town but additionally 1000’s of individuals current opera, books, classical music and experiences. 

But, by means of a sequence of calls, emails, and serendipity, this 12 months I’ve ended up with a sequence of huge bands which are set to please audiences in Buxton. Listed here are 4 private highlights:

1 IAN SHAW AND GREEK STREET FRIDAY AT THE PALACE HOTEL – THURSDAY 4 JULY

The entire of the Worldwide Pageant kicks off on the 4th of July with Ian Shaw’s model new album Greek Avenue Friday. Written and produced with Jamie Safir, Ian may be very well-known to Buxton already, however we have now by no means had him with a nine-piece band. It’s an actual deal with to welcome such a tour de drive to kick off our pageant. We all know this music will enchantment to a broad vary of consumers. Creative songwriting, hovering melodies and a phenomenal supply leads me to have full confidence that we’re hitting the excessive notes from gig primary. 

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2 JEF NEVE AND SAM MERRICK – JAZZ AT THE PALACE SUNDAY 7 JULY

I received to take heed to Jef Neve’s new album ‘That Previous Feeling’ simply after lockdown, as I knew the younger British singer Sam Merrick. Jef is a pianist from Belgium who hasn’t visited the UK for a lot of years. He’s well-known for his jazz and orchestral items, however this album can also be a delight due to its vocal performances by Sam, Monique Harcum, and Madeleine Peyroux, amongst others.  We’ve Monique & Sam becoming a member of the band for a Sunday session stuffed with tunes from Paul Simon & Marvin Gaye. An actual coup for Buxton.

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3 ZOE RAHMAN’s COLOUR OF SOUND – OPERA HOUSE SUNDAY 7 JULY

And making Sunday very particular certainly, we’re delighted to welcome Zoe Rahman and her new venture, Color of Sound, for an additional octet efficiency on Sunday night. With massive auditoriums, we’re lucky at Buxton to have the ability to entice musicians on the prime of the sport and Zoe matches the invoice completely together with her most compelling work thus far. 

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4 ADRIAN COX’S CLARINET FANTASY

The massive query I had for 2024 was find out how to observe Wynton Marsalis on the Opera Home as our closing gig for the jazz weekend.  Final 12 months was very particular with Alan Barnes main a UK quintet to large applause with Wynton as visitor. And regardless of all of our worries one cellphone name solved the conundrum. Adrian Cox up to date me about his new venture Clarinet Fantasy which sounded wonderful in its quintet format, particularly as that is one musician who has performed with the Maestro’s band at each the Lincoln Middle and in London.

Enquiring additional, I discovered that the venture included strings and the New Orleans vibe, which we had final 12 months from Wynton, so our finale fell into place. Windfall certainly.  

With a jazz quintet stage, plus a four-string quartet lead by Gabriella Swallow, Adrian had one final shock, the addition of Tommy Blaize from BBC Strictly Come Dancing to visitor vocal all through the night. The concept had moved from potential to actuality in a short time and was given the identify New Orleans Social Membership, to make sure all people understood the environment we’re striving for. It’s going to be a blast.

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We’ve world-class performances from musicians who grace phases globally after I programme for the Buxton Worldwide Pageant. That’s the purpose.

After all, that is solely a taster of the pageant. These 4 exhibits reveal how album releases and new music can have an effect on which ensembles are on tour.

We even have Alan Barnes returning, Parliamentary Awards winners Ubunye, Judi Jackson, Mica Millar and plenty of, many, many others.

LINKS: Pageant web site / Jazz Programme

Ebook for Jef Neve and Sam Merrick
Ebook for Ian Shaw
Ebook for Zoe Rahman
Ebook for Adrian Cox and Gabriella Swallow

LJN’s earlier protection of Buxton