NEW YEAR . . . NEW EXCITEMENT

After a short break following an exhilarating 2018, Jazz North East has managed to get its breath back and is all ready to carry on the good work in 2019, with a packed programme of hugely varied, but uniformly high quality concerts.

February alone demonstrates just how widely we cast our net, beginning with a new band put together by one of our favourite musicians, vibes maestro Corey Mwamba - who is due to retire from public performance in March, but is certainly going out in his own inimitable style! Then there’s a first Tyneside appearance for the widely acclaimed harpist Alina Bzhezhinska, with a quartet that brings reedman Tony Kofi back to Newcastle for the first time in nearly a decade, and we end the month by celebrating local talent with the double bill of Not Now Charlie and the Thomas Dixon Quartet.

That’s just for starters. March and April maintain the momentum, and we’re now putting the finishing touches to the rest of our programme up to the Summer break and beyond - and we can promise a great mix drawn from the very best of local, national and international talent, with a combination of familiar favourites and new talents coming to toon for the first time. Don’t risk missing out on the excitement, so . . . watch this space!

COMING SOON

3rd February @ the Bridge Hotel
Corey Mwamba’s Nth Quartet
A tremendous new band put together by Corey Mwamba, in one of his last concerts before retiring from live performance.

9th February @ Gosforth Civic Theatre
Alina Bzhezhinska Quartet
Harpist Alina leads her utterly distinctive band, featuring the great Tony Kofi on reeds.

22nd February @ the Bridge Hotel
Not Now Charlie + Thomas Dixon Quartet
Two of Tyneside’s most exciting young bands feature in a top quality double bill.

2nd March @ the Globe
Joy Ellis Trio
One of the UK’s most distinctive vocalists performs her own original songs, leading her trio from the piano.

7th March @ the Globe
Jade Quartet
Trumpeter Nick Malcolm unveils his new quartet, combining contemporary jazz with elements of improv and electronica, and featuring the cream of the Bristol scene.

14th March @ the Black Swan
Metamorphic
Pianist Laura Cole leads an all-star octet in music that applies a cutting jazz edge to original compositions with roots in folk.

12th April @ the Lit & Phil
Meraki + The Early Bird band
Award winning pianist Jacky Naylor showcases his original music with his outstanding Birmingham-based trio, with support from Tyneside’s own Early Bird Band.

18th April @ the Lit & Phil
Archipelago + Paul Taylor
Tyneside’s high flying trio Archipelago share a double bill with innovative pianist Paul Taylor, with a short bonus set from the four musicians together.

For full details of each of these gigs, click on the band name.