Star Names For Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2017

Written by | Artists, Festivals, News

“One of the UK’s classiest and most eclectic jazz festivals”
The Guardian

“The long running Cheltenham Jazz Festival has always fluidly negotiated the terrain between popular appeal and the demands of its core jazz audience”
★★★★★ Financial Times

Laura Mvula, Jamie Cullum, Chick Corea, Ben Folds, Gregory Porter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Snarky Puppy, Rick Wakeman, Will Young, Lionel Loueke, Steve Gadd, Mica Paris, Jack Savoretti, The Necks, Booker T. Jones, Chris Potter and many more for Cheltenham 2017

The Cheltenham Jazz Festival return in April, with a bold, multifarious programme featuring a range of world premieres, festival commissions, unique collaborations and rare shows from an eclectic mix of established stars and emerging talent.

Running across six days from April 26th – May 1st against the stylish backdrop of Regency Cheltenham, this year’s festival presents a clever balance of classic and contemporary jazz, blues, soul and pop from a variety of pioneering acts including star vocalists Gregory PorterLaura Mvula, Jack Savoretti, Will Young and Paul Carrack, and a solo set from cult alt-rock pianist and singer Ben Folds that will include a special, one-off collaboration with the festival’s Artistic Curator Jamie Cullum. Multi-million-selling keyboard icon Rick Wakeman with his specially reunited Green Dolphin Trio, will showcase material from his solo piano album Piano Portraits, which made history when it charted in the top 10 last month.

Other high profile acts lined up are Mica Paris, who will perform the Ella Fitzgerald songbook with an eight-piece ensemble to celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday, Booker T. Jones, Grammy-Award-winning drummer Steve Gadd, a rare UK show from Latin music matriarch Toto la Momposina, Benin-born guitarist Lionel Loueke, the debut of a new project from Mercury-nominated Polar Bear drummer Seb Rochford, iconic Afro-Cuban outfit Orchestra Baobab, an exclusive preview of Kit Downes’ forthcoming solo album, Marius Neset with a specially curated UK line-up for the festival, and the world premiere of a Cheltenham Jazz Festival co-commission ‘Decade Zero’ from composer Dave Maric for Phronesis with the Engines Orchestra, interwoven with a full set from the internationally acclaimed European trio. Blues fans will be treated to shows from the Robert Cray BandThe Marcus King Band (“Jaw-dropping” – Classic Rock), and an anticipated return to the festival from singer-songwriter Eric Bibb for the first since time his sell-out appearance in 2010.

These names join those already announced including 22-time Grammy-winning pianist and composer Chick Corea, the genre-transcending Meshell NgedegeocelloSnarky Puppy, a 30th anniversary performance from Australian cult improvisers The Necks, formidable saxophonist and band leader Chris PotterThe Hot 8 Brass Band, and the revered, multi-award-winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, who will perform the UK premiere of her forthcoming album Memphis.

BBC Radio 2 continues its long-term association with the festival, who will broadcast live onsite festival-themed shows recorded by Jamie Cullum and Clare Teal, as well as a soul-themed ‘Friday Night Is Music Night’, and Jo Whiley ‘Live In Concert’ featuring Jack Savoretti.

Validating its reputation as a leading force in nurturing the younger generation of talent on both sides of the Atlantic, this year’s festival will welcome the likes of Tennessee-born folk, blues and soul sensation Valerie June (“One to watch” – The Guardian), a double bill featuring BBC Introducing’s Earl with South London vocalist Jodie Abacus, European quartet on the rise Amok AmorKandace Springs, who returns to the festival for a main-stage show at the PizzaExpress Live Arena, British-Bahraini trumpeter Yazz Ahmed, and Swiss experimental trio Schnellertollermeier, with their visionary avant-garde rock/jazz sound.

Returning this year is the ‘Recomposed: Live Remix’ series, where electronic musicians Ian Chambers and Pascal Wyse will remix five sets from Sunday’s Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre into one 60-minute set. The Family Tent will also return in 2017, which will host a range of engaging shows for all ages including a high-energy, Indo Jazz performance from acclaimed clarinetist Arun Ghosh.

The 2017 Cheltenham Jazz Festival takes place from April 26th – May 1st and is hosted in a tented festival village in Cheltenham’s Montpellier Gardens, featuring a Big Top stage, Pizza Express Live Arena, food stalls, an on-site record shop, and the Family Tent with Town Hall, Cheltenham Ladies’ College Parabola Arts Centre, Hotel du Vin and Daffodil venues all within short walking distance of the stylish spa town’s centre.

Tickets go on sale to members from February 22nd and on general sale from March 1st.

http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz

For further information, including interview requests, please contact Joe Baxter, Natasha Thomas
or Liam Sutcliffe:

joe@baxterpr.com / natasha@baxterpr.com / liam@baxterpr.com / 0207 636 9562

 

Cheltenham Jazz Festival would like to thank all its supporters, Patrons and Individuals.

Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2017 In association with BBC Radio 2

Principal Partner: Henry Weston’s – Official Cider

Major Partners: Birra Moretti – Official Lager; Bottle Green – Official Supplier; Investec; Pizza Express; University of Gloucestershire

‘Decade Zero’ is commissioned by Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Manchester jazz Festival and EFG London Jazz Festival, with support from the PRS Foundation.

Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2017:

Wednesday 26 April

Laura Mvula

THE BIG TOP

Thursday 27 April

Marcus King Band

PIZZAEXPRESS LIVE ARENA

Dee Dee Bridgewater

CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

Jack Savoretti

THE BIG TOP

Camilla George

DAFFODIL

Late night residency: Kansas Smitty’s House Band

DAFFODIL

Friday 28 April

Valerie June

PIZZAEXPRESS LIVE ARENA

Marius Neset

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Friday Night is Music Night: Rhythm & Blues + Jazz = Soul

THE BIG TOP

Will Young

CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

Peter Horsfall

DAFFODIL

Seb Rochford, Nicole Mitchell & Neil Charles

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Late night residency: Kansas Smitty’s House Band

DAFFODIL 

Saturday 29 April

Musical Adventures for Kids

FAMILY TENT

Jazz Exchange: Birmingham Conservatoire & NTNU Trondheim Exchange

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Decade Zero: Dave Maric, Phronesis & Engines Orchestra

CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

Mica Paris sings the Ella Fitzgerald Songbook

PIZZA EXPRESS LIVE ARENA

Lilli Unwin

HOTEL DU VIN

Orchestra Baobab

THE BIG TOP

Elliot Galvin

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Lionel Loueke

PIZZAEXPRESS LIVE ARENA

The Necks

CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

Logan Richardson

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Vyamanikal

DEAN CLOSE CHAPEL

Rick Wakeman’s Green Dolphin Trio

CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

Steve Gadd Band

PIZZAEXPRESS LIVE ARENA

Gabrielle Ducomble

DAFFODIL

Hans Koller

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

The Robert Cray Band

THE BIG TOP

Booker T. Jones

THE BIG TOP

Late night residency: Kansas Smitty’s House Band

DAFFODIL

Sunday 30 April

Musical Adventures for Kids

FAMILY TENT

Monocled Man

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Schnellertollermeier

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Totó la Momposina

CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

Kandace Springs

PIZZAEXPRESS LIVE ARENA

Double Bill: Jodie Abacus & Earl

THE BIG TOP

Meshell Ndegeocello

PIZZAEXPRESS LIVE ARENA

Eric Bibb

CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

Amok Amor

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Chick Corea Trio featuring Eddie Gomez and Brian Blade

THE BIG TOP

Double Bill: Julian Sartorius Solo plus Mark Sanders & John Butcher Duo

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Chris Potter

PIZZAEXPRESS LIVE ARENA

Sunday Recomposed: Live Remix featuring Ian Chambers and Pascal Wyse

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Snarky Puppy

CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

Ben Folds & Jamie Cullum

THE BIG TOP

Yazz Ahmed Hafla Band

CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE PARABOLA ARTS CENTRE

Late night residency: Kansas Smitty’s House Band

DAFFODIL

Monday 1 May

Musical Adventures for Kids

FAMILY TENT

Snarky Puppy Masterclass

PIZZAEXPRESS LIVE ARENA

Hot 8 Brass Band

THE BIG TOP

Showcase: Sarah Munro & Mode9

PIZZAEXPRESS LIVE ARENA

Paul Carrack

THE BIG TOP

Denys Baptiste presents Late Trane

PIZZAEXPRESS LIVE ARENA

Gregory Porter

THE BIG TOP

Last modified: July 15, 2018