Lancaster Jazz Festival 2015 Large Print Festival Programme

Lancaster Jazz Festival

18 - 20 September 2015

Large Print, Text Only Festival Programme

Table of Contents

Accessibility and Venue Information

Hello and Welcome to Lancaster Jazz Festival 2015

Artist in Residence - Seth Bennett

Featured events:

Supported Events

Jazz Breakfasts

NorVol: “How can I run a successful jazz venue?”

Afternoon Tea at The Royal Kings Arms

The Lindsay Hannon Plus

Billionaires Trio

Friday 18th September

Lancaster Brewery Stage

Richard Ormrod Workshop (5pm)

LRGS Big Band (7.30pm)

A Dread Supreme (9pm)

Taupe (10pm)

Saturday 19th September

Sun Square Stage

Jazz North Introduces (12noon)

Dakhla Brass (1.20pm)

Thunkfish (2.40pm)

Blind Monk Trio (4pm)

Saturday 19th September

The Hall

Q&A: Leo Geyer & Seth Bennett (11.30am)

Khymerikal (12.45pm)

Lancaster Jazz Festival Youth Jazz Commission 2015: Calum Macleod presents “NODHA” (2pm)

En Bas Quartet (3.15pm)

Lancaster Jazz Festival Headline 2015: Saturday 19th September

Empirical

Open Jam Session (10.30pm)

Sunday 20th September

Sun Square Stage

The Paradise Trios (12.20pm)

Yesa Sikyi (1.40pm)

Tori Freestone / Alcyona Mick (3pm)

Sunday 20th September

The Hall

Seth Bennett Workshop (11am)

Grew & Watts (1.45pm)

Cameron Vale (2.20pm)

Word of Moth (3.45pm)

Made By

Lancaster Jazz Festival 2015 Programme

Friday 18th September

Saturday 19th September

Sunday 20th September

Accessibility and Venue Information

We make every effort to ensure Lancaster Jazz Festival events are accessible to our whole audience. If you require any more information than what is included in this programme or online at then please do get in touch with the festival team at or speak to any of our LJF volunteers at any of our events.

All our venues are wheelchair accessible apart from The Golden Lion.

The “Festival Hub” is located at The Sun Hotel on Sun Street and members of the Festival Team with be there between 9am and 5pm on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September.

An audio described version of this programme is available at

Hello and Welcome to Lancaster Jazz Festival 2015

We like to do things a little differently here.

This year we are taking another massive step towards one of the festival’s long term goals, which is to become a truly artist-led festival. We are aiming to create an artists’ playground, featuring exceptional music set in the beautiful surroundings of the historic city of Lancaster.

This is going to be the best LJF to date - and we’re more excited about this one than any we’ve made so far.We’ve programmed artists that we feel are doing something truly original and exciting, artists who will create beautiful new works, be open to collaborations and be breathtakingly stunning. We’re also supporting emerging artists like never before with help from our Artist in Residence for 2015, Seth Bennett, possibly the most original British double bassist in a generation. He’s not only going to be developing and showcasing his own extraordinary projects but has as also been mentoring our Youth Jazz Commission, awarded to pedal harpist Calum Mcleod, and will be working with our emerging artists throughout the festival.

And for you, the “best jazz audience in the country”, as stated by headline drummer Pedro Segundo last year, we have the best contemporary music and emerging jazz that you will find anywhere in the UK. With our partners and members we’ve taken your suggestions and redesigned every event in the festival from the ground up to make them even better and more ambitious. And, we have the wonderful ‘Empirical’ headlining at the Dukes, promising another truly memorable gig (just be there!).

If you haven’t been before, then a huge welcome. We’re sure you’ll find stuff you’ll love, whether that is joining us at the Brewery for some beer and reggae crossover, or tea and deckchairs in
Sun Square, or the best coffee in the UK with added violins in The Hall.

“Jazz lives here in Lancaster” said Courtney Pine last year and we completely agree.
Welcome to our 5th birthday - it’s gonna be really special.

- Matt Robinson and Dave Shooter

Artist in Residence - Seth Bennett

Our very first Artist in Residence.

The most original double bassist working in the UK right now.

Based at the Festival Hub but with showcasing performances at The Hall and other wanderings around the entire festival.

Featured events:

Saturday 19th September:

11.30am - Q&A with Leo Geyer, The Hall

3.15pm - En Bas Quartet, The Hall

10.30pm - Jam Session, Golden Lion

Sunday 20th September:

11am - Workshop, The Hall

3.45pm - Word of Moth, The Hall

As one of the most active jazz musician in the country over the last 20 years Seth Bennett has been playing in everything from European touring hardcore punk groups to the North Sea Jazz Festival with Gilles Peterson. His hugely diverse portfolio of work swings from improvising chamber group 7 Hertz, to sideman for folk singer Mary Hampton, to co- operative jazz trios and beyond. At home in many and wide ranging musical disciplines Seth also works as an educator, teaching at Sheffield Jazz Workshops for the last three years where he won a Jazz Yorkshire award for Best Teacher. He also taught on the Sound and Music Composer’s Summer School in 2012.

Supported Events

Jazz Breakfasts

Where: The Robert Gillow, 64 Market Street. LA1 1HP

When: Friday 18th September, Saturday 19th September, Sunday 20th September. 9.30am each day.

Duration: 2 hours 30 mins

Tickets: FREE

Access: Accessible

Enjoy a tasty breakfast and live jazz every morning at The Robert Gillow

NorVol: “How can I run a successful jazz venue?”

Presented in partnership with the Northern Jazz Promoter Network

Where: Festival Hub, The Sun Hotel, Sun Street. LA1 1EW

When: Saturday 19th September, 2.30pm

Duration: 3 hours

Tickets: FREE
Access: Accessible

Find out everything you could want to know about running a venue or festival from the North’s own Jazz Promoter Network. The event will include presentations, panel discussions and a clinic. If you are

a new or experienced promoter, or maybe just thinking about giving it a go, then this event is for you. Topics will include; finding an audience, getting the right venue, developing a programme, letting people know what you do, paying for it, developing the scene and many more...

Afternoon Tea at The Royal Kings Arms

Join us for jazz and high tea on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the heart of the historic city of Lancaster, at the recently refurbished Royal Kings Arms Hotel with views of its famous castle. Originally built in 1625 and rebuilt in 1879, the hotel was immortalised by Charles Dickens in his tale of “The Lazy Tour Of Two Idle Apprentices”.

The Lindsay Hannon Plus

Presented in partnership with Jazz North

Where: Royal Kings Arms, Market Street. LA1 1HP

When: Saturday 19th September, 1pm

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes with interval

Tickets: FREE

Access: Accessible

Lindsay Hannon / voice

James Harrison / piano

John Pope / double bass

Tom Chapman / drums

Raucous barrel-house blues or spacious ballad: genres are thoughtfully juxtaposed, each song a journey in itself, creating an electric atmosphere.

Billionaires Trio

Where: Royal Kings Arms, Market Street. LA1 1HP

When: Sunday 20th September, 1pm

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes with interval

Tickets: FREE

Access: Accessible

Emma William / voice

‘Boogie’ Bill Roberts / piano

Paul Froggatt / tenor sax

The Billionaires Trio is a fun and foot-tapping band emulating the sound and style of the great American dance bands, moving seamlessly from jump-jive to ratpack via some good-time rhythm & blues. This slick little outfit can really swing, leading you through a wonderful jazzy journey of timeless classics from the likes of Louis Prima, Peggy Lee and Sinatra.

Friday 18th September

Lancaster Brewery Stage

Where: Lancaster Brewery, Lancaster Leisure Park, Wyresdale Road. LA1 3LA

When: Friday 18th September, Doors 7.30pm

Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes

Tickets: FREE

Access: Wheelchair accessible

Produced in partnership with Lancaster Brewery

Start your festival here as we launch into Lancaster Jazz 2015 with a mad mix of emerging talent, pioneering music and fantastic beer.

Richard Ormrod Workshop (5pm)

Bring an instrument and join award winning multi-instrumentalist, bandleader and teacher Richard Ormrod as he delves into the world of improvisation and jazz using bits of material from A Dread Supreme.

A short performance of the music created in the workshop will take place at 8.30pm

LRGS Big Band (7.30pm)

Paul Froggatt / conductor

The LRGS big band has a long and distinguished history giving many young musicians a chance to play serious charts and develop into formidable players. The band is a major feed for the county big bands, with many alumni going on to professional careers in the music business.

A Dread Supreme (9pm)

Richard Ormrod / reeds/flute/melodica/percussion/vocals

Chris Campbell / guitar & vocals

Bob Birch / Hammond & synth

Kenny Higgins / bass

Sam Hobbs / drums

Joseph Gerald ‘Spear’ / percussion & vocals

Turning Coltrane into 70s Jamaican Roots, re-imagining the 60s protest songs of Bill Wilson for the 21st Century
and performing sets of open-ended improvisations based on early Caribbean dance bands and 50s American lounge acts.

Taupe (10pm)

Jamie Stockbridge / alto sax

Mike Parr-Burman / guitar

Adam Stapleford / drums

A Newcastle upon Tyne based trio specializing in razor- sharp polyrhythmic play, exploratory improvisation and raw, high energy live performances.
The group’s sound is built of influences drawing from free jazz and math metal to hip-hop grooves and post-bop, with a healthy dollop of skronk, navigated down a path that seeks to blur the line between carefully constructed rhythmic compositions and explosive group improvisation.

Saturday 19th September

Sun Square Stage

Where: Sun Square, Sun Street. LA1 1EW

When: Saturday 19th September, 12 noon

Duration: 5 hours

Tickets: FREE

Access: Wheelchair accessible

An open air stage in the beautiful Georgian surroundings of Sun Square. Grab a coffee from the Music Room and recline in a deckchair or pop round the corner to the Festival Hub at The Sun Hotel to chat with the artists over a couple of beers.

Family friendly. Feel free to bring picnics although please be advised that no alcohol is allowed in the square.

This is an outdoor event that will go on, rain or shine. In case of severe weather, please refer to or twitter.com/LancasterJazz on Sat 19 Sept for up to the minute information.

Presented in partnership with Lancaster BID

Jazz North Introduces (12noon)

Jazz North Introduces is a scheme that provides young nothern jazz artists with their first high-profile showcase performances and mentoring with leading UK jazz artists. This initiative from our partners at Jazz North builds on the mjf introduces scheme to showcase the very best new jazz talent from across the north. At the time of going to print the artist has yet to be selected. For the latest information and line-up please visit

Dakhla Brass (1.20pm)

Matt Brown / drums

Charlotte Ostafew / baritone sax

Sophoe Stockham / alto sax

Pete Judge / trumpet

Liam Treasure / trombone

Bristol based Dakhla Brass play original music combining evocative harmonies, intricate rhythms, absorbing soundscapes; from one extraordinary drummer and four top-of-their-game-horn players.

“A powerhouse. Talent, instinct and creativity make them a real force to be reckoned with” Sound on Sound.

Thunkfish (2.40pm)

Tom Pickles / sax/flute

Charles Dearness / trumpet

Jed Potts / guitar

Tom Wilkinson / bass

Richard Kass / drums

Thunkfish are the sole entity at the forefront of the not-quite nascent PTHRONK scene. They are a tight, yet unpredictable blend of jazz, punk, thrash, prog and

funk, with influences from Headhunters to Metallica: One moment head-nodding, infectious grooves, escalating to mosh-pit intensity, one minute rhythmically ambiguous and expansive, always interesting and infectious.

Blind Monk Trio (4pm)

Presented in partnership with Jazz North

Bob Whittaker / tenor sax

Hugo Harrison / double bass

Johnny Hunter / drums

They have caused quite a stir over the past couple of years in the Northwest jazz scene, putting a fresh spin on the sax/bass/drums trio format. With influences from the whole history of the genre (Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, FLY) blended with alternative rock and eastern folk, Blind Monk Trio present quirky original compositions along with some surprising arrangements of classic standards.

“Energetic, original and quirky - think John Coltrane meets Led Zeppelin” - Marsden Jazz

Saturday 19th September

The Hall

Where: The Hall, China Street. LA1 1EX

When: Saturday 19th September, 11.30am

Duration: 4 hours 30 mins

Tickets: FREE
Access: Wheelchair accessible via ‘south’ entrance with temporary ramp. Festival Team will be available to offer assistance.

A truly unique mix of artists in the beautiful, brilliant and intimate contemporary cafe of Lancaster's award winning coffee roasters and brewers J. Atkinson & Co.

Free entry but limited seating.

Presented in partnership with J. Atkinson & Co.

Q&A: Leo Geyer & Seth Bennett (11.30am)

Leo Geyer / LJF Youth Jazz Commission 2014

Seth Bennett / LJF Artist in Residence 2015

Returning to LJF after premiering new work here in 2014 Leo Geyer talks with Seth Bennett and our festival reporter, Rob Herrisone-Kelly about jazz, composition, festivals and all/any of your questions.

Khymerikal (12.45pm)

Leo Geyer / conductor

Rachel Maby / voice

Sara Hall / clarinet

Tim Rathbone / violin

Mike Newman / cello

A programme of contemporary music inspired and pervade by jazz featuring not one but two world premières. ‘The Last Minstrel Suite’ by Michael Newman is a setting of the introduction to Sir Walter Scott’s narrative poem ‘Lay of the Last Minstrel’. And a second for full ensemble, combining jazz and cubism to create an explosive collage of musical luminescence.

Lancaster Jazz Festival Youth Jazz Commission 2015: Calum Macleod presents “NODHA” (2pm)

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England

Calum MacLeod / harp & vocals

Liam Waddle / piano

Harry Jones / electronics

A pedal harp graduate from the RNCM Calum is a fluent Gaelic speaker, having been immersed in Gaelic culture from an early ages. He has won many prizes, including the clarach competitions at the Pan Celtic Festival in Donegal and the Stan Barker Memorial Prize for Jazz Improvisations. In this commission Calum will be reworking and connecting the harmonic material of both traditional Gaelic folk song and contemporary jazz. Exploring pedal harp and pedal boards, the Scots Gaelic language and jazz composition.

En Bas Quartet (3.15pm)

Seth Bennett / double bass

Alice Eldridge / cello

Benedict Taylor / viola

Aby Villiamy / viola

“I formed En Bas Quartet because I wanted to play in an improvising string quartet. I’d long been interested in contemporary chamber music, and wanted to investigate that aesthetic in an improvised context. A “low” quartet also allows me to join in - the bass part in a quartet is usually taken by the cello - and write music for a chamber ensemble, with all the interaction and rhythmic subtlety they use. I find the parallel between a small jazz ensemble and a string quartet very interesting; both groups will stretch time, allow the music to breathe and pause, and find a way to play as a single unit. I chose three of the best string improvisors in the country to form the rest of the ensemble, and was lucky enough that they all agreed to take part in the project.”

-Seth Bennett / Artist in Residence

Lancaster Jazz Festival Headline 2015: Saturday 19th September

Empirical

Where: the Dukes, Moor Lane. LA1 1QE

When: Saturday 19th September, 7.30pm

Duration: 2 hours 30 mins with interval

Tickets: £12.50

Booking: Buy from the Dukes Box Office - 01524 598500, or in person from the Dukes

Access: Accessible

Presented in partnership with the Dukes