AirMTM statement, with London Jazz Festival 2011 details and lineups
aaamusic | On 30, Sep 2011
AirMTM at the London Jazz Festival 2011
AirMTM is again proud to be dealing with some fantastic artists performing at this year’s London Jazz Festival. Offering a host of sounds from around the world, the 2011 Festival welcomes such internationally acclaimed American performers as Chris Potter and José James with McCoy Tyner, and David Sanborn, as well as the trailblazing Soul Rebels Brass Band from New Orleans.
Also gracing the capital is French accordion maestro Richard Galliano, the German trio [em] and Sweden’s Magnus Öström, along with the UK’s own Jacqui Dankworth and Nigerian-born, London-raised guitarist Femi Temowo. Meanwhile Boisdale of Canary Wharf serves up some fantastic retrospectives of the works of Humphrey Lyttelton and Sidney Bechet, as well as a jazz history lesson, with 100 Years Of Jazz In 99 Minutes and sets from the wonderful Sarah Jane Morris and David Rees-Williams.
The festival also features the European premier screening of the silent film Louis, directed by Dan Pritzker and charting the life of Louis Armstrong, with a live score written by perhaps the great man’s most faithful modern-day interpreter, Wynton Marsalis.
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The Humphrey Lyttelton Band – Boisdale of Canary Wharf, 11th November
The beloved Humphrey Lyttelton was one of UK jazz’s greatest figures, and a wonderful ambassador for the music as well as a superb instrumentalist. With trumpeter Tony Fisher in the lead role, this concert will pay tribute to Humph’s amazing legacy.
McCoy Tyner Trio, featuring Chris Potter and José James – Barbican, 12th November
Celebrated veteran pianist McCoy Tyner revisits the landmark recording of John Coltrane’s collaboration with singer Johnny Hartman (on which Tyner himself played back in 1963), with his trio augmented by the exceptional tenor sax of Chris Potter and versatile vocals of José James in Hartman’s role. A wonderful retrospective and a chance to share a moment of jazz’s history with an artist who was there at its inception, this gig is part of the Festival’s celebration of Impulse! Records’ 50th anniversary.
Louis – Barbican, 13th November
Described by Jazz Times as “a once-in-a-lifetime, not-to-be-missed event”, the European premier of this brand new silent film chronicling the life of Louis Armstrong features live music written by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, performed by some of his long-time musical compatriots.
The Music of Sidney Bechet – Boisdale of Canary Wharf, 14th November
Led by Robert Veen on clarinet and saxophone, this concert looks back at the amazing work of pioneering musician Sidney Bechet, one of jazz’s most influential early figures whose music still has the power to inspire and intrigue almost a century after he was playing.
David Sanborn – Queen Elizabeth Hall, 15th November
Saxophonist David Sanborn’s career has spanned decades, genres and continents, and he has worked with some of music’s biggest names (not to mention being one himself), and picking up a host of awards and accolades along the way. Joining him for this gig is Hammond organ star Joey DeFrancesco, playing from their new album Only Everything.
David Rees-Williams – Boisdale of Canary Wharf, 15th November
The Canterbury-based trio of pianist David Rees-Williams incorporate a wealth of classical influences into their playing, effortlessly melding them together with ideas from jazz to produce a beautiful mixture of styles, as showcased on their recent CD Classically Minded.
Soul Rebels Brass Band – Queen Elizabeth Hall, 16th November
The Soul Rebels’ appearance at last year’s festival was a huge hit, and they return to perform off the back of their brilliant new album Unlock Your Mind; the group guarantee a lively night mixing New Orleans traditional good-times jazz with funk , R&B and hip-hop.
[em] – Pizza Express, 16th November
The German trio [em] lead the field among Europe’s trailblazing young jazz groups, with pianist Michael Wollny hailed as a singularly creative player on the scene. With Eva Kruse on bass and Eric Schaefer on drums, they are a bold and brilliant example of the music’s future.
Femi Tomowo – 606 Club, 16th November
London-based guitarist Femi Temowo has long been a fixture of the UK scene for several years, and tonight airs his inspiring mix of modern jazz and African influences to a Jazz Festival crowd, playing from his excellent new album Orin Meta.
Richard Galliano – Royal Festival Hall, 17th November
One of the few virtuosos on the jazz accordion, Galliano has enthralled audiences for years with his dynamic fusion of different styles, with a great fondness for Italian and French influences. His 2011 LJF performance celebrates the work of film composer Nino Rota, famous for his work on cinematic classics including The Godfather and La Dolce Vita.
Magnus Öström – C.A.M.P., 17th November
Öström’s exceptional, intriguing and rock-solid rhythms were at the core of the ground-breaking e.s.t., and the drummer has continued to forge an experimental but accessible path through the fringes of jazz, effortlessly welding styles together to create a darkly distinctive mix that is all his own.
100 Years of Jazz in 99 Minutes – Boisdale of Canary Wharf, 18th November
A rip-roaring lesson in musical history, this amazing show takes listeners on a highly entertaining but also highly education journey through jazz. Trumpeter Eric Tomasso, saxophonist Pete Long and singer Georgina Jackson will lead the group to whisk their audience through bebop, swing, trad, fusion and more.
Jacqui Dankworth – Arts Depot, 19th November
Jacqui’s amazing musical family legacy has given her an excellent pedigree, but she has never rested on her laurels and is regarded as one of the finest singers the country has to offer.Here she sings from her recent best-selling album It Happens Quietly, a tender tribute to her late father, the late Sir John Dankworth.
Sarah Jane Morris – Boisdale of Canary Wharf, 19th November
A sensual singer-songwriter who straddles rock, blues, jazz and soul with a four octave range, Sarah Jane Morris can raise goosebumps as well as the roof. Famed for her association with The Communards in the mid-80s and infamous for a banned rendition of the classic Me and Mrs Jones, she is an ever dependable and much loved figure on the country’s live circuit.
