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Burton
Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival returns
for a 4th year with another
something-for-everyone line-up of
artists set over 3 days in the most
beautiful of surroundings. Set in the
grounds of an historic Elizabethan hall,
the festival is organised by its
sax-playing owner Simon Cunliffe-Lister
and jazz singer Saffron Byass.
“Though unequalled in England for its
unspoilt beauty, the rolling countryside
of the Yorkshire Wolds is not renowned
as a hotbed of jazz. All that changed
the weekend before last when a corner of
the Wolds became Coolsville. Burton
Agnes, an Elizabethan Hall near
Bridlington, held a jazz festival on its
manicured lawns... This is the only jazz
event I know where your arrival is
delayed by ducks crossing the road and
performers are joined onstage by
flitting bats... Possibly the most
enjoyable jazz concert I've ever
attended.”
Christopher Hirst, The Independent
Saturday evening’s line up offers the
award-winning British jazz star and his
new acoustic, straight-ahead outfit
Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio
headlining. Whilst obviously influenced
by jazz and swing, Velocity Trio also
incorporates a progressive, contemporary
edge to its sound. With a small element
of Dennis' trademark electronic stage
craft (think Joshua Redman's Elastic
project), Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio
also features Ross Stanley on organ and
young Portuguese drummer Pedro Segundo.
Friday 6th August:
6:30 - 8pm 5 Pieces of Silver
Formed in June 2008 5 pieces of Silver
is a hot quintet dedicated to the 1960's
Blue Note era of the great Horace Silver
led by the Brazilian born pianist Zezo
Olympio, a graduate of the Berklee Music
College. James Lancaster has played
trumpet with some of the UK’s finest
jazz talent, as has saxophonist Simon
Kaylor. Bass player Paul Baxter has
toured worldwide and drummer Paul Smith
has played America and the UK.
8:15 - 10pm Bass Man Family
Brainchild of siblings Dave & Kirsty,
the Bass Man Family (BMF) have spent the
past few years perfecting their material
& line-up. The twelve strong collective
fuse elements of jazz, soul, RnB, funk &
pop to produce a sound revealing a rare
blend of influences ranging from
Jamiroquai, Supertramp & the Brand New
Heavies to name just a few.
Saturday 7th August
1:00 - 2:00pm Carlos Olmos & Matt Smith
guitar duo
Jazz guitar duo featuring the
cosmopolitan talent mix of Londoner Matt
Smith and Bolivian Carlos Olmos.
2:45 - 4:15pm Anita Wardell
The Times describes Anita as a “singer
who takes no prisoners". Anita Wardell's
singing is exciting and breathtaking.
She is noted for her mesmerizing and
captivating vocal improvisations and
vocalese lyrics to instrumental solos.
Anita is a musician who uses the voice
as her instrument, displaying precision
and agility, mixed with heartfelt
emotion. Anita received the prestigious
BBC Jazz Award for Best of Jazz category
in 2006. This coupled with the release
of Kinda blue are now propelling Anita
into the major artist arena.
"Pure bebop singing, displaying a
musical mastery..." Peter Hepple, Stage
and Television Today newspaper.
“Think of her, if you like, as the
female equivalent of Mark Murphy." Clive
Davis, The Times, London
4:30 - 6:00pm Little Axe (Skip
Macdonald)
Known on stage as Little Axe, Skip
McDonald has a raucous blues-based
sound. Skip made his name as an integral
part of the Sugar Hill house band
playing on the most influential early
rap classics and as part of Adrian
Sherwood's On-U Sound crew he has made
some of the most adventurous and praised
UK music of the last twenty years.
Little Axe is the return to the blues
that Skip grew up with and learned from
his father. Linked with artists such as
Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaata, Lee
'Scratch' Perry, James Brown, Robert
Plant, Mark Stewart & The Mafia, Sinead
O'Connor, and Megadeth Little Axe has
made some of the most adventurous and
praised UK music of the last twenty
years.
"Prepare yourself for a “miasmic swirl
of sound" - The Independent
6:15 - 8:15pm Al Woods Big Band
All but three members of the Al Woods
Big Band are Leeds College of Music
alumni - Lee Hallam, lead trombone; Mark
Chandler, jazz trumpet and Bob Howard,
drums. The Al Woods Big Band is a
UK-based blues/ jazz big band led and
formed by one of the most multi skilled
musician – Al Wood. The act will feature
new material written by the award
winning band mainly Phil Steel - twice
winner of the arranging prize in the BBC
Big Band Competition, James Hamilton,
our number one trumpet player and band
leader Al Wood.
8:30 - 10:00pmDennis Rollins
Dennis’ trademark funk 'n' groove is
admired on both the British and
international jazz scene. Celebrated for
his versatility and unique approach,
Dennis has successfully established the
underrated trombone as an exciting
front-line instrument. In 2007, Dennis
Rollins picked up Trombonist of the Year
at both the British Jazz Awards and the
Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Awards and was
nominated twice in the 2008
Parliamentary Jazz Awards - for Jazz
Musician of the Year and the Jazz
Education Award; he won the latter in a
ceremony hosted by Paul Gambaccini at
the House of Commons Terrace Pavillion.
Dennis also appears in the handpicked
horn section of the specially assembled
outfit, Bandaged Together, on the
official 2009 BBC Children in Need
single, All You Need is Love. The
single, a reworking of the Beatles
classic, was recorded at the famous
Abbey Road Studios, and also features
Sir Terry Wogan, Aled Jones, Bill Wyman,
Brian May, Bryan Ferry, Sharon Corr,
Nick Mason, Clare Teal, Heather Smalls,
Paloma Faith, Lee Mead, and Hayley
Westenra.
“The rarest of jazz beasts: a genuine
star” The Independent on Sunday
“Rollins plays fat and funky low down,
rich and vibrant high up and with
astounding precision.” London Jazz
Review of London Jazz Festival
Sunday 8th August
12 - 1:30pm Rob Law Trio
Rob Law on piano, Paul Baxter on bass
and Kris Wright (drums). Rob is an
accomplished piano player and has earned
himself a reputation as one of the
country’s most exciting young artists.
The group will be performing a mixture
of Jazz, Soul and Latin.
1:45 - 3:15pm Clare Teal
Jazz Vocalist of the Year three times
running, the sensational Clare Teal
brings her unique blend of warm humour
and great music to the stage, backed by
the finest jazz musicians in the land.
The Radio 2 personality and columnist
has cut a reputation as one of the most
talented performers to emerge in recent
years. With sparkling arrangements and a
glorious mix of old classics and
fabulous originals, Clare’s show
certainly swings and is not one to be
missed.
“The New Queen of Swing” – Mail on
Sunday
“A Triple Threat!” - Michael Buble
“One of the best vocal talents to emerge
from the UK in a long, long while.” Sir
Michael Parkinson
3:30 - 4:45pm
Omar Puente & Robert Mitchell
The award winning pianist Robert
Mitchell and Cuban violinist Omar Puente
come together to create a spellbinding
and truly remarkable talent. “Pianist
Mitchell has assembled a totally
original-sounding multinational ,
multicoloured and multirhythmic group” .
Jazz Express
“Mitchell is a very important
influential musician and a great live
performer whose gone from strength to
strength. A great composer.” Gilles
Peterson, BBC Radio 4
5:00 - 6:00pm Safari with guest Simon
Cunliffe-Lister
Organisers Saffron and Simon play out
their festival.
For up to date info please visit
www.burtonagnes.com
Festival Tickets info
Weekend Advance Ticket: Friday 6pm –
10pm, Saturday 11am – 10pm, Sunday 11am
– 6pm
Before 1st July - £30 / After June 30th
- £40
Day Ticket: Saturday 11am – 10pm
Before 1st July - £25 / After June 30th
- £30
Day Ticket: Sunday 11am – 6pm
Before 1st July - £20 / After June 30th
- £25
Evening Ticket: Friday 6 pm – 10pm
Saturday 6pm – 10pm
Before 1st July - £15 / After June 30th
- £20
Concessions: OAP’s, Season ticket
holders, students, children 12-15 years
(Under 12 FREE with an adult)
£2 off any ticket
Camping Voucher: Camping open Friday 3pm
– Monday noon Before 1st July - £20 /
After June 30th £25
Available online at www.burtonagnes.com
and from the Festival Ticket Office Tel:
01262 490 324
Or Visit Burton Agnes Hall and its
courtyard shops.
With 11 bands and solo artists over
three days, and performances in the
Elizabethan Hall and its beautiful
grounds, you can experience the diverse
range of laid-back entertainment that
inspired the Independent to write that
the 2007 Festival was ‘Possibly the most
enjoyable jazz concert I've ever
attended’.
The large stage on the Main Lawn in the
Hall's award-winning grounds is where
you’ll see the Festival’s main acts.
With rolling fields behind the stage and
pristine woodland to the side, you
couldn’t ask for a more stunning
setting. Inside the Hall, intimate
acoustic performances mix with original
Elizabethan carvings and French
Impressionist art to create an
inimitable festival experience.
Festivalgoers are invited to picnic in
the grounds whilst enjoying the music,
and a campsite in the field adjacent to
the Hall offers panoramic views of the
Yorkshire Wolds, and there are shower
facilities for those wishing to pitch a
tent for a night or the whole weekend.
Festival tickets also entitle
festivalgoers entry to the Hall and its
beautiful gardens, and award-winning
local produce is on sale throughout the
three-day festival, including the famous
Wold Top beer.
‘Burton Agnes Hall hosts a year-round
programme of events, including the
Gardeners' Fair in June, Michaelmas Fair
in October and our Christmas, Snowdrop
and Easter Egg Openings; the Jazz and
Blues Festival is a summer celebration
of great music in keeping with these
events’ says Simon. ‘We have a varied
line-up of over 11 bands and solo
artists; our hope is that people will
find the well-chosen music on offer
particularly enjoyable in this beautiful
setting’.
Last year, families flocked to the
Burton Agnes Jazz Festival for the safe,
easy-going vibe. Of particular interest
to children, is a Children’s Corner with
play area; 15 acres of magical gardens
to explore including a walled garden
with maze, jungle garden and giant
games; and a woodland walk with forest
creatures to find. Face painters and a
children’s entertainer will also be on
hand during the weekend to keep the
children amused whilst you enjoy some of
the finest Jazz and Blues music in the
most beautiful and tranquil of
surroundings.
“Burton Agnes Hall ranks among the
finest, and best presented, houses in
England. It is the perfect English
house, embodying the climax of the final
great age of domestic architecture.”
Simon Jenkins, England's Thousand Best
Houses
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