NEWS from DERBY JAZZ
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February 2013
Biggest ever Darwin
audience
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There was a full capacity audience of 270 for the concert on 15th February
2013 by the Darius Brubeck Quartet. This is by far the largest audience
yet at this venue for a Derby Jazz gig.
Did the people come to see the son of one of the best-known jazz
performers ever - the recently deceased Dave Brubeck - or to hear saxophonist
Dave O'Higgins who was born and bred in Derby? Probably both.
To break this record we will need to ask the Assembly Rooms to enlarge the
space.
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November 2012
Orrery is a Stellar
Success
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The Orrery concert commissioned to celebrate 30 years of Derby Jazz was performed
at the Darwin Suite on 30th November 2012. An audience of nearly 200
saw the musicians move and play in orbits imitating the solar system in the
first set and then play a more conventional second set from the stage.
The event was inspired by Joseph Wright's renowned painting 'The Orrery'
which can be seen in Derby Art Gallery. The nine musicians involved
co-wrote the music and were led and directed by Corey Mwamba. The
audience in general were enthralled by this unique experience.
"Thank you for inviting me to the Orrery.
The performance was fantastic and an absolute joy. The sense of director,
composer and musicians unified behind a commitment to beauty and innovation
is to see the value of Wright's work understood and advanced in our own time.
Thank you for educating me. Thank you for showing me what can be achieved.
Very moving, truly inspiring, hugely relevant.
My son loved it too!"
Stuart Gillis, Director of Derby Museums
Find out more here: The Orrery
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November 2011
Phil
Robson commission at London Jazz Festival
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Phil Robson’s IMS
Quintet featuring Mark Turner
Tuesday
15th November 2011
Southbank Centre Purcell Room
In
2010 Derby Jazz commissioned Phil Robson to write a set of music for his then
still to be formed IMS Quintet. This was Phil’s fourth Derby Jazz
commission.
Phil
first played for Derby Jazz when he was still at school in the city. In those
early days Phil was able to sit in with District Six, John Etheridge, Dave
Cliff and Bheki Mseleku. When he moved on to London Derby Jazz kept in touch
and continued to support his work.
Phil’s
previous Derby Jazz commissions
2000
- Millennium Festival commission for Phil Robson Octet + Surtal Drums + The
Pantastics
2004
- A piece for BBC Big Band premiered during Derby Jazz Week and subsequently
broadcast as two programmes on BBC Big Band Special
2008
- Six Strings and The Beat. Phil’s exceptional string project which
premiered at Derby Jazz week and was subsequently released on Babel.
Phil
premiered his IMS Quintet and the music with a short tour in January 2011.
The tour of course included a memorable night at Derby Assembly Rooms, Darwin
Suite.
Derby
Jazz is a core partner of EMJAZZ and a not for profit arts organisation
working in partnership with a number of different venues in Derby city centre
to support the development of jazz in Derby and its environs. EMJAZZ (East
Midlands Jazz Community Interest Company) is the development agency for jazz
in the East Midlands and is a revenue funded client of Arts Council England.
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April 2011
No Derby Jazz Festival this year!
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Readers of Jazz UK April/May 2011 will find a Derby Jazz Festival in the listings. This is an error
- they have somehow re-listed the programme from last year!
There is no festival in 2011 - and future festival plans are on hold with
uncertainty caused by the funding cuts.
Our normal programme will recommence in September 2011.
what's on
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October 2009
Phil Robson plays with
Barbra Streisand
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Derby born and Derby Jazz nurtured guitarist Phil Robson will be appearing
as one of the quartet backing Barbra Streisand on the Jonathan Ross TV
special to be broadcast on Friday 2 October and repeated on Sunday 4
October. Don't miss it.
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September 2009
Led Bib nominated for Mercury Music Prize
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Led Bib, who are due to play for us in Derby on 23 October have
been short listed for the Mercury award for their CD 'Sensible Shoes'.
what's on
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August 2009
Troyka Featured in
Jazzwise
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Troyka, the band featuring Derby's Josh Blackmore with Kit Downes and
Chris Montague had a feature article in this month's Jazzwise
magazine. Special mention was made of the video made of the band at
Derby Jazz Week 2007, an event for which the trio was initially
formed. The video can be found here: videos
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December 2008
Daily Telegraph reviews
Curios at Derby Jazz |
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The Derby Jazz concert featuring Curios - Tom Cawley, Josh Blackmore and Sam Burgess - on December 5th, received a 4 star review from the Daily Telegraph. That's the
National paper, not the Derby one!
You can read the review here: www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3687091/
Once again, this concert at the CUBE at Deda was a complete
sell-out. Remember to book your tickets in advance for all gigs at this
venue.
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November 2008
A Word with our Sponsor |
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The Darwin concert on November 19th by Arnie Somogyi's Charles Mingus
tribute band was very generously sponsored by Richard Petrie Optometrist of
Littleover. Mr and Mrs Petrie are pictured with one of the band's
star soloists, Alan Barnes.
An audience of over 100 witnessed superb interpretations of Mingus's
idiosyncratic music.
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November 2008
Jam Session at the CUBE |
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The Derby Jazz/Deda concert at the CUBE on Friday 7th November featuring the
astonishing jazz vocalist Cleveland Watkiss, was one of the most exciting gigs
yet seen in Derby. Cleveland started by soloing and was then joined by
his trio members Mark Hodgson, bass and Shaney Forbes, drums. Later on came
guest spots for Derby's Corey Mwamba on vibes and, from the audience, Dennis
Rollins, who happened to have his trombone handy. Also in the audience
was Alex Wilson, but he had not brought his piano.
Another sell-out at this venue meant that some people
arrived without tickets and were unable to get in - we would like to extend our apologies to those affected.
As audience numbers are limited, make sure you book in advance
or phone to check availability for all gigs at the CUBE cafe.
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October 2008
Derby Jazz DVD with Jazzwise magazine |
 
The October 2008 edition of Jazzwise will feature Derby Jazz with a
FREE cover mount DVD of a full length film of performances from our 2007 Jazz Week 25th
anniversary celebration.
Featured artists include Tom Cawley's Curios, Phil Robson' s Six
Strings and The Beat, Corey Mwamba Quintet, Jonny Phillips Oriole, Julian
Siegel Quartet, Troyka, East Midlands Youth Jazz Orchestra with Graham
Collier and Harry Beckett, John Bailey Trio with Julian Siegel and
Christine Tobin
If you cannot easily obtain the magazine, we will have copies
available for sale at all our gigs following publication - until we have
sold out!
View an excerpt from the video: Troyka
Jazzwise website
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May 2008
Phil Robson's Derby Jazz Commission released on CD |
Phil Robson's Six Strings and the Beat project, which was especially
commissioned by us for the 2007 Derby Jazz Festival, has now been
released on CD.
The composition - for jazz trio and string quartet - has received widespread praise.
Read a review of the record: arts.guardian.co.uk
Further details: www.babellabel.co.uk
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March 2008
Jazz Concerts Sell Out! |
The Derby Jazz/Derby Dance concerts at the CUBE continue to be very popular.
Only 1 ticket remained for the Robert Mitchell / Omar Puente concert on 7
March 2008, following sell outs for the Jim Mullen Trio and Tina May & Nikki Iles. We very much regret that some people
arrived on these nights and were unable to get in - we would like to extend our apologies to those affected.
As tickets are limited, make sure you book in advance
or phone to check availability for all gigs at the CUBE cafe.
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December 2007 |
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Derby Jazz features at London Jazz Festival |
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The three works commissioned by Derby Jazz for our festival in March
2007 were performed on the afternoon of Saturday 24th November 2007 in the
Barbican, London EC2 as part of the London Jazz Festival. This
was a free concert, starting at 2.30pm
The three works, all highly critically praised, are:
2:30 Corey Mwamba - Argentum
4:00 Phil Robson - Six Strings and the Beat
5:45 East Midlands Youth Jazz Orchestra with Graham Collier
Harry Beckett and Alan Barnes
This was followed in the evening by a concert in the same venue by the
world's greatest tenor sax player, Sonny Rollins.
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New Season - Old Venue - New Makeover |
The cafe at Derby Dance Centre, which we have used in the past for performances,
has had a complete makeover and is now called the Cube.
We are collaborating with the Dance Centre in presenting Jazz at the Cube on
the first Friday of every month.
Music starts at 8.00 and the bar will be open from 6.30.
These nights are proving very popular and you are strongly advised to book
tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
Full details of these gigs on our programme page: What's on?
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