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| Improvise your summer with the 13th Manchester jazz festival This year – as with every year – Manchester Jazz Ffestival presents a series of international premières and special commissions, unique to mjf. Monday 21st July sees an Italian double bill of Egea artists at the RNCM: the UK première of clarinettist Gabriele Mirabassi's Trio and pianist Danilo Rea. On Tuesday 22nd, a very special triple bill unites the unpredictable free jazz of the Grew Quartet; electronic soundscapes from Gong violinist Graham Clark with 808 State's Graham Massey; and the première of Olivia Moore's Owl Ensemble, fusing string quartet with Aim's high energy drummer Myke Wilson. On Wednesday 23rd, again at the RNCM, mjf gives carte blanche to the one and only Mike Walker: a special commission, funded by ACE and PRSF, in which the soundworlds of jazz, contemporary classical and rock n' roll collide, in a suite featuring clarinettist Iain Dixon, US drum star Adam Nussbaum, and a 30-piece string orchestra. Turnage-meets-Hendrix… Double bills in the intimate setting of the greenroom round off the week's evening concerts: Tom Cawley's Curios with Neil Yates' 5 Countries Trio on Thursday 24th – the latter fusing the national folk musics of the band members' home and resident countries; Spanish piano virtuoso Polo Ortí (Gary Burton, Pat Metheney, Herbie Hancock etc.) brings his quintet to the UK for the first time on Friday 25th, featuring Tenerife tenor player Fermin Rivero. Other good reasons to spend the week in Manchester include the superb Christine Tobin, coming to the RNCM on the 19th, and the up-coming pianist Alcyona Mick with her Quintet on Sunday 20th, playing in the Bridgewater Hall Foyer as part of the Jazz Services Promoters' Choice showcase, followed by an evening performance featuring Cuban piano maestro Roberto Fonseca, supported by Manchester's very own Latin Big Band La Gran Descarga. Late-night gigs at Matt & Phred's include: Arun Gosh and his Indo-Jazz Sextet on Monday 21st; Steve Grossman Quintet on 22nd; Killer Shrimp on 23rd; The Blessing on 24th; and Don Weller with Stuart McCallum Trio on the closing night. Free gigs continue all day and every day throughout the festival, indoors and out. For full listings and soundclips, go to www.manchesterjazz.com. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |