"Janette Mason's breakout album is a triumph of elegant themes, catchy hooks, fierce swing, classy execution and uncompromising openness to improvisation." John Fordham THE GUARDIAN

Studying under Gerard Presencer at the Royal Academy has seen trumpeter George Hogg continue to fulfil the promise he showed as a soloist with EMYJO. He formed this quartet of fellow students three years ago and together they have developed enormously.  Pianist Kit Downes is part of the award winning bands Empirical and Troyka. Bass player Callum Gourlay works with Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith and drummer James Maddren gigs regularly with Martin Speake and Andea Vicari.
George was recently in Toronto as part of a Conservatoire UK big band, which performed under the direction of Kenny Wheeler.

Scottish saxophone original Bobby Wellins likes to let tunes burn down to a glow, in the tradition of Lester Young and Stan Getz. Fellow tenor player Don Weller's more robust style is drawn from Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins,  and both men (close associates of Stan Tracey) have been admired for decades as unconventional, straight ahead swingers. This set is an unusual collaboration with classical string players and a jazz rhythm section.

Eddie Prévost Drums
Alex von Schlippenbach Piano
Alan Wilkinson Alto and Baritone Sax
Joe Williamson Double Bass

Eddie Prévost and Alex von Schlippenbach are both founding fathers of free music, but this is their first collaboration. Eddie works regularly with Alan and Joe. Alex has been associated with the FMP label since the mid '60s and has formed long-standing partnerships with leading European improvisors.

Alex von Schlippenbach   Eddie Prevost

Empirical's debut CD was JAZZWISE magazine's album of the year. The band is dedicated to maintaining the roots of modern jazz but has a definite finger on the pulse of the contemporary world. Style-wise: think Ornette Coleman meets Wayne Shorter meets John Coltrane meets Ali Farka Toure meets Steve Coleman - performed with an abundance of youthful energy.

"Empirical is the most exciting jazz band to come out of the UK." Courtney Pine

MySpace link

Robert Mitchell - Piano  Omar Puente - Violin

An unusual but fascinating pairing of jazz instruments.

Robert Mitchell has been in Gary Crosby's J-Life and Tomorrow's Warriors and played with Courtney Pine, Norma Winstone and many others. He was last heard in Derby with Corey Mwamba.

Cuban violinist Omar Puente has lived in England for 10 years, playing with such musicians as Tito Puente, Kirsty MacColl, Jules Holland and Courtney Pine.

Robert Mitchell     Omar Puente     MySpace

Young hard bop tenor maestro fully evokes the style and spirit of his role model, the late Tubby Hayes. Playing here with one of Tubby's drummers and the rhythm section of Ronnie Scott's last quartet.
Winner of the 2007 BBC Rising Star Jazz Award.

Simon Spillett - Tenor Sax - Spike Wells - Drums
Andrew Cleyndert - Bass - John Critchinson - Piano

Simon Spillett website

Walt Shaw - made instruments and electronics
Bruce Coates - saxophones
Mike Hurley - piano
Chris Hobbs - percussion and found objects

Walt is well known in Derby audiences for his work with fellow experimentalists Corey Mwamba, the Dust Collective and his own projects. Chris Hobbs, from Leicester, studied with Cornelius Cardew, was the youngest member of The Scratch Orchestra and in the late '60s, early '70s a member of AMM. Bruce Coates and Mike Hurley are leading lights of Birmingham's developing improv scene and have worked with Walt in SYM-BIO.

Quentin Collins - MySpace
Jim Hart - MySpace

Another of Derby's jazz exports, singer and percussionist Helen makes a welcome return to her home territory.

Helen sings with her own polished backing band, the London Bridge Ensemble.

Bassist Alec Dankworth's new quintet plays jazz with a Spanish flavour.  Alec has arranged folk tunes from Spain, originals with a flamenco rhythm and compositions from Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie and Jack DeJohnette.

A favourite with Derby audiences, Jim Mullen returns with his organ trio for more funk jazz with a Scottish twist.

Alan Barnes - clarinet
Paul Clarvis - drums
Jim Hart - vibraphone

Think Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa
- and then think some more!
   

Young vibes player Lewis Wright has burst onto the scene recently.  This exciting new talent brings his quartet to Derby - another unmissable gig.

Lewis Wright website

This performance was part of Derby's Black History Season.

For more about Corey Mwamba and this project visit   www.coreymwamba.co.uk

Filthy Six MySpace

Presenting music from his Candid CD, Keep It To Yourself bass player Geoff Gascoyne has created a large ensemble which features a core Trio that have been playing together exclusively for over 5 years. Geoff is joined by Sebastian de Krom on drums and Jamie Cullum (in a rare sideman role) playing piano. The Trio are joined by Martin Shaw on trumpet with Tim Garland and Steve Kaldestad on saxophone and is augmented by the Juno String Quartet Quartet. With this ensemble Geoff is given a wide pallet to showcase his arranging skills. The band will play Geoff's catchy original compositions and choice standards, plus Jamie will sing with the Strings, the Trio and Ensemble.

Geoff Gascoyne MySpace

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

An evening of sophisticated romantic balladry with vocalist Tina May and Nikki Iles on piano. Tina is one of the most expressive vocalists in the UK and has developed a rapport with Bill Evans-ish pianist Nikki that takes the partnership between singer and pianist far beyond mere voice plus accompaniment.

"This is contemporary, fresh energetic jazz played with brio and luxuriant swing that makes it music of today. Howe has that gift not only of swing, but to play oh, so quietly, making you listen to his very restraint, as he encourages his family of drums to talk together. Just file under a bloody good night out." Andy Robson Jazzwise October '06

Dylan Howe MySpace       Youtube video clip

John Bailey MySpace

Double award winner - Best Vocalist and Best of Jazz - at BBC Jazz Awards 2005.

Charles Gayle - Saxophone
William Parker - Double Bass
Mark Sanders - Drums & percussion

A rare chance to see these two powerful New York avant-garde jazz pioneers - both regularly played with Cecil Taylor - accompanied by British free improvising drummer Mark Sanders of Spring Heel Jack and Evan Parker fame.

More info on these websites:
Charles Gayle   William Parker   Mark Sanders

JAN KOPINSKI saxophones STEVE ILIFFE keyboards
KARL BINGHAM bass STEFAN KOPINSKI bass
PATRICK ILLINGWORTH drums

www.jankopinski.com

With Ben Markland on bass and Neil Bullock on drums, their two previous Derby Jazz dates have been outstanding.

More details on:   Ninja Tunes website

Fraud – in their own words – combine ruthlessly trimmed funk with a slaughterhouse approach to improvisation. Their colourful, intrepid music was the brainchild of James Allsopp, a Perrier Jazz Award winner; and Tim Giles, a collaborator of, amongst others, Stan Sulzmann and Richard Fairhurst.  Intensely spontaneous, expect a high energy fusion of contemporary jazz, electronica, Norwegian rock and much more.

www.fraudmusic.co.uk
www.myspace/fraudsound

www.myspace.com/helenmcdonald

This is his first time in Derby and he will be accompanied by his regular UK trio:
John Pearce - piano Dave Green - bass Steve Brown - drums