Published: 16 Apr 2019
The 33rd Glasgow Jazz Festival has unveiled its full programme for 2019, with locations right across Glasgow set to be bursting with jazz talent this June – including iconic new venues House for an Art Lover and The Planetarium at Glasgow Science Centre.
Jazz will be the sound of the city this summer when more than 300 musicians arrive in Glasgow to play over 40 gigs from Wednesday 19 to Sunday 23 June as part of the festival which has become renowned for hosting some of the biggest names in jazz, blues, soul, funk, R&B, electronic and world music.
This year’s Glasgow Jazz Festival celebrates the diverse influences and voices that make jazz what it is today- Clare Hewitt, Creative Scotland
Headliners include Ethiopian musician and arranger Mulatu Astatke, known as the father of Ethio-jazz. Mulatu, who has been sampled by hip-hop royalty including Nas, Kanye West and Cut Chemist, will bring his compelling fusion of traditional styles, funk, jazz and soul to the Friday night of the festival at The Old Fruitmarket.
David McAlmont presents Billie Holiday at Carnegie Hall will take place at St Luke’s. Inspired by the legendary 1956 concert, which saw Holiday’s music accompanied by extracts from her autobiography Lady Sings the Blues. English vocalist and songwriter David McAlmont will give his unique interpretations of the catalogue and quote from her extraordinary life story on the opening night of the festival.
The festival will also welcome the Bill Laurance Trio, led by London-based pianist and founding member of the GRAMMY award-winning fusion powerhouse Snarky Puppy. The group will combine acoustic piano with synths, electronics and effects as they take to the St Luke’s stage on Friday 21 June.
Three of Scotland’s most exciting young jazz bands are set to bring the house down at the Old Fruitmarket on Thursday 20 June. Mezcla, Graham Costello’s Strata and the 14-piece instrumental collective Fat-Suit will deliver a mighty fusion of jazz, rock, and folk.
Fresh from touring with Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, British Jamaican soul singer Ruby Turner will treat audiences to her undeniable vocal talent when she takes on everything from passionate soaring ballads to soulful up-temp grooves at The Old Fruitmarket on Saturday 22 June.
On the closing night of the festival, Brooklyn singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin will showcase her soulful take on acappella to Glasgow. Daughter of jazz royalty Bobby McFerrin, Madison employs her father’s vocal techniques with an added dash of soul and extraordinary vocal dexterity.
This year will see the festival visit brand new sites, as well as much-loved festival favourites across the city like The Old Fruitmarket, St Luke’s and Glasgow’s dedicated jazz club The Blue Arrow. For the first time, gigs will take place at Rost and House for an Art Lover, which will host a stunning recital from young Scottish pianist Fergus McCreadie plus rising stars Joe Williamson & Luca Manning on Sunday 23 June.
The Planetarium at Glasgow Science Centre will also offer an exciting new performance space when it hosts Herschel 36. The duo of Stu Brown and Paul Harrison will put on a live performance of their critically acclaimed electronic soundtrack to the extraordinary 1925 German silent film, Wunder Der Schöpfung.
The live silent film score will take place under the planetarium’s spectacular state-of-the-art fulldome digital projection system and feature dark, improvised electronic soundscapes with live drumming, spiralling synth melodies and intense musical spontaneity.
With the usual mix of established and upcoming talent from Scotland and the rest of the world, the festival will welcome musicians from Ethiopia, Latvia, the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA who will perform alongside a wealth of home-grown jazz musicians to make up this year’s diverse and eclectic programme.
Scottish jazz bands will also be showcased to 120 delegates from across the UK and Ireland as part of this year’s Jazz Promotion Network Conference that will take place during the Thursday and Friday of the festival.
Jill Rodger, Director of Glasgow Jazz Festival, said: “We always aim to bring a breadth of musical talent from local and international jazz scenes to Glasgow and it’s shaping up to be another fantastic festival this year. Our jazz musicians will be entertaining us at venues all over Glasgow, including at some truly stunning and unique locations.”
“Home-grown talent also plays a big part in this year’s event and this year’s festival is a great opportunity for people to discover the high calibre of jazz talent on our doorstep, as well as enjoy special performances from international artists who will take to Glasgow’s stages to play for us.”
For the second year running, the festival ensures more than 50 per cent of the acts playing include female musicians as part of a pledge to the Keychange initiative to achieve a 50:50 gender balance at festivals by 2022 by continuing to champion female talent from the jazz scene.
The festival takes place thanks to funding from Glasgow City Council and Creative Scotland, and is also supported by new charity partner Help Musicians Scotland who will be hosting a panel focusing on building a resilient career for jazz musicians in Scotland.
Creative Scotland music specialist Clare Hewitt commented: “This year’s Glasgow Jazz Festival celebrates the diverse influences and voices that make jazz what it is today. As well as being able to see top international artists, audiences will experience the distinctive quality of Scotland’s own energetic and inventive jazz scene, which rightly deserves its place on this international stage.”
Suzanne Miller, Nations Manager for Help Musicians Scotland, said: “We aim to be a trusted and valuable support for music creators and we are thrilled to join forces with the Glasgow Jazz Festival this year. The event is always a highlight on the Scottish music calendar each year, with hundreds of musicians involved in bringing some of the very best jazz in the world to the city.”
For more information and to buy tickets for the Festival please visit www.jazzfest.co.uk. Tickets go on sale at 12pm on Tuesday, 16 April 2019.
David McAlmont presents Billie Holiday at Carnegie Hall
Wednesday 19 June
8pm
St Luke’s
Haftor MedbØe / Jacob Karlzon
Wednesday 19 June
8pm
Recital Room
Charlie Hunter & Lucy Woodward
Wednesday 19 June
Blue Arrow
Martin Taylor (Solo)
Thursday 20 June
7.30pm
St Luke’s
“Best Before Bed” Sessions
Thursday 20 June
7.30pm
Citizen M
Fat-Suit, Mezcla and Graham Costello’s Strata
Thursday 20 June
7.30pm
Old Fruitmarket
Brian Molley Quartet, support by Lauren MacDonald Quartet
Thursday 20 June
7.30pm
Recital Room
Georgia Cecile
Thursday 20 June
7.30pm
Blue Arrow
Swing Blues Jam with Fraser John Lindsay’s Blues Incentive hosted by Charlotte Marshall
Thursday 20 June
9pm
Swing
Matt Carmichael Quartet
Thursday 20 June
10.30pm
Blue Arrow
Late Night Jam with Astrosnax
Thursday 20 June
10.30pm
Blue Arrow
Fergus McCreadie Trio
Friday 21 June
5.30pm
Recital Room
Bill Laurance Trio, support by Fergus McCreadie (solo)
Friday 21 June
8pm
St Luke’s
Era Suite ft. Rebecca Vasmant
Friday 21 June
7.30pm
Sub Club
Skinny Pelembe
Friday 21 June
7.30pm
Hug and Pint
Raymond Macdonald & Friends
Friday 21 June
7.30pm
Glad Cafe
Mulatu Astatke, support by DJ Nick Peacock
Friday 21 June
8pm
Old Fruitmarket
Sarah Jane Morris “Sweet Little Mystery” A Tribute to the Music of John Martyn
Friday 21 June
8.30pm
Recital Room
Stephen Duffy “Nancy’s Boy” - Tribute to Nancy Wilson feat. Euan Stevenson Trio
Friday 21 June
9pm
Swing
LoLanders
Friday 21 June
7.30pm
Blue Arrow
Animal Society
Friday 21 June
10.30pm
Blue Arrow
Late Night Jam with Orion All Stars
Friday 21 June
10.30pm
Blue Arrow
Help Musicians Scotland Panel
Saturday 22 June
3pm
Blue Arrow
Kirstine Paulina
Saturday 22 June
3pm
Recital Room
Kim Macari and Raymond MacDonald “Seeing Sound”
Saturday 22 June
6pm
Citizen M
Brian Kellock and John Burgess
Saturday 22 June
8pm
Recital Room
Ruby Turner, support by Luca Manning
Saturday 22 June
7.30pm
Old Fruitmarket
Nimbus Sextet
Saturday 22 June
7.30pm
Hug and Pint
Herschel 36 - Wunder Der Schöpfung
Saturday 22 June
7.45pm
The Planetarium
James Taylor Quartet, support by The Lance Vance Dance
Saturday 22 June
7.30pm
St Luke’s
Under the Surface ft. Joost Lijbaart
Saturday 22 June
7.30pm
Blue Arrow
Marianne McGregor
Saturday 22 June
8pm
Swing
Theon Cross
Saturday 22 June
10.30pm
Blue Arrow
The Old World NewsSaturday 22 June
10.30pm
Swing
Late Night ClubSaturday 22 June
12pm
Blue Arrow
Fergus McCreadie (Solo) and Joe Williamson & Luca ManningSunday 23 June
2pm
House for an Art Lover
Glasgow Improvisers OrchestraSunday 23 June
7.30pm
Rost
Vocal Workshop with The Bevvy Sisters and Fionna Duncan Sunday 23 June
4pm
St Luke’s
The Bevvy Sisters with Fionna Duncan and Brian KellockSunday 23 June
7.30pm
St Luke’s
Lunir
Sunday 23 June
7.30pm
Hug and Pint
Madison McFerrinSunday 23 June
7.30pm
Blue Arrow
Jon Ritchie & That Swing SensationSunday 23 June
10.15pm
Glasgow University Union
Emma-Jean Thackary, support by Rebecca Vasmant Sunday 23 June
10pm
Blue Arrow
Late Night Club and Closing PartySunday 23 June
12am
Blue Arrow
Image: Glasgow Jazz Festival
