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Canary Wharf becomes London’s Jazz Capital

15th July 2011 Print
London Jazz Event

Canary Wharf becomes the centre of the jazz world on 12-14 August when some of the best performers on the circuit take the stage at the Canary Wharf Jazz Festival.

The diverse line-up, announced today, is arguably the best in the Festival’s five year history and includes the sparkling jazz-folk talent of Gwyneth Herbert, influential purveyors of rare groove The Herbaliser, brilliant BBC Award winner and Mercury Prize nominee Kit Downes and world class Canadian jazz trumpeter Jay Phelps performing with Clare Teal and a brand new 16-piece Big Band.

The Canary Wharf Jazz Festival opens on the evening of Friday 12 August with the gentle fusion of jazz and traditional Yoruba Song performed by Femi Tomowo and band at 7pm, followed by the slick trans-Caribbean rhythms of big Band Ska Cubano at 8.30pm.

Saturday’s programme commences with the laid back vocals of special guest Cousin Alice and the Boisdale Blue Rhythm Band. Next up, the quartet Aquarium led by pianist Sam Leak perform material from their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, released earlier this year. 

Following a bewitching performance from Gwyneth Herbert, the stage will be filled with the infectious Latin sounds of Cuban Combination. The evening will close with the extraordinary and über-established sound of The Herbaliser and James Morton of Porkchop fame on alto saxophone.

Sunday’s line up will kick off with a highlight performance by the Kit Downes Sextet, followed by the Latin jazz flavours of Grupo X. The critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Sarah Gillespie with her quartet,  featuring guest maverick sax player Gilad Atzmon will perform her unique mix of jazz, blues and urban folk. Superlative trumpeter Jay Phelps provides a fitting grand finale featuring Clare Teal and his 16-piece Big Band.

Part of the festival for the first time this year is Jazz on the Screen; a series of stylised documentaries shown on the big screen in Canada Square Park in collaboration with Rich Mix Cinema and Arts Centre. Ben Stern’s landmark Jazz on a Summer Day (1966) features the Newport Jazz Festival of 1958. The Monk and Monk in Europe (1968) films provide insight into the complicated life of Thelonius Monk, one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz.

The Canary Wharf Jazz Festival is part of a summer-long array of free performing arts and music concerts in Canada Square Park. It also comes hot on the heels of April’s opening of Boisdale of Canary Wharf, which is one of the capital’s best new live music venues featuring nightly jazz and soul performances overseen by Patron of Music Jools Holland.

Sian Astrop, Arts & Events Manager at Canary Wharf Group plc said: “The Canary Wharf Jazz Festival is going from strength to strength and Canary Wharf itself is growing in stature as a music hot-spot. We are particularly pleased with the diversity of performances this year and it’s all free to enjoy. It’s going to be a memorable three days in Canada Square Park this August.

Event Details:

Canary Wharf Jazz Festival
Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf, London
Friday 12 – Sunday 14 August 2011
Times:  Fri 7pm-10pm / Saturday 1.30pm – 10pm / Sunday 1.30pm – 8.15pm
FREE EVENT
 
 

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London Jazz Event