Manchester Jazz Festival
Encyclopedia
Manchester Jazz Festival is an annual 9-day-long festival
focused on showcasing contemporary jazz
from the North West of England and beyond.
city centre.
Key dates and figures for the festival:
1996: 1st Manchester Jazz Festival - 1 day, 1 venue, 10 bands
2000: 1st new jazz work commissioned by the festival
2003: 1st mjf all-day finale in Albert Square, with 5 bands, 50 musicians and 5,000 attenders
2006: 1st ever jazz festival podcast in the UK – won the Independent’s Critics’ Choice
More details are available on the festival website.
's Regularly Funded Organisation since 1999.
It is one of Manchester City Council
's Pillar Event since 2003.
It also regularly receive financial support from the PRS Foundation for New Music to foster new talents and develop new works.
, Jon Thorne
(with Danny Thompson
), Stuart McCallum (with John Surman
), Mike Walker
(with Adam Nussbaum
).
In 2008, the festival has been allocated an increase in core funding from Arts Council England
to develop its commitment to new jazz works and to actively encourage innovative artistic creation on the part of the region’s jazz community. This new strand, called "mjf originals", is open to submissions. The first recipients, whose work will be premiered in July 2009, are Olivia Moore and Matt Owens.
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
focused on showcasing contemporary jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
from the North West of England and beyond.
mjf 2010
The 15th Manchester Jazz Festival will take place from 23 to 31 July in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
city centre.
History
The Manchester Jazz Festival was created in 1996 as a one-day showcase and has grown into a 9-day event, with 60 gigs and 300 musicians planned for July 2009.Key dates and figures for the festival:
1996: 1st Manchester Jazz Festival - 1 day, 1 venue, 10 bands
2000: 1st new jazz work commissioned by the festival
2003: 1st mjf all-day finale in Albert Square, with 5 bands, 50 musicians and 5,000 attenders
2006: 1st ever jazz festival podcast in the UK – won the Independent’s Critics’ Choice
More details are available on the festival website.
Public funders
Manchester Jazz Festival is an Arts Council EnglandArts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
's Regularly Funded Organisation since 1999.
It is one of Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
's Pillar Event since 2003.
It also regularly receive financial support from the PRS Foundation for New Music to foster new talents and develop new works.
Cultural supporters
The festival's international programme is supported by the Instituto Cervantes Manchester and the Italian Consulate.Private supporters
The Festival is supported by businesses in Manchester, including The Midland Hotel, Susi Madron's Cycling for Softies, and Lloyd Piggott Chartered Accountants.Commissions
From 2000, Manchester Jazz Festival has been commissioning North West artists to help them develop ambitious projects. Previously commissioned artists include Richard IlesRichard Iles
Richard Iles is a trumpet player and jazz composer. As a member of the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra, he gained valuable experience in jazz...
, Jon Thorne
Jon Thorne
Jon Thorne is an English double bassist.Born in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire he lived in Zimbabwe from the age of 6 to 11 and is now based in Whalley Range, Manchester. He is self taught and started playing in his early twenties...
(with Danny Thompson
Danny Thompson
Daniel Henry Edward 'Danny' Thompson is an English multi-instrumentalist best known as a double bassist and businessman...
), Stuart McCallum (with John Surman
John Surman
John Douglas Surman is an English jazz saxophone, bass clarinet and synthesizer player, and composer of free jazz and modal jazz, often using themes from folk music as a basis...
), Mike Walker
Mike Walker
Mike Walker is the name of:*Mike Walker , gossip columnist for the National Enquirer*Mike Walker , jazz guitar player from Salford in England*Mike Walker , American football player...
(with Adam Nussbaum
Adam Nussbaum
-Biography:Nussbaum grew up in Norwalk, Connecticut and started to play drums at age 12 after studying piano for five years. He also played bass and saxophone as a teenager. He moved to New York City in 1975 to attend The Davis Center for Performing Arts at City College...
).
In 2008, the festival has been allocated an increase in core funding from Arts Council England
Arts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
to develop its commitment to new jazz works and to actively encourage innovative artistic creation on the part of the region’s jazz community. This new strand, called "mjf originals", is open to submissions. The first recipients, whose work will be premiered in July 2009, are Olivia Moore and Matt Owens.
mjf in the press and media
External links
- Official Manchester Jazz Festival website
- NWJazzworks, the support and development agency for jazz in the North West of England
- Arts Council England, the national development agency for the arts in England
- Manchester City Council
- PRS Foundation for New Music