The Llandudno Jazz Festival once again brings a rich array of mainstream to modern jazz to the north Wales coast in July. Local and visiting jazz fans can look forward to seeing, over the weekend of 26-28 July, Zoe Rahman, Ian Shaw, Tony Kofi, Dave Newton, Greg Abate, Nigel Price, Sara Oschlag, Art Themen, Jim Mullen and Gilad Atzmon, among a host of other leading names in the field.
On top of the strong billing, the festival has the appeal of being set again in the green and pleasant surroundings of Bodafon Farm Park, just a stone’s throw from the famous promenade and pier. The festival will be hosted by jazz’s king of the dry, Alan Barnes, who brings his octet to perform the Requiem suite.
The full list of artists confirmed so far for the festival is: Zoe Rahman; Ian Shaw with Dave Newton Trio; Tony Kofi; Dean Masser’s Salute To Dexter Gordon; Brandon Allen’s Gene Ammons Project; Benn Clatworthy: Giant Stepping featuring Steve Melling; Chris Gumbley’s Tribute To Cannonball featuring Bryan Corbett; A Different Kind Of Blue, marking six decades since Miles Davis’s 1958 masterpiece; Alan Barnes Octet playing the Requiem suite; Dave Newton Trio; Greg Abate; Nigel Price; Sara Oschlag; Art Themen; Clark Tracey; Neil Yates; Jim Mullen with Zoe Frances; Mark Nightingale; Gilad Atzmon; Sebastian de Krom; Josie Moon; Arnie Somogyi; Richard Wetherall; Dave Green; Tom Hill; Matt Home; Caroline Boaden; Ed Harrison; Carl Hemmingsley; Liam Byrne; and Pat McCarthy.
Musical fringe events will again run alongside the main events in the upper courtyard and at another venue in Llandudno, featuring a range of genres designed to appeal to a wider audience.
This year there will also be Gig For Big Ed, a separately ticketed fund-raiser for St David’s Hospice and the young family of Ed Burke, LJF co-founder and director who sadly passed away earlier this year. This special performance at the new Underground Bar at Tiffany Café Bar, the night before the festival, will feature Sara Oschlag, Neil Yates, Tony Kofi, Dan Sheppard, Dean Masser, Andy MacKenzie, Gaz Hughes and more.
For more information and tickets go to llandudnojazzfestival.com.
