22/09/2012

Bristol's 1st international jazz and blues festival

The city of Bristol, in the heart of the Avon delta, plays host to some of the world’s most exciting and innovative jazz musicians for one explosive weekend in March 2013. From Friday evening 1st March through Sunday evening 3rd March, the city’s flagship concert space, Colston Hall, will feature over 24 individual concerts, late night jam sessions and instrumental and vocal workshops catering for all levels of musicianship.

Colston Hall 1, the main room, will be the setting for performances by Cuban virtuoso Arturo Sandoval and his sextet on Sunday night. Guitar legend John Scofield brings his new project, the Organic Trio featuring Larry Goldings (organ) and Greg Hutchinson (drums), to play on Saturday evening. On Friday, we welcome tango, jazz, Gypsy, world and waltz geniuses Richard Galliano (accordion) and Bireli Lagrene (guitar) for what will be a unique event.

The weekend will also see performances from UK legend Chris Barber, New Orleans official musical ambassador Lillian Boutté, funk maestro Pee Wee Ellis, local heroes Andy Sheppard and Get The Blessing, BBC radio stars Clare Teal and Alyn Shipton, and a host of other great artists.

Local groups will be well represented on our free Foyer Stage which will have music running all day provided by the cream of south-west jazz talent. Colston Hall 2 will feature more national and international bands and be the venue for a series of workshops provided by some of the great players we have booked for the Festival.

If that wasn’t enough, the upstairs Bar will play host to late night jam sessions which will kick off after the Hall 1 performance on each evening, and we have put a superb house band together to give any musicians wanting an after-hours sit-in a world class rhythm section to play with.

For ticket info and much more check out the website: http://www.bristoljazzandbluesfest.com

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