The Isle of Wight Jazz Weekend gets underway this Wednesday with a set from vocalist and bass player Nicola Farnon at Newport Methodist Church.
Brought up in a musical family, Nicola originally studied classical cello and piano before embracing jazz. With her natural musicality, versatility and attention to detail, she keeps audiences spellbound with classic songs ranging from 1930s to the 1970s. A truly talented singer, Nicola is a class act with a passionate and swinging style, outstanding personality and a charismatic stage presence to match.
Friday night (20th September) sees a double header of events at Quay Arts where 2 stalwarts of Island jazz will be leading the proceedings.
Upstairs you will find Gary Plumley’s ‘Alley Cats’ a fusion/funk band known for their interpretations of numbers by Herbie Hancock, Jaco Pastorius, the Crusaders and Michael Brecker amongst many others. Meanwhile, with an equally impressive CV, Island-based bassist Jon Thorne will be downstairs in the café leading a trio through the songbook of Duke Ellington, famed for such classics as ‘Take the A train’ and ‘Mood indigo’.
Headlining at the newly refurbished Newport Minster on Saturday (21st September) is Tony Kofi’s ‘Inside Straight’ which was formed to showcase the music of the late Cannonball Adderley. Having cut his teeth in the Jazz Warriors’ of the early 90’s he has since gone on to establish himself as a multi-award-winning musician, teacher and composer.
Trad fans are well catered for with the appearance on Saturday of the ‘Windy City Weatherbirds’ who specialise in swing and Dixieland music inspired by their love of Wild Bill Davison, Louis Armstrong and Muggsy Spanier to name but a few! Formed during their time spent studying at various conservatoires they are a bit of a ‘family business’ as the group features a front line of 3 brothers – Magnus, Joe and Daniel Pickering on trumpet, clarinet and trombone respectively.
Cool jazz is well represented with fans in for a treat as the music of British-born George Shearing is celebrated by ‘Sounds of Shearing’ whose instrumentation mirrors that of the classic Shearing Quintet from the 1950s and 1960s. Their repertoire includes Shearing’s ‘Lullaby of Birdland’ and ‘September in the Rain’ ensuring that Shearing fans are assured a real treat.
For a livelier experience then Georgina Jackson’s Sass and brass in the Minster on Saturday promises a set of swinging, bluesy, ballady, and iconic songs alongside a hefty dose of sizzling brass. Fans of more modern jazz will have an equally lively experience when the ‘Matt Carter Octet’ rocks the Apollo Theatre on Friday.
Event director Jim Thorn said:
“I am very pleased with the reaction to the line-up this year. Tickets are selling well and we have had to move one gig to a larger venue to cater for unprecedented customer demand.”
“Due to popular demand we have introduced event merchandise this year. Also tickets are selling well and both these and merchandise are available through our website (iwjazzweekend.co.uk) which also has full details and timings of all events.”
