Hull Jazz Festival returns from 10th – 13th November, celebrating jazz icons from the past 100 years alongside a spotlight on new music, with a strong focus on Hull.
The festival opens with a double bill celebrating the 50th anniversary of cult British gangster movie Get Carter. A film screening’s followed by the world premiere of pianist and Hammond player Wendy Kirkland’s new arrangements of Roy Budd’s iconic score. Wendy’s joined by her trio and special guest jazz funk trombonist Dennis Rollins MBE in a special event commissioned by the Ted Lewis Society. Lewis, whose novel inspired the film, lived in Barton-upon-Humber and attended Hull School of Art and was a pianist on the local jazz scene.
Two more world premieres follow on Thursday 11th November, with a celebration of Hull’s vibrant music scene and the first outings for works commissioned as part of Hull Jazz Festival’s Kickstart Commissions series. With Here: A Celebration of Hull at Hull Truck Theatre, six of the city’s finest (Vicky Foster & The Broken Orchestra, Emily Render & Tom Kay and Late Night Marauders’ Ruth Scott & James Wood) open the double bill with a programme of new music, spoken word and classic soul and jazz covers. They’re followed by violinist Matt Holborn and his Quartet, performing his new suite Here, an exploration of acoustic jazz inspired by Hull’s history, its place on the map and its people. And over at Social on Humber Street, saxophonist Dustin Kitsch presents a flamboyant new take on the big band tradition with The Kitsch Co. UV Ball.
UK jazz legend Courtney Pine performs alongside MOBO Award-winning pianist Zoe Rahman on Friday 12th November, with the most intimate show of his long and celebrated career. SONG: The Ballad Book sees Courtney step away from his familiar small band setting to create a programme of favourite ballads that range far and wide, from Duke Ellington to Chaka Khan.
Four shows at Hull Truck Theatre on Saturday 13th November open with Hull-based producer, composer and pianist Mark Slater, performing his forthcoming album Insula. As a co-producer with the Nightports project, Mark’s created albums with pianist Matthew Bourne, drummer Max Hallett (aka Betamax, the Comet is Coming), and bassist Tom Herbert (Polar Bear/The Invisible).
Next up, a celebration of the world’s most famous jazz city, with all-star quartet The Dime Notes digging back into the blues-drenched sounds of clarinet-driven 1920s New Orleans jazz. On the way, they’ll unearth a repertoire of stomps, blues and forgotten gems of the era from musicians including Johnny Dodds, Jelly Roll Morton and Red Nicholls.
Hull musicians Paul Sargeson and Chris Sykes present extracts from Wild Side, a Kickstart seed commission that explores the atmospheric landscape of East Yorkshire, and their creative process, ideas and experiences while walking the Wolds.
And the festival closes with Billie Holiday at Carnegie Hall starring Vimala Rowe. Inspired by the legendary 1956 concerts at which Billie’s music was accompanied by extracts from her autobiography Lady Sings the Blues, this words-and-music show gives a thrilling insight into this immortal jazz talent. The stellar band is led by pianist and MD Alex Webb and features Sue Richardson (trumpet) and Denys Baptiste (tenor saxophone and clarinet).
Covid-secure guidelines will be updated regularly on the Hull Truck Theatre website and their box office team will be available to answer any questions on 01482 323638. Tickets for both live events and livestreams of our shows with Courtney Pine and Zoe Rahman, The Dime Notes and Billie Holiday at Carnegie Hall are available from the Hull Truck Theatre website: www.hulltruck.co.uk. Tickets for The Kitsch Co. UV Ball are available from https://socialhumberstreet.co.uk/
Full listings can be found on the Hull Jazz Festival website: https://hulljazzfestival.co.uk/whats-on/.