upfront
THE BEAT OF BRECON
Bill Knowles previews another tantalising weekend of world-class jazz as Brecon Jazz Festival kicks into gear once more this August .
E
very year , for one short weekend , a quiet little town in the Welsh valleys changes its tune . You might not notice it on the Thursday night – because , after all , it ’ ll be almost like every other Thursday night – and you might not notice it the next morning ; it ’ ll seem like the same old weekday sun rising over the Beacons on its typical Friday commute . But you ’ ll sure as hell notice it before the day gets dark because on Fri 9 Aug , for three short special days , the jazz is back as the music rises from the bandstands and concert halls , the bars and the pubs . In 1984 , Jed Williams , a pub landlord and respected jazz aficionado , put on the very first Brecon Jazz Festival . It was part of a local initiative to raise the profile of the arts in the sleepy little market town and bring a little bit of world music to the Welsh valleys . 31 years on and the initiative seems to have worked . Brecon is now one of the biggest names on the British jazz circuit , and year upon year , the festival draws a plethora of prominent musicians as well as music lovers from around the UK and further afield . Some huge names have graced the stages over the years . The list includes the likes of Sonny Rollins , Buddy Tate , Lee Koniz , Woody Shaw and McCoy Turner among others , and as well as choosing from a pantheon of great artists over the years , the festival has also seen musicians in the very early stages of their artistic ascendency . In 2004 , fresh from the success of her first album , a young Amy Winehouse stunned a packed festival hall with a set of soulful eloquence and style . There ’ s plenty to be excited about on the 2013 programme , too . Some big hitters have been brought in to headline each night – Courney Pine on the
Friday , Mavis Staples on the Saturday and Jools Holland on the Sunday – and whilst they ’ re sure to draw the crowds , as always with Brecon , it ’ s the less well known , more off the wall acts that really lend the festival its air of creative electricity . In Theatr Brycheiniog on Sat 10 Aug , perhaps one of the most hotly tipped of these acts will be performing : Django Bates ’ Belovèd . Recognised by critics as one of the most outstanding jazz trios playing at the moment , Belovèd matches Bates on piano with Petter Eldh on double bass and Peter Bruun on drums . Belovèd are set to perform a series of compositions from their album Confirmation , playing tracks written by Bates as well as some by the great American saxophonist Charlie Parker . Elsewhere , there ’ s plenty of prodigious talent to be seen . Scandinavian / British trio Phronesis promise to light up Theatr Brycheiniog ’ s Saturday afternoon slot with their enthralling , highly imaginative , pan- European sound . On Friday evening , the Chapter Stage at Brecon Cathedral will host pianist Zoe Rahmen , winner of the Best Jazz Act Award at the 2012 MOBO Awards . And the Sunday afternoon slot sees Jim Black – possibly one of the most exciting and influential contemporary jazz drummers in the world – play a set at the Castle Hotel with Brooklyn and Huw Warren . A range of masterclasses will also be on offer throughout the festival , allowing insights into the creative and technical workings of various musical minds . They ’ ll be held by the likes of Maria Pia de Vito and Huw Warren , Jason Rebello , and saxophonist Julian Seigel – all of whom can be seen playing sets of their own during the festival . On Friday , the Jason Rebello Group are due to play the Castle Hotel on Saturday , Brecon Cathedral ’ s Chapter Stage will host the Julian Seigel Quartet , and on the same stage , Huw Warren can be seen collaborating with Maria Pia De Vito . Of course , Brecon wouldn ’ t be what it is without its expansive fringe circuit , which keeps live music streaming from every bar and pub in the town throughout the day and long into the night . Street entertainment can also be expected throughout the festival weekend , which helps to create the celebrative atmosphere that has led Brecon to become the exciting festival it is today , as well as one of the stand-out events of the Welsh cultural calendar , promising a great weekend for everyone : families , jazz aficionados , and the intrigued jazz newbies .
Brecon Jazz Festival , Fri 9-Sun 11 Aug , tickets : events individually prices . Info : www . breconjazz . com
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