Artephis, Manchester Jazz Collective and Täpp have all been selected as ambassador artists for Jazz North’s northern line touring scheme 2018 – 2019.
Launched in 2013, northern line is an innovative model for touring which gives promoters the opportunity to programme high quality artists with low financial risk. To date, 59 ambassador artists have taken part in the scheme, performing 650 gigs with over 170 partners across the north of England and beyond.
This year’s artists were selected by an independent panel of jazz professionals following an open call to musicians living in the region. The selection panel comprised: Barney Stevenson, Marsden Jazz Festival; Wesley Stephenson, Jazz North East; Juliet Kelly, Musician; Dennis Rollins, Musician; Amy Pearce, Producer; Jilly Jarman, Blue Jam Arts; Nigel Slee, Jazz North Creative Director; Steve Mead, Jazz North Creative Director, Manchester Jazz Festival Artistic Director; David Porter (Chair), JNight and Hull Jazz Festival.
Lucy Woolley, northern line project leader said: ‘The northern line scheme aims to highlight both the quality and variety of jazz being composed and performed by artists all across the North. This year’s roster is no exception, reflecting the diverse talent living and working in the region.’
Artephis
Comprising current student James Girling (guitar) and alumni Aaron Wood (trumpet), Alasdair Simpson (bass guitar), Ali Roocroft (piano) and Matt Brown (drums), Artephis combines outstanding musicianship and spry energy with organic yet sophisticated compositions; light-footed grooves that call on late-‘60s/early-‘70s Miles Davis, prog rock and electronic music.
Manchester Jazz Collective
Led by alumnus Kyran Matthews, Manchester Jazz Collective is a collaboration of northern players creating large-scale compositions and defying stylistic categorisation, thanks to their varied palettes and democratic approach: rich orchestrations rub shoulders with middle-Eastern harmonies, Afro-jazz and heavy metal.
Täpp
Alumni Rebekah Reid (violin, loop pedal) and Polly Virr (cello, loop pedal) make up duo Täpp, which combines acoustic strings and classical composition practices with loops and improvisation, conjuring up pieces that evolve and borrow from jazz, minimalism, folk, world and electronic dance music.
