Looking forward to summer? Looking forward to the Marlborough International Jazz Festival? Looking forward to the return of the show-stopping Adam Winslet Band?
With their big sound and their mix of funk, rock and soul, they are just one of the confirmed bookings the festival team have already made – and there’s only five months to go.
There are just two diary entries you need: the main event is over the weekend of 17-19 July. And the tickets go on sale on May 1.
And while those months slide away, the list of booked musicians is growing well with many firm favourites and popular bookings. The list is already as long as a list should be for a grand weekend of music.
First up is a new name for the Festival: the much-lauded Samuel Eagles Quartet. Who they?
The American saxophonist Jean Toussaint, who played with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and has been based in London since 1987, knows who: “Samuel Eagles is rapidly standing out from what is today’s norm, with a fresh ear for the music and an exciting approach to improvisation, Samuel is set to make a big impact.”
Samuel was born in London, started playing with his school jazz orchestra and studied at the famous South London Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where he was taught by several famous saxophonists – including Jean Toussaint.
Returning artistes include Sara Spade and the Noisy Boys – who played at the 2014 opening bash. Lil’ Jimmy Reed, Sticky Wicket and his Swing Orchestra, The Originalo Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, The Bratislava Hot Serenaders, Digby Fairweather’s Half Dozen, Baraka, and the ever-popular Darius Brubeck Quartet will all be back.
Also returning are the FB Pocket Orchestra who tweeted that they are “super excited” to have been booked for 2015: “It was fabulous last year.”
After they wowed the audience last year, Zoë Schwarz Blue Commotion are coming back to Marlborough. What kind of commotion is that? As one jazz critic put it: “Schwarz takes all that is good from Janis Joplin and Billie Holiday and makes it uniquely her own.” So if you missed Zoë and co last year – make sure you catch them this year.
Which booked acts have we left out? The Jive Aces are coming back for more Marlborough enthusiasm. So are the Senegalese blues band Abdonlaye Samb & Minnjiaraby.
Of course, July would not be July without a case or two of the Red Stripe band. And should you be the sort of jazz enthusiast who gets nervous in crowds, be reassured: the Wiltshire Police Band will be playing.
You can follow bookings as they are firmed up on the Festival blog and on twitter: #majazz15
