Today is the first day of the festival and we’re off to a fantastic start! Sarah Gillespie and her quartet, which included the famed Gilad Atzmon on harmonica, accordian and an assortment of wind instruments, played to an enthusiastic and sold out crowd at the Corner Club. This was followed by our secret Sandi Russell performance at the Jazz Cellar at the Big Bang, which was also extremely well received. BBC Oxford broadcast live during the afternoon on location, with on-air personality Jo Thoenes interviewing Sandi, acclaimed local guitarist Pete Oxley, and jazz pianist Joe Jackson on site, and conducting phone interviews with Sophie Garner and Julian Siegel.
Tomorrow is the start of the week of the festival and everything is lined up suitably - programmes are springing up all over Oxford like purple paper snowdrops and seats are being snapped up at a rate of knots, particularly those for John Etheridge at the SAE, a chance to see a jazz legend in conversation and in performance. If you can’t find programmes around, then do let us know, because we have thousands to distribute.
Early forecasts for the weather aren’t that promising, but it’s not the greatest problem, as all venues are indoors and comfortable. At least it means that nobody will be thinking of heading to the coast for the Easter weekend and will stay around and make use of the cultural spectacle that will encompass Oxford.
Look forward to seeing you there, Max
Our economy is a storm ravishing the British economic landscape and seemingly one of the key things being hit, in advance of the 2012 Olympics is the world of Culture. Jazz Festivals are falling at a rate of knots, first Brecon Jazz was announced as being in financial trouble, then the Isle of Man jazz festival is cancelled, closed followed by the Plymouth jazz festival being cancelled last week and the Isle of Wight jazz festival seeing cancellation this week.
Yet in the midst of all this gloom is one good news story; amongst the beautiful dreaming spires of Oxford, a brand new jazz festival has set out to beat the economy, by making the whole of Oxford take part, from volunteer stewards to restaurants, churches and college theatres across the city being willing to house jazz bands at either a cut price rate or by paying for the performances themselves. It has turned this festival, still in it’s inaugural year into a behemoth, with a full and exciting range of jazz in some of the most exhilarating venues imaginable, including the Oxford Union debating chamber and a converted asylum.
Performances from the leading lights of the world of jazz underpin the program which runs across the whole Easter weekend including highlights from Gwynneth Herbert, Ian Shaw, Julian Siegel and John Etheridge
See http://www.OxfordJazzFestival.com for further details
Isle Of Wight Jazz Festival cancelled, Isle of Man Jazz Festival cancelled, Brecon Jazz in financial trouble, Plymouth Jazz Festival cancelled.
Oxford Jazz Festival brand new on the scene and heading from strength to strength through a terrifying economic market. We need every support you can give, we need you to tell everyone you know to come to Oxford, because we have a fantastic festival planned, which is going from strength to strength, but will need people to attend, so that we can return year after year.
This city has needed a festival of this sort for so many years, it feels like we are the first rain after the drought - It’s such an exciting thing to be a part of and tremendous to watch it taking shape. For Easter weekend, don’t leave Oxford - it’ll be a cultural spectacle!