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.
The Oxford Jazz Festival kicks off today with an incredible free performance at the Corner Club with Sarah Gillespie and Gilad Atzmon. The show starts at noon. If you haven’t booked a table, contact the Corner Club to see if they have any space left. Moving on from there, the Jazz Cellar at The Big Bang will host another free performance - this time with international singer Sandi Russell backed by local favourites 3bpm. This performance will be broadcast in part on BBC Oxford. Tonight, come to the Spin Jazz Club to see the fantastic Bobby Wellins backed by the amazing Spin trio of Pete Oxley, Raph Mizraki and Mark Doffman. Tickets are almost sold out, so get yours quickly.
See you at The Festival!
If you were listening to BBC Oxford today you would know that the secret location of our special FREE gig on Thursday has been announced. International jazz artist Sandi Russell will be performing at the Jazz Cellar at the Big Bang on Thursday from around 1.30pm. Sandi will be performing with local favourites 3bpm, and the BBC will be broadcasting parts of the performance live on air!
Get your free pair of tickets by being amongst the first to call The Big Bang on 01865 511441.
For more information about Sandi Russell, click here.
So we have thousands of programmes and hundreds of what I think are the coolest Festival Shirts ever made, ready and waiting at The Big Bang on 124 Walton Street, Jericho. Come and grab yours early from the restaurant and be the first to be seen in the season’s coolest clobber. I shall personally be sporting the American Cut, Long sleeve thingy with the fashionably distressed logo on the back for the whole duration of the festival because they are the knees of the bees. You could choose the polo shirt or the Long sleeve black numbers - Any are cool enough to cut a dash through Easter in Oxford.
Announcement of the surprise gig comes at 10am tomorrow, so log on to here and be among the first to work out how to get tickets….............. M
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
We have just launched an online shop where you can buy jazz paintings and official Oxford Jazz Festival t-shirts!
Artist Ed Stokes has created a series of jazz paintings especially for the Oxford Jazz Festival. The paintings will be on display throughout the Festival at The Big Bang on Walton Street in Jericho. They are one of a kind paintings, so once they are sold, that’s it! If you are interested in purchasing one of these paintings, you might want to do so now online.
Also available in our shop are three styles of t-shirts: a long-sleeved black t-shirt, a navy long sleeve ‘college’ shirt, and an embroidered polo. Get your OxJazz merchandise before the Festival begins so you can wear your shirts to the performances!