Festival 2019

A four day Jazz festival held in July each year in City Centre Venues such at the College of Music and the Wardrobe

This year’s Jazzleeds festival will run from Thursday July 18th-Sunday July 21 2019 in city centre venues including the Wardrobe, the College of Music and the Carriageworks with build up events at the main city jazz venues such as Heart and Hyde Park Book Club

Headline acts this year include a Celebration of the Windrush Jazz generation with the music if Dizzy Reece, the all star Electric Ladyland Big Band, young sax star Leo Richardson and a 90th Birthday Big band celebration with Ronnie Bottomley. We’ll also have jazz and poetry, jazz and film and the New York Brass Band will be the band playing on the “Otley Jazz Run”! More information soon…

JAZZLEEDS FESTIVAL 18-21 JULY 2019

Four days of the best jazz in City Centre Venues including The Wardrobe, Leeds College of Music and Carriageworks

Featuring…

Electric Ladyland Big Band

Jazz and the Windrush

Ronnie Bottomley’s 90th Birthday big band

Leo Richardson

New York Brass on the Otley Jazz Run

Fusebox improv bands

Jazz films

Poetry and jazz

Busk Stops and late night Jam sessions

plus many more…

About the Festival

The feedback from last year’s festival was superb :

“Wonderful. Amazing. Energising. Musical. Epitomises Leeds”

“An excellent selection of artists. Inspiring and boundary-breaking”

“Absolutely stunning, effortless, laid back. Your volunteers were “gold””

For a city with such a buzzing jazz scene – almost 30 jazz venues, the UK’s best jazz club (official), the first (and still best) jazz music education courses in Europe not having a jazz festival was a big cultural gap for the city.

What Leeds has is unique – a huge, successful and fascinating jazz story with inventiveness, skill and talent.

Says jazz festival organiser Steve Crocker

“The 2023 bid and the ambition to have a big Cultural Festival in Leeds was the catalyst. If everyone else in the city was up for it, why not us? Our ambition is to have a festival that by 2023 can really match the best in the world”

“Jerry Godley, the principal at Leeds College of Music, along with his colleague Jamil Sheriff have been fantastic supporters, allowing us use their venue for the whole four days. Leeds City Council have helped by encouraging with Arts at Leeds funding for the first time. The Wardrobe venue in Leeds city centre have welcomed us to festival events there on the Friday Saturday and Sunday.”

When is the festival and where will it be held?

It is over four days this summer – July 18-21. There are two main venues – the Wardrobe (Friday – Sunday evenings) and the next door Leeds College of Music (Thursday -Sunday evenings and Saturday and Sunday afternoons)

Season tickets go on sale on Monday 4th February with individual concerts from Monday 4th March

Why not give the Jazz Leeds Festival a go this year?

It’s more than just another jazz festival – it’s a celebration of Leeds as a city! It’s also the start of something big– so be part of it!

Get Involved

This is our ticket box office site

You can buy tickets for all our upcoming gigs here

www.ticketsource.co.uk/jazzleeds

JAZZ CHOIR

Our Jazz Choir with Tessa Smith returns to “Northlight” (the new name for Inkwell) on 31 Potternewton Lane Leeds LS7 3LW. Come and join us! Contact Tessa Smith on Tessa Smith info@tessasmith.com

JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL WORKSHOPS

Workshops will start again fortnightly at “Northlight” (the new name for Inkwell on 31 Potternewton Lane LS73LW) on Sunday mornings, 10:30am-12:30pm – Cost per session: £10/8. All instruments and standards welcome. There is a piano available and a drum kit, otherwise please bring your instruments. To join – contact tutor Dominic Moore.

e: Dominic Moore – soundoodle@gmail.com