Chapel Allerton Arts Festival and Jazz Leeds present four days of jazz blues and soul at the end of August, ending with the Sunday afternoon finale on the main stage in Regent Street.
Thursday 29 August @Seven Arts 8pm Rafe’s Dilemma with Nel Begley and Jamil Sheriff and Phil Green’s Biggish Band£10/8
9.15pm Rafe’s Dilemma
Commissioned to celebrate the play Spring and Port Wine by Bill Naughton, Rafe’s Dilemma brings a mix of jazz, electronic music and rock to create an intriguing sound. The quartet immerses you in the story of a family on the edge, using spoken word, improvisation, synthesised soundscapes and carefully crafted songs. Expect to live the story through their music, feeling the multitude of emotions we all have towards our families and upbringings with an electric new perspective.
Lineup: Nel Begley vocals / Jamil Sheriff keyboards / Pete Turner bass / Katie Patterson drums
8pm Phil Green’s Biggish Band Chapel Allerton trumpet and flugelhorn player Phil Green has always written distinctive melodies and compositions. This festival commission will give him a chance to play these with a nine piece ensemble
Phil Green, flugel & trumpet, Josh Douglas, trumpet, James Bebbington trombone, Cathy Ibberson & David Vaux, alto sax, Alan Howell & Sam Wylie, tenor sax, David Cook, baritone sax, Dave Hobson, keyboard,Stan Brunt, guitar Will Pitchfork, bass, Jonah Evans, drums
Saturday 31 August @Seven Arts 8pm Ubunye £10/8
Ubunye represents Leeds pianist Dave Evans’ long-lasting interest in South Africa and its music. He combines his jazz quartet with a trio of close harmony vocalists (South Africans from the Huddersfield area). Ubunye (‘one-ness’) unites singers hailing from KwaZulu Natal in South Africa with gospel and R’n’B musicians from Yorkshire, in an inspirational blend of jazz, Isigqi (traditional Zulu music) and Afro-pop. High energy African beats and traditional sounds morph into more contemporary African musical styles. All that and the jazz skills of this established quartet. Lineup: Thanda Gumede, Xolani Mbathe vocals / Dave Evans keyboards / Nik Rutherford guitar / Kenny Higgins electric bass / Alex Wibrew drums.
Sunday afternoon 1 Sept Jazz Blues and Soul Sunday Payf (recommended £3)
A highlight of the Leeds jazz blues and soul calendar – the best of Leeds bands on stage in Regent Street as part of a finale to the Chapel Allerton Arts Festival @Regent Street 12-6pm
Soul Surgeons 12 midday main stage
The Soul Surgeons, are a nine piece band of Chapel Allerton musicians, who have been performing together for over twenty years. A lively, soulful mix of music is guaranteed to get your feet moving. With music from Etta James to Tom Jones, the Blues brothers to Dusty Springfield, Motown and much more in between, it will be an performance to celebrate.
Jim Wright’s Rhythm De Luxe 1pm main stage
Chapel Allerton’s own banjo maestro Jim Wright leads a group playing the traditional jazz of Fats Waller, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong
Vibeology 2pm main stage
Vibe-ology puts a groovy spin on the traditional organ quartet form. Leeds vibeist John Settle uses vibes as a frontline instrument in a group inspired by organist “big” John Patton and vibes man Bobby Hutcherson. Jazz, blues, latin and funk modes.John Settle vibes, Joe England drums, Bob Birch organ, Al Morrison guitar. Kyla Brox vocal, Danny Blomley bass, Paul Farr guitar , Mark Warburton drums
The Kyla Brox Blues Band 3pm main stage
Kyla’s voice remains a stunning example of the soul singer’s art: turning up the heat by degrees, lulling and charming before unleashing emotional catharsis, and blurring the distinction between pleasure and pain like the soul greats of old. Without doubt the most authentic UK blues and soul singer of her generation.
New Position 4pm main stage
Leeds-based nine-pack of funk/R&B slammers with a trio of lead singers. Bitter-sweet switter-beats alongside popcorn-funk that may well get stuck in your teeth. But it’s not bothersome – it tastes good.
Louis Louis Louis 5pm main stage
Classic rhythm ‘n’ blues, doo-wop and ska with thumpin’ slap bass, honkin’ horns, raucous four-part vocal harmonies and a driving piano boogie to finish off the festival.
All afternoon we’ll be hearing in the street from the wonderful Old Time Rags – Lawrence Marshall ’s one man band and Phoebe Douthwaite’s tap dancing
