Young jazz stars including the north's Bonsai and Jasmine Whalley feature at Yorkshire festival

Since it began in 2003, one of the key reasons of the success of The Scarborough Jazz Festival has been the eclectic mixture of young talent alongside more established names and this year’s line-up is no exception with a host of young musicians on the bill.
Formerly the Jam Experiment Bonsai feature at Scarborough Jazz FestivalFormerly the Jam Experiment Bonsai feature at Scarborough Jazz Festival
Formerly the Jam Experiment Bonsai feature at Scarborough Jazz Festival

Alto saxophonist Jasmine Whalley opens this year’s festival as she leads her quintet Jasmine which combines the influences of jazz and hip hop and which was selected by musicians and promoters for the Jazz North Introduces scheme.

There is also a return to the festival by Bonsai - formerly known as Jam Experiment who was a highlight at the 2015 Scarborough Jazz Festival. Chosen in the ‘Shape of Jazz to Come in 2018’ in Jazzwise Magazine, the London-based five-piece band includes the winner of Rising Star in the 2017 British Jazz Awards, trombonist Rory Ingham.

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A number of talented youngsters will also appear alongside two mainstays of the UK Jazz scene.

Clark Tracey is undoubtedly one of the leading drummers in the UK. Over many years he has not only fronted bands that play passionate and stimulating jazz but also manages to showcase emerging new talent. Three members of his new quintet are recent finalists in BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year competition.

Pianist John Law is another major figure on the UK jazz scene and his latest project Re-Creations features well known tunes from the worlds of jazz and pop.

It features Parliamentary Jazz Award winner saxophonist Sam Crockatt and a stunning new group of young musicians.

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Alongside classic jazz standards, the quartet plays unique and interesting arrangements of tunes by the likes of The Beatles, Sting, Radiohead, Adele and Daft Punk.

Finally our very own Eastern Area Schools Youth Jazz Orchestra has Saturday morning workshops in Scarborough Spa’s Sun Court which will be tutored by saxophonist Robert Fowler and drummer Matt Skelton.

They then play a concert in the Sun Court in between the afternoon and evening festival sessions which is free to attend.

Scarborough Jazz Festival director Mike Gordonsaid: “There’s some amazing young jazz talent in the UK today and Scarborough Jazz Festival is proud to have promoted many young performers since the first event in 2003.

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"They are the future of jazz and many who have played at the festival have gone on to great things at home and abroad.”

“So come and enjoy these exciting and varied bands. Who knows you may be listening to a future Louis Armstrong or Miles Davis.”

This year’s festival takes place at Scarborough Spa over the weekend of September 20 to 22

Weekend and day tckets for the 2019 Festival are now on sale and can be can be purchased via Scarborough Spa’s box office: 01723 821888 and website: www.scarboroughjazzfestival.co.uk

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