The full line-up for this year’s Marsden’s Jazz Festival has now been unveiled and it includes over 80 free gigs and events as well as performances by internationally-acclaimed artists.
Jazz legend Digby Fairweather appeared at Marsden’s first jazz festival in 1992 and tickets for his ‘Rocking in Rhythm’ show alongside BBC Radio 2’s Paul Jones for the 25th festival have already sold out.
Tickets for the other headline gigs at this year’s festival, which is being supported by Yorkshire Water and Arts Council England, are also selling well and festival goers are being encouraged to buy tickets in advance rather than waiting until the weekend itself.
Other headliners include ten-piece band Jazz Jamaica, Anglo-American supergroup The Impossible Gentlemen, and Jazz FM Awards 2016 nominee Nérija.
The 25th Marsden Jazz Festival will also feature the renowned Saturday street parade, an artisan market in Marsden’s Victorian park and over 140 hours of live music at 25 venues.
Festival Producer Barney Stevenson said: “We’re delighted with the line-up we’ve managed to get for our 25th festival and there really is something for everyone from headliners in the historic Mechanics Hall to up-and-coming community and youth groups on our four outdoor stages.
“There’ll also be live jazz in ten pubs, bars and cafes, six clubs, two churches and a church hall, and one converted mill from 7pm on the Friday evening up until 11pm on the Sunday night of the festival weekend.
“The Saturday street parade is always the centrepiece of the festival and this year’s parade – dubbed The Marsden Big Noise – promises to be bigger than ever, featuring three of the UK’s leading street bands and a mad musical machine.
“Children will also be able to make their own instruments from recycled household items at special workshops leading up to the festival, and then take part in the parade itself.”
A special child-friendly gig – Monster Music Improv – will also be taking place at Standedge Tunnel Visitors’ Centre on the Sunday afternoon of the festival weekend where live cartoons and live jazz will be mixed together.
Cartoonist Patrick Sanders will be drawing cartoons, projected onto a big screen, to accompany improvised performances by outstanding guitarist and technology whizz Shane Latimer and Jazz FM Vocalist of the Year 2016 Lauren Kinsella.
Other headliners travelling to the Yorkshire Pennine village for the 25th festival are 20-piece hip hop big band Abstract Orchestra, Montreal trio Trifolia, Lancashire-based swing group The Swing Commanders and rising Blues star Tom Seals.
A tribute to influential American jazz musician Jaco Pastorius will also be performed by the Ben Crosland Quartet with special guests Martin Shaw and Mick Hutton.
Four acts will be appearing on Marsden’s New Stream stage this year, which features new and experimental jazz. Fraser Fifield and Graeme Stephen; Eskelin, Bourne and Sharkey; the Anton Hunter Trio; and Dave Kane are all performing at the Royal British Legion on the Saturday of the festival weekend.
Marsden Jazz Festival was named ‘Outstanding Established Festival’ at the Yorkshire Gig Guide Grassroots Awards 2015, and thousands of music lovers make their way to Marsden by train, bus, car and narrow boat every year for the festival weekend.
This year’s Marsden Jazz Festival is taking place between Friday 7 and Sunday 9 October 2016. Tickets are on sale now and can booked online at www.marsdenjazzfestival.com, by calling 0800 6125 649 (10am-4pm, Monday-Friday), or at the jazz festival office in the library at Marsden Mechanics (10am-4pm, Tuesday-Friday).
The full line-up of over 100 gigs is also available to view at www.marsdenjazzfestival.com/whats-on.
