Abergavenny’s first wall2wall Jazz Festival starts this Friday, 4th September with a festival supper 'made in Wales' at the Kings Arms 7.15pm for 7.45pm supper - Enjoy a 2 course meal followed by the best of jazz from Welsh-based artists, fronted by Andrew Fawcett. Tickets are £19 - Book online
Mansel Davies 12.30pm and 1.45pm
Singer/songwriter Mansel Davies plays as a solo performer (vocal/guitar) as well as duo, trio and 4-piece. A regular and popular perdformer at South Wales venues with music that covers a wide range of artists, as well as his own original material.
Bluesy Susie 3pm and 4.15pm
Susie Webb (aka Bluesy Susie) has made many TV and Radio appearances. She has performed and conducted at The Royal Albert Hall, sang on the pitch at the Millenium Stadium for the Wales vs South Africa match and has also headlined at venues such as Ronnie Scotts, Wales Millenium Centre, Birmingham N.I.A, Ross Festival and Brecon Jazz Festival.
Artist's website and video
£6 for the full afternoon - Book online
The Ben Cipolla Band - 12pm
The Ben Cipolla Band consists of eight young musicians. They made their first debut at The Marlborough Jazz Festival in July 2014 where they received the Brewin Dolphin Best Newcomer Award.
Video Clip
£12 - Book online
Radio Banska at 2.15pm
“ Radio Banska rip up the file marked 'genre' and throw the resultant musical confetti in the air for all to dance around in!"
This Bath-based instrumental quintet delivers a jazz infused blend of Levantine mystery, Balkan passion and Latin rhythms expressed in exciting original compositions with a world music flavour. £12 - Book online
Emily Saunders ESB at 4.30pm
"Absolutely brilliant" Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio2
"The outrageously good Emily Saunders. An extraordinary talent" - Chris Philips, JazzFM
"Jazz album of the year so far" - The Independent
Released March 2015, Emily's critically acclaimed album ‘Outsiders Insiders’ is remarkably assured, polished and accomplished. £15 - Book online
Ben Treacher Quartet at 6.45pm
"A beautiful, lyrical player of phenomenal potential" - Johnny Dankworth
“I have searched all over the world looking for great musicians and it's rare to find such talent right on my doorstep” - John Cameron
One of the highlights of our past festival, multi- instrumentalist and composer Ben returns again with his talented quartet
£13 - Book online
Moscow Drug Club at 9pm
Moscow Drug Club’s amazing talent leaves all around baying for more, with their
brilliant crowd pleasing cabaret tuneage raised to the level of magnificence by
virtuosic playing!
A major hit at last year’s festival with their interpretations of highly fashionable gypsy
swing and leftfield cult classics along side beautifully written original material - the
demand to invite them back would not be ignored. £15 - Book online
Sicknote Steve 12.30pm and 3pm
To audience’s in the West Country and South Wales, the familiar bearded figure of bluesman Sicknote Steve has become synonymous with a great session of the Blues. He is now a regular highlight at festivals around the country - including the Upton Blues Festival, Tenby Blues Festival, Brecon Blues Festival and a number of appearances overseas.
Video link
Silurian 1.45pm and 4.15pm
Silurian are a dynamic duo based in South Wales with a gritty, Springsteenes que style. They play a wide range of covers and original songs, taken mainly from the Country/ Country Rock / Indie/ Blues/ Rock genres. Jez has a versatile ‘gritty’ vocal style which lends itself well to a wide variety of genres, whilst Izzy adds rhythm and depth with cajon, drums and percussion.
Artist'swebsite and video
"donnie joe's" American Swing at 12pm
Swinging Jazz, Infectious Rhythms, Witty Tunes, and Poignant Songs … donnie joe’s American Swing brings them all together for the best in Swing Jazz from the 1930s, 40s, 50s & 60s.
The repertoire features carefully arranged Swing & Latin standards as written and performed by such greats as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Lester Young and Dizzy Gillespie, to name a but a few. £12 - Book online
Remi Harris Trio at 2.15pm
“He is a tremendously gifted young player with an awesome command of Gypsy Jazz guitar” - John Etheridge
"Remi is the brightest talent in his genre (Gypsy Jazz) in the UK” - Stuart Carter-Smith, founder of The International Gypsy Guitar Festival
"Sensational guitarist" Jazz Rag Magazine
Remi Harris is an internationally renowned guitarist and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the UK’s top gypsy jazz guitarists and has toured the UK, Australia and France - as well as performing at Buckingham Palace and Live on BBC Radio 2
£12 - Book online
Jamie Brownfield Quartet at 4.30pm
"Jamie is just about the best young trumpeter I've heard in Britain - he knows the repertoire, the vocabulary; everything. And he has wondrous chops. I loved playing alongside him and hope maybe before long we can do it all again!" - Digby Fairweather
Playing all over the world from Europe, to Scandinavia, and as far as the US! The band play a range of feels, from Bebop, Mainstream, Swing, and even New Orleans Funk!
£14 - Book online
Sarah Gillespie Trio at 6:45pm
The Guardian’s jazz critique John Fordham described Sarah Gillespie as ‘(joining) Bob Dylan’s lyrical bite and languid delivery to the forthrightness of Joni Mitchell, with a little rap-like percussiveness thrown in, she is an original.”
Sarah’s music is a fusion of jazz, folk and blues knitted together by poetic, streetwise
lyricism and she makes a welcome return to wall2wall. £15 - Book online
Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion at 9pm
"Zoe Schwarz takes all that is good from Janis Joplin and Billie Holiday and makes it
uniquely her own" - All About Jazz, USA
Zoe and her highly accomplished band have come right to the fore of the British Blues Scene as a result of an intensely busy, exciting and creative three years. They are just about to release their 4th CD, a ‘live’ album, following quickly on the heels of three successful studio albums that picked up a series of awards and nominations including Runner-Up for Zoe in the 2014 British Blues Awards.
Their exciting live set is based around the band’s rootsy originals; featuring strong catchy riffs, interesting arrangements, exciting grooves and spontaneous improvisation.
£13 - Book online
Great music on the free jazz stage, a wide selection of good food, an all-day bar plus other entertainment - so come, stay and enjoy the day
The full weekend programme available on www.blackmountainjazz.co.uk.
Tickets for all events can be booked online via the website, or bought at the Tourist Information Centre or reserved by phone (07958 612 691).
