Harmonic » jazz festival

Want to play at Harmonic?

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:07:47 +0000

If you’re a musician based in Birmingham or the wider West Midlands area and want to get involved with Harmonic, we’d love to hear from you. We’re looking for duos to play at the CBSO Centre on Saturday 13th March in the foyer. We have three slots to fill:

6pm – 6.30pm
7.30pm – 8.00pm
9pm – 9.30pm

As well as a fee, we can offer you a free pass each for the Saturday gigs of Paul Dunmall Trio, Sara Colman, Chris Mapp’s Gambol and Moon Unit which can’t be bad! If you play in a duo already, or have someone you can make sweet music with drop us a line. We’re open to any combination of instruments, the only stipulation is that you have to ply your trade in the West Midlands. Remember this is a jazz festival. Take a look at our programme and see if your music will suit our line-up before you enter.

Drop us an email at: chris@harmonicfestival.co.uk with your names, instruments you play, where you live, and if possible a link to your website or Myspace.

Rules
- Closing date for entries: 24th February at 8pm
- We will look at all the entries, but we will only get in contact with those who are successful
- You need to provide your own instruments/backline. We’ll provide a small P.A.

Good things

admin — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:06:07 +0000

Things are shaping up nicely for the festival. We’ll be announcing details of our launch party soon, with a very special guest. Tickets will be on sale in the next few days, full details on this website as and when. We had a nice write up from Peter Bacon on his site The Jazz Breakfast along with Mostly Jazz Festival, another fine new festival for Birmingham in 2010.

Don’t forget you can follow us on Twitter for all the latest news on Harmonic. Please add your details to the Mailing list on the book tickets page to be kept informed about where and when you can get tickets. We’ll be on Facebook soon too, so there’s no excuse not to get in touch with us!

Harmonic

Soweto Kinch & Lluis Mather

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:34:25 +0000

Soweto is one of the most familiar faces on the Birmingham scene, nationally and internationally. His unique blend of rap and jazz has won him critical acclaim from jazz and hip-hop fans alike, as well as collaborations with some of the greats from both scenes. This will be his first appearance at Cobweb Collective’s weekly session at The Yardbird. Definitely long overdue and certainly worth the wait.

myspace.com/sowetokinch

Check out a video of this gig on our Media page

Lluis Mather is one of the most promising musicians to come from the jazz course at the Conservatoire. A fine saxophonist and composer, he has come to the attention of Dave Holland, and his quartet was awarded the Dave Holland/Birmingham Conservatoire ensemble award this year. A star of the Birmingham scene for the future playing at Harmonic now.

Line-ups:
TBC

We’re on Twitter

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:52:33 +0000

We’ve got a Twitter account. Follow us at twitter.com/harmonicfest

Harmonic

We’ve got a new website!

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:47:16 +0000

Check it out, have a look around and let us know what you think. You can get in touch with us by emailing info@harmonicfestival.co.uk or add your email address using the form on our homepage. you can find out more about who we are on our About page and check out our Programme.

We’ll be adding updates regularly so check back soon. See you in March!

Harmonic

Ben Markland Quintet

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:24:58 +0000

Ben is one of the hardest working musicians in Birmingham. Constantly in demand as a bass player and sideman, Ben also leads his own quintet. They will be performing Ben’s music at Symphony Hall Foyer in a special Harmonic version of this weekly event.

www.benmarkland.co.uk

Line-up: tbc

Moon Unit

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:19:24 +0000

First formed in 2006 within the catacombs of Birmingham Conservatoire, trumpeter Aaron Diaz led Zappajazz – a band tackling the music of guitarist and composer Frank Zappa. Now under the moniker Moon Unit, taking its name from one of Zappa’s children, Aaron and the band will be presenting music written especially for the Harmonic festival following influences as far-a-field as Miles and Ornette to Zappa and Beefheart.

www.aarondiaz.co.uk

Check out a recording of this gig on our Media page

Line-up:
Aaron Diaz – trumpets
Nick Rundle – Tenor
Colin Mils – Bari/Sop
Andy Bunting – Keys
Rob Anstey – Bass/Trombone
Tom Durham – Guitar
Jim Bashford – Drums

Sara Colman

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:15:05 +0000

Sara is one of the most in demand vocalists in Birmingham and works regularly as both a solo artist and as part of The Passion with Liane Carole and Jacqui Dankworth. For Harmonic she leads her band playing new songs written by Sara and featuring some of Birmingham’s finest musicians.

www.saracolman.com

Check out a recording of this gig on our Media page

Claudia Quintet

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:02:38 +0000

One of the most progressive bands in jazz, New york based Claudia Quintet will be making a special appearance at Harmonic. As well as playing music from their forthcoming new album they will be joined by Birmingham based musicians Percy Pursglove on trumpet and Steve Tromans on Rhodes to play specially commissioned arrangements of Claudia’s music. John Hollenbeck, drummer and band leader of Claudia, has arranged some of his music for this one-off collaboration. This event is supported by Birmingham Jazz

www.myspace.com/theclaudiaquintet
johnhollenbeck.com
www.stevetromans.co.uk

Check out a recording of this gig on our Media page

Line-up:
John Hollenbeck – Drums
Chris Speed – Tenor Sax
Tim Collins – Vibes
Ted Reichman – Accordion
Drew Gress – Bass
Matt Mitchell – Piano
plus:
Steve Tromans – Rhodes
Percy Pursglove – Trumpet

Paul Dunmall John Edwards Mark Sanders

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:24:43 +0000

Saxophonist Paul Dunmall brings together his trio with John Edwards on bass and Mark Sanders on drums. Paul is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable names on the Birmingham scene. He has had an illustrious career and played with some of the greats of free jazz, including the recently completed Profound Sound Trio tour with Andrew Cyrille and Henry Grimes. John and Mark are both regulars on the UK free jazz scene playing frequently with some of the finest names on the national and international scene.

www.pauldunmall.com

Line-up:
Paul Dunmall – Saxophone
John Edwards – Bass
Mark Sanders – Drums