London Jazz Festival

The first London Jazz Festival took place in 1993. From the very beginning, experimental work, commissions, workshops and educational events all played a part in setting the agenda for a festival that would develop over the next ten years to have an impact across the whole city.

It was to be a Jazz festival that didn't just have Jazz in it, but looked at Jazz's antecedents and connections with Caribbean, Latin, African, Indian and European music. Jazz was to be a touchstone, with musical ideas moving between, or colliding with, other genres. What has set the Festival apart has been its constant attempts to mix the familiar with new, tradition with experiment, one culture with another.

The Festival also branches out to other venues including the Wigmore Hall, the Arts Depot, The Royal Academy of Arts and Wapping Project. As well as dozens of concerts across some of London's major concert halls, the festival celebrates the clubs and independent producers that keep the flame burning year round. A mass of new work and collaborations can be heard in London's Jazz clubs and the extensive PizzaExpress FreeStage programme.

The immensely successful new writers' initiative continues for another year and is again looking for aspiring or semi-professional journalists to take part. In partnership with the South Bank Centre, BBC Radio 3, and Jazzwise magazine, Jazz enthusiasts will have the opportunity to work with professional journalists to improve their writing skills, receive insights into career paths and develop an understanding of Jazz criticism. Professionals involved include writer and broadcaster Kevin LeGendre and Jazzwise's Publishing Editor Jon Newey. As well as writing seminars, the initiative also includes attending lots of concerts.

Among the 2008 artists were Herbie Hancock, Kurt Elling, Chucho Valdes, Chick Corea, John Mclaughlin, Kenny Werner, Bill Frisell, Danilo Perez, David Sanchez, Jean Toussaint, Richard Bona, Transatlantic Collective, Chris Potter, Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Michael Mwenso, Gareth Lockrane, Taylor Eigsti, Julian Lage, Milton Nascimento, Blink, Martha Lewis, Joe Stilgoe, Vincent Herring, Kalman Olah, Gerard Presencer, Britten Sinfonia with Dhafer Youssef & Joanna Macgregor, Femi Kuti, Keith Tippett, Arve Henriksen, Iain Ballamy, Henry Armburg Jennings, Peter King, Ken Vandermark, Mark Sanders, Barry Guy, Dave Kane, Alex Bonney, Mari Boine, Karl Seglem, Terje Isungset, Peter Brotzmann, Marino Pliakas, Michael Wertmueller, Frank Holder, Toni Kofi, John Law, Phil Markowitz, Tony Coe, Tommy Smith, Arild Andersen, Paolo Vinaccia, Eon Greening, Finn Peters, Jonathan Gee, Le Konitz, Peter Ind and Matthew Herbert. The 2009 artist line-up will be announced soon.

The 2008 London Jazz Festival was held November 14 to 23.

Related Links:
• London Jazz Festival - Official website.
• Other Jazz Festivals - AP4J Festival Guide