MIXTAPE: Wesley Stephenson

It’s a delight to be asked to produce a Mixtape based on some artists appearing at this year’s Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music, which takes place over the weekends of Friday 27^th-Sunday 29^th September, and Thursday 3^rd-Sunday 6^th October. Beginning in 2017, the idea was to focus on presenting an innovative and diverse international line up, celebrating and pushing boundaries that challenge perceptions of jazz and improvised music. We also started the sister project New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings during the 2020 lockdown when it was not possible to stage in-person live events, the 19^th label release with Juliana Day is planned in conjunction with this year’s festival.

Jeppe Zeeberg and the Absolute Pinnacle of Human Achievement – Looks Like Noodles to Me

There’s a quote from All About Jazz website: “If Zeeberg isn’t a genius then he certainly ranks pretty close to one” and I’d have to agree. Laura Toxværd and Jeppe Zeeberg stole the 2023 festival in a saxophone and piano duo formation, so I’m delighted to invite this completely different revelation from Jeppe’s musical canon, without doubt one of my favourite new artists from the past few years since I caught him at Copenhagen Jazz Festival. He’ll be sharing the bill with Taupe and a new string quartet Warp/weft at The Cumberland Arms partnering with Endless Window on Saturday 28^th September.

Juliana Day – The Earth Yearns For A Storm

The calm amongst what’s guaranteed to be many musical storms at this year’s festival. We’ve commissioned Juliana to create a series of Interludes which will be played over PA systems at each festival event, an idea trialled with local keyboardist Paul Taylor last year, drawing inspiration from Brian Eno’s Music For Airports, creating performances in alternative ways. Juliana will also perform soundtracking to some surrealist films at Gosforth Civic Theatre in a double bill with Alcyona Mick on Thursday 3^rd October, in partnership with Northern Silents.

Manon McCoy – dissolve//compress

Harpist Manon McCoy appeared with Balo at last year’s festival and we’re delighted to have her return in a brand new duo collaboration with New York vocalist Amirtha Kidambi. This will be the first meeting of the two musicians, a key part of the festival is creating new improvised collaborations. We’ll be working in partnership with Gateshead-based South Asian arts organisation GemArts, who do so much good work in the region, for this show at The Lit & Phil on Friday 4^th October.

Izumi Kimura and Gerry Hemingway – Kairos

American percussionist Gerry Hemingway was last spotted in Newcastle performing at Dance City for the inspirational Paul Bream On The Outside festival in 2006. This new duo with pianist Izumi Kimura was suggested by Andy Hamilton of Durham University Department of Philosophy, and it really hits the nail on the head for the kind of uncompromising hard edged semi-structured improvisation we love to celebrate at the festival. Very much looking forward to hearing Izumi Kimura on the fantastic grand piano at The Lit & Phil on Friday 4^th October.

Tara Cunningham – The First One

Tara Cunningham was in Newcastle on a couple of occasions last year, performing with Corrie Dick’s Sun Swells band for International Jazz Day, but also as the regular guitarist for legendary Bristolians Red Snapper on Warp Records. I was instantly drawn to her sound and as we regularly feature a solo guitar set at the festival I was delighted she responded enthusiastically to the offer. Her set at The Lit & Phil on Saturday 5^th October will be one of those hidden gems in the programme for sure.

Heather Ferrier – Circles

I’ve managed to catch a few concerts by Heather Ferrier around town and she’s always brilliant. The new trio she’s put together with Adam Stapleford and Alasdair Paul is fantastic and just incredibly imaginative and virtuosic. Her show at The Globe on Sunday 6^th October is going to be a great Sunday afternoon finale featuring Catriona Bourne Harp Quartet, Heather on solo accordion and Emma Johnson’s straight up Jazz Saxophone Quartet.