There is a strong European theme at the London Jazz Festival this year. The Festival has been awarded a grant from the EU Culture Fund to expand its commitment to European programming. The Festival will feature several leading European artists and collaborations including a commission for Henri Texier to create new music for a transnational, mixed generational octet. John Cumming, Director of Serious and the London Jazz Festival (and Rhythm Changes project partner), comments on the importance of this initiative:
“Thanks to support from the Culture Programme of the European Union, this year’s London Jazz Festival presents an exciting programme of international collaboration, featuring the jazz giants and rising stars of the European jazz scene. The Festival will see musicians from across the continent working together to develop new music that breaks through frontiers whilst retaining the individual creativity of each participant. This spirit of exchange and collaboration is at the heart of the Jazz in the New Europe.”
The London Jazz Festival initiative builds on the work carried out by Serious over recent years, including the development of Take Five Europe and and numerous collaborations with European partners, including work with the Rhythm Changes team.
Questions which are central to the Rhythm Changes project are also embedded within the festival programme. Project Leader Tony Whyton will be chairing the first of two public debates at the Royal Festival Hall on Tuesday 13 November on the theme of ‘Jazz in the New Europe’ which will include contributions from leading European musicians and journalists. Jonathan Scheele, Head of the European Commission Representation in the UK states:
“It is terrific that the Culture Programme of the European Union is supporting the London Jazz Festival, enabling this internationally renowned celebration of jazz to welcome even more European talent and to showcase exciting collaborations between European artists.”
Rhythm Changes commissioned photographer, Paul Floyd Blake, will also be capturing events at the Festival this year, the results of which will be included in the Rhythm Changes exhibition in 2013.
To find out more about the EU Culture Fund and the London Jazz Festival initiative click here
For details of the ‘Jazz in the New Europe’ panel click here