Jazz Studies: Connected to What? Jazz collectives as alternative practice

Date & Time:

11th November, 16:00

Location:

Online event; the link will be emailed to those who register on Eventbrite.

Information:

Jazz Studies: Connected to What? Jazz collectives as alternative practice

With Tony Dudley-Evans, Robin Fincker and Laura Jurd

This panel explores the role of collectives within the contemporary jazz scene and considers some of the challenges that these organisations face and the opportunities they present for musicians. Through a comparison of current French and UK organisations, the discussion will engage with issues such as sustainability, funding, promotion, support, production and mobility.

Tony Dudley-Evans, Jazz Connective/TED Promotions
Robin Fincker, Freddy Morezon
Laura Jurd: Chaos Collective

About the speakers:

Tony Dudley-Evans: After a long career as a teacher of English for Specific Purposes and Applied Linguistics, Tony moved into jazz promotion becoming Artistic Director at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Birmingham Jazz. These days he is Artistic Adviser to Cheltenham Jazz Festival and the Jazzlines programme at Town Hall Symphony Hall.  He also promotes as TDE Promotions.

Robin Fincker: French saxophonist and clarinettist Robin Fincker lived in London for over 10 years and now divides his time between the French and the British music scenes. He has studied at the Guildhall School of Music (London) and the Conservatoire Superieur de Musique de Paris (CNSMDParis). An insatiable project instigator and an in-demand sideman, Robin’s work reflects his taste for new experiences as well as his desire to draw from a musical spectrum that is freed from stylistic concerns, where jazz cohabits with improvised music, contemporary composition, rock or electronic music. During his London years he co-led Outhouse, which became one of the leading groups of the young London contemporary-Jazz scene and with whom he made three albums on the prestigious label “Babel.” In 2011, he founded the septet Tweedle-dee including members of the Coax Collective in Paris and Loop in the UK, as well as the trio Whahay with bassist Paul Rogers and drummer Fabien Duscombs. In 2016, Robin started two new projects. Bedmakers, a quartet of improvised music based on an Anglo-Saxon Folk repertoire (co-produced by Banlieues Bleues and Jazzdor festivals) and the trio Deep Ford with drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq and pianist Benoit Delbecq. Both projects are hosted by the Toulouse-based collective Freddy Morezon, of which he has been an active member since 2012.

Laura Jurd: Laura Jurd is a trumpet player, composer and improviser from the UK.  A recipient of multiple awards and a BBC New Generation Artist from 2015-2017, Laura has developed a formidable reputation as one of the most distinctive and creative composer-performers to emerge from the UK in recent years. Performing regularly throughout the UK and Europe, she leads the 2017 Mercury-nominated band Dinosaur who have performed at North Sea, Montreal and Molde International Jazz festivals to name a few. A highly active composer, Laura is equally at home writing for contemporary chamber groups and orchestras as she is writing for jazz ensembles and improvising musicians. Frequently creating works that present musical ingredients from outside the world of jazz music, within the realms of a jazz band, she has been commissioned by the likes of the BBC Proms and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, Ligeti Quartet and the Northern Sinfonia. In light of this, Laura recently received a prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Composers as well as a 2019 Ivor Composer Award. A passionate educator, Laura also teaches composition at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance; jazz trumpet at Goldsmiths University; works with the National Youth Orchestra, and the National Youth Jazz Collective.