HSBC Brecon Jazz headliners named

The headliners for the 2008 HSBC Brecon Jazz Festival have been announced as the mid Wales market town celebrates the event's silver anniversary from August 7 to 10.

Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra return for the opening night on Thursday 7th August.

On Friday 8th there'll be debut Brecon appearances by Cerys Matthews and Joan Armatrading, while legendary saxophonist Joe Temperley leads the 25th Anniversary Brecon All Stars with special guest Martin Taylor.

Other Friday night highlights include Mark Murphy's first ever gig in Wales, a Brecon debut for rising UK stars the Neil Cowley Trio, and Latin newcomers La Trova Oriente.

Saturday's attractions include Lee Konitz, EST, Roberta Gambarini, and Courtney Pine's tribute to Sidney Bechet.

On Sunday the festival closes with Maceo Parker, Abram Wilson, Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth.

See www.breconjazz.co.uk for further details and booking information or call the box office on 0870 990 1299.

More star names will be announced in June and July along with details of the Stroller programme.

Festival Director Jim Smith said, "This is a very important and exciting year for the festival and Brecon town.

"25 years is an incredible milestone and much thanks is due to the many people who have worked so hard over the years.

"We will be staging around 100 events over the course of the 4 days of the festival and I am delighted that so many people locally, across Wales and the UK, and indeed internationally, have come together to make this unique event one which we're sure will be remembered for many years hence".

Last October HSBC Brecon Jazz was named Best Major Event In Wales at the Welsh Tourism Awards.

Jazz Connection playlist 12 May 2008

Here's what I played on the Jazz Connection on Radio Cardiff on Monday 12 May:

Caribbean Jazz Project ft Dave Samuels - Rendezvous
Cassandra Wilson - St James Infirmary
Thelonius Monk - Rhythm-A-Ning (Live at Monterey)
Jessie J - Tequila Moon
3 Square - Canteloupe Island
Brecon Jazz interview with Jim Smith
Burum - Yr Eneth Glaf (The Ailing Maiden)
Bluesy Susie - Cry Me A River
McCoy Tyner Trio with Joe Lovano - Mellow Minor
James Taylor Quartet - Theme from Starsky and Hutch

Hear the show right at www.jazz-connection.co.uk on my new improved radio player.

The next show is on Bank Holiday Monday 26 May at 8pm - keep sending me your CDs and gig info for use on the show.

And if anyone's interested, my new Middle Eastern and bellydance radio show - A Night in Tunisia - starts this Wednesday 14 May, 8 till 10pm on the internet station www.salaamshalom.org.uk

Cardiff Jazz Festival - June 3 to 10

A second annual celebration of the Cardiff jazz scene is being lined up from June 3rd to 10th with the focus on youth and vibrancy.

Here's the line-up:

Tuesday 3 June
Alan Barnes with the Capital City Jazz Orchestra - Dempseys

Thursday 5 June - Jigsaw - Swell Bar

Friday 6 June - Top Shelf Jazz - Swell Bar

Saturday 7 June - Jones O'Connor Group - Swell Bar

Tuesday 10 June
The Lighthouse Project ft Gwilym Simcock - St David's Hall

Tuesday 10 June - Ashley John Long Big Band - Dempseys

For full details, see www.myspace.com/cardiffjazzfestival

Maria Pia de Vito and Huw Warren

Award winning pianist and composer Huw Warren will be playing three UK concerts with the Italian jazz singer Maria Pia de Vito in May.

Their new CD Dialektos will be released in the summer and features several of Huw's pieces with Neopolitan lyrics from Maria.

The dates are as follows:

Saturday May 10th - 7.30pm - Jazzin' Llangollen 08
Royal International Pavilion, Llangollen
01978 860111
www.royal-pavilion.co.uk/jazz/

Sunday May 11th - 7.30pm - Theatr Harlech
01766 780667
www.theatrharlech.com

Tuesday May 12th - 1pm - Brighton Festival
Pavilion Theatre Lunchtime series
01273 709709
www.brightonfestival.org

New course replaces Glamorgan summer school

Organisers of the cancelled Glamorgan Jazz Summer School have arranged a one week course at Trinity College of Music in Greenwich, London, from July 27 to August 1.

Course directors Dave Wickins and Buster Birch will be joined by a number of tutors who previously taught at Treforest, including Pete Churchill, Geoff Simkins, Chris Batchelor, Dave Cliff, Liam Noble, Steve Watts, Alison Rayner and Dave Hassell.

The college is located within the Wren-designed King Charles Court at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, and limited accomodation is available near the town centre.

See www.trinitysummerschool.co.uk for details.

In March the University of Glamorgan announced it was dropping the jazz course, which had taken place in Wales for more than thirty years, from its annual summer school because of funding issues.

It said the jazz course was one of several which didn't meet the university's objectives of "widening access and student progression" onto its Treforest campus.

Doubts remain over St Donats future

Staff at St Donats Arts Centre in the Vale of Glamorgan are concerned that the Arts Council of Wales has yet to reinstate its £45,000 grant following a successful appeal against a decision to withdraw funding.

Despite an independent panel deciding that the ACW had made a wrong decision to withdraw the centre's grant, the council decided to call for further reports at a meeting last week.

The centre near Llantwit Major has hosted a string of jazz gigs by international and local artists as part of its varied programming, including Georgie Fame and the late Humphrey Lyttelton among its attractions over the last year.

St Donats chairman John Clarke said: "We are shocked that the Arts Council has not automatically restored our funding but instead has called for further reports from its officers and a review of the options.

"This continues the uncertainty which is highly damaging to the Arts Centre whose funding still runs out in July.

"The Arts Centre has been under threat of closure for the last three months and that threat remains a very real one whilst the Arts Council’s bureaucracy grinds on."

Vale of Glamorgan Assembly Member Jane Hutt said: "I regret that the Arts Council for Wales has not immediately reinstated the full funding base of St Donats Arts Centre following their successful appeal.

"As Vale AM, however, I am pressing for what I hope will be fruitful discussions about the future funding of the Centre and that appropriate funding sources will be identified".

The Chairman and General Manager are seeking urgent talks with senior officials of the Arts Council of Wales with the aim of immediately reinstating the centre's grant.

See www.stdonats.com for more details.

Jazz Connection playlist 28 April 2008

Here's what I played on the Jazz Connection on Radio Cardiff 98.7 on Monday 28 April:

Humphrey Lyttelton – Bad Penny Blues
Tony Kofi Quartet – If I Spoke My Mind
Dee Dee Bridgewater – Afro Blue
Jones O'Connor Group – A Crow for Every Crow
Jukka Eskola – 1974
Dylan Howe's Unity 4 – Law Years (Rehearsal)
Joe Williams – Get Out Of My Life Woman
Neil Cowley Trio – Scaredy Cat
Lee Jones – One Little Blue Note
Watcha Clan – Balkan Qoulou
Alboran Trio – Autumn Mist
Humphrey Lyttelton/Elkie Brooks – Do Your Duty
Dr Feelgood – Oyeh!

Hear the show online at www.jazz-connection.co.uk

The next show is in two weeks time on Monday 12 May - send your CDs and gig info to me at Room G089, BBC Wales, Cardiff CF5 2YQ.