Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival from Thursday 15th to Sunday 18th March 2018
Posted on: 26 Feb 2018It don't mean a thing if you ain't got that swing. Wise man, that Duke Ellington. And the words of that classic jazz standard will certainly ring true around these here parts when the Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival returns to the city from Thursday 15th to Sunday 18th March 2018.
Bristol is, of course, no stranger to jazz and has long enjoyed a long and illustrious association with the genre which has seen the likes of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and the ol' Duke himself perform to sold-out crowds at Colston Hall. This is a city that has always prided itself on great music anyway and jazz has, arguably, been at the pioneering, maverick forefront of it all.
The International Jazz and Blues Festival was borne out of the simple premise that the city deserved a decent festival representing those particular styles of music. And, as they say, from small acorns do mighty oak trees grow, and the festival has exponentially developed over the years to become one of the most popular, fervently attended and world-renowned celebrations of jazz and blues that attracts punters and performers from all over the globe.
Making jazz and blues accessible to everyone in a way that transcends boundaries and appeals to everyone of all ages, backgrounds and musical tastes, the event remains one of the most hotly anticipated festivals on the city's music calendar - indeed, calendar, full stop.
This year's four-day music fest will once again dish up a tantalizing selection of gigs, events and performers. Highlights this time will include an all-star recreation of Jimi Hendrix's 50-year-old seminal album Electric Ladyland, Polly Gibbons & James Pearson Quartet, Cream '68, Pee Wee Ellis Jazz Quartet, Matt Schofield, Clare Teal Big Mini Big Band, Snowpoet, Lee Konitz Quartet, and Wasabi, demonstrating its unyielding championing of legendary, firmly-established pros alongside rising, up-and-coming jazz and blues talent.
Mixed in amongst this fabulous musical melting pot will be the usual thrilling fusion of foyer performances and masterclasses, dancing and jam sessions, ensuring once again the event just gets bigger, better and more, well, jazzy every year.
For a comprehensive run-down of all the gigs, click here.
Colston Hall is located at Colston Street, Bristol, BS1 5AR. Tel. 0844 887 1500
Article by:
Jamie is a writer, blogger, journalist, critic, film fan, soundtrack nerd and all-round Bristolian good egg. He loves the music of Philip Glass, the art of Salvador Dali, the writings of Charles Bukowksi and Hunter S Thompson, the irreverence of Harry Hill, and the timeless, straw-chomping exuberance of The Wurzels. You can sometimes find him railing against a surging tide of passing cyclists, or gorging himself senseless on the Oriental delights of a Cosmos all-you-can-eat buffet.
