Expanded format for popular Shoreham and Brighton jazz festival

Now in its third year, the South Coast Jazz Festival expands considerably for 2017, with nine days in Brighton before moving on to its traditional home at Shoreham's Ropetackle.
ClaireClaire
Claire

From Monday, January 16 to Wednesday, January 25, the festival takes up residence at The Verdict at 159, Edward Street, Brighton where the performers/events will include Dave Drake Trio, Terry Seabrook’s Triversion, BJS Education Forum & Awards, Jazz Student Showcase, Olie Brice/Rachel Musson/Mark Sanders, The Jam Experiment, Nigel Thomas Quartet, Sara Oschlag Quartet, Jazz Film & Photography Day, Eddie Myer 5TET and Safehouse Brighton.

The next day the action shifts to the Ropetackle where the line-up is:

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Thursday, January 26: J-Sonics and Alec Dankworth, Spanish Accents, Neil Godwin’s Golden Oldies (free DJ set of classic tunes, each day of the festival, 5-7pm).

Friday, January 27: Zoe Rahman and Dennis Rollins’ Funky-Funk; Well Versed – Tools Of The Trade, workshop with Claire Martin and Elaine Crouch.

Saturday, January 28: Jim Mullen Organ Trio and Sarah Jane Morris; Jazz For Juniors Workshop.

Sunday, January 29: Ray Gelato’s Giants featuring Claire Martin; Terry Pack’s Trees; DJ Kevin Le Gendre.

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The festival is curated by jazz singer Claire Martin and saxophonist Julian Nicholas, both Sussex residents – and Claire is delighted at the way it has established itself so quickly and developed so rapidly.

“This is our third, and it is slightly different in that we have got the three venues rather than one. “

They launched it all with a party before Christmas at the Old Market.

“All the performers are main performers, but the Ropetackle has stayed the original place for us. The extension at The Verdict has allowed us to put an arm and an umbrella around some of the more local talent.

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“It went very well for the first two years and we just decided to become bigger and to show the Arts Council that we could be trusted with a little bit more budget, which meant filling out more and more agonising forms! But they went for it, seeing that some of the people in Brighton couldn’t get to Shoreham and that some of the people in Shoreham couldn’t get to Brighton.

“I think it has gone so well because of good marketing and good programming, the fact that we were getting people that were appealing across the board.

“And it is also the fact that there is a terrific following for jazz across Sussex – and that there was really not a lot happening at the end of January which made it a good time to try to do something.”

Tickets and full details about the festival on www.southcoastjazzfestival.com.

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