MADE IN THE UK’ British Jazz Concert Series in the USA

[Magdalena Vaida]

Rochester, NY and New York City will play host to America’s largest ever series of UK jazz concerts in June 2009. Arts Council England and Wales Arts International have agreed to support the British artists programmed at this year’s Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, New York (XRIJF), as part of their international concert series ‘Made in the UK’. Produced by ESIP, the artists selected for the nine XRIJF concerts from 12 – 20 June are The Peter King Quartet, Liane Carroll Trio, the Neil Cowley Trio, Tessa Souter Quartet, Tony Kofi Quartet, Norma Winstone with Gareth Williams & Tim Garland’s Lighthouse Trio. Huw Warren and the Paula Gardiner Trio will also be performing representing ‘Welsh Jazz’. Additional concerts in NYC will be launched with a double bill of BBC Jazz award winning singer-pianist, Liane Carroll, and legendary saxophonist Peter King at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, Lincoln Center on 8 June. Neil Cowley is also confirmed for Joe’s’ Pub in New York on 16 June with Grammy nominated singer Norma Winstone pairing up for a double bill with NYC-based Tessa Souter on 20 June, while saxophonists Tony Kofi and Tim Garland pair up at the same venue on Sunday 21st. Tim Garland's Lighthouse Trio continue their tour with a concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington on 23 June before heading to Chicago, and then finishing up at the Catalina in LA on 29 June. Neil Cowley's Trio will play a date at Boston's Cafe 939 on 12 June. XRIJF has become one of the USA’s leading jazz festivals in the six years of its existence. As well as presenting legendary artists from the jazz community such as Wynton Marsalis and Dave Brubeck the XRIJF places strong emphasis on presenting the emerging artists from around the world. “We’ve been impressed with jazz musicians coming from the UK for many years now and after the success of the pilot last year we have made ‘Made in the UK’ a regular part of the festival.” John Nugent, XRIJF Producer and Artistic Director ESIP has been programming cutting-edge concerts, tours and festivals for a variety of UK and international clients. “We’ve been given the opportunity to present British artists at one of the most prestigious jazz festivals in the States and introduce their music to a wider audience. We are thrilled to be working with John Nugent and his team in Rochester, the Lincoln Center & other great jazz clubs in the States and look forward to developing these relationships in the long-term for the benefit of many more British musicians. We are especially grateful to Arts Council England & Wales Arts International for supporting our concert series.” John Ellson, Director of ESIP.