Marsden Jazz Festival Podcast: Recent Episodes
marsdenjazzfestival
Marsden Jazz Festival is an award-winning jazz festival which takes place over 3-days every October. One of the UK's longest running jazz festivals, thousands of people flock to the small Yorkshire pennine village of Marsden each year to be entertained by world-renowned artists. In this podcast artistic director Barney Stevenson and marketing manager Charlotte Furness interview guests about a range of topics relating to their annual festival. Topics include behind the scenes interviews with artists involved in festival projects, discussions about representation in the jazz industry, what it's like to be a charitable organisation, and much more.
In this episode, recorded on Sunday of the festival backstage at our Peel Street Stage, we chat to more of the incredible artists, including tap dancer extraordinaire's Anette Walker and Lee Payne and Jazz drummer Dave Walsh, ahead of their performances and we delve deeper into the behind-the-scenes cogs of MJF as we chat to some staff members on how it all came together! All of this excellent content is followed by a short discussion on the interviews and the festival itself from our Artistic Director Barney Stevenson & Marketing Manager Charlotte Furness.
In this episode, recorded on Saturday backstage at the Peel Street Stage, you can listen to artist interviews with past MJF performer and podcast guest NikNak, energising saxophonist Marcus Joseph, Jazz re:freshed co-founder Justin Mckenzie and the legendary double bassist Gary Crosby OBE, followed by a short discussion on the interviews and the festival itself from our Artistic Director Barney Stevenson & Marketing Manager Charlotte Furness.
Hear about the artist's experience of Marsden and getting back into live performance, Jazz re:freshed’s insight on the collaboration and the low-down from MJF organisers on how it all came together.
Did you know we've been creating this podcast for a whole year! Join us on our one year birthday as we have a great conversation with Francine Gorman, Pledge Manager at Keychange and Jennifer Maidman, musician and polymath.
Keychange is a global network and movement working towards a total restructure of the music industry in reaching full gender equality. Marsden Jazz Festival has been signed up to the keychange pledge since November 2018 and is working towards the ambition of 50% of our gigs being fronted by a female or non-binary artist by 2023.
Jennifer Maidman splits her time between New York and the UK as singer, producer, songwriter, actor and author. Her musical biography spans collaborators as varied as Marc Bolan, Joan Armatrading, Robert Wyatt, Boy George and Shakespeare’s Sister and being a founder member of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. She played bass and guitar in Rude 2.0 at Marsden Jazz Festival’s New Stream in 2013, alongside Chris Dowding on trumpet/flugelhorn, Liam Genockey on drums and Annie Whitehead on trombone.
In this episode of the podcast we got chatting to the two about gender disparity in the music world, the importance of women role models, the possibility for global change, as well as the ever-changing landscape of jazz! We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoy recording them.
Where to find Keychange & Jennifer Maidman online:
Keychange:
www.keychange.eu
Across all social media: @keychangeeu
Jennifer:
www.jennifermaidman.com
Facebook: jennifermaidmanmusic
Twitter & Instagram: @sister_goodbase
In our eighth podcast episode, artistic director Barney Stevenson and marketing manager Charlotte Furness, welcome Oram Award-winning DJ & Turntablist Nicole Raymond (aka Nik Nak) and composer, arranger and alto-saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi.
Nicole is also a sound artist/composer, producer, tutor, sound engineer and radio presenter who played the Jazz Breakfast event at MJF in 2019. Cassie Kinoshi composes & plays in theatre, film, and contemporary dance, spanning jazz and classical performance worlds. Cassie first visited Marsden Jazz Festival in 2016 as a member of Nérija, returning in 2019 with her Mercury-nominated band seed.
Join this episode to learn more about Cassie & Nicole's careers, their friendship which was forged at the 2019 Marsden Jazz Festival, and hear their experiences as female artists across the live music world. There's lots of laughter in this episode as well as some discussions of really important topics, so we hope you enjoy listening.
Where to find Cassie & Nicole online:
Nicole Raymond (aka NikNak):
@niknakdjmusic on all social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Twitch (lol)
https://www.niknakdjmusic.uk/
Cassie Kinoshi:
@cassiekinoshi on all social media - Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (Cassie is not yet on Twitch).
https://www.cassiekinoshi.com/
In our seventh podcast episode, artistic director Barney Stevenson and marketing manager Charlotte Furness, welcome Charisse Beaumont & Roger Wilson from the organisation Black Lives in Music (BLiM). Charisse is Chief Executive at BLiM and has a strong knowledge of the UK’s urban music scene and has worked closely with award-winning and Grammy-nominated music artists across the UK and US from the beginning of their career. Roger is Director of Operations at BLiM and has many years of experience on both sides of the stage as musician, educator, tour manager and administrator. In recent years, he has been dedicated in his support for the professional development of aspiring young jazz musicians.
Join this episode to hear about what prompted Charisse and Roger to start Black Lives in Music, how they're working to make the music industry more diverse and representative for black artists, and what they're working on now and in the future.
Support Black Lives in Music:
Visit the website to support and join the organisation: www.blim.org.uk
Follow and share content across social media:
www.twitter.com/blklivesinmusic
www.facebook.com/blacklivesinmusic
www.instagram.com/blacklivesinmusic
In our sixth podcast episode, artistic director Barney Stevenson and marketing manager Charlotte Furness, welcome film maker Alistair MacDonald and Richard Whitelaw, chair of trustees at Marsden Jazz Festival to talk about the Chronotope project, what it was like to film live music on the moorlands above Marsden, and to look back reflectively over 2020 as a whole. There is also some tentative discussion about plans for the festival to return this year, and what audiences can expect to see this year.
Alistair MacDonald is an exceptional videographer who is used to running across Marsden Moor. In 2020, when covid-19 impacted his work, Ali took to the moorlands, and began to film beautiful 360 degree mini-films of the landscape. This led him to meet Richard, our chair of trustees, also a runner, and thereby begin the process of working together on capturing the live performances for our Chronotope project.
Listen to this episode to hear Ali talk about the challenges and inspirations that helped him capture such evocative and beautiful films for this project. Also in this episode the hosts and guests reflect over 2020 and the Chronotope project as a whole, and how Marsden Jazz Festival responded to the cancellation of that year's festival, and how the whole team is tentatively planning a safe and welcoming return this year.
Watch all of the exceptional Chronotope films on Marsden Jazz Festival's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkxqax_FnRp4KKofiiSUjSMwePZznclNh
For more information about Alistair's work and to follow him, visit his website: https://curlewfilms.com/
In our fifth podcast episode, artistic director Barney Stevenson and marketing manager Charlotte Furness, welcome vocalists and composers Ruby Wood & Frenchie from The Naked Eye to the podcast to discuss their work on the Chronotope project filmed at St Bartholomew's Church in Marsden, sometimes referred to as the Cathedral of the Colne Valley.
The haunting and atmospheric vocals from Ruby & Frenchie perfectly matched with the historic church building - one of the pieces has only ever been performed in Church settings! Have a listen to the podcast to find out more about Ruby & Frenchie's music, how the two met, and find out about the extra special sound which was the inspiration for this episode of Chronotope.
Watch Ruby & Frenchie's atmospheric performances in St Bart's Church: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkxqax_FnRp5G7d24qRd_Uies32BH19Zn
Follow Ruby Wood:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rubywoodmusic
Follow The Naked Eye:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenakedeyemusic/
Bandcamp: https://thenakedeye.bandcamp.com/track/emmanuel
In our fourth podcast episode, artistic director Barney Stevenson and marketing manager Charlotte Furness, welcome guests cellist and composer Maja Bugge and pianist and composer Sarah Nicolls to the podcast to discuss their work on the fourth episode of the Chronotope project filmed on Marsden Moor.
Recorded on a plateau above Blakeley Reservoir, the improvised performances from Maja's atmospheric cello and Sarah's incredible vertical, inside out piano (the only one in the world!) discuss themes of climate change and the natural environment. They responded to the moorland around them, including a flock of birds, the sheep, and even a farmer's truck! Have a listen to the podcast to find out more.
Watch Maja & Sarah's incredible performances on Marsden Moor: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkxqax_FnRp7UWgbFsNrbqAtkzNm8dRbg
Follow Maja Bugge:
Website: https://majabugge.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cellomaja Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buggemaja/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugge_maja
Maja Bugge's album 'No Exit' can also be found on Bandcamp: https://discusmusic.bandcamp.com/album/no-exit-74cd
Follow Sarah Nicolls:
Website: http://sarahnicolls.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.nicolls.pianist Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahpianolife/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahpiano
Sarah Nicolls album 'Everything is Black and White' is available on Bandcamp: https://sarahnicolls.bandcamp.com/album/everything-in-black-and-white-part-1-2020
In our third podcast episode, artistic director Barney Stevenson and marketing manager Charlotte Furness, welcome guests vocalist and composer Tess Hirst, and bassist and composer Daniel Casimir to the podcast to discuss their work on the third episode of the Chronotope project filmed on Marsden Moor.
Recorded at Close Gate Bridge in Marsden, their four performances are topical explorations of time and place, making us think about where we are right now and where we can go in the future. With exceptional vocals from Tess and evocative sounds of the double bass from Daniel, the result is a perfect pairing of instruments and a great addition to the Chronotope series.
Find Tess & Dan online:
Twitter: @tesshirst @dancasimirmusic
Instagram: @tesshirst @casimirdaniel
In our second podcast episode, artistic director Barney Stevenson and marketing manager Charlotte Furness, welcome guests Tom Challenger, saxophonist and composer, and Jez riley French, located sound artist, to the podcast to discuss their work on the second episode of the Chronotope project called 'Geond'.
Geond (pronounced ‘yond’) derives from looking across ('yonder'), up and down, opening up Marsden as a natural amphitheatre. Tom's performances were made up of eleven movements split across three iconic locations in Marsden and they explored the historic trade routes across the moorland. A map of the Roman, packhorse, turnpike, rail, canal, and digital routes into the village was used as inspiration for the piece.
Located sound artist Jez riley French produced a composition that utilises the pre-recorded sounds of data travelling through a fibre-optic cable which runs under Marsden. The data line is part of a European network and Jez was able to capture the sound of the data travelling down the line. The resulting performance in Worlow Quarry (the third film in the Geond series is a layered fusion of composition, digital and live music.
Join Barney and Charlotte, with Tom and Jez to discuss the Geond performances, how they were conceived, and what it was like to record audio in the wild moorland of Marsden Moor.
Find Tom & Jez online:
Twitter: @tomchallenger @jezrileyfrench
Websites: http://www.tomchallenger.co.uk/
https://jezrileyfrench.co.uk/
An interview with actor, musician and composer Keeley Forsyth & musician and composer Matthew Bourne about their involvement with Marsden Jazz Festival in their new project Chronotope: Music in a Different Time and Place.
We get to know Keeley and Matt a little better, and hear more about their incredible performances on Marsden Moor, including exclusive snippets from those very performances.