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Gateshead International Jazz Festival

April 13, 2013 in Festivals and Events 6


I’m not going to claim to be some kind of jazz aficionado but I did get a little but giddy when I saw the line up for this year’s Gateshead International Jazz Festival. Mainly because the name Ruby Turner was at the top of the list and after seeing her perform with Jools Holland at the City Hall in December I jumped at the chance to see her again. When I logged on to buy tickets and realised the gig was a double header with The Brand New Heavies I couldn’t type my card details in quick enough!

The Sage Gateshead

The Sage Gateshead

The Sunday night concert was the epic finale of the three day festival which brought other big names to the Sage Gateshead including Soweto Kinch, Phronesis and Christine Tobin plus, for the first time ever, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Thrifty jazz lovers were able to save money on tickets for two or more events with a ‘Jazz Pass’ but even without a discount, I thought ÂŁ25 for the Ruby Turner and Brand New Heavies gig was superb value.

GIJF Concourse credit Mark Savage 02

I managed to get seats on the second row but even if I’d have been sat at the back of Hall Two in the Sage I could not fail to be moved by Ruby Turner’s emotional performance. With the amazing tone of her big soul voice and her infectious bubbly character, Ruby was able to make me laugh, dance, sing and cry all in the space of 40 minutes.

heavies

The Brand New Heavies

Then after a short interval the Brand New Heavies blew me away with a load of 90’s anthems that I’d almost forgotten all about! The material from the new album was also just as good and I can’t wait to buy a copy when it comes out in May. My feet were aching from all the dancing by the end of their set but I couldn’t resist hoping on the Quaylink bus and heading over the river for the after party at Hoochie Coochie. It’s one of my favourite bars in the city because the music is always soulful and you’re guaranteed a party atmosphere every time. Sunday night was no exception, especially when Jan Kincaid, drummer and founding member of the BNH turned up to perform a DJ set with the rest of the band hitting the dance floor. Needless to say my head was a little bit sore the next morning!

Next year will the 10th Gateshead International Jazz Festival and it’s got a huge reputation to live up to but something tells me it’s going to be even bigger and better!

Did you see any of the events in this year’s festival? If so, I’d love to hear what you thought!

By Rachel Kershaw

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[…] Don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly a jazz aficionado but last year I booked to see Ruby Turner and The Brand New Heavies during the festival and it was probably my favourite gig of […]

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[…] in April. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly a jazz aficionado but last year I booked to see Ruby Turner and The Brand New Heavies during the festival and it was probably my favourite gig of […]

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[…] world’s most exciting musicians in one of my favourite North East venues, The Sage Gateshead. Last year I got tickets for the double bill headliners Ruby Turner and The James Taylor Quarter. I wondered […]

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[…] to get people dancing. The Brand New Heavies are headlining and after seeing them perform at Gateshead Jazz Festival a couple of years ago I can promise you this event will have the feel good factor. Smoove and […]

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[…] been an exclusive pop-up restaurant suspended in the air beside the River Tyne, just next to The Sage Gateshead where head chefs from some of Geordieland’s finest restaurants have been serving up […]

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[…] being a great place to soak up the culture during the day (thanks to attractions like The Baltic, The Sage and the Sunday Market), the Quayside is also a top destination for a night out and whenever my […]

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