Singin’ in the rain
Rivkala - Mancunian singer-songwriter has made the North East her home and returned to Manchester.
“It is clear that the geography of where you are based can directly affect your access to opportunity, visibility, resources and influence on a broad landscapes music scene…”
Even the Manchester rain couldn't dampen the spirits of our incredible Northern Line artists. Each act brought their unique brand of sonic storytelling to the mjf stage as they performed to an enthusiastic showcase audience.
Earlier in the day the Jazz North team brought together a group of northern jazz promoters to share news about their programmes and discuss jazz activity within their region. This was followed by a networking reception where the Northern Line artists could make new connections with promoters and industry professionals.
Speaking of his showcase experience, Ozzy Moysey founder of the Ancient Infinity Orchestra said:
“It’s been a celebration of discovering just a few of the beautifully creative artists and bands that are North based. It is clear that the geography of where you are based can directly affect your access to opportunity, visibility, resources and influence on a broad landscapes music scene… often festivals will pull in a lot of outside big names to a music festival - which is great in itself to have the chance to hear what is going on from other places - but at the same time when a more local scene is not exhibited - that can be frustrating for musicians in the area of the festival.
We have been delighted to see representation of the northern based artists coming together to play for the very communities they have grown within. Artists directly from Manchester, from Newcastle and also Leeds - in this instance. I hope this sort of camaraderie can be maintained and developed as time goes on, for the good of us all becoming more and more connected and represented as people in general across the whole of the country and beyond’”.
The Artists
Rory A. Green
“It is really great to be able to have this level of support, especially at this point in my career.”
Rory A. Green classical guitar / Eleanor Colee tenor saxophone / Michael Sapienza drums
SwanNek
“It's just an amazing opportunity. Today we've met some promoters, met some publishers and stuff, and yeah, just couldn't recommend Northern Line enough. It's been really good for us”.
Mollie Birmingham vocals / Olly Styles tenor saxophone / Jacob Egglestone guitar / Alexa K Palmer Campiglia cello / Findlay Hewitson keyboards / Jake Baines bass / John Hirst drums
Hang Linton
I'm flying to Hanoi next week and I'm on residency for two weeks.That's going to be cool. I get to make some new music”.
Hang Linton vocals, guitar, harmonica, sampler, synthesisers
Rivkala
“So huge love for Jazz North and for Northern Line as an entity. It's so important.” Rivkala
Rivkala vocals / Faye MacCalman saxophones, clarinet / Billy Bradshaw trumpet / Ben Lawrence keyboards / Luke Elgie guitar / Katy Trigger double bass, bass guitar / Mark Johnson drums
Ancient Infinity Orchestra
“Northern Line has been helping me kind of structure how to go about things like approaching venues, getting a tour idea together, things that I'm not very good at. I've had a lot of really good help with those things. So yeah, it's been great so far”.
Ozzy Moysey double bass / Joel Stedman flute, bass clarinet, congas / Matt Cliffe flute, alto flute, tenor saxophone / Khemi Shabazz oboe / Jacob Rider alto saxophone / Hugh Vincent piano / Elliot Roffe double bass / John Arnesen drums
Journalist George Pitcher highlighted the Northern Line showcase in his article about the wider jazz festival
One of the standouts of the festival was the Northern Line showcase, which is organised by Jazz North, a charity supporting musicians, venues and festivals across the north of England.
Further reading - article about Manchester Jazz Festival by George Pitcher
https://georgepitchernew.substack.com/p/manchester-jazz-festival-fights-to
For more information about our Northern Line artists visit: https://www.jazznorth.org/northern-line
For more information about mjf visit: https://manchesterjazz.com
All photography by Kieran Irvine
