Burton Agnes Jazz & Blues Festival – July 1st-3rd 2016

Burton Agnes Hall, Driffield, East Yorkshire, YO25 4NB

www.burtonagnes.com

The Burton Agnes Jazz & Blues Festival office are delighted to announce their early bird tickets info and some of the world class artists that will perform over the festival weekend this July. These include one of the great British jazz voices of all time, Elaine Delmar, performing Gershwin and Porter, and the legendary PP Arnold - one of the iconic faces of London’s swinging ’60s who is still performing more than four decades later!

More artists will be added over the coming weeks to this unique and boutique festival, which has grown year on year and is now regarded as firmly established within the festival calendar.

The tenth Burton Agnes Jazz & Blues Festival takes place this summer in the award winning grounds and Great Hall of the magnificent Elizabethan stately home that is Burton Agnes Hall...Small Visitor Attraction award winner, White Rose Awards 2015, surrounded by the beautiful Yorkshire Wolds and home of the Cunliffe-Lister family for more than four hundred years.

“Burton Agnes Hall...a much-loved family home that welcomes visitors with open arms”.

Fifteen generations have filled the Hall with treasures, from magnificent carvings commissioned when the Hall was built in 1598 by Sir Henry Griffith, to French Impressionist paintings, contemporary furniture, tapestries and other modern artwork in recent years. Simon Jenkins, author of ‘England’s Thousand Best Houses’, described Burton Agnes Hall as ‘the perfect English house’ and as one of England’s twenty finest houses alongside Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and Chatsworth House.

Could this be the most breath-taking place to spend a weekend enjoying some of the UK’s hottest jazz and blues acts? Festival TV certainly think so:

‘One of the nicest festival settings I’ve been to’ Festival TV http://vimeo.com/101730767

On the Friday, eight-piece festival favourites Octopus will open the boutique festival, performing swinging big band classics. Joining them on opening night is the nine-piece powerhouse Bugalu Foundation. Their style is heavily influenced by the music of Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri, and particularly the ’70s era of ‘Our Latin Thing’. The musical traditions of New York’s east and west Harlem come together in an irresistible fusion of jazz, funk and soul with the beats of ‘El Barrio’ and the Hispanic traditions of Latin America, more than a hint of Palmieri’s trombone rich ‘La Perfecta’, combined with the guitar fuelled Afro-Latin style of Joe Battaan.

Saturday artists so far include Manjula, a Leeds based project exploring, innovating and bringing together rhythms and melodies from diverse cultures to create a beautiful mix of sounds from around the globe. They incorporate Portuguese, African and Latin jazz influences with the haunting ambience of Indian vocal training and the rhythmic attack of jazz improvisation. Pan Jumby showcase calypso/jazz sounds from ace steel pannist Dudley Nesbitt, with Richard Ormrod on sax and the Pan Jumby band - you can’t fail to be smiling and dancing to their infectious beat. From the North West jazz scene, and putting a fresh spin on the sax/bass/drums trio format, is the Blind Monk Trio, who draw their influences from the entire history of the genre (Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, FLY), blend this with alternative rock and eastern folk and present quirky original compositions along with some surprising arrangements of classic standards.

Burton Agnes are also delighted to announce that Elaine Delmar will grace their stage on Saturday evening.

One of the great British jazz voices of all time, Elaine Delmar brings her acclaimed interpretations of two of the greatest songbooks of all time, Gershwin and Porter. Accompanied by a stellar group of musicians, Elaine performs classic arrangements of George Gershwin and Cole Porter, as well as taking a fresh new look at some iconic twentieth century music.  Favourites include numbers such as: S'Wonderful, Embraceable You, Begin the Begine, Night and Day, Summertime and I Get A Kick Out Of You.

“Among the multitude of good jazz singers in Britain, there is not one who can surpass Elaine Delmar.” Dave Gelly, Sunday Observer

How do we follow the hugely talented Elaine Delmar?

With the legendary PP Arnold!

Arriving in England as an Ikette with the Ike & Tina Revue, PP was spotted by Mick Jagger, who immediately convinced Andrew Loog Oldham to sign her to his ‘Immediate’ record label. Several huge hits followed, the best-known being ‘The first cut is the deepest’, ‘Angel of the morning’ and ‘If you think you’re groovy’. PP was one of the iconic faces of London’s swinging ’60s.

Pat has collaborated, recorded, worked and toured alongside such luminaries as The Rolling Stones, The Small Faces, Jimi Hendrix, Rod Stewart, Barry Gibb, Eric Clapton, Humble Pie, Nick Drake, Roger Waters, Ocean Color Scene, Primal Scream, The Manfreds, and many more. Her session credits read like a Who’s Who list that stretches across more than four decades of rock ’n roll and pop history.

Sunday brings Lindsay Hannon’s debut at the Burton Agnes Jazz & Blues Festival. Rooted in the improvisational traditions of jazz, this engaging band moves from raucous barrel house blues to thoughtful, spacious ballads across a variety of grooves, creating an electric atmosphere. Also performing is Graeme Wilson, whose quartet is all about heartfelt improvisation on idiosyncratic tunes that stay with you. They infuse driving jazz and Latin rhythms, or ambient swing with enthusiasm for folk and rock ballads, free jazz and the dance floor.

Bringing the Burton Agnes Jazz & Blues Festival 2016 to an end is the delightful Ben Beattie's After Midnight Band. The band celebrate the songs they love, and play their own original compositions with a youthful vigour and energy. From furious funk to laid back blues, grooving rhythms and beautiful ballads, this band will definitely have you moving! Having played in a number of well-known venues all over Europe and the USA and shared the stage with world renowned DJs, session musicians and jazz artists, Ben Beattie is soon becoming one of this country’s must see artists himself. Festival organiser and saxophonist Simon Cunliffe-Lister also joins the band.

Late Night Sessions in association with ADASTRA music agency www.adastra-music.co.uk

Following hot on the heels of Friday’s and Saturday’s main stage acts, the party continues in the bar tent with fabulous performances, where bands including festival favourites ‘The Alligators’ will entertain revellers into the night, with more artists TBC.

As in previous years, artists and bands overflow from the outdoor main stage into the Great Hall, the Hall’s shops and café courtyard, and the late night sessions in the Wold Top bar tent. Delicious food is freshly prepared by Burton Agnes’ catering team and local caterers Field & Forage, ranging from homemade burgers to spicy curries, ice creams from Burton Agnes’ own 1963 vintage ice cream van, and bakes and cupcakes in a wonderful tea tent. Local, award winning Wold Top beers will be on tap, brewed just a few miles away and delivered by brewer and jazz fan Tom Mellor, who then picks up his guitar to play in the Hall.

There is camping in the beautiful surroundings of the adjacent Park Field, with much welcomed hot showers included. Adults and children alike can also enjoy balloon artistry, face painting and highlights of Burton Agnes' grounds including a maze, giant games, jungle garden and its serene woodland walk with crafted forest wildlife creatures and sculptures to find.

“Possibly the most enjoyable jazz concert I've ever attended.” The Independent

“This is a very English festival, with a wonderful laid-back atmosphere…superbly organised and efficiently run, which brought together such a wide range of musical styles across a successful weekend…Yes, this is a wonderful English festival.” Fatea Magazine

“Who could have imagined such an idyllic and sublime location for a Jazz and Blues Festival….thankfully somebody did…This unique venue and event is a must attend festival….make sure you get your tickets...I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.”  Yorkshire Gig Guide

Tickets are now on sale from here http://www.burtonagnes.com/Jazz_Festival/Tickets_and_Prices.html by telephone 01262 490324 (weekdays 9am-5pm), or from any of the shops at Burton Agnes Hall.

Early bird tickets are currently on sale, priced at £70 for the full weekend before 1st June, with individual day tickets also available. Children under 12 are free with an adult.

Concessions: OAPs, Burton Agnes Hall members, students and children aged 12-15 are £68 before 1st June (Families need only buy one concessionary ticket to cover all children aged 12-15)

More acts will be announced during the coming weeks; if you would like to receive more information about the 2016 Jazz & Blues Festival, please visit www.burtonagnes.com  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwYuuvIlRwU

https://www.facebook.com/Burton-Agnes-Jazz-Blues-Festival-123-July-2016-159412087459893/

 or email:

denise@manillapr.com / office@burtonagnes.com