Adrian Cox

Internationally acclaimed jazz clarinettist Adrian Cox at age 40 is certainly performing at the top of his game. He is one of the leading exponents of New Orleans clarinet and has a huge wealth of knowledge for the music and the players of the era. His unrivalled feel and virtuosity for the music he plays has led to concerts with the biggest names in jazz including two concerts with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra both in London and New York. Adrian spends the majority of his life on tour around the world and at the time of writing this, has performed in over 30 countries in the past 18 months. Today's concert will demonstrate that connection with the great city of New Orleans paying homage to his clarinet playing idols, Barney Bigard, Sidney Bechet, Ed Hall and more.

“Touches the other world all musicians aspire to” Cerys Matthews (BBC6 Music/BBC Radio 2)

“Utterly Beautiful, what a musician Adrian Cox is” Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2)

LINE UP: ADRIAN COX (CLT/VOC) JOE WEBB (PNO) DENNY ILETT (GTR/VOC) WILL SACH (BS) SHANEY FORBES (DRMS)

Elles Bailey

Bristol’s very own chart topping Elles Bailey plays her 2020 award-nominated album “Ain’t Nothing But '' live to an audience for the first time, in this special intimate show for The Bristol Jazz Festival . Initially recorded for a live stream during the summer of 2020, “Ain’t Nothing But” pays tribute to the songs, the songwriters and the blues legends that have helped play a part in inspiring Elles into the artist that she is today. This album received critical acclaim from the industry and fans alike with Rawramp Music offering it 5 stars calling it 'Impeccable - a mouthwatering collection of the finest Americana, folk and blues'.

This never-before seen show will feature Elles’ long-term guitarist Joe Wilkins, Bristol’s very own Phil King and True Strays Double Bassist Joe James - all of whom featured on the “Ain’t Nothing But” album. This show will also have the amazing Matthew Jones on drums and percussion, who has played in Elles touring band since 2017.

Clare Teal Quintet

She’s back! Expect exhilarating swing from award winning jazz vocalist and longtime Radio 2

& Jazz FM broadcaster Clare Teal and her marvellous band who return with a fabulous new

show as ever celebrating the hits and hidden gems of the Great American and British

Songbooks, plus contemporary covers and originals. The concert will also include favourites

from her acclaimed DVD The Fireside Sessions.

Teal’s live shows are constantly evolving, always richly infused with jazz and critically

renowned across the country for their fabulous arrangements, interspersed with Clare’s

warm and witty storytelling.

As one of the UK’s greatest interpreters of popular song and much loved performers, Clare

and her band guarantee an evening of inspirational, uplifting music and unbridled

entertainment performed by the very best.

Line Up: Clare Teal - Vocals  

Jim Watson – Piano  

Simon Little – Bass  

Will Cleasby – Drums 

Dave Archer - Guitar

Snazzback

UK DANCEFLOOR INSTRUMENTALISTS Snazzback bring a renewed, daring energy to UK dance music. The 7-piece embrace their experimental beginnings to create a sound fusing abstract beats with spiralling improvisation. Their music is soaked in influences including interlocking West African rhythms, rootsy Brazilian flavours, sprawling soundscapes, deep dubstep basslines and flickering arpeggiators. A collaborative instinct runs through the group, and an eclectic choice of vocalists keeps their compositions shimmering with new possibilities.

Snazzbacks electrifying chemistry has wowed audiences at Ronnie Scott’s, The Jazz Cafe and Band On The Wall. A recent highlight was a collaboration with genre-defining MCs General Levy and Flowdan that lit up the Hennesy tent at We Out Here. 2023 has been a stellar year for the group that featured performances on Shambala's main stage and an electric closing set with Flowdan at Glastonbury.Snazzback have garnered support from BBC radio heavyweights, being championed by Jamz Supernova and featured as her Future Sound this summer and have been supported by Gilles Peterson and Jamie Cullum across multiple records.

Alice Zawadzki

Loosely connected to the jazz world but realistically inhabiting her own realm, 

Alice Zawadzki is a vocalist, violinist, songwriter and composer based in London, with considerable repute as “a genuine original” (The Guardian), and a distinctive and individual presence on the creative European music scene.

Alice’s rich musical background and “whimsical hyper-creativity” (MOJO Magazine) create a sound which draws upon her early exposure to New Orleans jazz and gospel with the legendary Lillian Boutté who took Alice under her wing and on tour as a teenager, an extensive classical training as a violinist, and a continuous exploration of improvisation, poetry, and folk music from diverse traditions, “all propelled in a voice of velvet suppleness and gutsy emotional power” (The Arts Desk).

This will be a special concert not to be missed!

Jazz Defenders

Led by one of the UK's most formidable jazz pianists, George Cooper, The Jazz Defenders are a group born from a deep love of Blue Note jazz, drawing on a wealth of inspiration to craft their own raw and vibrant compositions. Having played several shows at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club as well as many other prestigious venues in the UK, they continue to electrify audiences with their energy and virtuosity.

As The Jazz Defenders continue to distinctly ‘defend’ the legacy of some of the classic hard bop greats such as Horace Silver, Lee Morgan and Art Blakey, they are beginning to evolve their modern soul jazz slant to combine solid grooves and catchy horn lines with a collaborative and all-encompassing sound, fusing soul, jazz, hip hop, soundtrack and groove into a masterful union that leaves audiences mesmerised. 

The group's brainchild, pianist and composer George Cooper, has at a young age already amassed a comprehensive repertoire of musical credits including Hans Zimmer, Nigel Kennedy, U2, Omar, Slum Village, MF Doom, The Brand New Heavies, Lisa Stansfield, Wet Wet Wet, The Haggis Horns, Abstract Orchestra and Lack of Afro.

Suntou Susso

Suntou is a multi-instrumentalist: Kora player, percussionist, singer and composer from The Gambia. Born a Griot in a 700-year old tradition, the Kora - harp-lute with 22 strings - is unique to the Griots of the Mandinka people. Griots have a unique societal role as oral historians, transmitting and preserving a people's culture through the generations in song, music and poetry.

Suntou's family includes some of the world's most well-respected West African musicians. His musical abilities are outstanding, perhaps unique for his generation. An in-demand and charismatic performer, he attracted attention as soon as he arrived on the UK music scene.

Hippo

“There's only 3 of them, but it sounds humongous"

BBC Radio 3 - Jazz Now

Hippo thrives in the hinterland between jazz and electronica. Bursting with buoyant melodies and the adrenal energy of a band stretching their shows to the edge of possibility, the trio continues to make a colossal sound far beyond what their three-piece stature should permit. Saxophones, synthesisers and drums go in, Hippo comes out.

“Brilliant new band from Bristol”

Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2

Swing Dance with Vero Neka Swing Band

Led by the enigmatic powerhouse Sam Mills, the Vero Neka Big Band was established in 1999 and has been swinging big ever since.

Whether you just want to sit and listen to great live Swing music with the full Big Band sound or get on the dance floor, this event is designed for everyone. 

Join the ‘Taster’ class at 5pm and learn some Swing Dance moves with the fabulous Bristol Swing Riot teachers.

The band starts at 5.30 sharp, so don't be late!