The Festival Spirit - Nantwich 'Jazz Fest Sunday'.

The gang set up.

March 27th, 2016

'Jazz Fest Sunday' as it's known is traditionally the busiest day of the festival where some 40,000 people pour in from surrounding areas to enjoy the music (and alcohol!). This was the most exciting day for me as there is nothing to beat the thrill of playing in a full band and the power, dynamics and emotion this can evoke.

We all seemed relaxed and played really well in the tiny stage area, though Simon said afterwards he couldn't hear the drums at all, many non-musicians are often surprised that hearing good 'on stage' levels for everyone in the band can be quite rare, especially in the often quick turn-arounds you have (an hour between acts in this case). 

It was great to play a full two hour set right through, you can really get into the zone and dig deep into the music, and have time to allow your set to make it's path and tell a musical story.

Tim Lee, whose brilliant solo performance I was lucky enough to catch, also took some great photos;

Me, in monocrome, photo by Tim Lee.

Dave 'The Groove' Coomer, lighting up the electronic kit.
Photo by Tim Lee.

Em, photo by Tim Lee.

Post gig, after loading up in Storm Kate's rain, I had a short break and something to eat before heading out again to catch Tim perform brilliantly in the Singer/Songwriter part of the festival hosted by The Cat Radio on the Blitz stage outdoors. I watched with Dayve Dean (whose set I had sadly, missed) while getting thoroughly drenched meaning I couldn't even feel my fingers when I was playing, luckily muscle memory played it's part but I'd definitely lost some intricacy in my playing.
A few brave (or tipsy) souls danced and sang along at times in the pouring rain, if that's not the festival spirit, I don't know what is!

Tim Lee Rocking the town center outdoor stage

I had cold hands!
Many thanks to Jonathan White for the photo.

Jonathan White, who took the above photo, also published an article about this year's festival at; http://thenantwichnews.co.uk/2016/03/26/nantwich-jazz-festival-packs-music-fans-into-town-venues/

Loving @TheBlueYellows with @Mattlj92 #Nantwichjazzfestival

— CharlotteBirch (@CharlotteyBirch) March 27, 2016

Now playing my favorite!!!! #NoTobaccoNoJesus @TheBlueYellows #MyJam 🌄🌄

— CharlotteBirch (@CharlotteyBirch) March 27, 2016

Watching the always awesome @TheBlueYellows at @nantwichjazz at @UnionNantwich BRILLIANT! pic.twitter.com/sPn5JvO9bt

— Tim Lee - Songwriter (@timleesongs) March 27, 2016

A local gig for me meant nipping home between gigs, Storm Katey making up for my soaking.

The Stormin' Blues Festival

These two, while setting up, stage left.

Today was another Nantwich Jazz Fest gig, and another one with the inimitable Dan - the man - Logan.

The recent warm-weather turned to storms, but not enough to stop the festival goers.

Even though we were indoors, there was a moment, a gust, perhaps even a mini tornado? ...Which hurled both sets of heavy venue doors open, and a huge swirl of wet air soaked several meters of floor inside, impressive stuff.

Lots of people bought Attachment Theories, which was nice.

Now I'm looking forward to kicking up a storm with The Blue Yellows tomorrow!.

The setlist,
(We almost kept to it)

The 20th Nantwich Jazz Festival - Opening Night.

Some of Dan's kit.

24th March 2016

The opening night of this popular festival and the first of several appearances for me, including two with percussion Czar, Dan Logan.

Jazz Fest with @CharlotteyBirch - first artist had to be @JonnieGitAhhr

— Matt Jackson (@Mattlj92) March 26, 2016

Festival Warm Up.

23rd March 2016

Tonight I played a very short set in Alsager as a warm up gig with Dan, just to rid myself of excessive nerves ahead of several Nantwich Jazz Festival gigs the following night and over the weekend.

...and yet MORE rehearsals..

From last nights reheasal with the mighty Blue Yellows

No time for anything else right now, with several 2 hour slots at The Nantwich Jazz Festival approaching this Easter.

Last night with The Blue Yellows, who are sounding groovier and Funkier than ever.
Should be great!

Reaheasals...

The aftermath of rehearsals! Time to #tidy ! #drums #percussion @orchardofficial #amp pic.twitter.com/9beHKRTg0M

— Daniel J. Logan (@theDanielJLogan) March 16, 2016

Here's the full extent of my appearances at The Nantwich Jazz Festival this year, both with Dan, and The Blue Yellows;

Radio Legs.

My avid visitor to this website will know that I recently nipped into The Cat Radio Station to record an interview with Kev 'Legs' Walker.

"... It was watching a concert on TV and him playing about three notes, but those three notes were so beautiful, I thought 'I'll never be able to play lead guitar - never be able to do that'... (the music) all cascades down, goes quiet and he plays these few, plaintive little notes and I thought, 'well maybe I can't do his fancy stuff but I can play those few notes' and then you play a bit more and a bit more, and that's what got me going..."

You can now listen again to the show, Kev played some tracks from Attachment Theories and we also talked about the writing/recording/live cycle and the Nantwich Jazz Festival among other things;

Spring/Summer live dates confirmed so far (& more to come)...

The Easter Weekend Nantwich Jazz Festival alone will be pretty full-on!

If only making music were the majority of what a musician has to do to survive....

A lot of the time it's promotional stuff, so tonight for example, this included several hours on an extremely lo-fi (but hey, 'professional' is so last year) video to hopefully generate some interest in what I'm up to.