Nonunonu (ELDER JAZZ)
NONUNONU
At Elder Beer Cafe, Newcastle NE6 5LQ
Wednesday 09 September 2026
Doors Open: 19:30
Starts: 20:00
GENERAL ADMISSION
£12.00 Face value (£10.91)
TIX >>> https://www.seetickets.com/event/nonunonu-elder-jazz-/elder-beer-cafe/3672749
More information about NONUNONU (Elder Jazz) tickets
Presented by Elder Beer and Jazz North East
Nonunonu
Wednesday 9th September 2026
Doors: 7.30pm (Bar open all day)
Music: 8.00pm - 10.00pm (Bar open until 11.00pm)
£12.00 On The Door / Seetickets (Advance booking recommended due to limited capacity)
Elder Beer (Intimate beer garden with covered seating and heating)
290 Chillingham Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, NE6 5LQ
info@elderbeer.co.uk
*Contact venue for access requirements and age restrictions.
www.facebook.com/elderbeercafe
www.facebook.com/jazznortheast
A brand new initiative from Elder Beer with Jazz North East bringing jazz to Heaton on the second Wednesday of every month from April - October 2026.
NONUNONU
Bim Williams (Guitar)
Andy Patterson (Bass)
Ruben Sheridan (Drums)
Manchester's nu-jazz fusion outfit, NONUNONU, emerged in 2019 with a captivating blend of intricate compositions and electrifying improvisation. Their live shows are a whirlwind of intensity and dynamism, leaving audiences spellbound. Since then, they've carved their path in the UK's evolving jazz scene: UK tours for the last 3 years, slots at prestigious festivals and venues such as Manchester Jazz and International Festivals, Lancaster Jazz Festival, Camden Jazz Café, Strange Brew Bristol, Brewery Art Centre Kendal. NONUNONU have also supported established acts; Knats, Secret Night Gang, Xhosa Cole, Jasmine Myra and Adrien Moignard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PUWzempeqA
»» Sep 09 2026 NONUNONU (Elder Jazz) Elder Beer Cafe, Newcastle Wed 09 Sep 2026, 20:00
The Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion
The Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion
At The Globe, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 7AD
Sunday 13 September 2026
Doors Open: 19:00
Starts: 20:00
GENERAL ADMISSION : £15.40 Face value (£14.00)
TICKET + COMPANION/PA : £15.40 Face value (£14.00)
CONCESSION (MU / NUS / OAP / BENEFITS) : £13.20 Face value (£12.00)
TIX >>> https://www.seetickets.com/event/the-eternal-triangle-andy-champion/the-globe/3671691
More information about The Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion tickets
The Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion
At The Globe - Newcastle
Sunday 13th September 2026
Doors: 7.00pm (Music Starts 8.00pm)
Presented by Jazz North East
A return visit from Trevor Watts and co. Founding member of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, with an opening set from celebrated local bassist Andy Champion. Free improvisation of the highest order guaranteed.
The Eternal Triangle
Trevor Watts (Saxophones)
Veryan Weston (Piano / Keyboard)
Jamie Harris (Percussion)
Eternal Triangle play the music of Trevor Watts, compositions originally inspired by rhythmic structures from Africa and South America as well as jazz and European musical forms.
The trio is built on two duos: Veryan and Trevor first played together in Trevor's "Moiré Music" in the early 1980s and since then have had a long collaboration in the 'Dialogues' project where their work as open improvisers was explored together for many years worldwide.
The second duo consists of Jamie and Trevor where Jamie was involved in Trevor's 'Celebration Band' in the 2000s and later they were involved in a very successful duo touring worldwide and recording several CDs.
The third duo with Veryan and Jamie is yet to be explored!
In July 2021 the three musicians began working together on some beautiful new pieces specifically conceived by Trevor. The development of these compositions, for instance, can happen during rehearsals or during a concert. Any player in the group can discover something new within each piece, and therefore the compositions are ever changing. The strengths of this trio are like the durable and inert strength of a triangle, where each side supports the other - 'Eternal Triangle'.
This is a music with a depth that is both expansive and honest.
Trevor has played many major Festivals with his previous Moire Music / Moire Music Drum Orchestra / Amalgam and the two duos. These include San Francisco Jazz Fest / Berlin Jazz Fest / Singapore Fest of the Arts / Montreux Jazz Fest / Moers Jazz Fest / Glastonbury Fest /Womad Fest / N Zealand Fest of the Arts / Khartoum Fest / July 4th World Jazz Fest Washington DC (twice) / Vancouver Jazz Fest / London Jazz Fest / Glasgow Jazz Fest / Sao Paulo Jazz Fest / Gulbenkian Fest Lisbon / Monterey Jazz Fest / St Lucia Jazz Fest West Indies / etc, and tours all around the World many times and so on. His credentials have been proven many times over, having been on the scene since 1966. Eternal Triangle is his latest development.
Others Trevor Watts has played with amongst many: Don Cherry / Steve Lacy / Tony Oxley / Fred van Hove / Bobby Bradford / Archie Shepp / Denardo Coleman with Jayne Cortez / Barry Guy LJCO & Orchestra / John Stevens / Rodrigo Amado / Keith Rowe / Cyro Baptista / Stan Tracey / Kenny Wheeler / Phil Seaman / Phil Collins / Tubby Hayes / Dave Holland / Peter Kowald / John Mcloughlan / Chick Corea.
Andy Champion
Andy Champion (Solo Bass)
Andy Champion is a bass player, composer and improviser from the North East of England. In this solo performance Andy will be delivering a set of improvisations and compositions; utilising extended techniques, loops and effects to create dynamic soundscapes.
Venue Details
The Globe,
11 Railway Street,
NE4 7AD
0191 272 5185 / info@jazz.coop
www.theglobenewcastle.bar
Age Restrictions: All ages welcome with under 18's accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility: Fully accessible for wheelchair users, a lift facility is available to access an upstairs fully accessible toilet.
Travel: Central Station Metro is located just under half a mile from the venue
(approximately 8 minutes walk).
Buses: 12 / 12A / 22 / 22X to Scotswood Road.
Limited street parking outside of the venue, a small fee based car park is located across the road (Charges may apply).
Arun Ghosh (NFOJAiM 2026)
Arun Ghosh
At Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE3 3HD
Thursday 24 September 2026
Doors Open: 19:30
Starts: 20:00
Performing: Arun Ghosh
GENERAL ADMISSION £19.80 Face value (£18.00)
TICKET + COMPANION / PA £19.80 Face value (£18.00)
TIX >>> https://www.seetickets.com/event/arun-ghosh-nfojaim-2026-/gosforth-civic-theatre/3668840
More information about Arun Ghosh (NFOJAiM 2026)
Arun Ghosh at Gosforth Civic Theatre - Newcastle upon Tyne
Thursday 24th September 2026
Tickets: £18.00 + Booking Fee and Processing Fee = £21.05
(£22.00 On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 7.30pm (Music Starts 8.00pm - 8.45pm / Interval / 9.00pm - 9.45pm)
"Charismatic clarinettist Arun Ghosh performs a feel-good IndoJazz set, with soaring melodies and hypnotic South Asian rhythms"
Arun Ghosh - clarinet, and harmonium
Chris Williams - alto and baritone saxophone
John Ellis - piano
Gavin Barras - double bass
Dalbir Singh Rattan - tabla and percussion
Dave Walsh - drums
Presented by Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music with GemArts and Jazz North East, and with support from Arts Council England, it's an absolute delight to welcome Arun Ghosh and his sextet to perform the opening concert for this years NFOJAiM.
www.newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic.co.uk
Arun Ghosh
Three years on from his celebrated BBC Proms x Masala Festival show in Gateshead, clarinettist Arun Ghosh returns to the North East, bringing his joyful and effervescent IndoJazz sound.
It's a return of Ghosh's original IndoJazz Sextet, where lyrical and searching melodies soar over South Asian rhythms. As the horns' soulful expressions veer into searing improvisations, a heady mix of hypnotic basslines, tabla trickery, and driving drums combine to propel the music forwards.
Twice winner of UK Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year, Ghosh is a charismatic and communicative performer, a renowned innovator of modern IndoJazz, and a stalwart of the British jazz scene.
Tonight, the band will be premiering new material alongside music from Ghosh's acclaimed albums A South Asian Suite, but where are you really from?, and Northern Namaste .... these shows are always startling, spontaneous and moving events, and this is one that's not to be missed!
Music links
https://arunghosh.bandcamp.com/
Video links
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRmRWPJmChA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Th8wC59Rc
Social Media
instagram: @arunghoshmusic
facebook: @arunghoshmusic
Gosforth Civic Theatre - Venue Details
Gosforth Civic Theatre
Regent Farm Road, Gosforth,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3HD
0191 284 3700 / info@gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk
www.gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk
Age Restrictions: Please contact the venue for age restrictions.
Accessibility: Gosforth Civic Theatre is a fully accessible building.
Travel: Regent Centre Metro and Bus Station are across the road / There is limited parking at the venue.
GET THE BLESSING + DILETTANTE (NFOJAiM 2026)
GET THE BLESSING + DILETTANTE
At The Cluny 2, Newcastle NE1 2PQ
Friday 25 September 2026
Doors Open: 19:30
Starts: 20:00
Age Restrictions: 16+ (under 18 accompanied by an adult)
GENERAL ADMISSION £19.80 Face value (£18.00)
TICKET + COMPANION/PA £19.80 Face value (£18.00)
TIX >>> https://www.seetickets.com/event/get-the-blessing-dilettante-nfojaim-2026-/the-cluny-2/3669621
View venue accessibility information for The Cluny 2, Newcastle
More information about GET THE BLESSING + DILETTANTE (NFOJAiM 2026) tickets
Get The Blessing + Dilettante
The Cluny 2 - Newcastle
Friday 25th September 2026
Seetickets: £18.00 + Booking and Processing Fee = £21.05
(£22.00 On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 7.30pm (Music Starts 8.00pm)
~ Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026 ~
Get The Blessing
Pete Judge (Trumpet)
Jake McMurchie (Saxophone)
Jim Barr (Bass)
Dave Smith (Drums)
Through a love of Ornette Coleman, formed in 1999 by regular Portishead and Radiohead collaborators Jim Barr and Clive Deamer, Get The Blessing forged a sound in jazz that opened the doors to new generations of jazz audiences, and more importantly jazz musicians resulting in alternative breakthrough acts that has included GoGo Penguin, Ishmael Ensemble, Yazz Ahmed and Mammal Hands.
A fusion of submersive fx laden sax and trumpets, infectious beats, killer bass lines and collective spontaneity Get The Blessing produce incredibly infectious and compelling music.
For this festival special Clive Deamer is replaced by Dave Smith, best known for his six years touring and recording with Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters.
"at last, a noisy, thrashy post-jazz combo that sounds like a proper band" - The Independent
"Excellent, Unmissable" - Jazz Journal
Temperate Red - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFAMMBqEd9c
Not With Standing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32W8IXl22t0
www.gettheblessing.bandcamp.com/music
FFO GoGo Penguin, Portishead, Radiohead, Ishmael Ensemble, Yazz Ahmed, Mammal Hands
Dilettante (Solo Show)
Francesca Pidgeon (Voice / Guitar / Saxophone / Keys / Percussion / Looper and FX)
Dilettante is the art-pop brain-child of multi-instrumentalist Francesca Pidgeon. Based in the North of England but now performing across the UK and internationally. Dilettante has supported the likes of Caribou, Self Esteem + Philip Selway (Radiohead) with her unorthodox but intricately woven looped woodwind and fuzzy guitar licks.
Dilettante is one of the most exciting acts to have emerged in Northern UK in recent years. With music steeped in modern history, in one moment she conjures up images of great new wave bands such as Talking Heads, then flipped in a moment she's a skewed modern jazz crooner. Perhaps sometimes comparable with other incredible contemporary stylists that includes Cate Le Bon, Dana Gavanski and Lael Neale, but also completely unique to them and very much carving out her own artistic vision.
Dilettante has performed on a number of occasions in Newcastle upon Tyne, including last years Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music collaboration with Generator for the Mercury Music Prize.
"A dazzlingly skewed pop-vision" **** - MOJO
"Groove-laden misfit art-pop worth rooting for" - Uncut
Surrogate Lover (Official Music Video) - https://youtu.be/f4Q5azAhbwM
Keep Time (Official Music Video) - https://youtu.be/VDAFyoC3us8
Big Fish (Official Music Video) - https://youtu.be/QP5aQp0yhhc
www.dilettantesongs.bandcamp.com/
FFO St Vincent, tUnE-yArDs, Dirty Projectors + Fiona Apple
An absolutely incredible and unmissable double bill making up the second concert for this years NFOJAiM... just get to this gig, you won't regret it!
www.newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic.co.uk
Performance Schedule
Doors: 7.30pm
Dilettante: 8.00pm - 8.45pm
15 Minute Interval
Get The Blessing: 9.00pm - 10.15pm
Venue Details
The Cluny 2, 36 Lime Street,
Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 2PQ
0191 230 4474 / hello@thecluny.com
Age Restrictions: 16+ (under 18 accompanied by an adult)
Accessibility and Travel: https://thecluny.com/accessibility/
John Pope Quintet + Urvashi (NFOJAiM 2026)
John Pope Quintet + Urvashi (NFOJAiM 2026)
The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE6 1LD
Saturday 26 September 2026
Doors Open: 19:30
Starts: 20:00
Top of Form
GENERAL ADMISSION £15.40 Face value (£14.00)
TICKET + COMPANION/PA £15.40 Face value (£14.00)
TIX >>> https://www.seetickets.com/event/john-pope-quintet-urvashi-nfojaim-2026-/the-cumberland-arms/3672778
More information about John Pope Quintet + Urvashi (NFOJAiM 2026)
John Pope Quintet + Urvashi
The Cumberland Arms (Upstairs Gig Room) - Newcastle
Saturday 26th September 2026
Seetickets: £14.00 + Booking and Processing Fee = £15.40
(£16.00 On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 7.30pm (Music Starts 8.00pm)
~ Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026 ~
John Pope Quintet
John Pope (Double Bass)
Jamie Stockbridge (Alto and Baritone Saxophone)
Faye MacCalman (Tenor Sax and Clarinet)
Graham Hardy (Trumpets)
Johnny Hunter (Drums and Percussion)
Acclaimed UK bass player John Pope pilots this outstanding band of improvisers through explosive, anything-goes energy music; open-hearted, joyous and fearlessly intuitive. Drawing on 60s free jazz and hard bop with a modern, 'vibe-hopping' sensibility, this ensemble of Northern improvisers revel in spontaneous celebration of in-the-moment creativity.
Exploring Pope's off-kilter musical territory with deep trust, humour and 'irresistible joie de vivre', they hop from powerful swing to melodic mystery to out-there skronk at will, always searching, always generous.
Featuring Jamie Stockbridge (Taupe, Agbeko) on alto and baritone saxophone, Faye MacCalman (Archipelago, Anenome Quartet) on tenor sax and clarinet, Graham Hardy (Northern Monkey Brass Band, Ushaw Ensemble) on trumpet and Johnny Hunter (Sloth Racket, MoonMot) on drums, this acoustic powerhouse have brought their merry clamour to audiences all over the nation, from legendary jazz venues to prestigious festivals to DIY art spaces.
"...an outstanding example of contemporary modern British jazz"
- Bebop Spoken Here
"Pope has a knack from crafting memorable tunes that assidously avoid jazz cliché"
www.johnpope.bandcamp.com/album/citrinitas
https://johnpope.bandcamp.com/album/mixed-with-glass
Urvashi
Anna Chai (Saxophone)
Rishi Pelham (Drums)
Theo Malka-Wishart (Bass)
Joe Armer (Guitar)
Unabashed, unrelenting, and refusing categorisation, to witness an Urvashi performance is
to experience a spiritual invocation. Rooted in their diasporic experiences in the UK, Urvashi
draws on the devotional traditions of Indian Qawwali and Arabic Tarab, and channels these
practices through experimental jazz, dnb, UK rave music and hard rock.
In the comic book series that inspired them, Urvashi, a celestial dancer in Hindu mythology,
grows up with dance as her only form of expression, eventually discovering her talent has
dual power: to bring peace and to create bloodshed. The band's music carries the same
electrifying duality. Urvashi's extended improvisations build trance-like states through rhythm
and collective energy, music that can deliver transcendence but also hold audiences in
tension, uneasiness, and discomfort. Like the goddess, the band wields the power of sound
to transport and to unsettle, refusing to resolve into easy beauty.
Urvashi have graced many a stages in the London Jazz scene as well as around the UK,
including: headlining the Jazz in the Round stage at the EFG London Jazz Festival 2023 and
2026, the Ealing Jazz Festival 2024, Jazz Live at The Crypt, Good Evening Arts, The Jazz
Sanctuary, a monthly residency at the Folklore Hoxton, The Old Church and the Cluny.
An absolutely incredible double bill making up the fourth concert for this years NFOJAiM!***
www.newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic.co.uk
Presented by Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music alongside Jazz North East and GemArts
Performance Schedule
Doors: 7.30pm
Urvashi: 8.00pm - 8.45pm
Interval
John Pope Quintet: 9.15pm - 10.15pm
Venue Details
The Cumberland Arms
James Place Street, Ouseburn, Off Byker Bank, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1LD
0191 265 6151
www.thecumberlandarms.co.uk
Please contact the venue for accessibility and age restrictions
Accessibility: The Cumberland Arms has a ramp at the rear of the venue space for wheelchair users to access the building, no wheelchair accessible toilets are available in the building.
The front entrance to the venue space is preceded by a number of stairs.
Travel: Any Bus and Metro to Shields Road Morrisons which is located less than 1500 ft from the venue (approximately 5 minutes walk). Byker Metro is located a half mile away from the venue (approximately 15 minutes walk)
There is parking available on a grassy space next to the building.
***GET DOWN EARLY!!!
Be sure to get down early if you want to catch the free entry 'Adam and Johnny play Mary Lou Williams' in the Cumberland Arms Downstairs Back Bar starting at 6.00pm!!!
~~~o0o~~~
Free the Aanimals: Music Workshop 11.30am Session
Free the Aanimals: Music Workshop 11.30am Session
The Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle NE6 1LP
Sunday 27 September 2026
Doors Open: 11:15
Starts: 11:30
Free the Aanimals: Workshop
GENERAL ADMISSION : £0.00
TICKET + FESTIVAL DONATION : £5.50 Face value (£5.00)
More information about Free the Aanimals: Music Workshops
Free the Aanimals: Workshop
Three 45 minute long Aanimal-Song workshop/performances with trio Tim Dalling, John Pope and Jeremy Bradfield.
Sunday 27th September 2026 at Ouseburn Farm Events Room
11.30am - 12.15pm / 12.30pm - 1.15pm / 1.30pm - 2.15pm
Free But Ticketed
(You can show up on the door without a ticket but room is subject to capacity)
The Aanimals invite children and their adults to a 45 minute workshop/performance at Byker Farm. Aimed primarily at children (5+) and young adults but all welcome. Maximum 30 participants.
Try out your instant songwriting skills and feel the freedom and joy of improvised music on a range of available instruments and noise-making devices. Celebrate everything from large and exotic mammals to microscopic bacteria. Create a dance hit. Feel free to bring along your own instrument and a favourite animal to celebrate with a song. Or be inspired directly on the day by animals at Ouseburn farm. Hear some of the classics from Aanimal Dances Vol 1 such as Scuttling Crab, Mr Giraffe and Erithacus Rubecula. Come and dance along to Aardvark and Xanthobacter Autotrophicus.
Tim, John and Jeremy have decades of experience in music, theatre-making and teaching. From the outer reaches of jazz, folk and nonsense, they take the art of silliness very seriously.
Ouseburn Farm
Ouseburn Rd
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 2PA
Free the Aanimals: Music Workshop 12.30am
Free the Aanimals: Music Workshop 12.30am
The Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle NE6 1LP
Sunday 27 September 2026
Doors Open: 12:15
Starts: 12:30
Top of Form
GENERAL ADMISSION : £0.00
TICKET + FESTIVAL DONATION : £5.50 Face value (£5.00)
More information about FREE THE AANIMALS: MUSIC WORKSHOP 12.30PM SESSIONS
Free the Aanimals: Workshop at Ouseburn Farm Events Room
Sunday 27th September 2026
11.30am - 12.15pm / 12.30pm - 1.15pm / 1.30pm - 2.15pm
Free But Ticketed (You can show up on the door without a ticket but room is subject to capacity)
Three 45 minute long Aanimal-Song workshop/performances with trio Tim Dalling, John Pope and Jeremy Bradfield.
The Aanimals invite children and their adults to a 45 minute workshop/performance at Byker Farm. Aimed primarily at children (5+) and young adults but all welcome. Maximum 30 participants.
Try out your instant songwriting skills and feel the freedom and joy of improvised music on a range of available instruments and noise-making devices. Celebrate everything from large and exotic mammals to microscopic bacteria. Create a dance hit. Feel free to bring along your own instrument and a favourite animal to celebrate with a song. Or be inspired directly on the day by animals at Ouseburn farm. Hear some of the classics from Aanimal Dances Vol 1 such as Scuttling Crab, Mr Giraffe and Erithacus Rubecula. Come and dance along to Aardvark and Xanthobacter Autotrophicus.
Tim, John and Jeremy have decades of experience in music, theatre-making and teaching. From the outer reaches of jazz, folk and nonsense, they take the art of silliness very seriously.
Ouseburn Farm,
Ouseburn Rd,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE1 2PA
Free the Aanimals: Music Workshop 1.30pm
Free the Aanimals: Music Workshop 1.30pm
The Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle NE6 1LP
Sunday 27 September 2026
Doors Open: 13:15
Starts: 13:30
GENERAL ADMISSION : £0.00
TICKET + FESTIVAL DONATION : £5.50 Face value (£5.00)
More information about Free the Aanimals: Music Workshop 1.30pm Sessions
Free the Aanimals: Music Workshop at Ouseburn Farm Events Room
Sunday 27th September 2026
11.30am - 12.15pm / 12.30pm - 1.15pm / 1.30pm - 2.15pm
Free But Ticketed (You can show up on the door without a ticket but room is subject to capacity)
Three 45 minute long Aanimal-Song workshop/performances with trio Tim Dalling, John Pope and Jeremy Bradfield.
The Aanimals invite children and their adults to a 45 minute workshop/performance at Byker Farm. Aimed primarily at children (5+) and young adults but all welcome. Maximum 30 participants.
Try out your instant songwriting skills and feel the freedom and joy of improvised music on a range of available instruments and noise-making devices. Celebrate everything from large and exotic mammals to microscopic bacteria. Create a dance hit. Feel free to bring along your own instrument and a favourite animal to celebrate with a song. Or be inspired directly on the day by animals at Ouseburn farm. Hear some of the classics from Aanimal Dances Vol 1 such as Scuttling Crab, Mr Giraffe and Erithacus Rubecula. Come and dance along to Aardvark and Xanthobacter Autotrophicus.
Tim, John and Jeremy have decades of experience in music, theatre-making and teaching. From the outer reaches of jazz, folk and nonsense, they take the art of silliness very seriously.
Ouseburn Farm
Ouseburn Rd
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 2PA
Alex Hitchcock Quartet (NFOJAiM 2026)
Alex Hitchcock Quartet
The Globe, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 7AD
Sunday 27 September 2026
Doors Open: 19:00
Starts: 20:00
GENERAL ADMISSION : £15.40 Face value (£14.00)
TICKET + COMPANION / PA : £15.40 Face value (£14.00)
TIX >>> https://www.seetickets.com/event/alex-hitchcock-quartet-nfojaim-2026-/the-globe/3670016
More information about Alex Hitchcock Quartet (NFOJAiM 2026)
Alex Hitchcock Quartet at The Globe - Newcastle
Sunday 27th September 2026
Seetickets: £14.00 + Booking and Processing Fee = £15.40
(£16.00 On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 7.00pm (Music Starts 8.00pm / 2 x 45 Minute Sets)
~ Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026 ~
For the fifth concert at this years Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music we welcome the internationally renowned virtuoso saxophonist Alex Hitchcock.
Alex Hitchcock Quartet
Alex Hitchcock (Saxophone)
Will Barry (Piano)
Freddie Jensen (Bass)
Ananda Brandão (Drums)
Described as a "virtuoso" by The Guardian, saxophonist and Ivor Novello-nominated composer Alex Hitchcock is a leading voice on the international jazz stage. Emerging from London's fertile jazz scene and shaped by inventive collaborations across Europe, the US, and further afield, he has built an international reputation for music that balances real-world urgency with formal and stylistic exploration.
Following sold-out album launches in New York and London, Hitchcock tours a cutting-edge quartet performing music from his acclaimed new release, Letters From Afar, a sonic correspondence across emotional, geographic, and artistic distances.
The group's sound draws as much from film and visual art as from music itself: shimmering bitonal harmonies that bloom and fracture; layered textures of colour, density, and rhythmic asymmetry; loops and motifs that build, collide, and dissolve.
Hitchcock has carved out a distinctive space in contemporary jazz - at times intense and chaotic, at others disarmingly sparse and direct. Beneath the surface of the quartet's notated forms lies a deep commitment to free improvisation, creating music both tightly sculpted and thrillingly fluid.
This is music for curious, open-minded listeners drawn to art at the edge of beauty and disruption. Fans of Caroline Davis, Tyshawn Sorey, or Peter Evans will find familiar terrain though this is a group never content to stay in one place for long.
Live at Bimhuis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o66_nc4MlWc
Alex Hitchcock
Alex Hitchcock is a London born saxophonist, composer, arranger, and producer based in New York. He draws inspiration politically as much as musically from artists in the radical tradition of Black American music, including Archie Shepp, Cecil Taylor, Hazel Scott, Ma Rainey, and Max Roach. His work reckons with the politics embedded in both the history and form of this music and the struggle, resistance, and reinvention that have shaped it.
Since emerging as a leader, Hitchcock has released four solo albums to widespread critical acclaim. The Guardian described him as a "virtuoso" saxophonist, while BBC Jazz World hailed him as "leading the charge in terms of new jazz music being created in the UK." His work has been featured on the BBC, France Musique, WDR, JazzFM, Worldwide FM, and in leading publications such as Downbeat, MOJO, Jazzwise, Musica Jazz, Stereogum, and Uncut.
He tours globally with his own quartet, performing at major venues and festivals including North Sea Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne, Love Supreme Jazz Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott's, Bimhuis, the Barbican, Royal Albert Hall, and Glastonbury. Most recently, he has appeared in the working quartet of Detroit piano legend (and Dexter Gordon side musician) Kirk Lightsey, touring across the UK, France, Germany, and Switzerland
www.newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic.co.uk
Presented by Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music alongside Jazz North East
Venue: The Globe,
11 Railway Street,
NE4 7AD
0191 272 5185 / info@jazz.coop
Age Restrictions: All ages welcome with under 18's accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility: Fully accessible for wheelchair users, a lift facility is available to access an upstairs fully accessible toilet.
Travel: Central Station Metro is located just under half a mile from the venue (approximately 8 minutes walk).
Buses: 12 / 12A / 22 / 22X to Scotswood Road.
Limited street parking outside of the venue, a small fee based car park is located across the road (Charges may apply).
Alison Gill - Makrokosmos (NFOJAiM 2026)
Alison Gill - Makrokosmos
The Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1SE
Friday 02 October 2026
Doors Open: 12:30
Starts: 13:00
GENERAL ADMISSION / FREE ENTRY £0.00
GENERAL ADMISSION / £5.00 FESTIVAL DONATION : £5.50 Face value (£5.00)
GENERAL ADMISSION / £8.00 FESTIVAL DONATION : £8.80 Face value (£8.00)
GENERAL ADMISSION / £10.00 FESTIVAL DONATION : £11.00 Face value (£10.00)
More information about Alison Gill - Makrokosmos (NFOJAiM 2026)
Alison Gill - performing George Crumb’s Makrokosmos
At The Literary and Philosophical Society - Newcastle upon Tyne
Friday 2nd October 2026
Seetickets: Free Entry but ticketed (Donations Welcome)
(Free Entry On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 12.30pm (Music Starts 1.00pm - 2.00pm)
~ Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026 ~
Alison Gill – Piano
Alison Gill is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, specialising as an accompanist and répétiteur. Whilst at the RAM she made her Wigmore Hall debut, filmed for Channel 4, and was chosen as one of ten pianists to perform alongside Michael Nyman and Gavin Bryars in Satie's 19 hour work Vexations, taking place in the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern.
Alison has a strong interest in contemporary music and worked closely with several composers whilst playing in the Huddersfield New Music Ensemble, for performances in the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.
For this special performance at Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music and the 8th concert of the festival, Alison will perform George Crumbs Makrokosmos Book 1
Read more about Makrokosmos by Clicking Here
www.newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic.co.uk
Presented by The Literary and Philosophical Society with Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music alongside Jazz North East
Venue Details
The Literary and Philosophical Society, 23 Westgate Road, NE1 1SE
0191 232 0192 / library@litandphil.org.uk
Age Restrictions / Accessibility / Travel
Age Restrictions: All ages welcome with under 18's accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility: The Loftus Room and Joseph Swan Room at The Lit and Phil are accessible.
There is a lift at the venue entrance for wheelchair users to access the building and performance space, wheelchair accessible toilets are available in the building.
Accessible toilets are also available at 5 Quarter Cafe Bar to the left as you exit the building.
The Private Members Library is not a wheelchair accessible space and is preceded by a small number of stairs.
Travel: Any Bus and Metro to Central Station which is located less than 300 ft from the venue (approximately 2 minutes walk).
There is limited street parking, the closest car park is at Central Station (Charges may apply).
Gilby and Hunter + Andy Champion (NFOJAiM 2026)
Gilby and Hunter + Andy Champion
The Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1SE
Friday 02 October 2026
Doors Open: 17:45
Starts: 18:00
GENERAL ADMISSION : £11.00 Face value (£10.00)
TICKET + COMPANION/PA : £11.00 Face value (£10.00)
More information about Gilby and Hunter + Andy Champion (NFOJAiM 2026)
Zoe Gilby with Johnny Hunter (Duo) + Andy Champion (Solo)
At The Literary and Philosophical Society (Members Library Reference Room) - Newcastle upon Tyne
Friday 2nd October 2026
Seetickets: £10.00 + Booking and Processing Fee = £11.00
(£12.00 On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 5.45pm (Music Starts 6.00pm - 7.15pm with a short interval between acts)
~ Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026 ~
This is a brilliant double bill making up the 9th concert for this years NFOJAiM. And the Members Library Reference Room at The Lit and Phil could be the perfect environment for such engaging and intimate improvised music of this nature.
Zoe Gilby and Johnny Hunter (Duo)
Zoe Gilby (Vocals and FX)
Johnny Hunter (Drums)
This duo was brought together initially by the respect and admiration of each other's sound. Using loops and effects, the voice and drums work together with different textures and ideas, interspersed with a lyrical edge. They are developing an exciting, shared improvisational language which is anchored by melodic and rhythmic motifs, highlighted with lyrics that encourage the improvisation to move with the words, allowing their ideas to take flight.
The duo's first forays into this new collaborative live performance took place earlier in 2026 on a small tour that included the debut Jazz North East show for Elder Beer in Heaton, so it's delight to be able to present Zoe and Johnny again in this fantastic room at the Lit and Phil.
Andy Champion (Solo)
Andy Champion (Solo Bass and FX)
Andy Champion is a bass player, composer and improviser from the North East of England. In this solo performance Andy will be delivering a set of improvisations and compositions; utilising extended techniques, loops and effects to create dynamic soundscapes.
Andy has previously performed at Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music playing solo bass in the Loftus Room, for some it was the highlight of the 2024 edition, so it's a welcome return to have him back this time utilising the intimate acoustic surroundings of the Members Library Reference Room.
www.newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic.co.uk
Presented by Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music alongside Jazz North East and the Literary and Philosophical Society
Venue Details
The Literary and Philosophical Society
The Literary and Philosophical Society, 23 Westgate Road, NE1 1SE
0191 232 0192 / library@litandphil.org.uk
Age Restrictions: All ages welcome with under 18's accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility: The Loftus Room and Joseph Swan Room at The Lit and Phil are accessible.
There is a lift at the venue entrance for wheelchair users to access the building and performance space, wheelchair accessible toilets are available in the building.
Accessible toilets are also available at 5 Quarter Cafe Bar to the left as you exit the building.
NOTE: The Members Library Reference Room is not a wheelchair accessible space and is preceded by a small number of stairs.
Travel: Any Bus and Metro to Central Station which is located less than 300 ft from the venue (approximately 2 minutes walk).
There is limited street parking, the closest car park is at Central Station (Charges may apply).
Zoe Rahman Trio (NFOJAiM 2026)
Zoe Rahman Trio
The Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1SE
Friday 02 October 2026
Doors Open: 19:30
Starts: 20:00
GENERAL ADMISSION : £19.80 Face value (£18.00)
TICKET + COMPANION/PA : £19.80 Face value (£18.00)
More information about Zoe Rahman Trio (NFOJAiM 2026) tickets
Zoe Rahman Trio
The Literary and Philosophical Society - Newcastle upon Tyne
Friday 2nd October 2026
Seetickets: £18.00 + Booking and Processing Fee = £21.05
(£22.00 On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 7.30pm (Music Starts 8.00pm - 8.45pm / 15 Minute Interval / 9.00pm - 9.45pm)
Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026
Zoe Rahman Trio
Zoe Rahman (Piano)
Gene Calderazzo (Drums)
Andrea Di Biase (Double Bass)
Zoe Rahman presents music from her new album "Hull Suite Live" with her world-class jazz trio, featuring drummer Gene Calderazzo (Pharoah Sanders, Randy Brecker) and bassist Alec Dankworth (Abdullah Ibrahim, Dave Brubeck).
The album centres around music from Zoe's "Hull Suite", which was commissioned by Hull Jazz Festival for World Piano Day 2024. Based on themes of voyage, migration and the sea and taking inspiration from two statues in Hull, the music is also deeply connected to Zoe's own family history.
A highly individual pianist and composer, Zoe Rahman's style is deeply rooted in jazz yet it reflects her classical background, British/Bengali heritage and her very broad musical taste.
A MOBO Award winner, Mercury Prize nominee and Ivor Novello Award winner, she has become a highly sought-after musician on the international jazz scene.
Zoe's compositions encompass a wide pallet, with earthy blues influences, soulful melodies and cinematic musical textures that highlight the vibrancy and interaction of this electrifying jazz trio.
An absolutely incredible double bill making up the tenth concert for this years NFOJAiM.
www.newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic.co.uk
Presented by Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music alongside Jazz North East and GemArts
Venue Details
The Literary and Philosophical Society
The Literary and Philosophical Society, 23 Westgate Road, NE1 1SE
0191 232 0192 / library@litandphil.org.uk
Age Restrictions: All ages welcome with under 18's accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility: The Loftus Room and Joseph Swan Room at The Lit and Phil are accessible.
There is a lift at the venue entrance for wheelchair users to access the building and performance space, wheelchair accessible toilets are available in the building.
Accessible toilets are also available at 5 Quarter Cafe Bar to the left as you exit the building.
The Private Members Library is not a wheelchair accessible space and is preceded by a small number of stairs.
Travel: Any Bus and Metro to Central Station which is located less than 300 ft from the venue (approximately 2 minutes walk).
There is limited street parking, the closest car park is at Central Station (Charges may apply)
ANEMONE 4Tet + JEPPE ZEEBERG (NFOJAiM 2026)
ANEMONE 4Tet + JEPPE ZEEBERG
The Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1SE
Saturday 03 October 2026
Doors Open: 12:30
Starts: 13:00
GENERAL ADMISSION ; £11.00 Face value (£10.00)
TICKET + COMPANION/PA : £11.00 Face value (£10.00)
More information about ANEMONE 4Tet + JEPPE ZEEBERG (NFOJAiM 2026)
Anemone Quartet + Jeppe Zeeberg (Solo)
At The Literary and Philosophical Society (Loftus Room) - Newcastle upon Tyne
Saturday 3rd October 2026
Seetickets: £10.00 + Booking and Processing Fee = £11.00
(£12.00 On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 12.30pm (Music Starts 1.00pm - 2.00pm / 15 Minute Interval / 2.15pm - 3.00pm)
An unmissable double bill making up the 11th concert for this years NFOJAiM.
~ Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026 ~
Presented by Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music alongside Jazz North East and The Literary and Philosophical Society
Anemone Quartet
Laura Cole (Laura Cole)
Olie Brice (Double Bass)
Faye MacCalman (Saxophone / Clarinet / Vocals)
Johnny Hunter (Drums)
The Anemone Quartet is a new collaboration of four of the most exciting and powerful improvisers on the UK scene, with double bassist Olie Brice; pianist/vocalist Laura Cole; drummer Johnny Hunter; and clarinettist/saxophonist/vocalist Faye MacCalman. The quartet features compositions from each musician, and also draws on free improvisation, photographs, poetry and spoken word.
Jeppe Zeeberg
Jeppe Zeeberg (Solo Piano)
A third visit to the festival from Copenhagen's Jeppe Zeeberg following on from his debut with saxophonist Laura Toxvaerd, and his electric ensemble Jeppe Zeeberg and the Absolute Pinnacle of Human Achievement. Here, this time, he plays solo piano, and it promises to be absolutely spectacular and unmissable, a superb way to spend your Saturday afternoon.
Venue Details
The Literary and Philosophical Society
The Literary and Philosophical Society, 23 Westgate Road, NE1 1SE
0191 232 0192 / library@litandphil.org.uk
Age Restrictions: All ages welcome with under 18's accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility: The Loftus Room and Joseph Swan Room at The Lit and Phil are accessible.
There is a lift at the venue entrance for wheelchair users to access the building and performance space, wheelchair accessible toilets are available in the building.
Accessible toilets are also available at 5 Quarter Cafe Bar to the left as you exit the building.
The Private Members Library is not a wheelchair accessible space and is preceded by a small number of stairs.
Travel: Any Bus and Metro to Central Station which is located less than 300 ft from the venue (approximately 2 minutes walk).
There is limited street parking, the closest car park is at Central Station (Charges may apply).
ZBIGNIEW CHOJNACKI / MCCOY / POPE (NFOJAIM 2026)
ZBIGNIEW CHOJNACKI / MCCOY / POPE
The Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1SE
Saturday 03 October 2026
Doors Open: 17:30
Starts: 17:45
GENERAL ADMISSION : £11.00 Face value (£10.00)
TICKET + COMPANION / PA : £11.00 Face value (£10.00)
More information about ZBIGNIEW CHOJNACKI / MCCOY / POPE (NFOJAIM 2026)
Zbigniew Chojnacki / Manon McCoy / John Pope
At The Literary and Philosophical Society (Members Library Reference Room) - Newcastle upon Tyne
Saturday 3rd October 2026
Seetickets: £10.00 + Booking and Processing Fee = £11.00
(£12.00 On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 5.30pm (Music Starts 5.45pm - 6.35pm)
~ Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026 ~
It's a regular part of the programme for NFOJAiM to put together new combinations of musicians to play in purely improvised new contexts, some of which have never crossed paths or met before. Whilst Manon McCoy and John Pope have played alongside each other on a few rare occasions, the addition of Polish accordionist Zbigniew Chojnacki is new to the mix for both of the string players. Each of the players is absolutely exceptional in their own right, so this meeting of the three instruments promises to be an exhilarating ride indeed.
This will be the 12th concert for this years NFOJAiM 2026.
Zbigniew Chojnacki
Zbigniew Chojnacki is an accordionist, an improviser, the creator of the modular accordion concept, and a hunter of interesting people. For nearly 15 years, he has been expanding the accordion's capabilities and its role in genres such as jazz, experimental music, techno, metal, rock, and minimalism. Chojnacki graduated from the jazz departments of the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz and the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. He has appeared internationally at acclaimed experimental music festivals including Radial System Berlin.
Manon McCoy
Manon McCoy is a british-french experimental harpist, improviser and researcher based in the North of England. Her work spans live performance, installation making, workshops and facilitation. She performs across the UK and EU working with organisations such as Lancaster Jazz, NFOJAiM, Listening Academy, Studio DB. McCoy recently released music under the Berlin based label Elektramusic with vocalist Alice Brookes, and she is also the creator for this years Interludes music at Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026.
Her ongoing research centres around site-responsive performance installation, spatial sound and applications of sound art in public space. She is heavily involved in community organising around shared spaces for improvisatory practise as a musician, live sound engineer and facilitator. She was a part of the Brighter Sound Change, The Record residency 2026 challenging the music industry and exploring models of social change through music making. She is dedicated to creating expansive and creative spaces for people to explore sound making as a way of creating social change through culture. She works primarily in the experimental and DIY grassroots
scene, challenging diversity and accessibility, resource scarcity and advocating for creative agency and sustainability in these scenes.
John Pope
John Pope is a bass player and composer based in the North East of England. His main focus as a creative musician explores the boundaries and combinations of jazz, free improvisation, rock and experimental music. His primary projects include a chord-less quintet of Northern musicians John Pope Quintet. He is also a founding member of award winning garage-jazz band Archipelago, lead by Faye MacCalman.
In addition to working in jazz he is an active member of the UK improvised music scene. He has performed solo as an improviser around the country, as well as in collaboration with internationally recognised artists, including appearances at festivals across the country (London Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, TUSK and Gateshead International Jazz Festival at the Sage) as well as internationally in prestigious venues such as Bimhuis (Holland) and Area Sismica (Italy).
In addition to his career as a performer, John is a committed practitioner of education and community outreach as a composer/arranger and facilitator.
Venue Details
The Literary and Philosophical Society (Members Library Reference Room)
The Literary and Philosophical Society, 23 Westgate Road, NE1 1SE
0191 232 0192 / library@litandphil.org.uk
www.litandphil.org.uk
Age Restrictions / Accessibility / Travel
Age Restrictions: All ages welcome with under 18's accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility: The Loftus Room and Joseph Swan Room at The Lit and Phil are accessible.
There is a lift at the venue entrance for wheelchair users to access the building and performance space, wheelchair accessible toilets are available in the building.
Accessible toilets are also available at 5 Quarter Cafe Bar to the left as you exit the building.
NOTE: The Private Members Library Reference Room is not a wheelchair accessible space and is preceded by a small number of stairs.
Travel: Any Bus and Metro to Central Station which is located less than 300 ft from the venue (approximately 2 minutes walk).
There is limited street parking, the closest car park is at Central Station (Charges may apply).
OLIE BRICE 4/ HAWKINS / HARPER TRIO (NFOJAIM 2026)
The Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1SE
Saturday 03 October 2026
Doors Open: 18:45
Starts: 19:00
GENERAL ADMISSION : £15.40 Face value (£14.00)
TICKET + COMPANION/PA : £15.40 Face value (£14.00)
More information about OLIE BRICE 4/ HAWKINS / HARPER TRIO (NFOJAIM 2026)
Olie Brice Quartet + Alexander Hawkins + Harper Trio
The Literary and Philosophical Society (Loftus Room) - Newcastle upon Tyne
Saturday 3rd October 2026
Seetickets: £14.00 + Booking and Processing Fee = £15.40
(£16.00 On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 6.45pm / Harper Trio: 7.00pm - 7.50pm / Alexander Hawkins: 8.05pm - 8.50pm /
Olie Brice Quartet: 9.05pm - 10.00pm
~ Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026 ~
An immersive Saturday night triple bill for the 13th concert at this years NFOJAiM.
www.newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic.co.uk
Presented by Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music alongside Jazz North East and The Literary and Philosophical Society
Olie Brice Quartet
Rachel Musson (Saxophone)
Alexander Hawkins (Piano)
Olie Brice (Double Bass)
Will Glaser (Drums)
The Olie Brice Quartet - featuring Rachel Musson, Alexander Hawkins and Will Glaser - play music from their debut album 'All It Was'. Brice's most personal album to date - with most of the music written shortly after the death of his father - 'All It Was' combines powerful freedom and exploration with memorable melodies, driving swing and emotional intensity. The quartet features three of Brice's closest colleagues, all among the most exciting and creative improvisers around; Rachel Musson on tenor sax, Alexander Hawkins on piano and Will Glaser on drums.
Alex is recognised as one of the most important improvisers and composers of his generation, leading his own bands as well as working with the likes of Louis Moholo, Evan Parker, Anthony Braxton and Wadada Leo Smith. Rachel recently received the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award, and collaborates with Mark Sanders, Pat Thomas and Cath Roberts among others and Will is possibly the most in-demand young drummer in the UK, working widely in both the jazz and creative music scenes.
"The work of a truly extraordinary quartet. All It Was will be one of the records of the year"
- Richard Williams (The Blue Moment)
"With this album, Olie Brice achieves a remarkable synthesis of composition and improvisation, intellect and emotion - rearming his place as one of the most versatile and compelling voices in contemporary creative music" - All About Jazz
Alexander Hawkins
Alexander Hawkins (Solo Piano)
Alexander Hawkins is a musician who is 'unlike anything else in modern creative music', described by Point of Departure as a '21st century pioneer...a musician with frightening resources'. Regarded as one of his generation's most innovative voices, his writing has been said to represent 'a fundamental reassertion of composition within improvised music', and his voice one of the 'most vividly distinctive... in modern jazz'.
Adam Shatz writes that Hawkins' most recent solo album, Song Unconditional (Intakt Records, 2025) is 'gorgeous, sometimes startlingly. It belongs, I think, in the company of the most impressive solo piano albums of recent years.' Portuguese critic Gonçalo Falcão noted that the outing marks Hawkins' 'singularity on the contemporary piano scene and makes it clear that, at its core, his music is as rigorous as it is beautiful-and unique.'
In addition to his solo performances, he also appears in groupings of all sizes, from duos (with the likes of Nicole Mitchell, Sofia Jernberg, Tomeka Reid, and Hamid Drake) upwards. His ensemble music, at the core of which often sits his long-standing trio featuring Neil Charles and Stephen Davis, was said by The Guardian newspaper to sound 'like all the future jazz you might imagine without ever being able to conceive of the details', and Togetherness Music, (Intakt Records, 2021), has been called '[a] masterpiece that can stand next to the best works of Mitchell, Braxton or Parker'.
Hawkins can be heard live and on record with a vast array of contemporary leaders of all generations, including the likes of Anthony Braxton, Joe McPhee, Wadada Leo Smith, Marshall Allen, Evan Parker, Michael Formanek, Rob Mazurek, and Shabaka Hutchings. For close to fifteen years, he was noted for his performances in the bands of both the legendary South African drummer, Louis Moholo-Moholo, and Ethio-jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke.
As a composer, he has been widely commissioned, by the likes of the BBC, festivals such as the
London and Berlin Jazz Festivals, venues such as the Pierre Boulez Saal, and contemporary music groups such as the Riot Ensemble. His most recent release, featuring Rhodri Davies, Hamid Drake, Nicole Mitchell, and Matthew Wright, is No Nation But Imagination (Intakt Records, 2026).
Harper Trio
Maria-Christina Harper (Harp and Effects)
Josephine Davies (Saxophones)
Evan Jenkins (Drums)
In recent years, the jazz harp has quietly reemerged as a force in modern jazz circles, exemplified by electric jazz harpist and composer Maria-Christina Harper.
Greek born with Egyptian roots, electric jazz harpist and composer Maria-Christina Harper is reinventing the sound of the harp in the jazz world. With her anarchic spirit and an interest in exploring what the harp can do, rather than exploring its traditional sounds, she presents her instrument in new and exciting ways. Combining her traditional music roots with free jazz she creates an irresistible, compelling sound cosmos. It's where East meets West.
Maria-Christina has gathered two outstanding, highly acclaimed players to form The Harper Trio.
Featuring drummer's-drummer Evan Jenkins and the dynamic saxophonist Josephine Davies (Instrumentalist of The Year, 2019 Parliamentary Jazz Awards), the trio release Passing By, a powerful debut recording of shimmering soundscapes and psychedelic sounds that flirt with the avant-garde creating an inventive slice of spiritual jazz.
Drawing influences from her Greek and Egyptian musical roots to the avant-garde, the band have released two albums establishing the trio's signature sound - spiritually charged, shimmering soundscapes and experimental tones - recasting the harp's place in jazz.
'Nobody in the world plays the harp like Maria-Christina' - Tom Robinson, BBC Radio
'Offers a glimpse of how distinctively Jazz-inflicted exploration of the electric harp might stretch across southern European song forms' - The Guardian
Watch the Harper Trio by Clicking Here
www.mariachristinaharper.bandcamp.com/album/passing-by
www.mariachristinaharper.bandcamp.com/album/dialogue-of-thoughts
www.littleyellowmanrecords.com
Venue Details
The Literary and Philosophical Society,
23 Westgate Road,
NE1 1SE
0191 232 0192 / library@litandphil.org.uk
Age Restrictions: All ages welcome with under 18's accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility: The Loftus Room and Joseph Swan Room at The Lit and Phil are accessible.
There is a lift at the venue entrance for wheelchair users to access the building and performance space, wheelchair accessible toilets are available in the building.
Accessible toilets are also available at 5 Quarter Cafe Bar to the left as you exit the building.
The Private Members Library is not a wheelchair accessible space and is preceded by a small number of stairs.
Travel: Any Bus and Metro to Central Station which is located less than 300 ft from the venue (approximately 2 minutes walk).
There is limited street parking, the closest car park is at Central Station (Charges may apply).
Rivkala + Ceitidh Mac + ATFK (NFOJAiM 2026)
Rivkala + Ceitidh Mac + ATFK
The Globe, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 7AD
Sunday 04 October 2026
Doors Open: 14:00
Starts: 14:30
GENERAL ADMISSION : £11.00 Face value (£10.00)
TICKET + COMPANION / PA : £11.00 Face value (£10.00)
TIX >>> https://www.seetickets.com/event/rivkala-ceitidh-mac-atfk-nfojaim-2026-/the-globe/3700931
More information about Rivkala + Ceitidh Mac + ATFK (NFOJAiM 2026)
Rivkala + Ceitidh Mac + Amy Thatcher and Francesca Knowles
The Globe - Newcastle
Sunday 4th October 2026
Seetickets: £10.00 + Booking and Processing Fee = £11.00
(£12.00 On The Door Subject To Capacity)
Doors: 2.00pm (Music Starts 2.30pm)
Performance times may be subject to minor adjustments
- Amy Thatcher and Francesca Knowles (2.30pm)
- Ceitidh Mac (3.45pm)
- Rivkala (5.00pm)
Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026
For the 14th and final concert at this years Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music we welcome a superb trio of Tyneside acts all appearing as part of this years Jazz North 'Northern Line'
Rivkala
Showgirl, singer and storyteller, Rivkala, is an award-winning multidisciplinary jazz/soul artist, vocalist, writer and bandleader. Within the campy vessel of her larger than life cabaret bar, Crushed Velvet, Rivkala, and her esteemed 6 piece band blend influences of jazz, soul, funk, and klezmer to orchestrate provocatively playful social commentaries on gender, wealth inequality and mental health. Under the warm glow of her beloved lamp Lucille, they balance serious grooves with comedic theatricality.
Born in Manchester, but based in Newcastle, her "soulful melodies and thought-provoking lyrics" (BBC Introducing), have earned her a place as a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition 2026, and her detailed world-building has produced award winning videos (Best Music Video, YMA 2025) featured in BIFA qualifying festivals.
Championed as "One to Watch" by BBC Introducing (2025) and Youth Music (2026), her captivating, burlesque-inspired stage presence has landed her two BBC Proms performances, as well as MOBO fringe festival, Manchester Jazz Festival , SxSW Roadshow and supporting Postmodern Jukebox at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music.
As one of Jazz North's 2026 Northern Line roster, she is planning a series of UK dates throughout 2026-2027, in line with the release of her second EP, exploring the showgirl within us all through themes of performance in everyday life.
"...the funkiest cabaret I've ever been invited to" - Soweto Kinch, 'Round Midnight'
"..a striking stage presence that harks back to the grand age of cabaret she stands out from other post-Winehouse singer-songwriters, and her witty observational lyrics often draw on personal experience, highlighting the mundane injustices of everyday life." - UK Jazz News
"...no ordinary jazz musician" - Notion
www.youtube.com/@rivkalamusic
Ceitidh Mac
With a progressive twist to her music, Ceitidh Mac is an alt.folk singing / cellist, tipped by Jude Rogers as a 'Fascinating new Welsh-born, Tyneside-dwelling singer-songwriter and cellist, with an unusual, stunning voice.' Absorbing in its originality, Ceitidh Mac creates songs that soar with contemporary arrangements / instrumentation playing with live and electronic elements, whilst having a prominent folk influence.
Growing up in the wilds of Pembrokeshire before heading North to Newcastle Upon Tyne, she's been carving a name for herself across the UK and beyond. Ceitidh is pronounced Katie, spelt the Gaelic way. Working with producer/engineer Sam Grant [Richard Dawson, Pigsx7] Mac has released multiple EP's Including 'I Reach for the Pen' and most recently 'Seabird', with previous releases supported by BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio Wales and local and national support from BBC Introducing.
The single 'Birds' was A-Listed by Amazing Radio as well as featuring on their Chart. She also garnered press coverage from Fresh on the Net, Velvet Sheep, Narc and NE Volume among others, as well as winning the Drake YolanDa Award 2022, and Artist in Residence at The Glasshouse (FKA Sage Gateshead) 2022/23.
With a busy live schedule, Ceitidh has toured the UK as well as festival appearances including Shambala Festival, Green Man Festival, Kendal Calling, and Other Voices among others. Ceitidh Mac has supported alt.folk hero Rachael Dadd and progressive jazzer Alabaster dePlume, having previously supported the likes of Laura Misch and Dublin folk legends Lankum.
'Not just a highlight of this week's programme from Green Man festival, but I think a highlight from all of the programmes that we've had the privilege and honour to broadcast from Green Man Festival. Sublime and absolutely outstanding'- Adam Walton BBC Radio Wales
'Today it's an artist who's gonna do for the cello what Mary Lattimore has for the harp, i.e. make it achingly cool.' - Velvet Sheep
'She has also developed a style that is, in essence, Indie-Folk but infused with the smoky style and lo-fi studio sound and a contemporary electronic edge, embellished by unusual instrumentation. This is an artist whose own roadmap is clearly marked out' - Fresh on the Net
'Her live shows have that ineffable thing - call it a vibe, call it an atmosphere - that was very evident to anyone who saw her support Lankum at Sage Gateshead' - The Crack
'Stunning lyrics and a genuine undertone gave me goose-bumps as Mac delicately created beautiful soundscapes through the cello' NARC magazine
www.ceitidhmac.com
Amy Thatcher and Francesca Knowles
Accordion and drums like you've never heard before.
Meet ATFK, the untethered brainchild of Amy Thatcher and Francesca Knowles. This genre-blasting duo defy the preconceptions of what their instruments can do, breaking with tradition while tactfully adopting it as a playground for experimentation. ATFK's sound is one of both raucous energy and sympathetic intensity, combining percussion, synths, keys and vocals for an unapologetic brew of colourful composition. Bringing their dynamic and ever-evolving live show back on the road in 2026 in support of their audacious sophomore album, REPEAT FOR JOY - prepare to be veered o? the tracks.
'A musically kinetic meeting of fragility and kick-ass strength' - RnR
'Brimming with invention and energy. Together they're dynamite' - The Crack
'Perverse... and often fantastic' **** - MOJO
'Unusual and really exciting' - Jamie Cullum, The Jazz Show, BBC Radio 2
www.atfk.co.uk
Presented by Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music in partnership with Jazz North, alongside Jazz North East and The Globe
The Globe,
11 Railway Street,
NE4 7AD
0191 272 5185 / info@jazz.coop
www.theglobenewcastle.bar
Age Restrictions: All ages welcome with under 18's accompanied by an adult.
Accessibility: Fully accessible for wheelchair users, a lift facility is available to access an upstairs fully accessible toilet.
Travel: Central Station Metro is located just under half a mile from the venue
(approximately 8 minutes walk).
Buses: 12 / 12A / 22 / 22X to Scotswood Road.
Limited street parking outside of the venue, a small fee based car park is located across the road (Charges may apply).
Jacob Egglestone Trio (Elder Jazz)
Jacob Egglestone Trio
Elder Beer Cafe, Newcastle NE6 5LQ
Wednesday 14 October 2026
Doors Open: 19:30
Starts: 20:00
GENERAL ADMISSION : £12.00 Face value (£10.91)
TIX >>> https://www.seetickets.com/event/jacob-egglestone-trio-elder-jazz-/elder-beer-cafe/3672760
More information about Jacob Egglestone Trio (Elder Jazz)
Presented by Elder Beer and Jazz North East
ELDER JAZZ
Jacob Egglestone Trio
Wednesday 14th October 2026
Doors: 7.30pm (Bar open all day)
Music: 8.00pm - 10.00pm (Bar open until 11.00pm)
£12.00 On The Door / Seetickets (Advance booking recommended due to limited capacity)
At Elder Beer (Intimate beer garden with covered seating and heating)
290 Chillingham Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, NE6 5LQ
info@elderbeer.co.uk
*Contact venue for access requirements and age restrictions.
www.facebook.com/elderbeercafe
www.facebook.com/jazznortheast
A brand new initiative from Elder Beer with Jazz North East bringing jazz to Heaton on the second Wednesday of every month from April - October 2026.
Jacob Egglestone Trio
Jacob Egglestone (Guitar)
Jamie Watkins (Bass)
Jack Littlewood (Drums)
Jacob Egglestone is guitarist and composer based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. His music is rooted in the rugged beauty of Northern England and the Lake District, where he grew up.
With influences ranging from John Scofield to Julian Lage, Jacob Egglestone is currently releasing a series of singles leading toward a larger release at the end of the year, so expect a set consisting of mostly original tunes alongside some reimaginings of gospel, folk, and jazz standards.
Many will know Jacob from his work with popular regional bands SwanNek and Nauta.
LED BIB
Led Bib
Sunday 28th June 2026 ~ The Globe, Newcastle
Doors: 7.00pm (Music Starts 8.00pm)
Tickets: £12.00 / £15.00 On The Door
TICKETS: https://www.seetickets.com/event/led-bib/the-globe/3636237
Courtney Pine: A Modern-Day Jazz Story 1986 - 2026
Courtney Pine: A Modern-Day Jazz Story 1986 - 2026
Saturday 13 June 2026 | 8:00pm Glasshouse - Sage Two
>Tickets – £35.80 to £35.80 > Book Now
Join Courtney Pine CBE for a celebration and a reflection of his career at the forefront of UK jazz music with a special live show where the ground-breaking saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist will perform highlights from his catalogue plus some unreleased gems.
No musician embodies the dramatic transformation of the British jazz scene over the past four decades than Courtney Pine CBE. Celebrating four decades at the forefront of British jazz, the groundbreaking saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist, returns to the stage with Out of the Ghetto: A Modern Day Jazz Story — a powerful retrospective tour which is both a celebration and a reflection which honours the resilience, creativity, and community that shaped Pine’s journey from London streets to international stages. Expect a night of deep grooves, soaring saxophone, and the unmistakable energy of an artist who continues to push jazz forward while staying true to his roots.
This special live show brings together key moments from Pine’s remarkable catalogue, alongside previously unreleased material reimagined with the fire and freedom that have made his performances legendary.
Presented in partnership with Jazz North East
This concert is presented in partnership with Jazz North East. Established 1966 as the first ever grant funded jazz organisation, Jazz North East remains the longest running jazz promotional body in the U.K. Based in Newcastle upon Tyne. The organisation continues to champion new music from established and emerging musicians, enhancing Tyneside’s thriving arts and cultural scene through live performances, workshops and related events. It’s a great pleasure for Jazz North East to collaborate with Glasshouse International Centre for Music.
~ Courtney Pine: A Modern-Day Jazz Story 1986 – 2026 ~
Saturday 13 June 2026 | 8:00pm Glasshouse - Sage Two
>Tickets – £35.80 to £35.80 > Book Now
John Pope and John Garner
Presented by Elder Beer and Jazz North East
ELDER JAZZ
JOHN POPE and JOHN GARNER
John Pope (Double Bass / Percussion)
John Garner (Violin / Percussion)
Wednesday 10th June 2026
Doors: 7.30pm (Bar open all day)
Music: 8.00pm - 10.00pm (Bar open until 11.00pm)
£12.00 On The Door / Seetickets (Advance booking recommended due to limited capacity)
Tix from SeeTickets: https://www.seetickets.com/event/john-pope-and-john-garner/elder-beer-cafe/3645377
Elder Beer (Intimate beer garden with covered seating and heating)
290 Chillingham Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, NE6 5LQ
info@elderbeer.co.uk
*Contact venue for access requirements and age restrictions.
www.facebook.com/elderbeercafe
www.facebook.com/jazznortheast
A brand new initiative from Elder Beer with Jazz North East bringing jazz to Heaton on the second Wednesday of every month from April - October 2026
***Elder Jazz 2026 - Wednesday dates for your diary: 10th June / 8th July / 12th August / 9th September / 14th October
Hey Remember This (Hammond / Pope/ Solanke)
Presented by Elder Beer and Jazz North East
Hey Remember This (Ana-Louise Hammond / John Pope / Diji Solanke)
Wednesday 13th May 2026
Doors: 7.30pm (Bar open all day) Music: 8.00pm - 10.00pm (Bar open until 11.00pm)
£12.00 On The Door / Seetickets / Tickets from Elder Beer
Find us at: Elder Beer (Intimate beer garden with covered seating and heating)
290 Chillingham Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, NE6 5LQ
info@elderbeer.co.uk
*Contact venue for access requirements and age restrictions.
www.facebook.com/elderbeercafe www.facebook.com/jazznortheast
Tix from Seetickets »»»
Hey Remember This
Comprises ….
Ana-Louise Hammond (Vibraphone)
John Pope (Electric Bass)
Diji Solanke (Drums)
Genre-ambivalent, semi-improvised, nostalgia-resistant, Hey Remember This is an instrumental trio from Newcastle that seems to have come unstuck in time. Ana-Louise Hammond (vibraphone) along with John Pope (electric bass) and Diji Solanke (drums), brings a collection of new music focuses on texture and rhythm, interlocking patterns or irregular time signatures.
When we find ourselves assailed on all sides by demands to recollect The Old Days, and to align our futures with imagined pasts, Hey Remember This sets out a stall somewhere within the space of "What if we didn't do that?"
The debut performance of this brand new Tyneside band inspired by groups like Square Peg Round Hole, Jaga Jazzist, and the Kraken Quartet
A brand new initiative from Elder Beer with Jazz North East bringing jazz to Heaton on the second Wednesday of every month from April - October 2026.
*** Elder Jazz 2026 - Wednesday dates for your diary: 8th April / 13th May / 10th June / 8th July / 12th August / 9th September / 14th October