Yamaha Education News

Yamaha Jazz Scholars impress 606 audience at 'Yamaha New Jazz Sessions' CD launch

Sax player Andrew Linham, one of the six 2010 Yamaha Jazz Scholarship winners, in full flight with his band at the 606 Club in early December 2010

A capacity audience at London's award-winning 606 Jazz Club was treated to an evening of outstanding live performances from the UK's hottest new jazz talents, to celebrate the launch of The Yamaha New Jazz Sessions 2010 CD, cover-mounted on the Christmas and New Year double-issue of Jazzwise magazine. Produced by Andy Ross at Astar Studios the highly acclaimed Yamaha New Jazz Sessions 2010 CD showcases the UK's very best new and emerging young jazz artists, alongside special guest tracks from renowned Yamaha jazz artists Georgina Jackson, YolanDa Brown and Mica Paris. The 2010 CD takes the total number of copies distributed by Jazzwise and Yamaha to 45,000, ensuring maximum exposure and support for new British jazz talent.

In addition to the CD and live album launch, special features on Jazz FM's Yamaha Sunday Jazz Jam have provided the latest initiative to showcase Yamaha's partnerships with Jazzwise magazine, the All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group, Jazz FM, Duet Finance and the 606 Club that have resulted in an acclaimed scholarship programme now in its fourth year which offers financial support with performance and recording opportunities to a new generation of young jazz musicians.

Nominated by the heads of jazz at six of the UK's leading conservatoires, the award-winning 2010 Yamaha Parliamentary Jazz scholars, Andrew Linham (alto sax), Chris Gilligan (piano), Peter Randall (double bass), Dave Hamblett (drums), Dougie Freeman (piano) and Lluis Mather (tenor sax), each took centre stage contributing a 30-minute set to a three-hour musical powerhouse of stunning live jazz and virtuosity, that both entertained the packed 606 audience and provided a unique insight into the musicians who will take UK jazz forward in the future.

Among the discerning jazz audience were Michael Connarty MP of the All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group, Yamaha managing director Mike Ketley, Jazzwise editor Jon Newey, producer Andy Ross of Astar Studios, award-winning Jazz FM broadcaster Helen Mayhew, legendary double bassist Peter Ind and 606 owner Steve Rubie.

Yamaha's managing director Mike Ketley commented, "The Yamaha New Jazz Sessions CD and live launch at the 606 offer showcase and professional development opportunities to these innovative scholarships that have further extended our impact in this collaboration with Jazzwise, the All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group, Jazz FM and the 606 Club. By any standard the talent and performances of these young jazz musicians on the CD and at the live launch has been exceptional, justifying our continued financial support and commitment to promote the playing of jazz music and complementing our many other music education and student support initiatives."

Michael Connarty MP, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group stated, "Yamaha added another dimension to the Parliamentary Jazz Groups' efforts to promote jazz, with their wonderful Yamaha Jazz Scholarships, developing our events from appreciation and enjoyment of jazz to encouraging jazz education. I hope this showcase CD of the young talents we enjoy at our 'live' Yamaha Jazz Scholarship concerts in Parliament will open peoples' ears to the high quality of jazz music being created in the UK. Yamaha gets my vote - of thanks."

2010 has seen an extended commitment to jazz in education from Yamaha with the Jazz Experience, a pioneering jazz-in-education programme combining teacher training and masterclasses, culminating in high-profile live performance opportunities for award-winning new jazz ensembles aged 11-18 at some of the UK's leading venues and live events, including the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott's and the 606.

Pictured here: Lluis Mather and band performing their set at the Yamaha New Jazz Sessions 2010 CD launch at the 606 Club

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(posted: December 2010)