One thing that was apparant from the weekend was that it was an event thoroughly enjoyed, not just by the audience, but by all of the musicians taking part. Some describing the format as 'unique'

Praise to all the Howden lot for running this fantastic event but special mention to Mike Pinfold for the superb job he did in putting it all together.

Howden Live(Hear&Now)Review.

by

Mike Pinfold


A wonderful camaraderie exists amongst jazz singers. They share an intense delight and love of their art. They understand, as no outsiders can, the ecstatic highs and the shattering lows, which make up the life of a practising singer of jazz.
No one goes into the profession of jazz singer expecting fame and fortune. As singer, Tina May once declared, ‘You don’t choose to be a jazz singer, it chooses you’.
That warmth of feeling, that shared bond, shone brightly through Howden when a host of the country’s most talented jazz singers took part in the Howden Live festival ‘Hear and Now’, an entire weekend event devoted to the art of jazz singing. It was a unique event in the jazz calendar.
It proved to be the warmest and most friendly jazz festival it has ever been my privilege to attend. Good vibes emanating from the Shire Hall resounded through the centre of Howden and a warm glow circulated around Market Place and the intriguing alleys and lanes, which surround it.
Although their paths cross frequently, jazz singers rarely have the opportunity to sit down together and have a good old gossip, or listen to each other perform. The weekend stopover in Howden offered them just such an opportunity. They took full advantage of it, enjoying the easy-going atmosphere. In the evening, after the Saturday concerts ended, many of them, including Ian Shaw, Lianne Carroll, Mario Frendo, Sara Colman, Anita Wardell, took part in an unofficial, and very laid-back, vocal jam session in the hotel bar, which lasted well into the early hours of Sunday morning.
That bonhomie surfaced in their onstage performances too, as each singer throughout the weekend gave of their very best. Good humour prevailed and the audiences revelled in it, enjoying each unique performance.
The workshops also fielded two very talented groups of entrants who took benefit from excellent tuition by Louise Gibbs, ably supported by the trio of Jonathan Gee, Steve Rose and Winston Clifford.
The showcase-masterclass, Jazz Factor, forcibly demonstrated the exceptional quality of emerging talent from UK colleges and universities. Trinity, Middlesex Uni, Guildhall and Leeds College can be proud of the students they chose to perform at this event, Emilia Martensson, Genevieve Arnold, Fini Bearman, Cherie Gears.
The weekend was a golden chance for enthusiasts to see some of the finest jazz singers in the world perform at their very best. They included: Ian Shaw, Anita Wardell, Liane Carroll, Tina May, Louise Gibbs, Julie Edwards, Sara Colman, Mario Frendo, Peter Churchill, Sarah Bennett, Jenny Smith, Rosie Brown, Kari Nergaard Blevik. Happily a great many jazz lovers took advantage of that opportunity, loving every single minute.
We hope to give them that same opportunity again next year.

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