The ‘Welcome to Leeds’ Stage: Jazz North’s Northern Line Showcase
Sunday 5th June, 11am - 3pm
Cookridge Street, between The Light and the Henry Moore Institute
Presented by Jazz North
The ‘Welcome to Leeds’ Stage at Leeds Jazz Festival brings together Launchpad / Music:Leeds, Jazz Leeds and Jazz North to curate a selection of emerging and diverse talent to entertain in our family friendly, open air free stage on Cookridge Street across the extended Bank Holiday weekend, Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June.
Situated between The Light and Henry Moore Institute, the stage has its own seating area, and will have live performances from 11am to 6pm each day, with an early 3pm finish on Sunday. Food and drink will be on hand throughout the weekend, supplied by Radisson Blu and Browns.
On Sunday 5th June Jazz North features three past and present artists from their live touring support scheme, Northern Line. Northern Line supports artists and promoters to deliver high quality shows that celebrate eclectic, diverse and exemplary northern jazz.
11.00 - 12.00: SogoRock
Elements of jazz, fusion, funk, rock, and gospel blend with the musical heritages of each player along with an open spirit and impeccable musicianship. Led by resident Hungarians Bela Horvath and ‘Laky Franz’ (Ferenc Lakatos) with their fellow Leeds College of Music alumni, SogoRock (meaning ‘brother-in-law’) resists classification.
SogoRock were Northern Line artists from 2019-2022.
12.30 - 13.30: Marco Woolf
Influenced by the likes of Nick Drake and John Martyn, the music that Marco Woolf makes can prove similarly complex to categorise, his lyrics introspective and insightful - earning him a reputation as a self-evidently skilled storyteller - though thoughtful instrumentation too is just as crucial to his compositions, clearly considered to ensure it possesses comparable weight to his wording.
His latest release, “Francine, I” - a narrative-led EP issued via Phlexx Records in July - follows an African woman as she migrates West for the sake of her children and perfectly typifies the trademark one-two punch of tenderness that makes Marco’s music so transcendent. A limited 12” run sold out within 24 hours and the release received positive reviews from several publications, including PAM (Pan African Music, a website dedicated to promoting music from the African continent and diaspora).
14.00 - 15.00: Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat
Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat are a cinematic, melodic jazz quintet based in Leeds, led by saxophonist and composer Emma Johnson.
The group won the Peter Whittingham Award to record their debut album, Worry Not, which was released to great acclaim in 2021 and described as ‘an exciting prospect indeed’ by Jazzwise.
Since then, Gravy Boat have completed a national tour, welcoming audiences returning to live music with warmth, stories and melodic, spacious compositions that allow each band member to shine.
Johnson is currently working on new music, as a recipient of Lancaster Jazz Festival’s Evolve Commission for 2022, and the band have plans to release more music and tour further afield in the next 18 months.
‘Emma Johnson and her Gravy Boat are one of the most refreshingly imaginative and perfectly configured acts in contemporary Jazz.’ Neil March, Trust The Doc
Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat were Northern Line artists from 2018-2019.
The Welcome to Leeds Stage is produced by LeedsBID in partnership with New Citizens.
Additional support for the stage comes from Eiger Studios who are providing the musical backline. Eiger Studios is a recording studio, rehearsal studio and event space just outside Leeds city-centre. Over the last decade they’ve been making records, throwing parties and providing rehearsal spaces and gear hire for the thriving community of bands within Leeds.