Gregory Porter for Gateshead Jazz Festival 2016

The line-up for the 2016 Gateshead International Jazz Festival has been announced. The Festival runs from 15th to 17th April at the Sage Gateshead.

Grammy Award-winning jazz star Gregory Porter is one of the stellar names and is set to be Festival opener on April 15. Porter is widely expected to be including new material from an album due for completion by this time. After this year’s triumphant appearances at Love Supreme Festival and the EFG London Jazz Festival, American trumpeter trumpeter Terence Blanchard returns with his band E-Collective.

The newly formed trio Malija, comprising saxophonist Mark Lockheart, pianist Liam Noble and bassist Jasper Høiby showcase their debut album ‘The Day I Had Everything’, plus America keyboardist and producer Kris Bowers is featured. Also included are a number of established British names. Saxophonist John Surman, clarinettist Arun Ghosh, Courtney Pine with pianist Zöe Rahman, the Alexander Hawkins Quartet, free jazz giant Evan Parker, guitarist Chris Sharkey, the Phil Meadows Group with the Royal Sinfonia and Jambone are all confirmed. There’s also another outing for musician and writer Alex Webb’s critically acclaimed Café Society Swing show, trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf; and sax man Simon Spillett in a tribute to iconic British saxophonist Tubby Hayes.