Classical and Jazz: Preview - Con Fest 2010
Published: 15 April 2010
by SEBASTIAN TAYLOR
SOME of today’s most exciting jazz musicians – including ferocious post-jazz group Partisans – will be playing at Con Fest 2010, a three-day jazz festival at The Constitution Pub in St Pancras Way, Camden Town, starting next Friday.
The festival has been put together to celebrate four years of creative jazz music at the pub’s Con Cellar Bar, now established as one of north London’s top jazz haunts.
The venue was launched by trumpeter Richard Turneer and Wendy Clare, the pub’s landlady, to make jazz accessible in the intimate setting of the pub’s cellar, looking out on the Regent’s Canal.
“We’re hoping the festival line-up will be popular with our regulars and with jazz enthusiasts who haven’t been to the Con Bar before,” says inimitable trumpeter Richard Turner, the festival’s director.
Musicians on the first night will include saxophonist Julian Arguelles’ quartet, featuring gifted pianist Gwilym Simcock and the highly rated Gourlay/Gavita Big Band with multi-instrumentalist James Allsopp.
Groups on Saturday April 24 will include jazz-rock band Troyka with classy pianist Kit Downes and Round Trip group with double bass player Tom Farmer and trumpeter Richard Turner.
The final night on Sunday April 25 will swing to the music of the exhilarating Oathouse group with saxophonist Robin Fincker and guitarist Dave Smith, and Partisans featuring reeds-player Julian Siegel and guitarist Phil Robson.
• Con Fest 2010, is at the Con Cellar Bar, The Constitution,
42 St Pancras Way, NW1, from April 23-25, 07830 255 958, 7pm, from £10/three-day tickets £25