Jazz in Wales

News about gigs, festivals, famous names, new artists and more compiled by DJ Andy Roberts in Cardiff, Wales. Send your updates to andy @ jazzinwales.co.uk

Friday, January 27, 2012

Wonderbrass mark birthday with Olympic commission

Funky jazz band Wonderbrass are gearing up for London 2012 with performances of a specially commissioned piece of music to mark the Olympic Games.

With a new tune called Skip, Dash, Flow, they're the only Welsh act of the twenty taking part in New Music 20×12, a UK wide initiative to mark the games.


It'll be unveiled at The Globe, Albany Road, Cardiff, on Tuesday 21 February, ahead of the main performance at London's Southbank Centre in July.

Read the
South Wales Echo report of their weekend of intensive rehearsals with Jason Yarde of Jazz Jamaica fame.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Live music red tape cut for small venues

Small venues could be given clearance to stage live music without a licence thanks to new laws which overturn part of the 2003 Licensing Act.

If approved by the House of Lords on 10 February 2012, the bill already passed by MPs will remove much of the bureaucracy which led to many venues abandoning live music altogether.

The changes mean that a licence will no longer be required for unamplified live music between 8am and 11pm, and for amplified live music between those times if the audience is no more than 200 people.


Jazz, folk and other non-mainstream music was hit particularly hard by the 2003 legislation, whose backers claimed it would lead to an increase in live music.

Read more on the BBC News website and share your views here on whether this law will remedy the effects of the 2003 act.

Jazz Jam at Buffalo Bar

Buffalo Bar in Windsor Place, Cardiff, hosts its first jazz jam session this Sunday 29 January 2012.

It'll be led by Kitty's Trio - Greg Evans on drums, Steve Tarner on bass and Beverley Gough on saxophone and vocals.

It's from 8 till 10.45pm and costs £3 or £2 concessions.

The frequency of jam sessions is to be decided but if well supported they could be on a monthly or six weekly basis.

See www.saxforfun.co.uk for more about Bev's workshops.