Manchester Jazz Festival (mjf) returns to the city for 10 days this May, and it’s not to be missed.
The city’s longest-running music festival, it’s completely unlike anything else in Manchester – featuring a jam-packed lineup showcasing some of the best names in UK contemporary jazz as well as up-and-coming talent from across the north of England.
Taking place from 20-29 May, the festival opens this weekend with a free weekender at Escape To Freight Island, followed by ticketed weekday gigs across the city.
Free performances will also take place in Piccadilly Station and Barbirolli Square this year as part of new work commissioned through the festival’s mjf Originals scheme.
Elsewhere, budding pianists are being encouraged to take part in the mjf piano trial, which sees thirteen pianos placed across Manchester city centre, courtesy of Forsyth’s Music.
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As part of the new piano trail, pianists of all skill levels are being encouraged to share their performances for a chance to win some top prizes – including their very own piano.
Rum Buffalo will be performing at Manchester Jazz festival 2022. / Image: mjf
From 20-29 May, mjf2022 will see gigs taking place from the likes of Nubya Garcia, Secret Night Gang, Tim Garland, Anthony Joseph, Zoe Rahman, Rum Buffalo, and Daniel Casimir.
Festival-goers can also check out weekday gigs at St Ann’s Church, The Yard, Matt & Phreds and Forsyth Music, before the festival closes with an extended weekend-long party at Band on the Wall.
Speaking on the upcoming festival, Steve Mead, mjf CEO and Artistic Director, said: “As well as taking audiences on a journey across Manchester’s iconic venues, we’re bringing you an exceptional array of jazz sounds by the very best players, and some new music encounters that you’ll be able to experience for free across the city centre.
“We can’t wait for you to join us.”
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2022 Manchester Jazz Festival highlights
Escape To Freight Island will play host to a free opening weekend to launch the Manchester Jazz Festival. / Image: Escape To Freight Island
Escape to Freight Island, 20-22 May
Escape to Freight Island will play host to the festival for a free opening weekender featuring performances from Secret Night Gang, Daniel Casimir, Xhosa Cole Quartet, Intergalactic Brasstronauts, Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat, Dirty Freud, Jasmine Myra, Dilettante, Sarah Heneghan: Power Out, Kara, Nguvu, The Deportees, Abbie Finn Trio, Timeline, Ain’t Misbehaving’. There will also be family-friendly activities and DJs playing all weekend.
The Yard, presented in association with NQ Jazz, 23-25 May
Anthony Joseph, Emma Rawicz Quintet, Alex Hitchcock’s Dream Band will play at The Yard over three dates this May.
St Ann’s Church, 23-27 May
Zoe Rahman, Skylla, Brigitte Beraha’s Lucid Dreamers, Sara Colman & Rebecca Nash will all perform at St Ann’s Church as part of the festival.
Matt and Phreds, 20-29 May
Jeremy Sassoon Quartet, Heavy Beat Brass Band, Alligator Gumbo, Honey Bee Jazz, Rum Buffalo, Baiana, Nonunonu, Shapeshifters will perform at Northern Quarter jazz bar Matt and Phreds as part of a collaborative Open Jam night with mjf.
Band on the Wall, 26-29 May
Nubya Garcia, Mulatu Astatke, Tim Garland Group, Gary Crosby Sextet: Mingus Moves, Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club, Ayanna Witter Johnson, Hackney Colliery Band will take over Band on the Wall as part of the festival this month.
Forsyth Music, 27 May
The Ronnie Scott’s Trio featuring James Pearson – Remembering Oscar Peterson: A portrait of a jazz legend.
Lara Jones will stage her new work Ensō in a specially constructed geodesic dome in Manchester Piccadilly station. / Image: mjf
mjf originals performances at Piccadilly Station, May 19 – 22
Sax player and electronic musician Lara Jones will stage her new work Ensō in a specially constructed geodesic dome in Manchester Piccadilly station. Audiences can enjoy free performances of the immersive, cinematic audio-visual experience based on Lara’s field recordings of train journeys to loved ones.
Ruby Tingle will present Fountainia, a new piece inspired by Manchester’s unique relationship with water, at Barbiriolli Square. / Image: Manchester Jazz Festival
Barbirolli Square, May 27 and 28
Audiovisual artist and performer Ruby Tingle will present Fountainia, her new music inspired by Manchester’s unique relationship with water, particularly its public water features. The free evening performances will take place in Barbirolli Square next to the Bridgewater Hall.
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mjf piano trail, May 18-29
The mjf and Forsyth’s music shop are on the hunt for Manchester’s most entertaining street pianist as a trail of 13 street pianos are placed across the city. There’s a whole raft of prizes up for grabs, including a Yamaha P-45B piano, a return ticket for 4 anywhere on the Northern Rail Network, a gift package and vouchers worth over £100 from Quayside Media City UK and a £30 Wagamama voucher for each prize winner.
Read more:
Tim Garland. /. Image: MJF
How to get tickets
MJF 2022 will take place from May 20-29 in venues across Manchester city centre.
Tickets for the Manchester Jazz Festival are available now at manchesterjazz.com
News
Bury FC manager steps down just two days after appointment following major backlash over history
Danny Jones
In case you missed the news over the weekend, Bury FC manager Michael Jolley stepped down just two days after joining the club following major backlash to his appointment.
The uproar and almost immediate U-turn came in response to his past conviction.
After learning of his history, the club were met with a significant amount of stick from Bury fans and other football supporters, leading Jolley himself to quickly resign. Confirming the outcome by mutual decision, the club revealed his departure on Sunday afternoon.
Bury Football Club can confirm that Michael Jolley has today been relieved of his duties as First Team Manager by mutual consent.
Sharing an official statement, The Shakers wrote: “The Board recognises the strength of feeling expressed in recent days by supporters, staff, partners and players, and the very real impact the Board’s decision to appoint Michael has had on individuals connected to the Club…
“We will also be engaging directly with players, staff and stakeholders to listen, learn and ensure that appropriate support is available. Our immediate priority is the welfare of our people and the stability of the Club and our community.
“We believe this step is necessary to help restore confidence, create space for reflection, and allow Bury FC to move forward in a way that reflects our values and responsibilities.
“Bury Football Club remains committed to acting with integrity, transparency and respect. Further updates will be shared when appropriate.”
Confirming that the assistant manager, Tim Lees (who helped lead the side to a 2-1 victory over Mossley AFC at home this weekend), will be leading the team as interim head coach for the time being, they also noted that Jolley insists he didn’t want his signing to place unwanted attention on the club.
Wishing them the best in their search for the next man to take them forward, and believe they have a “special connection” with their local community.
Jolley states he made higher-ups aware of his past conviction before being interviewed for the job, as he explains in a lengthy statement of his own, which was released before Bury’s own announcement.
Following a period of reflection, I have decided to relinquish the opportunity to become the Manager of Bury FC. Full statement attached. pic.twitter.com/bAHekBfnb5
Addressing the situation on social media, the Sheffield-born former Grimsby and Barrow boss said: ‘After a period of reflection over the weekend, it has become apparent that my appointment at Bury FC has become a distraction for the club and so I have decided to relinquish the opportunity to become first team manager…
“Additionally, I welcome the fact that every investigation into the incident, whether through the legal process, or the subsequent investigations by the UK government, The FA, all established through evidence that I was deceived and at no time did I act maliciously.
“All three organisations concluded that there was no evidence which should prevent me from continuing my career, and that is what I have done, periodically, since that time. I consider safeguarding a critical aspect of coaching and have always delivered safe practice 100% of the time throughout my career.”
As he explains in the full document, “16 and a half years later, [his] CRB check has long since shown as clear, but in the interests of transparency and openness”, he still ensures any prospective employers are made aware of the case.
He goes on to say that he has become used to the abuse inside stadiums and online, given the nature of football fan culture, but now that he has a young family, he makes it clear that they are a key factor in the decision as he looks to prioritise their safety and wellbeing before his own.
The local outfit is once again looking for a new steward to steer them back in the right direction and, hopefully, away from any more intrigue and/or controversy. A return to the EFL still seems a way off, but who would you like to see installed as the gaffer at Gigg Lane, Shakers?
Brits are petitioning to give ‘SIR’ Kevin Sinfield the knighthood he deserves
Danny Jones
An impassioned Brit, along with nearly 100,000 others, are championing a petition to give a Greater Manchester sporting role model a knighthood.
The UK is long overdue for a SIR Kevin Sinfield, if you ask us.
Yes, now five years after his first remarkable charity challenge in the form of his inaugural ‘seven in seven’ ultra-marathon, our very own Kevin Sinfield officially completed his sixth edition of the fundraising feat earlier this month.
Having now raised more than £1.2 million for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) in memory of his friend and former late, great, Leeds Rhinos teammate, Rob Burrow – and that just this year alone.
👏 An outstanding achievement!
🏃 Kevin Sinfield CBE completed his latest 7 in 7: Together Challenge this afternoon, raising over £1.1 Million for @mndassoc!
To take into account every penny he’s helped generate for the crucial neurological cause, he’s helped welcome in excess of £11 million since he started this tributary journey nearly six whole years ago.
Sinfield has become nothing short of a national hero over the last few years, and the people think it’s about time he is recognised with the highest honour.
The Oldham-born native has already been given a trio of notable awards, including an MBE, OBE and CBE, which also means he doesn’t technically qualify to be considered for a knighthood until 2027 at the very earliest.
However, the petition’s creator, Mel Handforth, believes that an exception should be made and the “arcane” rules around the New Year’s Honours should be changed to allow Sinfield (and, indeed, others) to be celebrated more promptly.
Even the Speaker for the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, is one of many to have argued for the stipulation to be scrapped.
Despite countless calls for him to be included in the most recent list, which saw the likes of David Beckham finally made a knight, he was overlooked due to the three-year gap protocol.
He also somehow missed out on being shortlisted for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards, though you can guarantee he would have plenty of votes from the general public – especially here in the region and, indeed, over in his adopted second home of Yorkshire.
You can see who did make it onto this year’s list down below.
The same happened again at the Pride of Britain a year later, and the retired rugby league player turned union coach was also handed an honorary degree by the University of Leeds in July 2024, just a month after Burrow sadly passed away.
But Sinfield has quite literally had the backing of millions to be made ‘Sir Kevin’ for well over half a decade now; we made him our ‘Manc of the Month’ back in November ’22, and our stance on him being given a knighthood is even clearer now than it was back then.
As Handforth writes in the bio of the Change.org petition: “The words ‘legend’ and ‘hero’ are often handed out, but Kevin Sinfield truly embodies them both. He’s not doing this for recognition – he’s doing it because he cares deeply about the MND community and honouring his friend Rob’s legacy.
“Let’s show Kevin that his nation stands with him. Sign this petition to urge the Honours Committee to recognise Sir Kevin Sinfield for his remarkable service to humanity.”
If you agree, you can sign the petition to make him Sir Kevin Sinfield right HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
18th May 2022 
