Bradley Glasspoole is the Head of Music Programming and Artistic Director of the Norwich Jazz Festival which is back next month after a 20-year hiatus! Here, Bradley explains why the time is right for it to be revived
What is the history of Norwich Jazz Festival – and Norwich Arts Centre’s involvement?
NAC first hosted the Norwich Jazz festival in the early 1980s we think, and it ran for a number of years before sadly falling off the calendar.
What has led to the revival of Norwich Jazz Festival after 20 years?
Jazz is incredibly popular again at the moment and there are some fantastic new artists coming through the ranks and touring across the UK. A whole new generation is getting excited by jazz and so this felt like a great moment to seize an opportunity to revive and revitalise something in Norwich’s cultural calendar.
What are you particularly looking forward to? Any local jazz acts to give special mention to?
I am particularly looking forward to seeing Azymuth, a Jazz Funk Trio from Brazil, who first started in the 1970’s. I have been a long-time fan and so the opportunity to bring them to Norwich is hugely exciting for me. I am also really looking forward to the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. This is going to be a huge show and something we are really excited about as the names playing this gig will be the names of the future, very exciting stuff. We are really pleased that Norwich’s very own Mammal Hands are returning to Norwich Arts Centre, following an extensive European Tour. They had their first show with us back in 2012 so it’s great to have them heading our first festival. If you have never seen them, book at tickets soon as they are sure to sell out early.
How hopeful are you that the festival will become a firm fixture on the calendar again?
Early sales have been great. If we can gather a lot of support and enthusiasm for the festival, then there will be no reason not to make this an exciting yearly addition to everyone’s calendars.
It falls really well into the wider international and national Jazz Festival calendar sandwiched in-between North Sea and Cheltenham Jazz Festival. We hope there isn’t another 20-year hiatus!
The Norwich Jazz Festival 2025 takes place at Norwich Arts Centre from May 15-24, 2025 at Norwich Arts Centre, with headliners featuring Norwich trio Mammal Hands (24 May) , Brazilian Jazz-Funk legends, Azymuth (23 May), twenty-piece collective, National Youth Jazz Orchestra (22 May), Hip Hop-Jazz pioneers Ebi Soda (17 May) saxophonist and composer Jasmine Myra (16 May) and Folk-Jazz artist Caoilfhionn Rose (15 May). Visit norwichartscentre.co.uk.
Featured image of Bradley Glasspoole – supplied
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