We checked in with some of the brilliant artists playing at this year’s festival.

Don’t miss Engawa, Home/Lands, Laura Cole: Persuance, and balo & Luca Shaw.

How’s your summer been, any highlights?

Engawa

Steve Hanley: It’s been great! Both Simeon and myself have been busy independently with various things, whilst at the same time getting our show ready for the concert on the 7/8. The final mixes for the album we recorded back in January are getting ready to be mastered too, which is really exciting!

Home/Lands

Alicia Gardener-Trejo: I began summer with a well-earned break to Barcelona with my partner, which was a great opportunity to relax and regroup before a busy July and August. I’ve had my first run on the folk festivals circuit with songwriter Philippa Zawe which has been just gorgeous, and another definite highlight has been playing new music by composer Olivia Murphy (you can find both of these amazing musicians on Bandcamp by the way!). As a born and bred Brummie, I can’t not mention arranging and playing a set of Black Sabbath tunes with Bostin Brass for the unveiling of Ozzy the Bull at New Street Station!

Laura Cole: Pursuance

Walt Shaw: Through the Summer I have been doing a lot of painting in the studio, partly for a show in mid September, but mainly because I’m simply driven to carry out creative expression of my inner life.

balo & Luca Shaw

Manon McCoy: Summer for balo has been really full on! Lots of application writing for the project, exciting things ahead! We’ve been working with a new electronics set up, lots of workshopping new sounds and ideas which has been really exciting! And had some great garden success, grew some huge courgettes!

What are you listening to at the moment, any recommendations?

Engawa

Steve Hanley: I’ve actually been listening to a lot of vocal music in particular Gino Vannelli’s album – Nightwalker (1981) it’s very ‘of it’s time’ but I really like that and it’s got a really killing band. I’m also still very much in my Peter Erskine phase, his feel…ahhhh I just can’t get enough of his playing from large ensemble to small group..…#Hero

Home/Lands

Alicia Gardener-Trejo: This summer I’ve mostly been diving into releases by artists close to home. Here are some albums I cannot recommend enough by people you might see on a bill near you!

Rebecca Nash – Redefining Element 78
Trish Clowes – A View With a Room
Helena Kay – Golden Sands
Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat – Worry Not
John Pope & John Garner
Samantha Wright – How About Now
Dee Byrne – Outlines

Laura Cole: Pursuance

Walt Shaw: Each week I don’t miss the glorious Radio 3 “Freeness” presented by Corey Mwamba, presenting the best of the free jazz / improv scene. Two albums I have enjoyed a lot recently are ‘Zeitgeist”, Shirley Smart / Robert Mitchell duo on Discus and “Mountains,Meditations,Murmurations” by the duo of Steve Tromans & Mark Sanders also on Discus.

balo & Luca Shaw

Manon McCoy: We have been listening to a lot of Hubro artists, we feel really inspired by a lot of the artist coming through that label particularly Voices & Strings & Timpani and Building Instrument. Also highly recommend Maarja Nuut, especially her latest album with Nicolas Stocker.

What are you looking forward to about playing at the Lancaster Jazz Festival?

Engawa

Steve Hanley: We honestly couldn’t have dreamt for a nicer venue and festival to launch ‘Engawa’. This will be the first official live show for us where we will be premiering new material it’s just gonna be so great to finally have a band that I’m so personally invested and proud of out there in the world. Also to have the opportunity to share the bill with Richard Jones’s trio, featuring three really dear, and inspirational friends is going to be magical!

Home/Lands

Alicia Gardener-Trejo: After playing at the Storey last year with Tom Riviere’s Extended Family Band, I’m so excited to bring my own project to the festival. I had such a great time, everyone was so warm and welcoming and I met some amazing new people. The Home/Lands project is all about finding people and places that make you feel like you belong and Lancaster definitely made that list! We have a gorgeous handmade book by Sam Leith Taylor to document ideas and stories from audiences and musicians so we’d really encourage anyone coming to see us to think about what it is that makes them feel at home and to share that with us!

Laura Cole: Pursuance

Walt Shaw: I have only played Lancaster once before, so it’ll be great to perform with this new audience for me and I’m excited by the opportunity to further develop the wonderful ongoing ‘Pursuance’ project and once again play with the inspirational Laura Cole, Charlotte Keefe, Lara Jones and Faye MacCalman.

balo & Luca Shaw

Manon McCoy :Really looking forward to playing the Storey, we watched Skylla there last year which really left an impression so we can’t wait to work in the space. Looking forward to exploring the rest of the festival!