Taking place over two days at one of London’s most loved music venues, Vortex Jazz Club, the festival will bring you seasoned headliners and new fresh acts, all making exceptional music by bringing together the best of Middle Eastern and European musical ideas.
The music of the East and the jazz of the West is connected by the primacy of improvisation. In the dialogue between these styles of music, improvisation is taken to new heights as the rhythmic and melodic complexity of the East meets the harmonic mastery of Western jazz.
The Festival of the Between is the world’s first music festival focussed on showcasing these collaborations.
ALULA – a London-based septet featuring British-Iraqi singer and composer Alya Marquardt and leading jazz and world musicians Asaf Sirkis (drums), Shirley Smart (cello), George Crowley (tenor sax), Olie Brice (bass), Sam Leak (piano) and Nikos Ziarkis (oud / guitar). Their music has been described as “sensational” and Alya’s first album received a 4-star review from Songlines magazine. They bring together original music and Iraqi and Arabic folk music into a highly improvised jazz frame to create a thrilling and multi-layered performance.
Alya Marquardt – voice
Asaf Sirkis – drums
George Crowley – tenor saxophone
Nikos Ziarkas – oud
Shirley Smart – cello
Olie Brice – bass
Sam Leak – piano
DON KIPPER – The new kids on the block performing exceptional klezmer / klezmer-inspired jazz. Don Kipper are a multi award-winning innovative ensemble playing and transforming a wide range of traditional musical forms, from Turkish Fasıl and Greek Rebetiko to Romani music and Klezmer. While they attempt to root ourselves deeply in these traditions they always seek to explore radical interpretations and taut arrangements full of complex harmonies, polyrhythms and imaginative improvisation. Since 2013, they have released our First and Second albums, played two European Tours, and won the titles of both the inaugural Moshe Beregovski Award for best Klezmer Newcomers and The World Music Network’s Battle of the Bands.
Andrew Gorman – violin, voice
Daniel Gouly – clarinet, voice
Dunja Botic – voice
Timmy Doyle – drums and percussion
Jamie Benzies – double bass
Tim Karp – guitar
Josh Middleton – accordion
With the support of Arts Council England
