London Jazz Festival, in association with BBC Radio 3, Friday 11 to Sunday 20 November 2011

Monday morning is upon us. The first weekend of the Festival is over, and has absolutely flown by. Can’t quite believe there are only another seven days left. But what a fantastic first three days it’s been. I’m not sure where to begin in describing it. So many artists, so many concerts, so much amazing music. The reviews we’ve seen trickling in over the last few days will back my words, when I say that this feels like the best Festival yet.

Jazz Voice: 4* The Guardian

Jazz Voice: The Arts Desk

Opening weekend: 4* The Guardian

Opening weekend: 4* Financial Times

Opening weekend: London Jazz Blog

Alison Krauss & Union Station: 4* Evening Standard

Emile Holba was capturing the magic on camera. Check out the first pics we’ve been sent through here (and a few highlights below). More to follow. Watch this space.

Our Festival volunteers and Write Stuff participants have been out reviewing gigs over the weekend, and will be continuing to do so throughout the rest of the Festival. We'll be uploading some highlights here. And putting all of the reviews up on Facebook. 

There is plenty more to come, and plenty to be excited about. Here’s a taste of what some of our Festival artists are looking forward to.

Jovino Santos Neto: “This is my second time at the London Jazz Festival - I played last year with my trio at the Pizza Express and the Bulls Head in Barnes. I'll be at the Bulls Head again playing my music on November 18- the venue has the perfect combination between a pub and a theater, which creates a great atmosphere without becoming disruptive of the music. But for me the greatest thrill will be to conduct a super Big Band playing the music of Hermeto Pascoal along with Hermeto himself and his Group at the Brabican on November 20. I was a member of hermeto's Group for 15 years (1977-1992), so that will be a memorable musical encounter, and I know that musical sparks will fly all over the place.”

Shabaka Hutchings: “I'm excited in this festival to be a part of two new projects, firstly to be a part of Dan Nicholls' Mirror group which Features myself as well as friends from the loop collective (james allsopp, dave smith) whom I've known from college but not done alot of gigs with throughout the years. Also, I'm very happy to be a part of Jerry Dammers Spatial AKA Orchestra (Barbican, Fri 18) which I've been wanting to be a member of for ages.”

Dave Morecroft: "WorldService Project are buzzed about Barbican Freestage date (Barbican, Sun 20) for LJF...we're planning to make it the most rip-roaring set of our lives yet!! Will hopefully be premiering a new tune too.."

Kendrick Scott: “I'm always excited every time I have the honor of playing at the London Jazz Fest. This year I'm looking forward to seeing many artists this year if I have time when not playing. Talent is always in abundance here. Got to see my personal hero and musical Idol Roy Haynes (Queen Elizabeth Hall, Fri 18). I always go and support my buddies from Houston, Robert Glasper, Chris Dave along with Derrick Hodge and Casey Benjamin. (XOYO, Wed 16) One of the best concerts I've ever seem was by Hermeto Pascoal so I'm waiting to see that with baited breath. (Barbican, Sun 20). Also I've been hearing great things about the Portico Quartet so that's on the list (Purcell Room, Sat 19). Too much really. One of the greatest things about the Gretchen Parlato Band besides being great musicians.”

Juliet Kelly: “I'm really excited that there are so many wonderful artists performing at the Festival! Sadly I won't be able to see as many as I would like, but high on my wishlist are Jazz Voice at the Barbican, Shabaka Hutchings and Kit Downes, McCoy Tyner, Robert Glasper (Kings Place, Thu 17) Julie Dexter (Pizza Express, Fri 18) and Fulvio Sigurta (The Bull’s Head, Thu 17).”

Ayanna: “I'm really looking forward to seeing Regina Carter play on the 14th of Nov in the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre. I absolutely love her latest album Reverse Thread which beautifully combines African folk melodies and jazz influences. I've never seen her play live before and I know it'll be a real treat!”

Regina Carter: “I love playing in London as the audiences are so passionate; and I always look forward to listening to – and being inspired by – other groups in the Festival as well. We’ve been performing throughout Europe having a blast!”

Christine Tobin: “This year I'm playing a concert at the Purcell Room as part of a double bill with my partner Phil Robson's band - the IMS Quintet featuring Mark Turner. Our household is quite a buzz with both of us busy preparing our music and trying to work out what gigs we can get along to - there's an incredible programme this year.

My concert is called Sailing to Byzantium and is a programme of ten poems by W.B. Yeats that I've set to music. This is a new project for me although it has it's roots back in 2010. In May of that year I got a call from the National Library of Ireland asking if I'd like to participate in their June event Summer's Wreath, which is a celebration of W. B. Yeats' work throughout the month featuring journalists, poets, musicians, actors, academics and artists of all kinds. They actually asked me if I'd like to come along and give a talk about Yeats and although I was eager to take part, the thought of having to speak at length about the great master filled me with terror. I quickly offered to set four of his poems to music and present that as my celebration of Yeats. I put down the phone and realised that I had just committed to writing new music for four poems to be performed in four weeks! The pressure was on but I was excited by the challenge and found the process of setting the poems deeply stimulating. Finding sounds that would both cradle and bring out the beauty of Yeats' words was a voyage discovery that taught me a deeper understanding of his work. On a personal level it reignited my connection to my Irish roots. The concert at the National Library was a success and I decided that I wanted to set more of his poems and make this my new project. So here I am a year later about to perform Sailing To Byzantium with my favourite musicians Phil Robson guitar, Liam Noble piano, Kate Shortt cello and Dave Whitford double bass. A CD of the same name will be released in 2012.”