MIX-UP 02.02.12: DEAD RETRO BAND - RACHAEL & THE RED SOCKS - GYPSIES OF BOHEMIA

• Mix-Up is back for 2012! This month's bands are: Dead Retro Band No Nonsense sounds from the Dirty Dustbowl. Gritty Roots, Anarchic Americana, Soulful Sleaze, Pshycobilly Skank, Bittersweet Blues The Dead Retro Band bring together some of the finest session players in the UK around vocalist Vela Vox to deliver an extraordinary blend or Raucous Roots, Soulful Blues and Anarchic Americana. Collectively these musicians shared the stage and studio with Corrine Bailey Rae, Robert Plant, Lilly Allen, Nico, Chuck Berry, Cinematic Orchestra, Halle Orchestra, Richard Hawley and Tom Jones to name just a few. Now they bring their amazing ability to the music they love around the captivating American vocalist Vela Vox. From No-Nonsense Rock N’ Roll through Barn Shaking Blues to the sweetest Ballads the repertoire captures the essence of the Retro Diaspora. Vela Vox - Vocals Martin Cox – Double Bass John Ellis – Keys Billy Buckley – Guitar Eryl Roberts – Drums Rachael Gladwin Rachael Gladwin is a singing, songwriting, contemporary harpist. Rachael's music draws on influences from around the world and tumbles out with edges of folk and jazz. Her songs are lyrical and original, described by Sir Paul McCartney as 'beautiful melodies, lovely folky vibe, great feel.' Her upbeat songs 'are not averse to a spot of strangeness, and her love songs have their own beauty', all accompanied by some nimble fingered harp playing. Rachael will be performing songs off her debut album, Melodies and Time, described by All About Jazz as 'a rewarding debut, high on imagery and emotional connection... an essential buy'. Gypsies of Bohemia Manchester based Gypsies of Bohemia are an acoustic jazz quartet specialising in the jazz manouche style pioneered by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli of the Hot Club de France in 1930-40's. The group was formed in 2005 by Manchester's leading exponent of the manouche guitar style Jamie Wallace and fellow guitarist Matthew Whitaker, singer and songwriter for much loved Manchester based group Whiskeycats. Now augmented to a four piece with the addition of Frank Grime on bass and Graham Clark on violin, the group have set themselves apart from the typical gypsy jazz combos through their unique approach to repertoire. Alongside classic choices from the gypsy jazz genre sit clever re-workings of modern day pop songs. Expect anything from Britney Spears to Radiohead! Their performances can conjure the mellow atmosphere of a parisian cafe or capture the hedonistic mood of a foot-stomping camp fire jam session, all delivered with virtuosity and a real sense of swing. About Mix-Up: Mix-Up is a monthly night hosted by The Magic Hat Ensemble, which as the name suggests features three musical acts across different styles and forms. Held on the first Thursday of the month at The Klondyke Club in Levenshulme (1 Burnage Range, third road on the left from Levenshulme Station off Albert Road, walking towards Burnage – call 0161 224 4122) the night promises to offer three quality bands, all for a measly fiver. Mix-Up is a cracking night of live music featuring the cream of Manchester’s music scene. We will soon be confirming further acts for future nights. You can keep up to date with who’s playing when on our Mix-Up Blog http://www.magichatmixup.blogspot.com/ which will be regularly updated as new information comes in. Please, please show your support for the night by joining our Mix-Up Facebook group. http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Magic-Hat-Ensemble-presents-Mix-Up/177181375690177 It will be great to see some familiar faces and hopefully some unfamiliar ones on the night!

MIX-UP 01.12.11: MATTHEW HALSALL - SPARROW COLLECTIVE - JASON SINGH

Matthew Halsall

Needing little introduction, Manchester based, DJ, bandleader and trumpeter Matthew Halsall has undoubtedly become the UK’s leading figure in spiritual and modal jazz music in recent years. Taking influence from his love of the transcendental, Alice and John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, as well as the glories of '60s British jazz. His albums 'Sending My Love', 'Colour Yes' and 'On The Go' have won him a legion of fans across the world and acclaim from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum, Mr Scruff, Radio 3's Late Junction, MOJO, BBC Music Magazine and even BBC 6 Music.

With an ever growing fanbase and list of accolades as long as your arm, including a MOBO Award nomination, Mix-Up is happy to welcome Matthew as he debuts brand new material from this new project.

"If I could watch any jazz band in the UK, any, I would choose Matthew Halsall's band, just love what he's been doing for the last few years... It's always high level, spiritual jazz music" - Gilles Peterson Worldwide on BBC Radio 1

Sparrow Collective

sparrow |ˈsparō|
noun
1 a small finchlike Old World bird related to the weaverbirds, typically with brown and gray plumage.
• Family Passeridae (or Ploceidae): four genera, in particular Passer, and many species, e.g., the cosmopolitan house sparrow ( P. domesticus).

sparrow collective |ˈsparō kəˈlektiv|
noun
1. a group of songwriters, principally from the british isles
• in a climate that favours species from overseas, particularly those with exotic plumage, the collective was set up to widen the public interest in & to celebrate english songwriting.

With one wing in the candle flame and the other sweeping the sky, tonight's featured songwriters are Kirsty Mcgee and Quiet Loner.

Jason Singh

Jason Singh is a multi-disciplinary artist who creates and facilitates work through the mediums of sound, music, photography, poetry and moving image.

As well as having a solo career as a Human Beatboxer/Vocal Sculptor he also works with organisations to further develop Beatboxing/Vocal Sculpting as an art form of free expression, some of these include the PRSF, National Portrait Gallery, BFI, Tunbridge Wells Museum, Virasat Foundation, Rajasthan International Folk Festival, Jaipur Literature Festival, Royal Albert Hall, V&A Museum, Sampler Culture Clash, Glastonbury Festival, The Sage Gateshead, Sing Up, BBC, Aldeburgh Music/Snape Maltings Concert Hall and Whitworth Art Gallery to name but a few.

Being a keen musical collaborator he has performed alongside musician and composer Nitin Sawhney. Jason has worked with Sawhney on a number of music festivals, club nights and also features on his album "Philtre". His past and present musical collaborations also include Susheela Raman, Soumik Datta, Seb Rochford (Polar Bear/Acoustic Ladyland), The Safires, Shivamani, Matthew Halsall, Marco Fadda, and Stuart McCallum (Cinematic Orchestra).

The Mix-Up is a cracking night of live music featuring the cream of Manchester’s music scene. We will soon be confirming further acts for future nights.

MIX-UP 03.11.11: MELC feat. DENIS JONES - GOGO PENGUIN - HONEYFEET

MIX-UP is back! A new night for Manchester's music scene, hosted by the city's finest exponents of Bop-Core, The Magic Hat Ensemble. Held on the first Thursday of the month at The Klondyke Club in Levenshulme (Burnage Range, third left after Levenshulme station - call 0161 224 4122), the night offers three quality bands across styles and forms, all for a measly fiver.

The second ever Mix-Up is on November 3rd, doors at 7.30, and the bill is as follows:

Melc Feat. Denis Jones

Gogo Penguin

Honeyfeet

See you there for a night of excellent, eclectic and quality tunes.

MIX-UP 06.10.11: THE MAGIC HAT ENSEMBLE - PADDY STEER - MATTHEW WHITAKER

MIX-UP is a brand new night for Manchester's Jazz scene, hosted by the city's finest exponents of Bop-Core, The Magic Hat Ensemble. Once a month at The Klondyke Club in Levenshulme (Burnage Range, third left after Levenshulme station - call 0161 224 4122), thie night promises to offer three quality bands across styles and forms, all for a measly fiver.

The first night is on October 06th, doors at 7.30, and the bill is as follows:

The Magic Hat Ensemble

Paddy Steer

Matthew Whitaker

See you there for the first of many excellent nights of eclectic quality tunes.