Spring is finally here, which means there's only been one thing left to do now that the sun's out — cross our fingers in anticipation of the BBC Proms! Fortunately, the wait is now over with the full programme having been annouced last week. In addition to the world-class roster of classical musicians on display, there has been a sharp uptake of interesting curation along the lines of jazz and alternative music, and this year's season is no exception. Read on to explore the fine musicians and composers being given the spotlight in 2024, not to mention the many fabulous performers who will be honouring them throughout the festival.
24th July - Nick Drake: An Orchestral Celebration
Fifty years on from his untimely death, the alternative folk troubadour is finally being celebrated with a concert of his own. Jules Buckley, the mastermind behind the Quincy Jones and Charles Mingus events in recent years, takes the helm once again. With a lineup of special guests yet to be announced, this special Prom is a must for all fans of this fragile genius.
28th July - Sarah Vaughan: If You Could See Me Now
The first of this year's would-be centenarians, "Sassy" is honoured in this star-studded concert early on in this summer's calendar. The esteemed figures paying tribute to the seminal jazz vocalist include Cherise, Lucy-Anne Daniels, Marisha Wallace and Lizz Wright, all under the direction of Guy Barker who leads the BBC Concert Orchestra.
The gatekeeper of jazz has been making headlines in recent years, having turned his hand to composing classical music (but always incorporating his New Orleans spirit). Within this crowd-pleasing programme from the incomparable maestro John Wilson comes the UK premiere of Marsalis’ new fanfare for brass and percussion, ‘Herald, Holler and Hallelujah!’ – an extract from which you can hear below:
15th August - Ellington, Braxton and Mary Lou Williams
This concert honours three of the most progressive composers of the jazz world during their respective lifetimes – one of whom is featured as part of this performance! Kicking off festivities with a string of Ellington favourites in arrangements by Morton Gould, these milestones of the past centry are sandwiched between a performance of Mary Lou Williams' 'Zodiac Suite' from 1945 and a rare UK appearance from AACM-associate Anthony Braxton.
If you don’t know by now, this unbeatable group of Tuareg musicians represent the best of the desert blues style their Northern Malian region has come to be known for. Their arrival in the UK for a Late Night Prom will surely be regarded as a highlight of this year’s season.
2nd September - Ultra Lounge: Henry Mancini and Beyond
From the sultry ‘The Pink Panther’ to the groovy ‘Peter Gunn’, Henry Mancini left his mark as a truly masterful writer of soul-tinged film and television scores. Edwin Outwater conducts the BBC Concert Orchestra in a programme of the legendary composer’s best-loved hits as part of his centenary celebrations.
7th September - Choral Day: Jason Max Ferdinand Singers
Having been given the opportunity to curate his own concert as part of the 2018 season, the prodigious Jacob is no stranger to the Royal Albert Hall. With his four-volume 'Djesse' project having recently come to its conclusion, his multi-layered chorale 'World O World' takes centre-stage in a European premiere given by the exemplary vocal ensemble of the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers.
8th September - Chineke! play Tchaikovsky’s ‘Pathétique’
Mixing things up a little, Europe’s first orchestra of Black and ethnically diverse musicians complement their performance of the Russian composer's emotional sixth symphony with an adaptation of his famous ballet 'The Nutcracker', turned upside down in 1960 by the dream team of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. This jazz suite is a peach of the repertoire and is a certified crowd-pleaser!
Hailing from Warwickshire, Barney is a twenty-something musician with a burning passion for sounds that entice as well as grooves that swing. He undertook a BA English Language & Linguistics at King's College London, graduating in 2022. Having promoted jazz and folk artists and performers throughout the West Midlands and the Greater Manchester area, he now sings on Sundays in a church choir, plays double bass to anyone that’ll listen, and occasionally might bring out an Irish reel on the mandolin - but not without warning. He can also speak some French, if you ask nicely. Performing has dragged him from his humble beginnings in cosy local pubs to the prodigious stage of the Royal Albert Hall, and all the way back again. This is his first editorial role and he looks forward, with the help of everyone at Presto Music, to discovering the perfect beat.
