MUSIC AND LITERARY HEAVEN
Returning by popular demand after their sensational sell-out programme in the 2023 Festival, an original and entertaining event not to be missed. Joining the line-up as a special guest star will be actress, Rock Folies and Coronation Street star Rula Lenska adding a touch of Noel Coward and one or two surprises to the proceedings. She will also join poet Jeremy Robson in reading from his highly-praised collections.
Alongside them will be the remarkable jazz singer Norma Winstone MBE about whom the Times wrote,' there is no singer in the country to touch her,'. Recipient of many awards, Norma is famed for her thrilling ability to improvise vocally.
With Norma will be a group of the country's finest jazz musicians featuring, saxophonist Art Themen, pianist David Gordon and bassist Dave Green.
RULA LENSKA
Born of Polish parents who came to England after the Second World War, Rula Lenska has been in show business for many years—mostly theatre and TV. The BAFTA winning, Rock Follies was her breakthrough TV show. Most recently Rula has had a four-year stint on and off the Coronation cobbles.
She considers herself lucky with her career having had varied theatre parts in the West End, on tour and abroad. Rula had a country wide tour of the Real Exotic Marigold Hotel followed by a two-month tour in New Zealand.
Rula is a veteran of audiobooks and passionate about conservation which has taken her on many wonderful trips including Africa, China, Galapagos Islands, Thailand, India, Nepal and Tibet.
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JEREMY ROBSON
Described by The Times as “a champion of poetry” Jeremy Robson has published a number of lauded books of poetry, edited various landmark anthologies and initiated the popular series of Poetry and Jazz in Concert events of which there were over 300, reading alongside many leading poets including Ted Hughes, Dannie Abse, Laurie Lee, Stevie Smith and Vernon Scannell. For many years he ran his own high-profile publishing company, Robson Books. Reviewing him in the Daily Mail Bel Moony wrote: “My test when reading a new book of poems is to stick a post-it note wherever there’s a poem I want to return to. They sprout like a small forest in his new collection….. His work gets better and better”. He has also published a much-admired memoir entitled Under Cover: A Poet’s Life in Publishing.
JEREMY ROBSON
Described by The Times as “a champion of poetry” Jeremy Robson has published a number of lauded books of poetry, edited various landmark anthologies and initiated the popular series of Poetry and Jazz in Concert events of which there were over 300, reading alongside many leading poets including Ted Hughes, Dannie Abse, Laurie Lee, Stevie Smith and Vernon Scannell. For many years he ran his own high-profile publishing company, Robson Books. Reviewing him in the Daily Mail Bel Moony wrote: “My test when reading a new book of poems is to stick a post-it note wherever there’s a poem I want to return to. They sprout like a small forest in his new collection….. His work gets better and better”. He has also published a much-admired memoir entitled Under Cover: A Poet’s Life in Publishing.
JEREMY ROBSON
Described by The Times as “a champion of poetry” Jeremy Robson has published a number of lauded books of poetry, edited various landmark anthologies and initiated the popular series of Poetry and Jazz in Concert events of which there were over 300, reading alongside many leading poets including Ted Hughes, Dannie Abse, Laurie Lee, Stevie Smith and Vernon Scannell. For many years he ran his own high-profile publishing company, Robson Books. Reviewing him in the Daily Mail Bel Moony wrote: “My test when reading a new book of poems is to stick a post-it note wherever there’s a poem I want to return to. They sprout like a small forest in his new collection….. His work gets better and better”. He has also published a much-admired memoir entitled Under Cover: A Poet’s Life in Publishing.
NORMA WINSTONE
In a career spanning some 50 years the singer and lyricist Norma Winstone is held in high esteem internationally for her varied repertoire and ability to sing with small groups, bands, and orchestras. Jazz Journal called her “one of the wonders of contemporary jazz”, with many awards to her credit including an MBE in 2007. Although initially known for her wordless musical improvisations, her amazing versatility means she is equally at home with the classics and standard repertoire. As the Los Angeles Times put it, “here is a superb example of state-of-the art music, imaginative, virtually beyond definition singing”.
ART THEMEN
Art toured the world fronting Stan Tracey's quartet for 20 years and has been featured with virtually everyone on the UK jazz scene. In addition, he has played alongside American legends including Philly Joe Jones, George Coleman, Red Rodney, Nat Adderley, Arturo Sandoval, Scott Hamilton--the list goes on and on. Outside the jazz scene, he has accompanied such diverse artists as Mick Jagger, George Harrison, Rod Stewart, Jack Bruce, Joe Cocker, Chuck Berry, Alexis Korner and, even Bing Crosby!
Art is a highly creative musician whose exceptional qualities Dave Gelly highlighted in a four-star Observer review: “Themen is one of the very few totally original, utterly engaging jazz musicians around”.
DAVE GREEN
One of the country's finest bassists. Dave Green was for many years a stalwart of the famous Humphrey Lyttelton band, as well as of the Don Rendell/Ian Carr quintet and various groups led by Michael Garrick and Stan Tracey. Dave has played at Ronnie Scott’s Club and toured with many American jazz greats since the ‘60s including Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Benny Carter, Sonny Rollins, Roland Kirk, Lee Konitz, and many more. He has been a regular member of American saxophonist Scott Hamilton’s UK quartet since 1990.
DAVID GORDON
Harpsichordist, jazz pianist and composer David Gordon trained as a mathematician at Bristol University before turning to music full time. He has since toured all over the world with various groups, including the gypsy tango band Zum, the baroque orchestra The English Concert, the piano-led jazz group David Gordon Trio and the early music/jazz group Respectable Groove. He has also toured with violinists Nigel Kennedy and Andrew Manze and singer Jacqui Dankworth. A self-taught jazz player, he has appeared on more than 20 CDs, both as composer, leader and sideman; this has also led to many of his works being broadcast on national radio both in the UK and abroad, and to having compositions commissioned by festivals, publishers, orchestras and fellow musicians.
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