programme - Wednesday 6 July 2011

Tom Jones

A superstar curtain raiser.

The international icon dazzles the Floating Stage with a programme that includes classic hits, special selections, and songs from his acclaimed latest work, Praise & Blame.

www.tomjones.com

Floating Stage concert sponsored by:

Dixie Ticklers

The development of jazz has to be one of the most organic and fascinating stories in music. Dom James and his Dixie Ticklers would like to provide the first chapter for you with an atomic Dixieland explosion. Combining some of the brightest young talent in the UK, with the oldest charts from New Orleans archives, their goal is to entertain with skill and charm.

Kid Ory, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton would hopefully have approved of their renditions of "Salty Dog", "I wish I could Shimmie like my sister Kate" and "Wild Man Blues". These guys are so hot, that even New Orleans enthusiast Woody Allen has a copy of their record.

Mark Stevenson - An Optimist's Tour of the Future

Meet Mark Stevenson. futurist, stand-up, musician, author and, controversially, an optimist. He's on a mission to find a better future. One where science and technology are the saviour and not the pariahs of the planet.

Mark Stevenson's early career saw him mixing two jobs; one as an expert in prime number cryptography, the other fronting a pop band, enjoying brief notoriety in Japan, France and much to his surprise, Chile. The videos still embarrass him.

anoptimiststourofthefuture.com

Fifth Quadrant - the Crossover Session

The FIFTH QUADRANT (5Q) music collective was created in 2009 by Simon Hewitt Jones (violin), Drew Balch (viola) and Daniel Swain (piano), and was immediately engaged as a string quartet by Paul Robertson of the Medici Quartet to take part in the premiere of Sir John Tavener's Towards Silence, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and released on Signum Classics. Since then 5Q has undertaken a series of collaborations.

Their projects juxtapose core classical repertoire with unconventional contemporary compositions. The group has appeared at major festivals and concert series in the UK, the USA and Europe, as well as on BBC radio and television. Members of 5Q performed together on the 2010 recording Imogen Holst: String Chamber Music, winning a BBC Music MagazineAward for Best Premiere Recording. In 2010, Simon and Drew were invited to 'Agenda Setting'conference in Switzerland as featured artists and guest speakers on the subject of music in the Middle East.The group has a longstanding commitment to music education projects in the occupied Palestinian territories, and travels frequently to the region giving concerts, workshops and masterclasses.

Plans for 2011 include a major international concert tour called Road to Jericho, in collaboration with Palestinian ensemble Dal'Ouna. Song and dance are basic ingredients of classical music, so it is no surprise that composers regularly draw on the music they hear outside the concert hall for inspiration. Johannes Brahms discovered a rich source of inspiration in the music of Hungary. His arrangements of Hungarian folk dances create an ideal balance of energy and subtlety, combining propulsive Hungarian rhythms with the composer's own nuanced harmonies.

Unlike Brahms, Bartók made a point of visiting folk musicians to hear their music for himself. His Romanian Dances capture the spirit of the originals, allowing the violinist to take on the musical identity of a Romanian folk fiddler. With Benjamin Britten, folk music arranging came back indoors.His version of Tom Bowling reflects the civilised setting of the Aldeburgh Festival, where it was originally performed by tenor Peter Pears, before Britten made this later arrangement for cello and piano. Music by Ramzi Abu Redwan brings the relationship between traditional and classical music up to the present day.

Abu Redwan,who regularly performs with Fifth Quadrant, is a virtuoso on the bazouq, an Arabic lute, and is steeped in the traditions of Arabic music. His music gives a unique insight into the rich sounds of this vibrant tradition.

www.fifthquadrantmusic.com

Piaf - The Songs

Eve Loiseau sings the songs of Edith Piaf with Eddy Jay, accordion + Fiona Barrow, violin

As the 50th anniversary of Piaf's death approaches and after three instant sell-out's at Cheltenham Everyman studio, this powerful celebration comes from a company whose credentials include Kneehigh Theatre and Canteve Vocale. Edith Piaf has become synonymous with French Cabaret of the 1940s & 50s and remains France's most popular singer.

Since her debut at the Royal Festival Hall in Feb 2002, Eve Loiseau has given recitals in England, New York & France and has featured on BBC R3, WNYC Radio, PMW Music and the BBC production, The Roman Mysteries. Eve performs with Canteve Vocale and the baroque ensemble, Duo Dolcetini.

'Apart from losing a foot in height, it's impossible to imagine Eve Loiseau - or anyone - improving upon her miraculous recreation of the great French singer Edith Piaf. Not that Loiseau is in the impersonation business, the trademark little black dress aside. Her triumph was catching the huge spirit of The Little Sparrow ... The songs tell atmospheric, sometimes risqué, stories and Loiseau was totally fired by their passion, humour and irresistible choruses. Most of all she found the key to that visceral, earth shaking voice. Autumn Leaves, If You Love Me, Mon Dieu and other Piaf essentials all received magical interpretations.' Citizen & Echo

www.Piaf-the-songs.co.uk

Achanak

Fusing powerful percussion and rhythms with western beats the band put on the most powerful live concerts.

Having conquered the asian bhangra circuit for over a decade, the band moved effortlessly over to the mainstream world music market in 2000.

The bhangra sound has swept the music market both in the UK and Europe.

www.achanak.co.uk

Firework Spectacular

Pains Fireworks deliver a thrilling and emotional show set to music and fired from within the back drop that is quintessential England - and that will leave you buzzing for the rest of your evening and beyond - Enjoy!

www.painsfireworks.com