STING & JAZZ
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2 FROM 21:00
Stingray DJAZZ celebrates British bassist and singer Gordon Sumner, who was born on this day in 1951. Typically dressed in black and yellow jumpers with hooped stripes, Sumner became known by his nickname ‘Sting’ playing in jazz bands such as the Phoenix Jazzmen and the Newcastle Big Band during the mid-1970s. After rising to prominence as the frontman of chart-topping rock band The Police, Sting launched his solo career in 1985 with an album on which he joined forces with jazz musicians Kenny Kirkland, Darryl Jones, Omar Hakim, and Branford Marsalis. Later projects with jazz icons Gil Evans, Miles Davis, and Chris Botti, alongside forays into classical music, cemented his status as an exceptional cross-over artist. Stingray DJAZZ hails the genre-defying phenomenon with three special broadcasts. The celebration begins at 21:00 with the short documentary Rock Legends, which delves into Sting’s origins and early career. Following this, watch Sting's frequent collaborator Branford Marsalis perform with his own group at the 1987 North Sea Jazz Festival. The evening concludes with Memoirs of a Hip ‘Ole Black Man, a candid portrait of percussionist, singer, and songwriter Vinx De'Jon Parrette, who worked closely with Sting in the early 1990s. Join Stingray DJAZZ for an evening of Sting & Jazz!
Rock Legends: Sting
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2 at 21:00
Sting was born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner in Wallsend, a ship building town near Newcastle After a family friend left him a Spanish guitar Sting became obsessed with music. He spent his youth visiting jazz clubs in nearby Newcastle, where he saw the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Cream. In 1977 Sting moved to London to pursue music with his band Last Exit. At one of the city’s jazz clubs he met drummer Stewart Copeland. Although starting out as a punk band, The Police showed a wide range of influences. By their fifth album, The Police were the biggest band in the world and although Synchronicity has sold 8 million copies the US alone the trio decided to go on hiatus. In 1985 Sting released his debut solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles. Featuring archive material, music videos “Shape Of My Heart” “Fields Of Gold” and, exclusive insights from music critics and journalists Michael Bonner (Uncut Magazine), Hamish MacBain (Shortlist), John Aizlewood (Evening Standard).
Branford Marsalis Quartet - North Sea Jazz
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2 at 21:25
The North Sea Jazz Festival is the largest indoor music festival in the world, known globally as the event where the past, present and future of jazz are featured within three days. Next to a firm base of jazz as the festival’s staple music genre, many others, such as blues, soul, funk, or hip hop, pass by. In 1987, jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis brought his band to the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. This broadcast presents a selection of that performance, displaying the magical and mesmerising energy coming from the legendary saxophone virtuoso and member of the Marsalis jazz dynasty.
Memoirs of a Hip ‘Ole Black Man
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2 at 22:35
His hands move with the speed of light, and his warm voice caresses his listeners’ hearts and minds. He’s a true artist, passionate for his art: Vinx De'Jon Parrette. During his lectures and workshops at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Vinx often asks his students: “What do you do better than anyone else?” Of course, the best answer is: “I’m best at being me”. As a musician, songwriter, athlete and professor, Vinx has always fought to remain true to his own version. The multi-talent says that he built his career on his never-failing commitment. The film ‘Memoirs of a Hip ‘Ole Black Man’ offers us an insight in the life and career of Vinx De'Jon Parrette. It teaches us a lesson about perseverance, humility, hard work, focus, and the importance to be loyal to yourself by choosing your own, personal path through life.
