Between 15thand 18th September, audiences are invited to watch the performances, listen to the talks, see the exhibition, and get fully involved in one or all the creative workshops; to kick back and thoroughly enjoy coming together again as a live audience.
Events not to be missed include the four main performances during Artsfest, which begin at 7.30pm each day. The festival kicks off with an entertaining evening of comedy on15th September with JULIET MEYERS (pictured), PETER HOLLOWAY & REV. RAVI HOLY. Mixing silliness with edginess, Juliet has a chatty gag-driven style that allows her to interact with the crowd; this makes her much in demand both as a comedian and an MC across the UK comedy circuit. Peter is a man of many parts. He is a recently retired Suffolk farmer, a comedian, magician and raconteur and lead saxophonist in the legendary Fat Band. Ravi Holy is the vicar of Wye by day and a stand-up comedian by night. In 2016, he was a semi-finalist in So You Think You’re Funny? He won the Canterbury Festival’s comedy competition and was also voted Funniest Vicar after performing live on The One Show (although, to be fair there were only two other entrants!).
The second evening of Artsfest is for all lovers of folk music with a performance from the legend that is MARTYN JOSEPH, a completely unique and mind-blowing artist. Take everything you think you know about singer songwriters….and rip it up. For one man and a guitar, he creates a performance with a huge far-reaching sound that is energetic, compelling and passionate. April 2019 saw him win a ‘Wales Folk Award’ for ‘Here Come the Young’, the title track of his most recent album, of which Uncut magazine said, “He’s never sounded more potent than he does here.” In 2018, he was honoured with the Spirit of Folk Award by Folk Alliance International in Kansas USA and he also received Fatea magazine’s ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ here in the UK. Martyn is gifted with the rare ability to speak to the soul with his expressive and poignant lyrics. He has a career spanning 30 years, 32 albums, over a half a million record sales and thousands of live performances.
The third evening is for all jazzers. Award winning British saxophone legend TONY KOFI teams up with jazz multi-instrumentalist TIM BONIFACE for a vibrant and powerful evening of classic jazz and original music from their own recordings. Along with a top draw rhythm section, Tony and Tim draw the audience into a soulful, rhythmic and melodic world.
Multi-award-winning saxophonist and flautist Tony Kofi cut his teeth in the Jazz Warriors of the 1990’s, and has gone on to establish himself as one of the most respected and loved jazz musicians, composers and teachers in Britain. He has worked with numerous artists, including Harry Connick JR, Macy Gray, Abdullah Ibrahim, Ornette Coleman, The World Saxophone Quartet, Courtney Pine, and Andrew Hill Big Band.
Cambridge based jazz multi-instrumentalist Tim Boniface works primarily on saxophones and piano, but also on trumpet, flugelhorn, guitars. A leader of his own ensembles and projects - especially his quartet with whom he has recorded two critically acclaimed jazz suites ‘The Eight Words’ and ‘The Infant’ - Tim has collaborated with many remarkable musicians on the UK jazz scene, including Beth Rowley, Polly Gibbons, Andy Cooper, Alice Zawadski, Scott Hamilton, Tara Minton, and Irene Serra, with whom he has developed a project based on the music of Dexter Gordon and Nancy Wilson. Tim is also a priest and theologian, and is the chaplain of Girton College, Cambridge.
Tim Boniface, who also helps curate the Festival, said of this year’s programme: “St Paul’s ArtsFest always brings together an array of remarkable artists across many disciplines - and this year we are presenting an absolutely top draw line up of musicians, writers, thinkers, visual artists and craftspeople. We are really excited about the opportunity our audiences will have to immerse themselves in so many different and high-quality expressions of creativity, and to do so in the context of a community-minded vision.”
The final evening of Artsfest ends on a high with the SCRATCH JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOUR DREAMCOAT. First performed over 40 years ago, Joseph has become a firm favourite for professional and community groups alike. There can’t be many of us who haven’t seen it, heard it, or sung it. With some fabulous songs, set pieces and larger than life characters there will be plenty to keep us entertained as we rehearse and perform the whole show with a choir and a backing band in one day. Do come and join us ... it’ll be fun! Simon Humphreys will lead the choir and Larry Zazzo will perform some beautiful counter tenor solos.
Simon Humphreys has been a member of the St Paul’s community for over 25 years. He is a music teacher and musical theatre composer with experience of directing school, community and professional groups. Whilst he spends most of professional life with computing teachers these days, it’s a thrill for him to return to his first love with the much-loved Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Simon led the first scratch event at St Paul’s with the Scratch Sound of Music in 2000.
Born in Philadelphia, Lawrence Zazzo, is a Lecturer in Music at Newcastle University and continues his active singing career, appearing regularly at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Metropolitan New York City, and the Viennese State Opera. CD and DVD recordings include Messiah, Rinaldo, Giulio Cesare, A Royal Trio, Byrdland, Lunarcy, and Mitridate.
For those who enjoy more participatory events, each day of Artsfest offers a series of eclectic arts-focused workshops open to all. The workshops cover everything from screen-printing, drawing and painting, to electronic music and creative writing with some of the country’s leading practitioners. Alongside the daytime workshops, there are a series of talks tackling a wide range of topics, including political activism, contemporary feminism, the information age, religion, and poetry, which includes a reading from the world poetry slam champion, Harry Baker.
Commenting on this year’s Artsfest, Festival Chair Martin Evans said: “St Paul’s Artsfest 2021 is a celebration of human creativity, and it is an opportunity to build community at a time when we all need to be in positive communication with each other. The Festival is also about participation and involvement, with a range of arts workshops, a Scratch Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat performance, and lunch together every day.”
To view the full programme and book tickets, please visit https://www.stpaulsartsfest.org/
Follow Artsfest on social media: Twitter: @StPaulsArtsFest | Facebook: @CamStPauls
Artsfest 2021 is hugely grateful to the local businesses who have generously sponsored the Festival this year. They are: Gft Davies Pharmacy; La Maison Du Steak; Clement Jacquinot From Maison Clement Bakery And Patisserie, 28 Hills Road; Florstor Carpets; Strutt And Parker; The Co-Op, Hills Road.