Leeds Jazz Festival 2025 / Ferg's Imaginary Big Band + Sophie Speed Quintet

Name: Leeds Jazz Festival 2025 / Ferg's Imaginary Big Band + Sophie Speed Quintet
Start: 2025-05-24T19:00:00+01:00
Location: Howard Assembly Room

Schedule

Sat, 24 May, 2025 at 07:00 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

Howard Assembly Room | Leeds, EN

Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band is a group of 20-something twentysomethings bringing big band music kicking and screaming into the 21st century and beyond.
Part of the Leeds’ independent jazz and experimental music scene, they paved their own way with a relentless enthusiasm and punk ethos. Now, they have grown into a dynamic 25+ strong musical force. Winners of the 2023 Peter Whittingham Jazz Award, they are part of Jazz North’s Northern Line programme and nominated for Jazz FM’s Innovation Award this year.
With a recent live album and tour, the band’s repertoire sounds better than ever. Rare performances explode with the immense electric young talent in the band. Gig-goers can enjoy a varied songbook of original improvised music and borrowed tunes. From noisy solos to tender ballads, their songs spark tears one moment, and mosh pits the next. Following the release of their 2024 album, Live at Lancaster Jazz Festival, the band is back on the road in 2025. Enjoy a raucous, riotous performance in their hometown of Leeds. Their first performance ever at Howard Assembly Room and their first appearance at Leeds Jazz Festival.
Support comes from highly rated tenor saxophonist and current National Youth Jazz Orchestra member Sophie Speed and her jazz quintet.
Part of Leeds Jazz Festival. A Howard Assembly Room & DJ Lubi Promotion.
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Venue Information
14+ / Access info - The Howard Assembly Room is located inside Leeds Grand Theatre.
To access the venue, there are six steps from the street up to the Grand Theatre foyer or a wheelchair lift from the Grand Theatre Box Office to the foyer, and then lift access from the foyer (the lift is down the corridor to the right) up to the Howard Assembly Room (number 3 in the lift).
• There are two wheelchair spaces, but this can be increased if more are required. Please call the Box Office (0844 848 2720*) for more information.
• There is also lift access to the gallery (number 4 in the lift) from the foyer, and from the Howard Assembly Room level (number 3 in the lift). Request access from front-of-house staff before using it so they can arrange for someone to open the door from the lift into the gallery. Row A of the gallery is flat access but there are 3 steps to Row B and 6 steps to Row C.
• Accessible toilets are situated in the Grand Theatre foyer (down the corridor to the right, near the lift) and at Dress Circle level (number 2 in the lift).
• Support and guide dogs are welcome in the venue and can be looked after on request.
• Refreshments are available from the Emerald Grand Hall bar (at Howard Assembly Room level).