Chelsea Carmichael + Tobias Preisig

Chelsea Carmichael

The United Kingdom keeps on producing new jazz talent. In London and Manchester, jazz scenes have blossomed. The Manchester jazz scene produced tenor saxophonist Chelsea Carmichael who, after working with SEED Ensemble, Theon Cross and Neue Grafik Ensemble, is now making a name for herself.

In 2019, Carmichael shared the stage with fellow saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, who was so impressed with her playing that he signed her as the first artist on his new record label Native Rebel Recordings. Her sizzling debut album, “The River Doesn’t Like Strangers”, came out in 2021. For this album, she found inspiration in the roots of her Jamaican father. Carmichael’s warm sounds are the stable factor in a varied backdrop of distorted guitars and Caribbean-inspired percussion.

The album resulted in Carmichael receiving the Jazz FM Award for breakthrough act of the year. Despite the praise, Carmichael isn’t going to rest on her laurels just yet. She is still composing for her own Chelsea Carmichael Ensemble and is constantly looking for ways to push her music forward without losing sight of tradition. One thing is for sure: we’ll hear a lot more from her in the upcoming years.

Tobias Preisig

Swiss violinist Tobias Preisig is not restricted by genre boundaries. In his music, he explores the cutting edge of experimental, electronic and ambient music. With projects like Egopusher (with drummer Alessandro Giannelli) and Levitation (with organ player Stefan Rusconi), he is exploring several different styles. It is in his solo performances however that showcase his rich music ideas to the fullest.

While improvisation is an essential part of his musical identity, Preisig doesn’t regard himself to be a jazz musician. With unorthodox techniques and technologies, Preisig attempts to push the boundaries of what his instrument can do, looking for new universes in the notes he is playing. By combining strumming/stringing his violin with loops and samples, he manages to build up excitement in his music. The results are so grand and engaging that you almost overlook the fact that it’s all coming from a single musician.

In February 2023, Preisig’s second album under his own name, “Closer”, came out. Fellow musicians like Giannelli, James Varghese and Jan Wagner have respectively added drums, bass and keys to the album. With “Closer”, the violinist is looking for an answer to the question “how does the mundane sound?”. The compositions are constructed around recordings Preisig made during his daily walks through his home town.

Festival Jazz International Nijmegen takes place between 25 and 29 October 2023 on several locations in Nijmegen and is a collaborative effort with Brebl, Doornroosje, Festivalhuis Nijmegen, the Nijmegen municipality, Lindenberg Cultuurhuis, LUX, Music Meeting, Podium JIN, the Stadsschouwburg and De Vereeniging. For more info and tickets, please check www.fjin.nl.