It Don't Mean a Thing if it ain't Got That Swing

Richard Hadfield champions jazz during Jazz Appreciation Month

Richard Hadfieldis at the forefront of a new wave of young British and American jazz fusion artists whose instant appeal is making jazz cool again. Alongside the bewitching versatility of Aubrey Logan and the jazz pedigree of James Tormé in the United States, Richard blends familiar melodies with the innovative warmth of jazz and has already been identified as the one to watch.

April is Jazz Appreciation month(JAM), a national celebration of jazz which began in the US in 2002 and is mirrored here with a flowering of Jazz and Blues festivals all over the UK via live jazz gigs, social networking and special radio broadcasts. The aim is to foster a rich and entertaining experience for all ages and Richard Hadfield aims to bring his jazz fusion style straight into the mix.

Traditionally, jazz can be associated with introspective musicians and diehard aficionados, which is a potential barrier to engaging with a younger generation who understands improvisation but may not be familiar with hard core jazz.

Richard says "Jazz Appreciation Month is a totally brilliant platform for everybody to have a dip into the art form and find something they like. I'm starting JAM early with a performance at Brocket Hall - a stately home in Hertfordshire and following it up next week with gigs on Tuesday and Wednesday 4/5th April at the Pheasantry on the King's Road in Chelsea - the sister club to the famous Soho Jazz Club at Pizza Express on Dean Street and then at Pizza Express Live in Birmingham on 7^thApril and the Music Room, Maidstone on 8^thApril.

Richard's meteoric rise within the music scene began when his group, Britain's Got Talent winnersCollabro,were promptly signed up by Simon Cowell's SYCO and whose first album, Star, rocketed to Number One. Since then Richard has been voted theBGT FAVOURITE EVER WINNERtwice, travelled around the world, sung with the London Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestras and is now building a successful solo career as a British Michael Bublé.

Richard's style exemplifies the vogue for fusion music which is already sparking a swell throughout the jazz scene. Richard builds on European harmony and merges African musical influences in the use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation and the swung note. The culmination of this month of jazz is UNESCO's International Jazz Day which this year falls on April 30^thand Richard is in his element.

"This is the best opportunity to perform live. My first love has always been jazz from my busking days on the Brighton seafront. I really want my music to appeal to everybody out there, all the way from jazz enthusiasts to the many younger newcomers."

For further information contact Melanie Faldo atsocal.uk@gmail.com