15-17 Jun: Bloomin’ Jazz! and Adventurous Floral Spirits!

Chris Jones

Bloomin’ Jazz! and Adventurous Floral Spirits!

Merchant Adventurers' Hall - photograph courtesy of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall
Merchant Adventurers' Hall - photograph courtesy of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall

Bloomin’ Jazz – Saturday 16 June 2012 from 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm

The Spirit of Adventure Flower Festival – Friday 15 to Sunday 17 June – from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm

The Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, York

The Merchant Adventurers’ Hall is a sumptuous place to hold any event or entertainment. The Hall itself is stunning both inside and out, and it’s set in beautiful grounds and gardens, so what better place could there possibly be for an evening of cool summer jazz combining modern music in a timeless setting as part of the Spirit of Adventure Flower Festival.

Jen Low - photograph courtesy of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall
Jen Low - photograph courtesy of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall

Providing the music will be Karl Mullen’s Quartet called The Works featuring the renowned vocalist Jen Low. Jen has an amazing voice, rich and full of soul, whilst Karl is an extremely talented pianist who plays a range of jazz from Dave Brubeck to Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis to George Gershwin, and he’s also been known to include a bit of JS Bach too. Completing the line-up in the band are John Marley on bass and Joost Hendrickx on drums. As for the music, besides the likes of Gershwin you might hear songs by the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr) or, to bring things thoroughly up to date, Amy Winehouse and Adele.

What a delightful setting for an evening of jazz - photograph courtesy of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall
What a delightful setting for an evening of jazz - photograph courtesy of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall

Because it’s summer, the price includes a complementary glass of Pimms. There’ll also be a fully stocked bar for purchasing subsequent drinks. This event is already causing great excitement and tickets are selling fast, so pre-book now to be sure of a place.

The Spirit of Adventure Flower Festival is a 3-day festival which is part of the York800 celebrations, commemorating the 800th anniversary of York’s status as a city. The festival is a collaboration between the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York and the Acomb Flower Guild and is guaranteed to delight the senses.

Hall, Garden, Roses - photograph courtesy of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall
Hall, Garden, Roses - photograph courtesy of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall

The Merchant Adventurers’ Hall is the largest timber-framed hall still in existence (and regular use) in the country and most of the building dates back to 1357. Its great age means that it’s not a Tudor building – the Plantagenet Edward III was king of England when it was built and the Tudors didn’t come to the throne for another 128 years!

Tickets for Bloomin’ Jazz cost £15 (including the complementary glass of Pimms). To book tickets or for more information call 01904 654 818 or send an email to enquiries@theyorkcompany.co.uk.

Tickets for the Spirit of Adventure Flower Festival cost £8. To book tickets or for more information about group rates, coach times, etc call 01937 573 328 or send an email to flowerfestivalyork@gmail.com. Or you can download a booking from here.