Out of the Box

Out of the Box is back at Hull Truck Theatre on Saturday 14 November, part of the Winter Edition of the Hull Jazz Festival. It's a showcase for new commissions from some of the city's most exciting talents, so rather than a single band, you'll hear three separate pieces in one afternoon. Each one blends acoustic instruments with technology, and they're all being premiered here.

First up is HARBOUR OF UNREST, a cross-genre live performance from Mahmud Ibrahim, Avis Ushie and Abidemi Peter Amosu. It brings together rap, spoken word and contemporary jazz improvisation, with the whole thing rooted in Hull's identity as a harbour city. Then comes ATTUNEMENT, from Fleete — Dave Goff and Jay Moy — and Matthew Smith, which explores the acoustic profiles of built and wild spaces across the city. The final piece, TO SCREAM, is led by Jenni Harrison, Niall Thomas and Eddi Pickard. It follows a lifetime of unexpressed creativity, centred on a self-identifying shadow artist who has never formally made or performed original music before.

Between them, the three pieces give local musicians a chance to create, collaborate and improvise in new ways. It's a good way to see how different people in the city are working with jazz and improvisation right now, and since it's all new material, it's the first time these particular combinations are coming together on stage.

The Hull Jazz Festival itself brings world jazz and improvised music to the city twice a year, with Summer and Winter Editions in July and November. Out of the Box is the festival's showcase for original music, so it's where the new commissions get their first outing. This one is in the Godber Studio at Hull Truck, starting at 2:00pm, and tickets are £6.