Media release: Debbie Harry to perform with the Jazz Passengers and Northern Sinfonia on the opening day of the Gateshead International Jazz Festival, 25-27 March 2011 in northeast England.

The Sage Gateshead are very excited to be introducing downtown New York to their jazz festival when the iconic voice of Blondie meets the anarchic wit of one of the definitive alt-jazz bands of recent years, the Jazz Passengers, along with Northern Sinfonia, orchestra of The Sage Gateshead. The combination of hard bop, off-beat comedy and improvisation of the very highest order is the Jazz Passengerss hallmark and the dynamic between this team of jazz heavyweights and punk rocks answer to Marilyn Monroe (The Spectator) is fired by a quintessential New York attitude. Robert Ziegler conducts Northern Sinfonia in only the third performance of a tremendous orchestral version of this collaboration, scored by the bands brilliant vibist Bill Ware in a song-cycle that brings out the wit and edge of lyrics superbly delivered by Debbie Harry, complemented by the solo strengths of the Jazz Passengerss founding fathers, saxophonist Roy Nathanson and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, as well as the fluent violin lines of Sam Barfield. For further details or to purchase tickets, visit The Sage Gateshead official site and the Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2011 details page.