March Manouche Festival UK

12/02/2024

It's that time of year again!
March Manouche Jam Weekend, 2024
Hi everyone! We ran a jam weekend here in Caernarfon, North Wales, last year. We're doing it again!
This time, we're going for the weekend of 22nd/23rd/24th March. The venue will be the Royal Welsh Yacht Club in Caernarfon, postcode LL55 1SN (note that this is NOT the same place as the 'sailing club'- different building, different organisation!).
As before- no gigs, no tickets, just all of us and our instruments, jamming in the two well-separated spaces at the club. Times: Friday 22nd from 7:30pm, then from lunchtime onwards on both Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th. Neil, Meg and Andy Mackenzie are definitely up for it - can you join us? Let us know! There's also our regular evening jam session on Monday 25th too, as it happens.

Last year, Neil did a general beginners GJ workshop on Saturday morning, and might do that again if there is sufficient interest.

09/03/2023

OK, hope all of you haven't got too much disruption with snow! We don't tend to get much at all here, being on the coast in the West, so not expecting any problems here, as long as you can get here.

Also thought I'd re-post the basic info:
The VENUE will be the Royal Welsh Yacht Club in Caernarfon, postcode LL55 1SN (note that this is NOT the same place as the 'sailing club'- different building, different organisation!).
No gigs, no tickets - just jamming in the two well-separated spaces at the club, and one free mostly beginners workshop at Neil's.
TIMES:
Friday 10th - jam in the club from 7:30pm;

Saturday 11th - beginner/improver workshop from 10:30am-12:30pm at Neil & Meg's house (let us know if you're coming!);
Then, jam at the RWYC from 4pm ish (there's 'rugby' apparently);

Sunday 12th - jamming from lunchtime onwards at RWYC; finish 11pm.

Do let us know if you're coming! Friday eve *is* looking a bit thin - various people (including Andy Mackenzie) can't do this for various reasons.

Send a message to learn more

28/02/2023

OK, so we're having a jam weekend 10th-12th March....
.. and I said "no gigs, no workshops" - BUT I've decided to do a beginners Gypsy Jazz workshop on Saturday morning. All instruments welcome, and no charge! Probably 10:30am at my house in Caenarfon, for a couple of hours.

It's going to be a general brief introduction, and then looking at basic improvisation. Nothing to be worried about! (No scary scales and music theory, I promise!) Just literally two or three notes, with lots of feeling and rhythm. If you're interested, message me so I know who's coming.

Send a message to learn more

22/02/2023

March Manouche Jam Weekend, 2023
Hi everyone! You may remember we nearly managed to run a jam weekend here in Caernarfon, North Wales, in 2020. But Covid interfered. So, we're having another go!

This time, we're going for the weekend of 10th/11th/12th March. A bit short notice, we know, but later in the month doesn't work for the venue. The venue will be the Royal Welsh Yacht Club in Caernarfon, postcode LL55 1SN (note that this is NOT the same place as the 'sailing club'- different building, different organisation!).

So- no gigs, no tickets, no workshops, just all of us and our instruments, jamming in the two well-separated spaces at the club. Times: Friday 10th from 7:30pm, Saturday 11th from 4pm ish (there's 'rugby' apparently), Sunday 12th from lunchtime onwards. Neil, Meg and Andy Mackenzie are definitely up for it - can you join us? Let us know! There's also our regular jam session on Monday evening too, as it happens.

We're NOT organising any accommodation or anything specifically, but you might approach Totters Backpackers Hostel - it's right next door to the Yacht Club. https://www.totters.co.uk/

13/03/2020

●IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT●
I expect it will come as no surprise that we have to postpone our March Manouche 'jam weekend', planned for the end of the month. We will let you all know the new date once we see how the situation goes.
I am currently touring in Austria, but all shows are being cancelled and we'll hopefully be flying home tomorrow or the day after. This s**t is *real*, and I fully expect the UK to follow suit next week sometime and ban all concerts, close pubs and clubs, etc. as is happening here.
Keep safe, everyone!
- Neil Browning

19/12/2019

March Manouche is dead – long live March Manouche!

Hi everybody- Neil here!
We have already said that after five wonderful years, we are NOT running the March Manouche festival in 2020. It was just too much strain on the three of us. However, as the year rolls around Meg and I got to thinking what we would like to do instead is to enable a jam weekend on the last weekend of March instead, in Caernarfon. It always irked us that we were never able to take much part in the jam sessions because of being busy with other festival business all the time.

So, there will be open Gypsy Jazz sessions throughout the weekend of 27th, 28th, and 29th March 2020, at the 13th century Royal Welsh Yacht Club building in Caernarfon. The postcode is LL55 1SN (NB it is *not* the 'Sailing Club' – that is nearby, but a quite different organisation!) We will start on Friday at 8pm till late, and probably from about 1pm on Saturday and Sunday. Note that parking is practically non-existent outside, but there are various locations around town that are walkable.

We are *not* organising anything at all, really, so you'll have to look after yourselves as far as accommodation and food are concerned. (One place to try though for a bed is Totters Hostel which is literally next door to the club, or Ty Glyndwr which is about 50 yards away. There's a Premier Inn, and a Travelodge too.)

So, there it is: 'March Manouche Jam-Lite'. No tickets, no concerts, no organisation, just us in a really nice private bar with our instruments. You coming? Let us know!

01/07/2019

With Jon Jorgenson, and our very own Andy Mackenzie and Greg Robley involved, this acoustic guitar festival may well be of interest to some of our March Manouchers!
Not organised by us, but still a chance to work on some guitar chops in a beautiful North Wales setting!
I (Neil) went to the very first one some years ago.

09/03/2019

The 'Model March Manouche' pick from Manouchepicks.com
These will be available from the festival, and also from www.manouchepicks.com in the coming weeks.
Manouche picks are the best in the world, and we are incredibly excited to have a pick named after the festival!!!!

09/03/2019

Tickets are still available for the March Manouche fringe festival!!
3 days of swing and jazz music from lots of incredible acts.

Tickets available here
www.marchmanouche.co.uk