Womad, the world’s festival, once again sparkled the Wiltshire countryside with an array of international musicians. In what was one of the driest Womads in recent years, highlights came from the headliners to the warm-up acts, creating an inclusive and illuminating festival. The first thing of note was the changes...
Tag Archives: Alt-Jazz
An inaugural festival is always going to be packed with risk and suspense, and after the downpour that Friday night experienced, a breath was held in anticipation of Saturday’s events. However, it is with sheer delight I report that the proceedings seemingly went ahead seamlessly. Saturday I have to jump...
If the London jazz scene has a face, that’s the one of Shabaka Hutchings. The saxophonist, clarinettist and bandleader has indeed surged as one of the most popular interpreters of the movement, playing solo or collaborating and enriching the work of many of its actors, and becoming its ambassador around...
The new summer party courtesy of Gilles Peterson. We Out Here is bringing together a diversity of global rhythms with acts playing soul, jazz, funk, R&B, hip-hop, Afrobeat, disco and electronic music. As is familiar for Gilles, this will be a curiously eclectic mix of styles and you can expect...
No wonder that Nile Rodgers expressly asked to include KOKOROKO in the line-up of his upcoming Meltdown Festival at Southbank Centre. The 8-piece band is indeed one of the most up-and-coming and exciting acts flourishing from the London nu-jazz scene, and one of the reasons for their success is the...
Let’s hold tight to summer for one more night… On the eve of autumn, we will give you the chance to travel to Greece on the vivid notes played by Valia Calda. The London-based quintet represents an imaginative take on Greek and Mediterranean folk, which the musicians enrich and, to...
The glorious Love Supreme returned to the prime Sussex pastures of Glynde for its seventh year, and what a return it was. With such a startling array of talent on offer, it was a mighty challenge to stay in one spot for too long for fear of missing out elsewhere....
Art, talks, music and performance combined in another wonderful addition of Brainchild Festival. As up-and-coming performers graced the early slots and smaller stages, those who paid their dues took it upon themselves to deliver the politically-motivated, exhilarating headline shows. A festival made for relaxing, there is plenty of time for...
Spread across different venues in London Fields throughout Saturday the 3rd of August, Visions Festival is the perfect day out with an eclectic lineup. This is what caught my attention about the festival, with acts coming from all different genres, from Algerian desert rockers Imarhan to visionary jazz orchestra Steam Down,...
Returning to leafy Lloyd Park for its sixth year, Walthamstow Garden Party served up an eclectic mix of big names and young performers, bringing together an international line-up for an international crowd. A festival ‘made locally’ and produced by Barbican Centre, Create London and the people of Waltham Forest (declared...
