Review: Nerija + Theon Cross Trio & Tom Skinner @ The Pickle Factory (London, 2nd April 2017)
Last Sunday we went to The Pickle Factory for the first night of Ovation, a monthly series that will bring the best of contemporary jazz and world music to the intimate East London venue.
The events are co-curated by Tom Skinner (Hello Skinny, Matthew Herbert, Owiny Sigoma Band, and Sons of Kemet), joint founder and resident DJ for Mixology, and also the host of the night.
For the occasion, The Pickle Factory was turned into an authentic jazz cave, furnished with sofas and cocktail tables, which contributed to the relaxed atmosphere in the club. A crowd of jazz lovers of all ages gathered to participate in what we hope will become a standing appointment.
The first set of the night was delivered by Theon Cross and his trio. A true tuba virtuoso, Theon pushes the boundaries of his instrument to the limits. Around his at once percussive and melodic playing, Nubya Garcia (sax tenore) weaved swirling solos, leaving drummer Moses Boyd the task of keeping things together.
Nérija, the main act of the night, are a collective of London-based, young and talented musicians, nominated in 2016 as Best Breakthrough Act by Jazz FM. Their music harmoniously blends Jazz, Afrobeat, Hip-Hop, and South African Township influences.
Having released their first EP through Bandcamp last September, their beautiful set was the perfect chance to see them perform it live.
Despite their young age, Nérija play like staged musicians. The chemistry between the players was palpable, exchanging solos and giving each other cues as usually old pals do. The interplay between Cassie Kinoshi (sax alto) and Sheila-Maurice Grey (trumpet) was especially exalting. But we ought to pay the right dues to this truly stellar formation, and we cannot overlook Inga Eichler’s double bass prowess. Such feelings were shared by the rest of the audience, who eagerly called the band back on stage for an encore.
What better start for Ovation? We cannot wait to discover what’s in store for us next.
Out Of Africa – An in-depth trip throughout world music and global beats from an African perspective!! In this show, we travel through the sounds of desert blues, African blues, jazz, afro jazz, and afro-beat! We kick off the show with a collaboration between Ballaké Cissoko & Camille. In this…
After a two year hiatus, Love Supreme is back, vibrant as ever. Since its inception in 2013 some have questioned whether a large scale jazz festival would survive, going so far as to label it a risky endeavour. The festival responded, casting its net far and wide to celebrate the…
Mud, music and melodies. Festival season is almost upon us again. Here at Rhythm Passport HQ we’ve been digging through the line-ups, and the Love Supreme program has some gems. Held close to Brighton at the beginning of July, expect treats for world music and jazz lovers. With big names…
London-based saxophonist and composer Nubya Garcia recently took part to BBC Radio 6 Music 2021 performing, among others, ‘The Message Continues’, part of her latest album Source. You can watch her set in its entirety visiting the BBC Radio 6 website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p098pwnl TweetSharePin0 Shares
SOURCE is the first long player by tenor saxophonist and one of London’s young jazz luminaries Nubya Garcia. London has been the campus for what has been happening in jazz lately, and the hothouse of Tomorrow’s Warriors and Trinity Laban Conservatoire along with nights like Jazz Re:freshed and Church of…
Filming performances to be broadcast to viewers at home who can still feel somewhat part of the party is not novel. Boiler Room, the flagship online platform for underground acts to increase their exposure, tapped into a pre-existing appetite amongst the try-before-you-buy internet generation but that doesn’t negate the impact…
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….
Brixton has been known as the cultural home of Caribbean diasporic music since the years of the Windrush, but this one-day festival, held in Brockwell Park, has certainly ear-marked the growing popularity in the nu jazz movements that have infected the London music scene, as well as the growing popularity…
Two weeks to go until the new edition of Jazz:Re:Found. In its past editions, the forward-looking festival has brought to Italy names such as hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash, techno legend group Underground Resistance, funk-jazz Brazilian masters Azymuth and many more. This year’s theme Black & Forth sums up the two…
Set in the heart of the Sussex Downs, Love Supreme Festival returned for its 6th year of spreading the gospel of jazz, blues and soul to some 40,000 music lovers. Unless you were the man who told me, bizarrely, that he “doesn’t like virtuosity in music”, you were going to…
Colours rise from dark contours as a London jazz renaissance takes form. Feeling both early and late, We Out Here captures the tones of this evolving shape. Tenor saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings directs the way, bringing together a collection of his most in-demand friends on the new-jazz scene. Familiar names such…
![Album Review: Nubya Garcia – SOURCE [Concord Jazz; August 2020]](https://www.rhythmpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/nubya-garcia-source-620x620.jpg)
![Event Review: Boiler Room Festival @ Peckham [London; Wednesday 9th & Thursday 10th October 2019]](https://www.rhythmpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/br-festival_jazz_ryan-buchanan_038-620x413.jpg)
![Album Review: Various Artists – We Out Here [Brownswood Recordings; February 2018]](https://www.rhythmpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/we-out-here-620x620.jpg)
There are no comments
Add yours