NUFF GREETINGS… it’s true, the end of 2012 is virtually upon us and we pick up where Jody Gillett left off. This time round it’s jazz warrior, vibes and marimba master, Orphy Robinson, who reflects on the events and artefacts that made his life in battered and bruised Con-Dem Britain (and beyond) bearable or, as we’ve said, even thrilling…
NEW BANDS, SINGERS & PLAYERS….
Universal Mind Systems – Renell Shaw & Michael Antoniou. Seriously talented duo and hard working back team as well.
Psylus – Watch out for this new group. Well cool. http://www.psylus.co.uk/
Zuri Jarrett-Boswell is a young piano/keyboardist that I have known for some time now… soon to become a strong creative voice on the scene.
Jerome Thomas.. . his band The Soulnotes came 3rd in a major national new bands comp, seriously strong material and vocals. Youth from Hackney. Love his material. http://www.jeromeandthesoulnotes.com/
Ava Leigh… Strong new artist and voice on the scene. Her recorded material is a cross between lovers rock and cool jazz standards. Classy, tight, crisp production style from Jonathon Shorten and Neville Malcolm. Live… the band is hard core. Off the chain. Watch this one blow up in 2013. http://www.avaleighofficial.com
GIGS OF 2012 (Other peoples!)
Bassdrumbone at Nickelsdorf Konfrontationen Festival feat. Ray Anderson, Gerry Hemingway and Mark Helias.
Kenny Garrett @ Pizza Express London
Raul Midon @ Union chapel London
BADDEST VENUE
Café Oto … Dalston
Crea8 Lifestyle Centre, Hackney Wick
The Spin , Oxford
The Chapel, Kings College, London
TOP ALBUMS!
Kenny Garrett – Seeds From The Underground Cd
Wadada Leo Smith – Ten Freedom Summers (4CD) [Box Set]
Christian Scott – Christian and Tunde Adjuah
Django Bates – Beloved
Yotam Silberstein – Brasil
RE-ISSUES
VA – Spiritual Jazz 2 (Jazzman Records)
MUSICIANS I AM GOING TO MISS…
RIP – Tony Marsh and Lol Coxhill (see pic). Two gentle giants of sound.
BADDEST SESSIONS (Mine… ones that I’ve been part of…)
“Shake Keane… Shake Keane!” Photography: Roger Thomas
1. Black Top 5 @ Café Oto with Byron Wallen, Cleveland Watkiss and Steve Williamson during the London Jazz Festival.
2. Performing with Wadada Leo Smith @ Café Oto
3. Sacred music/ Sacred Spaces (A love Supreme) at Kings chapel… Great musicians and fantastic arrangements from Rowland Sutherland.
4. Steve Williamson and myself performing with The Necks at Nickelsdorf. We joined The Necks’ Tony Buck [drums, percussion] and Lloyd Swanton [double bass] onstage to fill in for piano player Chris Abrahams who had impaled himself on a bass spike 5 mins before going on stage. Nasty. I played a huge… very long… African marimba… and the set we did made the place go nuts! Extremely memorable and working with The Necks… that’s another project we need to pursue.
2013… LOOKING FORWARD TO…..
Pat Thomas – Black Top Pic: Roger Thomas
Black Top. Audience response and review… ALL GOOD… this outfit is breaking new ground.
Sacred Music/Sacred Spaces… the tour… we’ve got to do the tour… UK and outernational.
The Jazz Warriors International will be launching a whole heap of goodness… kicking with a DJ led session… Draw 2 Tune @ Charlie Wrights and a series of concerts – all guaranteed to blow your mind – in St Georges, the Hawksmoor Church in Bloomsbury. The only church in London to be attended by HIM Haile Selassie I. Info: https://www.facebook.com/TheJazzWarriors
ancienttofuture.com 