Category Archives: Deep stuff

Just plain deep…

Jon Akomfrah’s Mimesis: African Soldier in Bristol

First screened in 2019 at the Imperial war Museum as part of the First World War centenary, John Akomfah’s Mimesis: African Soldier is currently showing at the Bristol Museum and uncovers the largely ignored story of the Commonwealth soldiers who … Continue reading

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NCO meets Joni & Mingus @ The Dome

Led by Peter Edwards, the New Civilisation Orchestra took on the music from Joni Mitchell’s classic ‘Hejira’ LP and the singer-songwriter’s collaboration with master bassist and composer Charles Mingus. Jihad Imroel-Quays Darwish & ESKA It was hard to say whether … Continue reading

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A World Without Worldwide FM

On Sunday October 30 the WWFM crew gathered at the Brownswood studio to celebrate the last six years before signing off at midnight leaving the station on hiatus until a new era beckons. It took a few days to gather … Continue reading

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THE VOICE OF NEW AFRICA

Senegal’s Youssou N’Dour set the Barbican alight with pure positivity and a tight, compelling set of modern Mbalax One of the most exciting and explosive live sets I experienced in the mid-eighties was Youssou N’Dour and the Super Etoile De … Continue reading

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What are you reading? Myself? Crime… Thrillers… From the deep South …. Virginia to Lagos and Accra and…. “

Here’s some summer reading if you fancy dropping into the genre of the crime thriller… but crime thrillers with a twist… there’s always a twist! Basically, thrillers keep me reading. It feels good to keep the pages turning. To say … Continue reading

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The Duke & The Queen! The Suite… live!

As part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations the Nu Civilisation Orchestra led by pianist /composer Peter Edwards took to the stage at the QEH to deliver Duke Ellington’s legendary ‘The Queen’s Suite’ alongside a suite of brand new compositions … Continue reading

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Great Day In London…. Warriors come out to play-yay….

Braving an icy wind on a December Saturday morning… a new generation of jazz-orientated musicians defied that late sleeping, nighthawk stereotype and gathered on the Southbank to add to the lexicon of photos inspired by Art Kane’s legendary Great Day … Continue reading

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LIFE BETWEEN ISLANDS: CARIBBEAN BRITISH ART 1950’s – NOW….

This radical and essential show at Tate Britain builds on the momentum of the Black Lives Matter Movement and will hopefully prove as educational and as popular as the hugely successful Soul Of A Nation. It’s midday on an icy … Continue reading

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The Graphic Art of Ian Swift…. Here comes Vol. 2…

As 2021 draws to a close my long time collaborator on Straight No Chaser, the artist formerly known as Swifty, comes with the second volume of The Graphic Art Of Ian Swift. This second volume completes a comprehensive chronology of … Continue reading

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THE RETURN OF PAULINE MELVILLE: A True Master Of Chaos

Last week I tuned into the online launch of Pauline Melville’s ‘The Master Of Chaos’ – a brand new book of fables… courtesy of her Scottish publishers, Sandstone. The award winning author is not keen on the term ‘short stories’…. … Continue reading

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