Gina Southgate at Sacred Music Sacred Spaces Portrait by Alex Coley
If you are a regular at Jazz In The Round you’ll be familiar with the artworks of Gina Southgate. We were fortunate enough to have Gina in The Chapel at Sacred Music: Sacred Spaces and here’s a lovely portrait of her and some of the works she did on the night as she was in the flow of Rowland Sutherland’s “re-envisioning” of John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’.
Watch out for an interview with Gina in the future.
This Thursday’s re-envisioning of John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’ will further the expansive, global innovations of his loving wife Alice Coltrane .
Pianist, harpist and band leader, Alice Coltrane’s Sanskrit name was Turiyasangitananda. She was devoted to the practices of Indian spiritual master Sri Swami Satchidananda, and the Indian sage Sri Satya Sai Baba and these influence permeated all levels of her own music. The Sacred Music : Sacred Spaces ensemble will embrace her vision by integrating the mind enhancing musical offerings of a modern day master the interdisciplinary arts – Ansuman Biswas.
Ansuman is a unique and deeply spiritual individual and on mid summer;s night in the Chapel in Kings College he will exchange tabla rhythms with a trio of Cuban/Nigerian bata drummers and add to this spiritually charged endeavour the sublime sounds of the santoor, water phone, conch and assorted percussion.
You can find more about Ansuman’s diverse and mind stretching projects on http://www.ansuman.com/home.html
Ansuman Biswas : Zero Genie
Sacred Music : Sacred Spaces is supported by the PRS Foundation & Sound and Music
With only a week to go before we premiere the re-envisioning of John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’ the vibe and the anticipation is building.
After a long period of writing flautist Rowland Sutherland has been busy adding swathes of sound and colours to the spiritually changed canvas that John Coltrane left us. For two days this week The Chapel in Kings College has vibrated with the shimmering sounds of the santoor, the donpura and the kora while trading melodies and rhythms with the family of bata drums. Cultures and traditions in harmony… A Love Supreme… all set to receive the voice… the words… by Juwon Ogungbe.
The next phase embraces the fierce talents of Nikki Yeoh piano Orphy Robinson steel pan / marimba Neil Charles contra bass Pat Thomas electronics Rowland Sutherland flute Richard Spaven drums Steve Williamson saxophones Shabaka Hutchins bass clarinet.
And after that? Everybody will come together in spiritually charged unity.
I can’t wait.
Sacred Music: Sacred Spaces is supported by the PRS Foundation and Sound & Music and hosted by The Chapel in Kings College which is adjacent to Somerset House. There will be two separate performances.
There are less than 200 seats per set… we strongly advise that you buy tickets on-line to ensure entry.
First performance: Doors 7pm
7.30pm / Doors 7pm: https://agmp.ticketabc.com/events/sacred-music-sacred-/
Second performance: Doors 9pm
9.30pm /Doors 9pm. https://agmp.ticketabc.com/events/sacred-music-LATE/
Despite rejecting ’nuff offers of projects over the years something about Gilles Peterson’s Cuba project f elt right! The results of their visits to Havana and beyond are now beginning to surface… here’s a taste…
Mala, Simbad, Vince and GP in Cuba!
“I was totally out of my element, but you have to do these things in life to change and grow, to learn about yourself and to learn about other people as well, you know. I knew from the start it was going to be a real learning experience – when we first went out there we didn’t even have a concept for what we were going to do. The plan was literally just go to Cuba, link up with some musicians, check out the vibes, and then see what happens.”
“I like to think that it was interesting for [the Cuban musicians] to hear what they do in a completely different context,” he says. “I wanted [the album] to feel Cuban in a way, to respect the musicians and the culture, but at the same time I still wanted to make music that I could play to my audience, and in my environment – on a soundsystem. It’s Havana meets South London, you know?”
El Malecon, Havana
Mala quotes from Fact magazine … watch out for a full interview later this week – http://www.factmag.com/
‘Mala in Cuba’ is scheduled for release on 10th September 2012.
When I got the news that Andy Hamilton had peacefully passed away – at the age of 94 – it was if another slice of UK cultural history had slipped into the fog of time.
Andy Hamilton & The Blue Notes
Born in Port Maria, Jamaica, Andy set up his first band in 1928 . After a spell in the USA supporting the war effort, he returned to Jamaica to be discovered by Hollywood legend, Errol Flynn and spent the following two years working with Flynn and playing music on his yacht, The Zaca. It was in 1948 that he composed for Flynn what became a well-known jazz calypso tune, ‘Silvershine’ – a song that was to feature large in Andy’s long and productive life.
Andy left Jamaica in 1949 and settled in Birmingham where he eventually became a lynchpin of the local jazz scene, mentoring two big bands and new generation jazz warriors like Soweto Kinch. However, in those early days racism was endemic and few local players were willing to share the stage with him. Undaunted he set up his own group – The Blue Notes – with pianist Sam Brown.
Remarkably, back in 1985, at the age of 72 Andy Hamilton had a second lease of life. Andy was taken to hospital in a diabetic coma and was not expected to recover – but incredibly he did.
According to the saxophonist he felt himself floating away when he heard the song ‘Silvershine’. He found himself playing on the deck of The Zaca with Errol Flynn dancing “in a real sharp suit” and telling Andy to “keep playing that song”. He came out of the coma with the song still in his head.
Andy & Nick Gold
Shortly after his recovery, pioneering journalist/photographer Val Wilmer, penned a story on Andy that won him a slot in the Soho Jazz Festival. It introduced him to innovative World Circuit records boss Nick Gold. Though Nick is associated with Grammy winning “world music” artists like the Buena Vista Social Club, Al Farka Toure, Oumou Sangare he has released two seminal UK jazz albums – the late Bheki Mselekus’ ‘Celebration’ and Andy Hamilton’s award winning ‘Sivershine’.
‘Silvershine’ featured Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall and the mighty US tenor player David Murray and it became the biggest selling UK jazz album of the year. It won The Times Jazz Album of the Year and featured as one of Sony 50 International Albums of the Year. Andy Hamilton had finally arrived and shows followed all over the world – St Lucia, Jamaica, Paris and Milan. In 2006 he headlined at Cape Town Jazz Festival.
Andy Hamilrton MBE
As a result, Andy notched up a whole rack of awards – an honorary Master of Arts degree from Birmingham University, a Millenium Fellowship award for his work in community education, a Fellowship of Birmingham Conservatoire, Honours from the Jamaican Government and finally an MBE for his services to music. The latter coincided with his 90th birthday.
I last saw Andy play back in 2009 when he joined a stellar combination of David Murray, The Roots and Ornette Coleman onstage at the Royal Festival Hall’s ‘Meltdown’ Festival. Was the man daunted by joining such a heavy duty and funk driven and free-style line-up? I think not! That was a night to remember.
Andy passed away peacefully, surrounded by friends and his large and loving family. He loved music, loved people and hated injustice. He was handsome, stylish and a constant source of wise advice. His legacy will live on.
Andy Hamilton 1918 – 2012. Respect. RIP.
John Coltane’s last ever recording was at Babatunde Olatunji’s Center for African Culture in New York City and featured Algie DeWitt on Bata drum. They also performed a delirious version of the song ‘Ogunde Varere’ – a Brasiliian folkloric composition that translates as ‘Prayer To The Gods’. So when it came to the concept behind Sacred Music : Sacred Spaces it was vital to include an Ifa – Yoruba presence and to do this we have recruited my bredren, Adé Egun Crispin Robinson, to oversee the bata drums at The Chapel. Alafia.
Fresh back from NZ and it’s kicking in … BIG TIME! Everybody involved with our modest little Chaser Productions set-up is hyped with the imminent performance of Sacred Music – Sacred Spaces: A Re-envisioning of John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’.
Sacred Music – Sacred Spaces has been on the back burner gently bubbling away for a couple of years now. I’m pretty sure people that who know me are tired of me going on about it. However, at long last, on June 21st – the summer solstice – it is about to become a reality and a re-envisioning of John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’ will be performed in the spiritually charge atmosphere of The Chapel at Kings College in The Strand in London.
The Chapel, Kings College, The Strand… designed by Gilbert Scott.
With the help of the PRS foundation we secured the services of master musician and flautist Rowland Sutherland to globally “re-envision” Trane’s iconic, spiritually charged masterpiece.
Rowland Sutherland
Rowland has followed in the footsteps of both John and Alice Coltrane and incorporated instrumentation from different cultural and spiritual traditions extending and re-imagining the 4 parts of the Suite – Acknowledgement, Resolution, Pursuance, Psalm.
At the helm of the 15 piece ensemble will be original Jazz Warrior, Orphy Robinson. Alongside exercising his vibes and marimba via the Black Top project he is fresh from touring the world with virtuoso violinist Nigel Kennedy.
Back Top – Orphy , Pat, Shabaka – @ Cafe Oto. Photography: Andy Newcombe
Fully aware of the gravity of the task at hand Chaser Productions secured the enthusiastic backing of Sound & Music and that has enabled us to look to the future while creating a stellar ensemble of UK players that includes Ansuman Biswas melodic Indian instruments, Byron Wallen trumpet / conch shells, Crispin Robinson (+ 2) Bata drums, Juwon Ogunbe – voice Maya Jegede kora / harp, Neil Charles contra bass, Nikki Yeoh piano, Orphy Robinson – steel pan /marimba Pat Thomas electronics, Rowland Sutherland flute, Richard Spaven drums, Steve Williamson tenor saxophone, Shabaka Hutchins bass clarinet.
Ade Egun Crispin Robinson: Cuba
Ansuman Biswas
It’s risky business taking on a revered piece of music like ‘A Love Supreme’ but as Wynton Marsalis said of their performance at the Lincoln Center, “You don’t try and play what Trane played…. I’m not trying to be up there wasting musical time idol-worshiping. But it’s an honor and I’m going to play with integrity… the most difficult thing is the spiritual intensity and the emotional range of that music.”
It is that deep sense of love, compassion and devotion to the creator that drives John Coltrane’s original composition and recording and on the night, at The Chapel, we shall endeavour to tap into and channel those same life enhancing, positive energies in order to allow a deeper reflection that can hopefully uplift and benefit all present.
In the wise words of John Coltrane we shall seek, “Elation, Elegance, Exaltation”.
PB. 30/05/2012
NB: As the venue is most intimate and hold only 250 people there will be two separate performances on the night. Ticket will… Jah willing… go on sale by the end of this week. Watch out for more info. on this.
In December 2011, following the turbulent Dudus Coke affair, the Most Honourable Portia Simpson Miller aka Sister P was re-elected Prime Minister of Jamaica and declared their intention to sever the link to the “Mother Country” and become a Republic… check Swift’s big nod of respek to Jamie Reid and Peter Tosh RIP. It went on sale at the annual Art Car Boot Fair in Brick Lane yesterday.
I’m sure you can snap up a print via http://www.swifty.co.uk/home.html
ALPHABET CITY is run by native New Yorker Erin who specialises in pre-digital printing and runs an early evening letter writing group. Erin is old skool and upon our arrival at the work-shop she and Swifty enthusiastically talked TYPE! 
They then set a group to work organising letter press alphabets which could be printed out and then cut up and used to construct headlines and layouts. Others were directed to the central table which had numerous portable manual typewriters. Their task was bosh out the pieces that they were writing or had received from friends.
I’m included in this latter group and though I have roots in the Tipex generation I was going nuts by the end of play. The combination of Erin’s tinny sounding transistor radio, which was tuned to an indie rock station, and the succession of typing errors was doing my head in. I was ready to take a hammer to that damn typewriter by the end of the afternoon. “A project not using computers! Whose STUPID idea was that?!”
While I was at Alphabet City quietly stressing about whether we had enough copy to create a Zine and fill out our goodie bag (which was being hand printed in the corner) Swift was at Cut Collective getting ready to put it all together. I needn’t have stressed. By Thursday morning everybody had risen to the quest.
THE POSSE IN FULL EFFECT!
The vibe at Cut Collective was on another level. It’s a hip and inspiring space littered with their own artworks and when we reached there it was already a hive of activity. The huge table was piled high with paper and print outs. People were cutting and pasting, licking and sticking. Swift’s waxer was working overtime.
Nadine & posse
The layout table!
To a gentle backbeat of roots reggae and hip hop Jason was making rapid progress with the fold-out map of the city and it’s hot spots while Sanya was getting busy with Swift’s collection of letraset. The Cut Collective were equally busy creating their own booklet while another duo were creating a feisty ‘zine called The Vomits. Q&A’s and interviews with Home Brew, Recloose, The Yoots and a local micro brewery had come together along with Amanda’s piece on urban foraging and J”s post card ideas.
Artwork… The Vomits
Layouts ! Coming together!
Jason K & PB
A couple of cases of beers arrived threatening the momentum but the pages continued to mount. The building blocks were in place and after a bit of juggling and a touch of editorial improvisation the zine’s flow seemed OK. Of course, as the spirit of improvisation prevailed we had no idea of how many pages the zine would be. Our sponsors were amazed when I said it would be 54 pages.
THE MAP!
I reserved the task of dividing the spreads and re-splicing them for the printer until the following morning. It was good move. The task required a clear head. Even so, it took time and completion was in danger of colliding with Swift’s lunchtime presentation at Semi Permanent. That was to be avoided at all cost and following a final burst of activity we hi-tailed it to Semi Permanent stopping off at the printers on the way!
Stepping into the auditorium at the Aotea Centre was a freak out. No wonder Swift had wanted to get this over and done with! The capacity had to be between 1500 and 2000 people and it was filling up fast. Swift was onstage, sitting on sofa organising his stuff and I was praying that the late nights at Conch hadn’t prevented him preparing, especially as he was going to focus half the rap on the current project. However, I needn’t have worried, he seemed to win over the crowd with his explanation of Yea Nah and despite a couple of technical glitches, transferring instagram pics onto the big screen, he pulled it off. Yep, the boy done good.
Basically, we were on a roll and after leaving Semi Permanent popped into the print shop. The job was ready and nicely finished prompting us to get a few LARGE prints of the UK reggae flow chart for the Conch session that evening. They looked so-o-o-o fresh! Once back at Cut Collective brown paper goodie-bags were stuffed ready to be allocated out to the crew and anyone who was coming to Conch that evening. Everybody was stoked. Job done!
At Conch Swift organised his prints and one-offs for sale and then set about finishing his his new piece. 
My good friend Gaylene Martin was in the house and as she’d worked with just about everybody on the UK and international reggae scene we had a splendid reasoning going over the flow chart. As Swift was fully mash-up I took on the Conch Q&A session with my good friend and one-time voice of Kiss FM London – Wendy Douglas. In fact, we did the Q&A twice as the crowd changed radically over the evening. I enjoyed dropping a selection of reggae 7’s that I’d brought with me. The Conch session was a liberating conclusion to hard working but enlightening and enjoyable week.
WENDY D in da house!
Saturday was our last day and our only day off. Wendy picked us up and we headed off to Matakana stopping off to pick up some green stone on the way. A 45 minute drive from the city and we were in Matakana sampling the wares at the farmers market and checking the second hand shops. For a tiny town they had one wikkid cinema. From there we went to Wendy’s ranch which spans 8 acres, has panoramic views, barns, chickens, a wetland with 5000 local plants, fantastic ancient trees and a chill out room which contains their London sound system. Think Channel One. Word sound & power!
Much to our relief we were greeted by blue shies in Matakana and following a walk on a heavenly, largely deserted beach we stopped of at the Sawmill for a drop of fine Pino Noir. Swift put on an impromtu display of live painting by firelight and then it was back to the city. Finally, after a hectic diversion to secure a baseball cap with the Arcade skateshop logo for my boy we arrived at the excellent Verona for our final diner. It was a fitting end to a great day and a TOP trip.
THE END (at last!)
Big shout out to every body involved! Respek is indeed due!
Pics: Cut Collective (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cut-Collective-Ltd/62880888305) PIYN (http://piyn.net/) and Swifty Instagram ( http://ink361.com/#/users/4696626 )
Back in 2006 Serpents Tail published Joe Boyd’s universally acclaimed ‘White Bicyles’ . Its title was inspired by the Dutch Provos communal bicyles in 60s Amsterdam and the 1967 underground hit by Tomorrow, and if a recall correctly Maximus Reinhardt reviewed it for Straight No Chaser. Now, Joe Boyd is a most affable fellow and something of a don and despite Max’s massive big up, to my eternal, shame I’d only dipped in and out the book savouring the odd, most excellent story.
However, as I packed my bag for the epic journey to New Zealand I thought suddenly thought White Bicycles would make an excellent traveling companion. I was so-o-o-o right. Wonderfully written this book is a mind blowing journey through music making in the Sixties. What a life the man has led. Joe Boyd rode the wave of a cultural revolution and loved every minute.
From tour managing iconic blues and jazz musicians to musicians to stage managing Dylan’s fiercely controversial amplified and electric gig at the Newport Folk Festival (what a story!) to recording the Pink Floyd’s first single, ‘Arnold Lane’ (a song about a knicker sniffer!) to running the legendary UFO – London’s first psychedelic all nighter from the Blarney Club in Tottenham Court Road. to his Witchseason imprint which was the launch pad the Incredible String Band, Fairport Convention and Nick Drake… it’s a tremendous journey.
Joe’s book paralleled my own formative teenage years, growing up in the north of England, when I ordered blues LPs and singles like ‘Arnold Lane’ from the guy on the local market, hassled my old man to let me stay up and watch an acoustic Bob Dylan and berated mates for idolising the Incredible String band but still bought the Fairport’s ‘Unhalfbricking’. Reading White Bicycles reaffirmed the energy and the elusive magic of that time. If you’d like a genuine taste of music making combined with Sixties counter culture this book is the lick.
ancienttofuture.com 