Serious Blog

Want to hear your favourite pop tune scored for big band?

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:53:00 +0000

LOOK NO FURTHER!

BEATS & PIECES BIG BAND INVITE YOU TO VOTE HERE

Ever wondered what Lady GaGa’s 'Paparazzi' would sound like, scored for a 14-piece big band? This could be your chance to find out. Beats & Pieces – of the UK’s newest big bands, who stormed Ronnie Scott’s last summer, and followed quickly with a packed show at the London Jazz Festival – are taking on an exciting challenge (or tempting fate?! You decide..), by inviting you to vote for any popular song of your choosing to be scored for big band by the band’s leader Ben Cottrell. The chosen song will performed live on tour, and posted online.

Although known primarily for their sparkling originals, Beats & Pieces have also brought new life to a number of famous Radiohead tracks So Ben Cottrell is no stranger to arranging popular tunes for big band. Not sure he’s ever gone as far as to consider Lady GaGa, however. One of his New Year’s resolutions perhaps?

Given that it’s Wednesday 18 Jan now, we feel we’d be hard pushed to have the song ready for the first date of the tour in Southampton. But we do urge you Southamptoners to get involved, and give us your vote, as you’ll still be able to witness the fruits of Ben’s efforts online. All those in Manchester should still be poised to witness it first, but the song will be offically premiered at the launch of their new album Big Ideas at Ronnie Scott’s on Monday 20 February, posted online, and then performed at every tour venue thereafter.

The weirder and wackier, the better. Seventies, Eighties… Noughties. Pick an era. Pick a song. And post your suggestion in the comments section below. We’ll select on Friday 3 February.

The band will play Southampton, Manchester, London, Gateshead and Barnstaple. With more dates still to be announced. Click here for full tour details.

For your viewing and listening pleasure, while you decide, here they are performing 'Everything In Its Right Place' and 'Just':

The Beats & Pieces tour is supported by Arts Council England.

Looking back to A Serious Christmas

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:53:24 +0000

Last month, or should I say last year, (2012 already.. who'd have thought it?!), we rounded off 2011 with a series of Christmas-themed concerts at Kings Place.

Roger Thomas, one of the 2011 Write Stuff participants and a regular fixture on the jazz photography scene, was there reviewing one of the concerts for us, and taking a few snaps.

Abram Wilson, featuring Jason Marsalis and Myrna Hague
A New Orleans Christmas

Kings Place
Friday 17th December 2011

Review and Photography by Roger Thomas.

Tradition has it that there are twelve days of Christmas, but ‘A Serious Christmas’ has only three! The series of concerts sponsored by Serious at Kings Place saw New Orleans trumpeter Abram Wilson round off the last day with his ‘New Orleans Style Christmas’

Wilson injects authenticity with drummer Jason Marsalis–youngest of the New Orleans Marsalis brothers–further spiced up by Jamaica’s ‘First Lady of Jazz’, vocalist Myrna Hague. Also straight from the Wilson nurturing pot are budding young stars Reuben James on piano and Alex Davis on bass.

The performance is based on an original poem depicting how a typical New Orleans family celebrate the day before, the day of and the day after Christmas.

Wilson introduces each song by reciting a–sometimes witty–line from the poem.

“The song is key, the dance infectious, this music of a land sure ain’t from Texas”, then straight into the festive lore of ‘Big 4’. Marsalis starts with a groove bearing New Orleans marching band influences upon which piano and bass enter creating a lively foundation as Wilson’s trumpet skips and glides over the contours.

Myrna Hague succeeds in portraying the desirous aspects of Christmas with ‘Wish’. Creating a mood where Wilson’s inventive compositional skills unfurls to highlight a piquant band chemistry with some particularly eloquent playing from Reuben James which belies his age–18 years!

Further portrayal of other aspects of the season’s celebration are vividly demonstrated through compositions such as Anticipation, Soul Food, Surprise Surprise–“I run down the stairs and surprise surprise, toys, presents and gifts fill my eyes”; but the full joy of a New Orleans Christmas, the moment Wilson describes as when the whole family are gathered with loud jollity and banter was felt at the end when additional drummer–Dave Hamblett comes on for Duel Of The Drum.

Wilson initiates the drama with call and response vocals between himself and Myrna giving way to tantalizing exchanges between Marsalis and Hamblett. Here Wilson uses a combination of trumpet and vocals to control the dynamics to which the band responds with exciting precision bringing the evening to a tumultuous conclusion and a Winter Wonderland encore which judging from the response, Christmas will never be the same for some unless it’s ‘A Serious’, ‘New Orleans Style Christmas’.

A tribute to Cesaria Evora

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:33:00 +0000

Serious has been proud to tour Cesaria Evora ever since she played her first British concert at the London Jazz Festival 15 years ago. “Cize” didn’t confide in people easily, so it meant a lot when she asked us to help organise a special concert that raised tens of thousands of pounds for her Cape Verdean children’s charity. She prided herself on doing good by stealth, and never forgot her roots, rejoicing in the success of the Cape Verdean singers who followed the trail she blazed. Although we were sad to lose her from this year’s Festival when she retired from performing this autumn, the idea that she would be able to spend time at home after such a hard life was a consolation. Sadly, she didn’t have long to enjoy her rest. Please click here to Garth Cartwright’s eloquent obituary.

- David Jones, Director, Serious

Looking for a Serious stocking filler?

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:40:00 +0000

Look no further. We’ve furnished the first few months of 2012 with a series of stocking filler-friendly gigs. We’ll talk you through a couple of highlights. But you can click here to see the full list of what’s coming up.

Are your parents seasoned concert goers? Or musical trailblazers? Treat them to a ticket to Kronos Quartet, who’re set to haul us all out of our post-Christmas blues with a major London residency in January.

The live programme kicks off on Tue 24 Jan at the Hackney Empire, a stunning setting for the London premiere of their new staging of George Crumb’s Black Angels, and ends on Fri 27 Jan with a special concert in Wilton’s Music Hall (sold out). There’s also a performance in the Barbican of Awakening, a reflection on the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, and much more. You can find all the details at www.barbican.org.uk/kronosquartet

Try before you buy. Have a listen to an extract of one of the works here:

Michael Gordon - The Sad Park performed by Kronos Quartet (excerpt) by Barbican Music

And hear David Harrington explain Awakening.

If your brother, sister, daughter, son, second cousin or hamster is a fan of Ms Dynamite and N-Dubz and you’d like to realise their dream to see them live in concert, but avoid a gaggle of euphoric teenagers at the 02 Arena, then look no further. You might just enjoy Urban Classic – a project that sees the BBC Symphony Orchestra come together with Ms Dynamite, Devlin, Skepta and Fazer of N-Dubz, under the baton of conductor Jules Buckley. In January, British composers Jason Yarde and Ayanna Witter-Johnson will be working with the aforementioned artists to score some of their best known hits for full orchestra. The artists and the BBC Symphony Orchestra will then come together at the Barbican on Saturday 3 March to perform the arrangements together. A feast for the eyes and ears.

Can’t quite envisage how we’re going to marry popular and classic music? Have a listen to the fruits of a similar project, also led by Jules Buckley, which saw the Metrople Orchestra come together at the Barbican with the infamous Basement Jaxx.

Basement Jaxx Vs Metropole Orkest - Red Alert by Atlantic Jaxx Recordings

You can take our word for it. That concert was a corker. But if you'd like to hear it in the words of the audience, click here to see the feedback Winkball caught on camera.

If we knew your address, we’ve have popped a Christmas card in the post to you. But instead, we’ll wish you well this holiday season, with the “Twelve Songs of Serious” – a series of tracks from artists we’ve worked/are working with. A perfect present-wrapping accompaniment. Click here. How’s that?

Merry Christmas! If we don’t speak to you before, we’ll be in touch in the New Year, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready for a jam-packed 2012.

trioVD: a Twisted Christmas

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:48:13 +0000

A 21st century power trio that vaporize generic boundaries with their ear-cleansing assault of warped thrash metal guitar, vocalised sax squalls and hyper-kinetic drum pyrotechnics, the adrenaline-fuelled trioVD create a radical new interface between jazz and unrelenting math-rock.

This Saturday17 December, trioVD bring the spirit of the season to Kings Place. We asked them to give us a brief insight into the Festive preparations in the VD household, and for a taste of what we can expect this weekend. Christmas carols it ain’t. That’s for sure.

"Christmas on the trioVD homestead is a wonderful time of the year. Throughout the year we use special technology to harness the energy from Bussey's double bass drum technique to power our elaborate Christmas light extravaganza.

De Bezenac uses his background in cognitive neuroscience to correctly guess our ideal Christmas presents and Sharkey uses his background as a Geordie to steal them.

We delight and horrify our neighbours with our re-imaginings of carols (our version of Silent Night is 10 hours of silence).

Food also plays a big part, cheese in particular. Consumed in such quantities as to induce the kind of psychedelic, Tryptamine-fuelled dreams necessary to provide the inspiration for our upcoming concert 'A Twisted Christmas' at Kings Place.

This Saturday the audience will get the chance to spend a cosy winter's evening with trioVD as the band serve up a gluttonous feast of Christmas themes smashed through the trioVD filter with a solid portion of 'classics' from the trioVD back catalogue on the side.

Expect 'appearances' from George Michael, Mariah Carey, East 17, Arnold Schwarzenegger Nigella Lawson and Tee Jules alongside a balkan take on Jingle Bells, TS Elliot and Nat King Cole....and some tinsel.

Ho Ho Hospitalised!

Xmas Cheers!

xxVD"

Don your earplugs, and leave your preconceptions at home; this will be Christmas as you’ve never heard it before!

If you need a stiff drink to prepare you for the night's proceedings, take your ticket to the bar and get your hands on two glasses of Festive plonk (or mulled wine to most of us..) for £7.50.

Here's a little taster. Close your eyes and imagine the trio wearing Christmas hats, and you're halfway there.

Also part of the Serious Festive season at Kings Place:

Andy Sheppard Solo + Brass Jaw, Thursday 15 December
Stan Tracey: A Child's Christmas in Wales + Curios, Friday 16 December
Abram Wilson: A New Orleans Style Christmas Story, Saturday 17 December (Hall One)

Click here for more info

Best Festival Ever?

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:12:00 +0000

What an amazing ten days it's been! Whether you danced in the aisles with Ben l'Oncle Soul, found yourself transported back to turn-of-the-century New Orleans with Louis, or simply questioned your sanity when you saw Hermeto Pascaol pour a kettle of water over his head, it's been an incredible festival that's infiltrated every corner of the city with the spirit of jazz.

Louis, live at the Barbican, image by Emile Holba

IN THE WORDS OF THE CRITICS

We wouldn’t want to keep you here all day, reading pages and pages of quotes from the wealth of fantastic reviews the artists have earned this year, so we’ve pulled out a small selection.

“London Jazz Festival, that glorious time of year when more live improvised music can be heard in the bars, clubs and concert halls of the capital than the rest of the year put together.” Independent

“It would be difficult to imagine a more impressive curtain-raiser to the London Jazz Festival than Jazz Voice, and this year's vintage was the finest yet.” Arts Desk

“A ramshackle Old Street basement blazing with incandescent noise comes right after an evening of elegant grand-piano jazz around the corner at the Barbican. Such behaviour is par for the course at the 30-gigs-per-night London jazz festival. It's like iPod-shuffling with live music, only governed by the nimbleness of your legs rather than your thumbs.” Guardian

“Nothing is ever pedestrian in Coleman's hands. The 81-year-old is still capable of ear-shredding explorations on the sax that would shame artists a quarter his age. A thrilling journey, led by an octogenarian still capable of wayward genius.” Guardian

“Performers will take a bow even when they know the evening did not quite deliver. Not this time. I reckon the smile on Henry Threadgill’s face was there because he, like us, recognised this evening as a small artistic triumph.” London Jazz

“McCoy Tyner's music gives out more oxygen than it sucks in – it's giddyingly good” Independent *****

“Top-class musicianship, Alison Krauss and Union Station put on one of the most quietly accomplished performances.” ***** Telegraph

Nik Bartsch leads a masterclass with students from Trinity Laban, image by Emile Holba

TWEET SPEAK

Word about the Festival spread like wildfire on Twitter. Hundreds, and hundreds… and hundreds of tweets. Here are some of our favourite comments. Amazing what people can say in 140 characters.

@jazzandcoffee11 Dan Chaquico Bollani & Martial were amazing @LondonJazzFest this evening. Accomplished and sympathetic to one another. Art defines humanity.

@I_GregoryPorter Gregory Porter Honoured working w/ Victoria on Jazz Voice @LondonJazzFest Congrats! Victoria Wood awarded top TV honour Writer's Guild bbc.in/thG6pF

@CaptainFele Daniel Fell Just saw the amazing Louis movie @londonjazzfest - best 90 mins since Arsenal thrashed Chelsea

@EmmaDivineSings Emma Divine Guillaume Perret & The Electric Epic progressive, heavy, sensitive, captivating with middle-eastern influences: brilliant gig @LondonJazzFest

@GeorgiaMancio Georgia Mancio Dont want @LondonJazzFest to end been brilliant! Please design me an app to organise the rest of my life! Hermeto grand finale #ljf

@ohm46 Dave Ohm An inspiring night of truly creative music @BarbicanCentre tonight. Hermeto Pascoal was mega, great show ! #ljf ends with a bang !

Soul Rebels Brass Band bring a slice of New Orleans-style fun to the Southbank Centre, image by Emile Holba

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Emile Holba seemed to cover more ground than ever this year. Perhaps this is because we filled every spare five minutes of his schedule with a photo op. Dinner? Who needs dinner, when you have jazz? The fruits of his spectacular efforts are available for all to see on Flickr here.

The Guardian also posted a lovely round-up of the London Jazz Festival in pictures here.

Ben l'Oncle Soul gets everyone on their feet, image by Emile Holba

AND SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO...

We've been busy building on the triumphs of the London Jazz Festival and have just confirmed several shows in the new year; why not treat yourself to some tickets and keep those post-festival blues at bay...

Two sold-out London Jazz Festival audiences were lucky enough to hear material from Portico Quartet's brand new album, due for release in January, and the band will be taking it out on tour next spring. They play Bethnal Green's historic York Hall on Wed 29 Feb, before heading to Birmingham on Wed 7 Mar and Manchester on Sat 10 Mar.

Following his storming success at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Ben L’Oncle Soul returns to Britain next March to play London's Koko on Mon 12, with a stopover at Brighton Dome the night before.

London Jazz Festival: the half-way point

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:45:00 +0000

We've just passed the half way mark in this year's Festival and thought we'd stop to catch our breath, have a cup of coffee and put together a round-up of what's been happening and all that's still to come...

PRESS HIGHLIGHTS

Here’s a selection of highlights from the wealth of great press we’ve had this far:

Jazz Voice on Channel 4 News:

Jazz Voice: 4* review, Guardian

Jazz Voice: The Arts Desk

Gregory Porter in Jazz Voice, image by Emile Holba

Lucinda Belle in Jazz Voice, image by Emile Holba

Shingai Shoniwa in Jazz Voice, image by Emile Holba

Various: London Jazz Blog

Opening weekend: 4* Financial Times

Opening weekend: 4* Guardian

Steve Coleman, 4* Evening Standard - “A musician with the mind of a mathematician, this formidable Chicago altoist opened the London Jazz Festival on Friday with a spellbinding set that systematically elevated basic note-patterns into kaleidoscopic fantasies.”

McCoy Tyner*, 4* The Guardian, 5* The Independent - “This is music that gives out more oxygen than it sucks in – it's giddyingly good.”

Alison Krauss & Union Station*, 4* Evening Standard, 4* The Guardian, 5* The Independent, 5* The Telegraph - “Top-class musicianship. Krauss and Union Station put on one of the most quietly accomplished performances.”

Alison Krauss & Union Station, image by Emile Holba

Louis, 4* The Guardian

Michel Portal, 4* The Telegraph - “Naïve delight, lightening intelligence and tact.”

Soul Rebels Brass Band on Channel 5’s Live With Gabby

Soul Rebels Brass Band, The Arts Desk - “Funkier than a James Brown bridge, the mighty Soul Rebels Brass Band swung back into town last night and flattened all before them.”

*part of the EFG International Excellence Series

ANOTHER TAKE ON THE FESTIVAL:

THE WRITE STUFF, YOUNG & SERIOUS, AND FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERS

Members of The Write Stuff (our jazz journalism initiative in partnership with Jazzwise), Young & Serious (our youth consortium for 18-25 year olds) and the team of Festival volunteers have been travelling across the city, catching as many gigs as humanly possible, and writing some insightful commentaries on the music. We’ve put some highlights on the blog and the reviews in full are available on Facebook.

LINE OF ADVENTURES

If you’ve a taste for adventure, but would like to stay within the city’s walls this weekend, we’ve a series of concerts that may satisfy your cravings. Tomorrow night at the Purcell Room, Matthew Bourne and Vladimir Tarasov team up with the London Sinfonietta in an improvisatory project that explores the boundaries between written and unwritten music, and Specials and 2 Tone founder Jerry Dammers brings his Spatial AKA Orchestra to the Barbican. On Saturday afternoon at Kings Place, trumpeter Rory Simmons appears with Fringe Magnetic, featuring vocalists Elisabeth Nygaard and Andrew Plummer. That night at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Henry Threadgill appears with his longstanding group Zooid, in a hard-edged bill that also includes a solo performance from pianist John Escreet. Also at Southbank Centre, Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra take the Royal Festival Hall by storm, sharing the stage with Gabby Young & Other Animals. On the Festival’s closing night, revolutionary Ornette Coleman makes a very rare London appearance at the Royal Festival Hall, and Hermeto Pascoal celebrates his 75th birthday at the Barbican. The perfect finish.

CD EXCHANGE

A reminder that this Saturday at 3pm in the foyer of the Royal Festival Hall, we’re hosting a CD exchange. It doesn’t matter how many CDs you have (although we can’t cope with lorry loads). Hopefully you’ll find a few gems to take away with you. One person’s trash is another one’s treasure, so they say. Spread the word to families, friends, pets... and we’ll hope to see you there.

FESTIVAL APP

A reminder to download the app, to have your pocket sized event guide at your fingertips. Upload your photos and tweet as you go. We’d love to hear from you.

Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares tour the UK

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:14:00 +0100

Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares are touring the country 25 years after the release of their 4AD Vol.1 album commanded the attention of the world. Their performance at the Barbican a couple of weeks ago begun what promises to be a sensational string of concerts, and we wanted to share a few of the reviews with you:

“This is how world music started. These women are thrilling, unworldly and compelling” Guardian – read the full article here

“The choir’s singing is truly sublime.” Extra Extra blog – read the full review here

“Massively stoked to see Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares tonight @BarbicanCentre. YouTube them and fill your ears with sonic goodness” Tweeted by @JennyLau

"Put simply, these singers sound like nothing else on earth." Record Collector

Kaval Sviri, from Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares Vol.II, released on 4AD in 1988:

Following the concert, Jason of The Thump blog met Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares’ conductor Dora Hristova, and has just published a rather wonderful article, a snippet of which we've put below - you can click here to read the full piece.

Jason: Bulgaria sits in the Balkans – turn east and you look across Arabia and Asia, look west and you turn towards Western Europe – and you can hear these different strands in the music.

Dora: Of course! From the old times Balkan lands have been very attractive and they all came and influenced the music of Thracia and the Greek world – the Arabs, the crusaders – everybody left part of their culture so we have the most modes in our music. Major and minor from Western Europe; we have the old Greek modes; the Indian and Arabic modes and the ornamentations from India too. From the East we have pentatonics – everything you can find in this music so we are lucky that we have this – this is a real treasure!

Jason: These ancient songs have evolved into contemporary arrangements – but what makes the music still relevant today in the age of twitter feeds and international air travel?

Dora: I think it’s the feeling…the notes, the melodies, the rhythms are only the means of expressing the feeling, and I think the feeling that has come across all these centuries is the human feeling. When singing the songs, these women, they simply live on the stage and they believe in all that happens in the songs…and I think the feeling makes it universal. This is the reason that without understanding the meaning of the words – the language – the audience accepts the music and the feeling goes right to the heart – it’s a bridge.

Le Mystere Des Voix Bulagres' tour starts at the Belfast Festival tonight, and goes on to Edinburgh, Manchester, Gateshead, Cambridge, Bristol, Leeds, Birmingham, Brighton and Basingstoke.

"If you have not yet experienced the mystery of Bulgarian voices, don’t let the chance pass by." Observer

Arthur Jeffes - Sundog: Opening night at The Capstone Theatre, Liverpool

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:01:00 +0100

David Jones - one of the Serious Directors - was up in Liverpool to catch Arthur Jeffes, leader of Penguin Cafe, play his first Sundog concert. Here's a few thoughts to share with you all:

Arthur Jeffes, the leader of Penguin Cafe, played his first concert as Sundog last night in Liverpool.

The local promoter had chanced his arm by calling it “Penguin Cafe stripped back” – actually, it was “Arthur Jeffes breaking out” – a glorious slew of lyrical music, romantic experiments, and a boffin-like delight in telling endearing stories about the music. While Arthur played piano and effervesced, the other half of this version of Sundog, violinist Oli Langford, stood silent, smiling occasionally as he reshaped Arthur’s compositions – or they reshaped him. The group’s name comes from a track on A Matter of Life, Penguin Cafe’s latest album, and they re-worked some of Arthur’s music from the record, turning Landau into a Gypsy-style stomp, revealing new facets on other pieces (I had assumed Finland referred to the country, but in fact the piece was a memorial to Arthur’s dog of the same name), as well as firing off in new directions.

They also touched lightly on Penguin Cafe history, playing a new version of just one Simon Jeffes’ piece, Cutting Branches for A Temporary Shelter. Arthur brought along for this and several other pieces his dulcetone, a rare portable keyboard instrument that looks like a harmonium and sounds like Hauschka crossed with a Victorian hymnal – which is probably what it was originally built for. I’m sure that Sundog will change a lot across the next week of touring, and morph beyond recognition in future, but for now it’s a rich delight – two sets of about 45 minutes each didn’t seem long enough...

Arthur Jeffes' Sundog tour continues around the UK finishing up at the Purcell Room on Friday 21 October...make sure to catch him at least once on his journey!

Review: Wayne Shorter + Phronesis

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:37:00 +0100

Tim Doyle - one of our Young & Serious members, was one of the lucky few to bag a reviewing ticket to Wayne Shorter and Phronesis at the Barbican last Saturday night. He's written a short commentary on the music:

Wayne Shorter Quartet + Phronesis at the Barbican 8th October 2011

It’s not every night that London is lucky enough to play host to such an incredible array of musicians, and you could feel the excitement in the air as soon as you entered the Barbican centre. Due to unprecedented demand the gig was sold out and was being recorded for BBC radio 3 to give those unlucky enough to have missed out on a ticket the chance to share in this captivating evening. First on was Anglo-Scandinavian band, Phronesis. Led by London bassist Jasper Høiby, this band blew everyone away. They opened with the electrifying ‘Abraham’s New Gift’, which was met with ecstatic applause. Next on were Wayne Shorter and his quartet. Their set consisted of three masterfully composed and beautifully performed songs that featured contrasting textures and interweaving layers that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. The group played harmoniously with an almost telepathic musical connection. As the masses exited through the foyer there was a buzz of excited contentment to be felt that could only be derived from such a fantastic display of world-class jazz. This gig definitely lived up to the hype.

Up for volunteering at the Festival?

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:56:41 +0100

We are looking for some friendly, enthusiastic individuals to join our London Jazz Festival team this year as volunteers. The Festival runs this year from Friday 11 – Sunday 20 November 2011, and we're looking for people that can offer a minimum of four days.

There are opportunities to volunteer in three seperate areas of the Festival:

Communications – To assist the communications team with merchandise, the Festival information stands, guest lists and press liaison.

Production - To provide general running support to the production team

Development – To support the development team in delivering sponsor and supporter receptions

Sound like your cup of tea? Find out more here

Basement Jaxx as you've never heard them before

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:49:00 +0100

Jules Buckley has had a non-stop year and one of his ground-breaking projects was his collaboration with Felix Buxton of Basement Jaxx. Together with Metropole Orkest, the Dutch non-classical orchestra, they created fresh new versions of Basement Jaxx’s dance anthems with an orchestral twist.

Legendary hits such as Where’s Your Head At have been completely transformed. Listen to a couple of tracks from the album here.

At the debut show in Eindhoven the audience were on their feet whooping and cheering. Have a look at this Youtube clip for a taste of the action.

Then, for two nights in July, Basement Jaxx vs Metropole Orkest took London’s Barbican by storm. With dancers, the Crouch End Festival Chorus and singers from Basement Jaxx’s live shows, the result was a stunning show which left the audience wanting more. Have a look on Winkball to see just a few of their reactions.

"This isn't the simple orchestration of a few old hits, but their transformation into a theatrical revue of cinematic sweep, in musically wide open terrain that leaves everyone grinning." (The Independent)

To read the full review of the spectacular Barbican show in The Independent, click here. You can also see some of Mark Allan’s photos here.

This Saturday, Jules Buckley’s next stop will be London’s Royal Albert Hall as he collaborates once again with comedian Tim Minchin for the Comedy Prom. For more on Jules, click here.

Blaze festival starts with a bang...and ends with a bigger one

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:51:00 +0100

The Barbican’s Blaze Festival has continued to bowl us over with its diverse array of concerts over the past few weeks, and we’ve had an astonishing string of shows in tight succession...

Penguin Cafe filled the historic Hackney Empire with music from their new album A Matter of Life... earlier on in July; Music OHM were in the audience and commented on Arthur Jeffes' charismatic leadership of 'a ten-piece ensemble that displayed the intricacy, finesse and understanding you would usually associate with a chamber orchestra.' Click here to read the full 4* review, plus a report from Songlines, who were also in the audience. The band play Cambridge Folk Festival this Saturday and WOMAD this Sunday, before playing the Snape Proms and Standon Calling in August.

Hugh Masekela took to the Hackney Empire stage two nights running to celebrate the spirit of Miriam Makeba. The Evening Standard published a blazing 5* review, while Robin Denslow prasied this powerful music-making as ‘proof that the great South African vocal tradition lives on’ in his 4* Guardian review.

The Barbican concurrently played host to Esperanza Spalding, back in London for yet another sold-out performance of startling musicianship. Hailed as ‘one of those jigsaw pieces you never knew was missing from the world of music’ by John Lewis in his Guardian review, photographer Anthony Keiler captured some of the magic on camera:

Click here to see more images on our Flickr gallery.

Congotronics vs Rockers proved to be the explosive cross-cultural jam we’d anticipated and will go down as one of the most unique, astonishing and simply awesome gigs Serious has ever programmed. The entire audience had their dancing shoes on by the end of the night and reviews came speeding in from those journalists who witnessed it: click here to read reviews from the Observer, Guardian, Arts Desk and Music OHM.

To round it all off, Metropole Orkest vs Basement Jaxx sent the Barbican into a whirlwind of excitement come their two shows on Thu 14 and Fri 15 July, under the baton of conductor Jules Buckley with special guests the Crouch End Festival Chorus. Nick Hasted of the Independent called the collision a ‘triumph’ and described the performances with these words:

'Sharlene Hector and Lisa Kekaula take the House diva roles in gold Elizabethan dresses and tiaras, singing with queenly dignity, when they're not bumping chests with outrageous cabaret baritone Le Gateau Chocolat, as he shakes an enormous frame stuffed into tight body-suits and flowing wigs, while dancers somersault through strobing lights.

This isn't the simple orchestration of a few old hits, but their transformation into a theatrical revue of cinematic sweep, in musically wide open terrain that leaves everyone grinning. What a show.'

Click here to read the full Independent review, and here to see photographer Mark Allan's shots from the concert, one of which is below.

The Barbican was buzzing, and Winkball caught some of the reactions of Thursday evening’s crowd on video. As for Friday evening’s after show party in the foyer... we have never seen so many people have so much fun dancing to a brass band (check this out) and Basement Jaxx’s clubstage set went down a treat. We were dancing ‘til the wee hours, and won’t be forgetting it any time soon.

Gwilym Simcock goes head-to-head with Tinie Tempah and Katy B in race for Mercury Prize

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Earlier this week, we heard the fantastic news that Gwilym Simcock scooped a nomination for this year’s Barclaycard Mercury Prize with his new ACT album Good Days at Schloss Elmau. At just 30 years old, Gwilym is recognised as one of the most gifted pianists and imaginative composers working on British scene. Like Keith Jarrett, Gwilym started playing the piano as a toddler, and became a successful young classical pianist before he discovered jazz. This debut solo album sees Gwilym return to unaccompanied piano performance for the first time since this childhood classical training, and is his first record for the prestigious ACT label.

An awesome solo debut.” The Guardian

"He’s a formidable musician as well as a formidable pianist, with a feeling for the way harmony can create architecture as well as momentary colours - a rare gift.” The Telegraph

Also nominated for the award are Adele, PJ Harvey, Elbow, Tinie Tempah, Anna Calvi, Katy B, Metronomy, Everything Everything, James Blake, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins and Ghostpoet. Click here to read more.

The winner will be announced live on BBC Two at the Mercury Prize Awards Show presented by Jools Holland on Tuesday 6 September 2011.

Listen to a track from Gwilym's Mercury nominated album here:

Good Days at Schloss Elmau by bashomusic

Soul Rebels Brass Band: From Montreal Jazz Festival to the UK

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:51:00 +0100

Soul Rebels Brass Band are currently roaring round the country on their UK tour. While bringing their infectious energy and a taste of New Orleans to the Durham Arts Festival earlier this week, the band also took part in workshops and concerts for local students. As well as jamming, dancing and singing with the band, these involved discussions on the history of New Orleans Jazz and the unique Brass Rebels attitude towards music, and were a huge success.

Before embarking on their current tour, Soul Rebels Brass Band took part in the Montreal Jazz Festival. For drummer Lumar Leblanc "the whole experience was awesome and it made me feel great about being there. The crowd energy was unbelievable."

We also have some photos from the festival, which provide a hint of what to expect from their shows, tonight in Manchester and continuing around the UK as they play out the remainder of their Arts Council England funded tour. This ends up at London’s Barbican on 24 July, where the band will support Irma Thomas:

"In going to London, I look forward to seeing some old friends that we made last year and looking forward to exposing more people to our music. And, having the opportunity to perform with the legendary Irma Thomas will be a treat." - Sax player Erion Williams

"I’m looking forward to London again because the jazz scene is really happening and it's an honor to have us part of it. Also, London is a beautiful city, excluding the rain!" - Trumpeter Julian Gosin

Blaze Festival starts with a bang

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:20:00 +0100

The Barbican has opened its doors to a host of thrilling international artists, commissions and new works this summer, to mark the third year of Blaze – their contemporary music Festival, which also occupies the Hackney Empire, Gillett Square, Wilton’s Music Hall and Rich Mix.

Our string of shows kicked off last week with Gregg Allman, who brought the house down in his first London concert for many years. Robin Denselow from the Guardian was sitting in, and reflected our sentiments with a 4* review. Allman went on to Birmingham and Edinburgh, where he “delivered the kind of celebration of Southern States culture with which he and his late brother, Duane, earned their reputations” – according to Rob Adams of the Scotland Herald.

Photographer Al Stuart was there for the London show, and caught the iconic figure on camera:

On Tuesday night, Angelique Kidjo, Lizz Wright and Dianne Reeves came together in Sing The Truth – a moving celebration of pioneering women singer/songwriters, from Miriam Makeba and Mahlia Jackson to Carole King, Abbey Lincoln and Nona Hendryx. John Fordham of The Guardian gave the concert 5 stars, describing it as “a spectacular show that clearly exhausted, surprised and thrilled its participants as well as its audience.”

On Wednesday night, Taraf de Haïdouks and Kocani Orkestar – two of the most emblematic Balkan Gypsy bands - joined forces at the Hackney Empire, in what promised to be – and certainly delivered – a riotous evening of wild music. Last night, in a stellar double bill, Terence Blanchard shared the stage with Randy Brecker, Bill Evans and Medeski, Martin & Wood. Reviews are still to come in on these shows. Keep your eyes peeled..

And that was just the first wave of concerts! Looking ahead, tomorrow night Penguin Cafe play the Hackney Empire, as part of a UK tour (click here to see them play on BBC Breakfast) Hugh Masekela is joined by vocalists Vusi Masehela, Thandiswa and Lira in a tribute to Miriam Makeba on Sun 10 and Mon 11, Esperanza Spalding returns following a sell-out show back in April (click here to see a clip of the new project) and Congotronics vs Rockers brings together some of alternative music’s coolest names, in an awe-inspiring ensemble of Congolese and Western musicians on Tue 12.

The spectacular finale of our flurry of Blaze concerts will be Metropole Orkest vs Basement Jaxx, which takes over the Barbican for two nights on Thu 14 and Fri 15 July. If you love Basement Jaxx, this is a concert you really have to see. Leading conductor/composer Jules Buckley has worked with Basement Jaxx to create sweeping orchestral versions of some of their major hits, including Red Alert, Where's Your Head At, Good Luck and Raindrops. The 70-strong orchestra will be joined by singers from Basement Jaxx's legendary live shows - Vula Malinga & Sharlene Hector, Brendan Reilly and Lisa Kekaula from garage-rockers, The Bellrays.

We’ve had the album on loop here in the office, and it seems we’re not the only ones… Thomas H. Green from The Telegraph has given the record a glowing 4* review. The album hits the shops this week. But if you’re dying to here something now, here’s a taster of one of the tracks:

Make sure you catch the live show –it’s one not to be missed!

Adam Fairhall - finding ants in jazz piano from the backwoods

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:09:00 +0100

Some of the most fruitful things emerge from social networking. I was chatting with one of our followers, Sandra Nichols-Marcy – who writes the Social Jazz Blog - and discovered that she was due to interview Adam Fairhall, who participated in last year’s edition of Take Five, our professional development scheme for emerging creative jazz musicians.*

We’re always keen to keep you updated on past and current Take Five participants, so thought that a great place to publish this interview would be up on the Serious blog. Sandra caught up with Adam last week to talk about what it meant to be a part of Take Five, what he’s been up to since, and his upcoming commission for this year’s Manchester Jazz Festival.

Adam Fairhall – finding ants in jazz piano from the backwoods

Can you tell us about your collaboration with Paul J Rogers?

“We combine my piano playing with fragments from old blues records, field recordings, sound sculpture, and all sorts of other elements that conjure up atmospheres and aspects of the past. To meet someone like Paul, who I not only share an aesthetic with but who has the musical skills to work the sounds in with incredible detail and rhythmic precision, made me very happy and we’ve found exciting ways to perform the material live.”

How did the idea come about to blend music from different eras?

“Since my teens I’ve been interested in jazz styles from the earliest to the most contemporary and, for a while now, have had an interest in mixing styles historically associated with different eras. Once you start listening for connections between eras in jazz you find them everywhere, it’s like ants. So inspiration and general ideas aren’t difficult. The difficult bit is being able to draw fluently on different areas of vocabulary.”

Are your musical influences from early or contemporary jazz?

“I’m influenced by jazz from all musical eras. I might listen to an early track and have an idea for how to re-work something, and I get a lot of general inspiration from players whose musical frame of reference I relate to – people like Jaki Byard, Aki Takase, Jason Moran, Don Pullen, Misha Mengelberg, Dave Burrell and Michiel Braam.”

What impact did the Take Five programme have for you?

“Take Five came at just the right time for me. I’d spent years trying to get my stuff together in relative seclusion and felt like I needed to try and get my music out there more. Take Five helped increase my awareness of the jazz environment in Britain; different sources of funding, how to propose a project, approach promoters. It also introduced me to some wonderful and inspiring musicians and some great approaches to composition. It’s made me feel more connected, and it’s been motivating.”

Can you give us any hints as to what we’ll be hearing in Manchester?
(Sun 26 July at Band on the Wall)

“A wonderful line-up of musicians, including James Allsopp on reeds and Steve Chadwick on trumpet, and a mixture of conventional and unconventional instruments. And music that recalls early forms but which twists them into new shapes. And lots of ‘what ifs’ - what if a New Orleans funeral march had free jazz rumbling behind it? What if diddley bow and banjo were in the same band as a sophisticated horn section? Some of the ideas will work and some won’t – the fun of composing is trying out different combinations, seeing what has potential and then trying to make things work. Hopefully it will all come together. I really hope so…”

Find out more about Adam by visiting his website.

*Take Five is a Jerwood Charitable Foundation/PRS for Music Foundation initiative. Additional support comes from Arts Council England and the Musicians Benevolent Fund. Take Five is produced by Serious. Click here for more info.

Jam-packed week in Dartington for this year's Move On Up artists

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:37:00 +0100

Just over a week ago, 12 artists from the North West, East Midlands, Yorkshire, London and the South East gathered in the beautiful and inspiring surroundings of Dartington Hall for the second edition of Move On Up - the bespoke professional development programme for artists working in African and Caribbean music, produced by Serious as part of Black Routes and funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Each of the artists (listed below) had been interviewed in advance of the residency about their careers and the skills they wished to develop, and this information shaped the week’s programme, which was jam-packed with workshops, seminars, speakers and panel members from across the music industry.

The feedback we’ve had from the participants demonstrates how invigorated they were by the programme, and how grateful for the opportunity to take time out to reflect on their careers. They were also delighted to have met a great range of speakers and facilitators and to have encountered eleven other inspiring artists to work with during the programme and possibly in the future.

This year’s participants are:

Adriano Adewale (percussion/voice – London
Ayanna Witter-Johnson (voice, cello, piano – London)
Bianca Rose (voice, guitar, ukulele – Kent)
Breis (hip hop vocalist – London)
Bumi Thomas (voice, guitar - London)
Jahmel Ellison (voice, bass guitar – London)
James Yarde (producer – Kent)
JB Rose (voice - Essex)
Julian Gill, aka Esco Williams (voice – Liverpool)
Mellow Baku (voice, guitar – Leicester)
Mim Suleiman (voice, percussion – Sheffield)
Ray Estaire (voice, keyboard – London)

We wanted to share a few of the highlights with you, and couldn't think of a better way to say it, than through the words of James Yarde, who summed up the residency in the following words:

So I woke up this morning
at a ridiculously early time
with echoes of song and sentiment, swirling sweetly in my mind

Bianca is still killing me
repeatedly and softly with her opening line
reminding me to keep my composure
simply sublime

Bumi's sultry tone swings in on tiptoe
as she elegantly glides
she has seen me before even I
and reminds me to be aware of
and be clear and confident with my style

Breis reminds me too that my style is expensive
and with striking clarity of words so effective
he reminds me to act and lead when I might be pensive
When I grow up to be just like him I'm sure he'll be proud
as I dance gracefully with a thankful woman, beyond the eighth cloud

Ray's soaring tones command me to be ever present
and fill up the room
consuming all hesitance

With both body and sound Mim dances
I really can't lose
when her energy and spirit is inspiring me to get up and move

Adriano guides me precisely
striking both air and instrument with diligence
towards a similar style of movement both within groove and in business persistence

Ayanna is the sexiest one woman band ever
reminding me of my mission to 'get the sauce' and burn tethers
with their strings and her myriad of mastery she opens hearts up like flowers
she reminds me to sharpen and use all skills in my power

The warm soul of JB's brings me the sun despite rain outside
her golden lion locks, power and strength remind me it's time to get mine

Jahmel simply says "Yarse" in agreement then smiles
reminds me few words are needed
if tone and timing can blend and beguile

Julian genuinely supports and sings the call straight from the heart
reminds me that nothing can progress without a start
reminds me not to be my own or anyone's fool
and to make sure I do battle with all the right tools

I'm feeling so blessed to be part of this diamond dozen
Mellow's tone resonates my palette and pushes all the right buttons
her words remind me of the truth to which we must all connect
or sell ourselves short, and make Mary* vex

We all have the right to shine
Through the old to the newness
Time for talking and sleeping is over

Like X-Men

Let's do this . . . .

*Mary McCusker – performance tutor for the week

Here's a lovely group photo taken by Alice Carfrae, who was there taking pictures all week. You can see more on our Flickr page

Find out more about Move on Up here

New job going at Serious HQ

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:14:00 +0100

There's another job opportunity here at team Serious. This time the role up for grabs is Production Coordinator.

To read an official description of the job and to find out how to apply, visit our jobs page here

The closing date for applications is Monday 27 June - so you'd better get your skates on.

Trial by fire: meeting Christian McBride

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:20:00 +0100

Last month, amidst our busy stint of shows at Ronnie Scott’s, the club played host to a three-day run from acclaimed double-bassist Christian McBride. We spotted, via the London Jazz blog, that amongst the audience on one of the nights was a young pianist who’d been present at a McBride masterclass – facilitated by Nadine Wood, our Learning Manager (in conjunction with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama) - just two years earlier. On the last of the three nights, Gabriel Latchin had the opportunity to play with McBride and the band. We got in touch with Gabriel, and asked him to write a few words on his experience, first-hand, to post on the Serious blog.

“I first met Christian McBride at a workshop that he gave at the Guildhall two years ago. It was eye-opening in many ways. It gave me an insight into his early life and how he became the musician he is today. Christian told us this inspiring story about how, as a teenager, he had learnt all of Wynton Marsalis' tunes before they first met at a workshop in Philadelphia. He explained he wanted to be ready in case Wynton asked him to sit in. And he was. So, I decided that's exactly what I would do. The next time I met Christian I would be prepared.

Fast forward to a few months back and I saw that Christian and Inside Straight were returning to London to play three nights at Ronnie Scott's. I set to work, learning all the great compositions on his current album Kind of Brown. Of course, I already knew the music, having listened to it for some time, but there is a big difference between knowing the tunes and knowing the tunes.

Finally, Christian and his band arrived. I went to all three nights at Ronnie's, supporting him on the first at the Late Show. There, I had the chance to meet him again and to let him know that I had followed his advice by learning Kind of Brown. He was very encouraging and after their show on the second night, Christian asked me if I would like to play something with them the following night. The invitation was a great surprise and I hoped that my hard work would pay off.

The next night, I rushed to Ronnie's straight after an earlier gig, arriving just in time to say hi before they went on for the late set. The show, as they all were, was something quite special. As it drew to an end Christian called me up to the bandstand. He asked what I would like to play and I suggested "The Shade of the Cedar Tree", one of his own tunes. Naturally, I was a little nervous. He said: that's cool, just don't mess it up. We both smiled and he counted it off.

Wow!

What an experience it was to play with those guys. Christian and Ulysses Owens Jr. are one hell of a swinging unit. The whole band made it so easy to slot in. After the show, they were all very friendly and I hung out with them for a while.

I found the whole experience very inspiring. I remain inspired. I wonder why I haven't done this kind of thing before and I know I certainly will again. In fact, I hear Wynton's in town this summer...”

Visit Gabriel Latchin’s website here.

Norfolk & Norwich Festival Children's Choice Awards

Fri, 27 May 2011 15:26:00 +0100

At this year’s N&N Festival, a group of 11-12 year olds went from event to event, checking out the art and offering incisive and audacious opinions as they went. A number of our acts scooped trophies in the closing awards ceremony.

The Results

Award #1 - Nicest glasses presented by Hamoud (L’Effet de Serge by Philippe Quesne/Vivarium Studio)
Award #2 - Best bushy eyebrows presented by Chloe E. (Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra)
Award #3 - Biggest bum presented by Jade (Chouf Ouchouf by Groupe Acrobatique de Tangier)
Award #4 - Tallest actor w/ the biggest hands & feet presented by Courtney G. (Iron Man by Graeae Theatre Company)
Award #5 - Smallest actor presented by Chloe H. (Iron Man by Graeae Theatre Company)

Award #6 - Best looking person presented by Paula. (Chouf Ouchouf by Groupe Acrobatique de Tangier)
Award #7 - Most imagination presented by Jamie (2 Dimensional Life of Her by Fleur Elise Noble)
Award #8 - Most peace presented by Ella (Penguin Cafe)
Award #9 - Best attitude presented by Josh (L’Effet de Serge by Philippe Quesne/Vivarium Studio)
Award #10 - Most signatures presented by Jodi (Professor Bumm’s Story Machine – The Black Sheep)

Award #11 - Best imagination presented by Courtney Bale (Iron Man by Graeae Theatre Company)
Award #12 - Best makeup presented by Courtney B. (Ragroof Tea Dances)
Award #13 - Best singer presented by Amber (Ayanna Witter-Johnson)
Award #14 - Best sound presented by Josh (Andy Sheppard’s Saxophone Massive)
Award #15 - Best music presented by Chloe T. (Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra)

Award #16 - Best costume presented by Dylan (Ragroof Tea Dances)
Award #17 - Best background design presented by Megan (2 Dimensional Life of Her by Fleur Elise Noble)
Award #18 - Funniest voice presented by Eden (Professor Bumm’s Story Machine – The Black Sheep)
Award #19 - Funniest actor presented by Genevieve (L’Effet de Serge by Philippe Quesne/Vivarium Studio)
Award #20 - Best dance routine featuring the best dance moves presented by Jamie (Ragroof Tea Dances)

Award #21 - Best dancer presented by Jessica (Staff Benda Bilili)
Award #22 - Most boringest show presented by Charlotte (The Proportions of the Temple – The Voice Project Choir)
Award #23 - Slowest act presented by Kayleigh (Nijinsky Siam – Pichet Klunchen Dance Company)
Award #24 - Quickest act presented by Hijar (L’Effet de Serge by Philippe Quesne/Vivarium Studio)
Award #25 - Most unique presented by Maddy (Staff Benda Bilili)

Award #26 - Most weirdest act presented by Chay (Nijinsky Siam – Pichet Klunchen Dance Company)
Award #27 - Best attention to detail presented by Katey (The Proportions of the Temple – The Voice Project Choir)
Award #28 - Best ATD (attitude to dancing) presented by Courtney G. (Ragroof Tea Dances)
Award #29 - Best entrance presented by Katey (Andy Sheppard’s Saxophone Massive)
Award #30 - Best comedy presented by Harry (L’Effet de Serge by Philippe Quesne/Vivarium Studio)

Award #31 - Best choreography presented by Nicole(Chouf Ouchouf by Groupe Acrobatique de Tangier)
Award #32 - Best actor presented by Genevieve (L’Effet de Serge by Philippe Quesne/Vivarium Studio)
Award #33 - Greatest act presented by James (Penguin Cafe)

Ladysmith Black Mambazo take the UK by storm

Fri, 27 May 2011 15:14:00 +0100

Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s whopping 27-date UK tour has got off to a cracking start, rounding up a bunch of great reviews.

“At the start of a long tour of Britain, Ladysmtih Black Mambazo brought the music of their childhood to life in a joyful show that was remarkable as much for its simplicity and lightness of touch as for its musical excellence.” The Times

“The show sped along, helped surely by the fact that Ladysmith Black Mambazo are promoting one of the best albums of their career” Huffington Post

“Vintage performers still able to get their kicks with style” Bristol Evening Post

“High kicks from Ladysmith Black Mambazo” Evening Standard

The group appeared on BBC Breakfast last week, and you can watch their live interview and performance:

But if seeing them on telly just isn’t good enough, you can still get tickets to see them live on tour - find a concert happening near you here.

A moment to take a breather... (plus a chance to win Robert Glasper's album)

Thu, 26 May 2011 16:39:00 +0100

We’ve had a pretty mad and brilliant couple of weeks here at Serious HQ. It’s felt a bit like the London Jazz Festival has descended on the office six months early. Although we’re still in the midst of this busy spell, I thought I’d take a quick breather, have a look back at the success of the various shows over the last few weeks, and share a few gems with you.

Where to begin?

Not last Sunday, but the Sunday before, Staff Benda Bilili played to a packed, 2000-strong audience at the Roundhouse. Here's a shot from the night taken by Emile Holba to give you a sense of the atmosphere…

You can see the rest here. This was just one of many packed out shows on their seven-date Black Routes tour of the UK.

Also out on the road last week were Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Muntu Valdo, who are playing an epic 27 shows over the next few months, one of which was at the Barbican on Monday. I was in the auditorium experiencing the group for only the second time. They were even better than last time. I wasn’t only one that had a blast, as could be seen from the queue for autographs snaking around the Barbican post-show, and the reviews in The Times and Evening Standard. Here’s a photo from the night, taken by Tom Watkins.

On the jazz front, bass maestro Charlie Haden played the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, before arriving in London for a two-day residency at the Barbican, during which he performed with Quartet West featuring Melody Gardot, Ruth Cameron and Liane Carroll as special guests, and with the Liberation Music Orchestra. The residency has been given rave reviews in The Guardian, The Times, London Jazz, Music OMH and The Arts Desk. Bewitching vocalist Gretchen Parlato performed on the freestage during the residency – sandwiched between shows at the N&N Festival and in Barnstaple.

Over the last week or so we’ve set-up shop in Ronnie Scott’s, with shows from the Grammy Award-winning Pan-American jazz pianist Danilo Perez last Monday and Tuesday, the London debut from latest Blue Note hotshot Ambrose Akinmusire, for whom the crowds turned up in their masses. The club was busting at the seams, and the who’s-who of the London jazz press were there, which has of course resulted in 5* reviews in the Financial Times, The Guardian. If you missed it, you can hear the gig on BBC Radio 3’s Jazz on 3 at 11pm on Monday. This week, Robert Glasper has been at the club for four nights, playing with the acoustic Robert Glasper trio and the electric, hip-hop-influenced Robert Glasper Experiment, featuring Chris Dave, Derrick Hodge and Casey Benjamin. It seems to have been the hottest ticket in town – no tickets available on the door for love nor money! Although I haven’t even been able to squeeze in myself, I’ve had reports from those that have made it in that it’s been an incredibly special residency.

We’ll be taking a moment or two out over the bank holiday weekend, getting some much needed sleep, and then it’s business as usual next week, with shows from Penguin Cafe, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Klaus Gesing/Gwilym Simcock and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, as they continue their epic tour of the country’s every nook and cranny. Click here if you want to find out more about any of these.

Phew. Felt like there was a lot to share with you there. Feels good to get it off my chest. As a thanks for reading, I've got a few copies of Robert Glasper's latest Blue Note album Double Booked to give away. If you'd like a copy email me at amy.coombe@serious.org.uk and let me know how you discovered this blog. I'm dying to know! Winners will be picked at random when I'm back in the office on Tuesday.

Staff Benda Bilili are thrilling audiences around the UK

Wed, 18 May 2011 15:26:00 +0100

Staff Benda Bilili's UK tour is well underway, with the Congo-based street musicians already astonishing audiences in Gateshead and Birmingham, while a particular highlight so far has been at London's The Roundhouse on Sunday 15th May. Here, their phenomenal performance kept a 2,000 strong audience dancing for the duration of the gig. Winkball caught up with audience members after the show to gauge, what turned out to be, an overwhelmingly enthusiastic reaction. More footage is available here, but the highlights are available to stream below.

On top of nightly shows, Staff Benda Bilili have been keeping busy. An exclusive performance with Jools Holland, which took place last night, airs on Friday and Saturday, while a brief performance and interview with members of the band can now be streamed here on The Telegraph's website.

The tour continues tonight in Norwich, with dates in Bury St. Edmunds, Bristol and Manchester still to come.

Stunning Video of Kronos Quartet Live at Hamilton Mausoleum

Tue, 17 May 2011 11:13:00 +0100

STV caught up with Kronos Quartet at their much anticipated Kronos in Glasgow series, which took place over the weekend. As well as an interview with founding member and violinist David Harrington, a fantastic video of Kronos playing Tusen Tankar (A Thousand Thoughts) in rehearsal at Hamilton Mausoleum is available to stream on their website.

The full interview can be found here, while the live video can streamed here.

Tonight Kronos Quartet play the Theatre Royal in Norwich, their debut at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. Click here for more details.