WOMAD Festival 2018 Charlton Park, Wiltshire Thursday 26th – Sunday 29th July, 2018 Pre-festival publicity for this year’s WOMAD festival was clouded by news regarding cancellations due to stricter visa controls, forcing a number of bands to cancel performances and workshops. But this didn’t impact on the atmosphere of the festival which remained […]
Love Supreme Festival Glyne Place, Sussex Friday 30th June – Sunday 2nd July, 2018 Friday at Love Supreme has usually been relaxed and laid back and this year was no exception. Vocal trio Three Little Birds set the tone with a nice relaxed vibe. This was followed by the equally relaxing and enjoyable […]
Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin Love Supreme Festival Sunday 1st July, 2018 Already known for his minimalistic yet energetic approach to composition through his previous works, both solo and as bandleader of the now four piece outfit Ronin, Swiss born pianist and composer Nik Bärtsch seems time and time again to effortlessly blend the sounds […]
Brainchild Festival Bentley Wildfowl & Motor Museum, East Sussex Friday 13th – Sunday 15th July, 2018 For a festival with a limit of 2,000 people, one would expect it to be small and cliquey but it was the opposite: inclusive with no VIP areas, no commercial sponsorship and using a small space to maximum […]
Cassie Kinoshi’s SEED Ensemble Jazz Re:Fest, Brighton Dome Sunday 22nd July, 2018 Amidst the searing heat of what has been called one of the hottest days of the year, Brighton Dome had the prestigious honour of hosting 2018’s Jazz Re:fest. The annual event is renowned for stellar line ups of the most talented […]
Mark Kavuma & ‘The Banger Factory’ The Verdict, Brighton Friday 20th July, 2018 New Generation Jazz have had a consistently excellent programme of presenting up and coming musicians on the current jazz scene and Mark Kavuma’s band were no exception. Performing original material from the young trumpeter’s debut album, Kavuma, the band displayed […]
Field Day Festival Brockwell Park, London Having spent 11 years at Victoria Park in east London, the move to Brockwell Park was never going to be a smooth one. Residents objected immediately to the plans after last year’s Sunfall festival caused chaotic scenes resulting in police intervention. With tight security and a […]
Rosie Turton Quintet The Verdict, Brighton Friday 15th June, 2018 Trombonist Rosie Turton first appeared at The Verdict with the band Nerija back in 2016 and was recently seen there in April this year as part of the South London group Where Pathways Meet. Here she presented her own arrangements and compositions in […]
Brighton Festival: John Surman St. George’s Church, Kemptown, Brighton Thursday 10th May, 2018 A performance by virtuoso musician John Surman is a rarity in the UK as the 73 year old veteran currently resides in Norway, and his last performance in Brighton was back in 2014. His musical collaborations with Norwegian pianist and […]
Brighton Festival: The Last Poets Theatre Royal, Brighton Tuesday 15th My, 2018 ‘When the Revolution Comes’. The words echo in the 200-year-old edifice, with the same aggression and truth, and sending the same message today as they did when first spoken by The Last Poets nearly 50 years ago. The seated audience […]