The music tears through Buika with such violence you cannot wrestle your eyes away from her for fear of missing the last precious moment of beauty before catastrophe strikes.

Modern British culture was shaped by three things – DJs, radio (especially pirate radio), and clubs. And record shops are the thread between all three. Sanjiv takes a break from his global tour of record shops for his upcoming book to sing their praises on their special day.

When Dizee Rascal went ‘Bonkers’ at the Olympics opening ceremony, it was the result of many years of support from local record shops that helped build Mr Dylan Mills’ career. And before the late Amy Winehouse hit the stratosphere performing at the Grammys, it was independent record shop support that started her ascent. The likes of Manchester’s Piccadilly and London’s Sound of the Universe that pushed the now heavily collectable white label mix of ‘Take The Box’ into the public consciousness.

And dubstep, London’s gift to the musical world, came to fruition in Croydon, especially at Big Apple Records record shop, home to Mala.

So record shops are alive and mostly in good health, offering something different to the convenience of online shopping. I have spent the last eight years reviewing record shops in five record shop hubs – London, Paris, Amsterdam, New York and Los Angeles for my book The Secret List. What is apparent is the difficulties faced by record shops are not unique and are common to independent shops worldwide. And while business may not be what it used to be, record shops and more broadly independent shops, serve an important niche. Adding to the cultural impact listed above, here are four other reasons why record shops, and shops that sell records, are special.

1. Independent appeal

Indy record shops are different from their corporate big brother, the chains of identikit shops which line the world’s high streets.

Popkiller, in Los Angeles’ hip Los Feliz is a box room of a shop packed full of Japanese kitsch and curios. Look carefully though and on the floor are two boxes of records full of original pressings in decent condition. I found long lost albums by David Bowie, Roxy Music, Barry White and Wayne Shorter. In Slow Boat Records, in Wellington’s busy Cuba Street, behind a huge glass facade, made up of a mirage of posters, flyers, records and a large Elvis cut out lies an organised expanse of records.

2. Shopping experience

This is real selling point of physical stores. I much enjoy perusing the British jazz selections in Sounds Original, Northfields enroute to a Brentford game. The peacefulness of the shop, rifling through some Tubby Hayes and Joe Harriot, punctuated by the cry of an original Motown seven inch, and chatting to the owner about days of old of Ealing, sets me up nicely to see West London’s finest.

The now closed Academy Records, jazz annex in New York’s East Village, coupled the serenity of a Bhuddist temple with the heaviest jazz selections I have seen. Again friendly staff made the shop a pleasurable experience.

3. The best records

An obvious thing to say but unless you are after specific records, for the DJ, collector or digger of broad tastes, online shopping is no match to physical stores. Superfly Records, in Paris’ Bastille area hosts rare Antilles funk, newly discovered West African albums, and psychedelic soundtrack re-issues, many of which never make it across the channel. Whenever I DJ, I try and make at least one visit here and the shop never fails.

4. Knowledgeable owners

Being given advice to help you through the vast array of music available, is another advantage good record shops have. The owner at the much missed Dub Vendor in Ladbroke Grove was able to identify the dub classic Kunte Kinte by the Channel One All Stars, from the sketchiest information. At the time, it was very expensive to buy so the owner offered to play it on his radio show so I could record it!

5. History

One of my best shopping experiences was searching through a mass of reggae seven inches in the back office of Supertone Records in Brixton. Wallace the owner, sat doing his accounts and told me stories of reggae artists and record as we shared some tea. Impressive as he had no idea I was writing a book about record shops.

Shops such as Honest Jon’s have a long history. Owner Jon Clare and business partner Dave Ryner served the local clientele of Ladbroke Grove, a young Joe Strummer, Malcolm McLaren, Declan McManus aka Elvis Costello and author Lloyd Bradley, who then owned a fruit and veg stall opposite the shop. I started frequenting the shop in the late Eighties served by the likes of James Lavelle and I guess Carl Craig, though I can’t remember him. This rich musical history continues to the present day with the Honest Jon’s label co- owned by Damon Albarn, with Terry Hall amongst the label’s owners.

All in all, this rich tapestry is the backbone of Britain’s musical culture, support!

From Nigeria, there’s the heavy, heavy sound of Afrobeat, delivered here by Seun Kuti, son of the incomparable Fela whose band Egypt 80 are now under the commanding leadership of Kuti Jr. If Afrobeat is a timeless music, so too is the soulful reggae of Toots & The Maytals. We’re delighted that the still-effusive ‘Toots’ Hibbert will be leading his charges through all those hits – Monkey Man, Funky Kingston, Pressure Drop, Do The Reggay…

While Afrobeat and reggae have been around for decades, the spotlight is also thrust on newer musical styles. Electro-swing – the sounds of the 1920s put through the digital mincer – has found huge popularity over the last few years and Charlton Park will be welcoming the style’s creator, Parov Stelar, and his band who’ll raise the roof in glamorous style. The Heavy have also enjoyed enormous worldwide success in recent times and the soul-funk-rock outfit, originally from just down the road in Bath, will be swapping the studios of Letterman for a sunkissed meadow in Wiltshire this summer.

But, unlike other festivals, a WOMAD event is never simply about the headliners, the established big-hitters. WOMAD’s audiences like to do their own exploring, to set sail on their own voyages of discovery. And this year they’ll find themselves drifting towards all manner of performers, including…

Adjágas (Norway) The impressionistic, other-worldly sounds of this pair of Laplanders is a dreamy introduction to music inside the Arctic Circle.

The Bombay Royale (Australia/India) Where the surf-rock sound of Tarantino’s movies is given a Bollywood re-rub.

Carminho (Portugal) The mournful sound of Portuguese fado music just found itself a new star. And one who’s unafraid to smile when she’s singing.

Christine Salem (Réunion) Deeply committed performer of maloya, the highly percussive Indian Ocean blues.

Dizu Plaatjies and Ibuyambo Ensemble (South Africa) Another lesson in African musical history from the former founder and leader of Amampondo.

Fimber Bravo (Trinidad) Deeply imaginative steel-pan player who’s recently been working with Hot Chip.

Flavia Coelho (Brazil) Where the sunny and light sound of radio-friendly samba-reggae meets the grit and growl of ragga.

Hidden Orchestra (UK) Accessible yet cerebral electronic jazz from this young Edinburgh quartet featuring a double dose of drummers.

Iadoni (Georgia) Strident-voiced choir and guardians of the centuries-oldfolk traditions of Georgia (the country, not the US state).

Jesca Hoop (USA) Super-spooky indie-folk-pop which refreshes the parts other indie-folk-pop can’t reach.

Katy Carr & The Aviators (UK)Elegant and expressive singer who reaches deep into her Polish ancestry for artistic inspiration.

Malouma (Mauritania) Outspoken campaigner for women’s rights and purveyor of skin-pricking, conscience-alerting desert blues.

Mohammad Reza Mortazavi (Iran) One-man percussion whirlwind making the sound of at least three drummers drumming.

Riot Jazz Brass Band (UK) Impeccably played funk and jazz (and xxxx of fun) from these massed Mancunian horns.

Spoek (South Africa) Singer/rapper/producer whose futuristic musical visions are redefining South African music.

Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys (USA) Still the leading Cajun band in all Louisiana (and therefore the whole world). Not a bum note in 25 years of supremacy.

YesKing (UK) Innovative producer/remixer whose own creations summon the spirits of roots reggae, dub, hip-hop, grime and Afrobeat.

Aside from these artists, already announced as performing at WOMAD Charlton Park 2013 are Gilberto Gil, Rokia Traoré, Alice Russell, David Rodigan MBE, Asif Ali Khan, Bwani Junction, Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, David Wax Museum, Debrapriya & Samanwaya, Dub Inc, Emel Mathlouthi, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Fredy Massamba, GOCOO, Huun Huur Tu, Jagwa Music, Kissmet, Le Vent Du Nord, Lévon Minassian, Mala In Cuba, Malawi Mouse Boys, Mokooma, Nano Stern, Ondatrópica, Osibisa, Sam Lee & Friends, Schlachthofbronx, Syd Arthur, Tamikrest and Urna & Kroke. Further artists will be announced soon.

Not one but three whopping great collections of classic albums from three titans of Brazilian music are coming out on Warner Jazz. Each multiple album pack costs about the same as a single CD.

Starting with Gilberto Gil: Refazenda, Refavela and Realce from the 1970s as well as 1984’s Raca Humana and the 2002 live recording Kaya N’Gan Daya are bundled together in simple but pleasing cardboard sleeves. These five LPs are a mere drop in the ocean of this highly prolific musical force but they are a great place to start.

The Milton Nascimento five data mainly from the 1990s and while fine, miss out on such classics as Clube da Esquina or Milton but nevertheless contain many fine tunes and Elis Regina’s tragically short career is pretty comprehensively catalogued too.

Amazon UK

Another Fela Kuti compilation, no, wait, this is worth a look. Coming in a 2 CD version and Deluxe version with DVD, this compilation pulls in what, in my opinion, are the very best tunes of his output. And teams it up with a rare live performance (his 1984 Glastonbury set).

It is by no means unique though. I have in front of me two compilations put out by Wrasse Records and one by Barclay/Universal so what makes this one worth getting? Well, if you don’t already have songs like ‘Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am’, ‘He Miss Road’ or ‘Underground System’ (which are often missed off compilations), you could be forgiven for thinking all of Fela’s output is frenetic jams along the lines of ‘Zombie’. What emerges on this album is a more nuanced, musically varied and witty Fela.

Despite everything they threw at him, Fela’s music and his message never lost their way. He was always real and he was always with the people. That’s why we love and miss him all the more.
Akon

And if you have just three Fela songs, the chances are good that one of them is ‘Sorrow Tears and Blood’. A track I first heard nearly two decades ago when Gilles Peterson got on the decks at Ministry of Sound and played the whole tune through. I knew at that moment it had to be Fela, I also knew I would become an acolyte, a devotee an obsessive from that moment on. A true musical epiphany for me, so imagine my excitement to find out that a missing six minutes from the song has been found and re-added to it!

And as much as I like to think I know a thing or two about Fela, the track-by-track notes from Chris May deliver fact and background, anecdote and revelation in generous measure.

So if you are new to Fela’s world, this is a great place to start. Old hands will enjoy the liner notes and treasure the longer version of ‘Sorrow tears and Blood’. So in spite of my scepticism, this is a compilation that really does add something. It is also a warning shot. The whole catalogue of 50 albums or so is going to be re-released in three great, joyous and generous tranches over the next six months by Knitting Factory Records / Kalakuta Sunrise also featuring in-depth commentaries by Chris May. Oh and please release on vinyl too!

A fabulous beast composed of various members of Acoustic Ladyland, Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics and Transglobal Underground in Dalston, where else? Should be great or a spectacular mess.

Melt Yourself Down describes itself as “the sound of Cairo ’57, Cologne ’72, New York ’78, London 2013. A riot of colour and noise, they rip the heart from the remains of Acoustic Ladyland and deliver it to the party, still beating. Reanimated with intense, sweaty funk, uplifting horns and blistering Nubian drums, this tightly drilled unit return for their second ever show after selling out the Queen of Hoxton late 2012.”

Note: the show will now take place at The Shacklewell Arms, not the Sebright Arms as had been announced.

Link:
Tickets: www.capitalmusicevents.com/melt-yourself-down-2/

Meshell Ndegeocello returns with an album of songs dedicated to that rarest of souls Nina Simone.

To take on any song sung by Nina Simone is brave – or perhaps even foolhardy – as no other vocalist in the history of jazz or pop has ever been able to make a song more completely their own than Nina did.

Wisely, Meshell goes her own way on these 14 songs, inviting other singers to join her on some of the songs and taking on main vocals herself on about half of the tracks.

A duet with Sinead O’Connor is breathy, heavy and the occasionally ponderous moment is leavened with bright country guitar licks, the whole being surprisingly enjoyable. Other vocalists like Lizz Wright (soaring over ‘Nobody’s Fault But Mine’), Toshi Reagon and Valerie June supply the more agile vocal moments. Valerie in particular steals the show with a remarkable and highly stylised rendition of’ ‘Be My Husband’.

‘Please Don’t Let Me Be Understood’ features Meshell on vocals and she uses the smokiness of her voice to stamp her own distinctive brand on this musical warhorse, while ‘Suzanne’ takes on a subtly different meaning in the tender care of Meshell.

www.meshell.com

The Sunday Service is back for the people who feel J-A-Z-Z! At the pulpit as ever will be Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge.

Another Sunday Afternoon At Dingwalls with Gilles Peterson & Patrick Forge

• Sunday 25th November 2012
• Dingwalls
• Camden Lock
• 12.30- 7pmish
• Early Arrivial recommended. No guaranteed Entry after 2pm
• Tickets £16
• Limited tickets on the door
• Advance Tickets from http://www.dingwalls.com/listings/

The Doug Carn and Jean Carne reunion gives hope of something special. Though Jean Carne recorded successfully in her own right for both Motown and Philadelphia International, it is their work as a duo (and then as husband and wife) which brings the most expectancy.

Their albums from the Seventies recorded for the renowned Black Jazz album hit a nerve with its mix of Coltrane type spirituality and earthy soul. The duo found an audience in the Eighties with the Jazz Dance/Acid Jazz crowd, who revelled in tracks like ‘Higher Ground’ , ‘Power and Glory’ and ‘Moon Dance’.

Over two sets Doug Carn and Jean Carne will include tracks from both their work as a duo and Jean Carne’s solo career. There is one Manchester date at Band in the Wall (20th June) and three London dates at Ronnie Scotts (21st-23rd June).

Look out for a full review from the Ronnie Scott’s show.

It’s a brave company that takes on Puccini’s best-loved opera – and the fourth most frequently performed opera worldwide – and radically alters every aspect of it. Yet South Africa’s Isango Ensemble has done just that with its latest production, currently being performed alongside Aesop’s Fables and The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists at London’s Hackney Empire. In less than two hours, the production, about the love between a young struggling writer, Lungelo, and a poor dying flower artist, Mimi, strips away all the elements of opera that all too often feel like filler to reduce the story to one that’s about the very essence of life – love, death and money.

In Isango’s production, a small cast of musicians and singers drawn from the Townships around Cape Town relocate Puccini’s original Parisian-set melodrama to a Township on Youth Day, an annual winter public holiday in South Africa which commemorates the day in 1976 when a Soweto demonstration by schoolchildren helped changed the history of the country. The meaning is clear: we are dealing with the inequalities and iniquities of power, politics, and wealth, and their devastating impact on the health, welfare and wellbeing of disenfranchised black people. Which is fitting, as the production is a unique partnership with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria.

Out go distractions like Puccini’s children-packed street scene, while the subsidiary and counterpoint storylines about Lungelo’s friends and lovers – primarily Mandisi and Zoleka, or Marcello and Musetta in Puccini’s original – are neatly reduced to shorthand without diminishing the central story or indeed their own tales and impact on it. It’s a neat lesson in how to make opera more compact, more accessible, more affecting and more intense – strip away the unecessary, and you’re left with something that packs a deeply emotional punch, particularly when you add in some intruiging musical shifts. For while Mark Donford-May’s adaptation wisely steers clear of tampering too much with beloved favourites – ‘Che Gelida Mannina’ is as haunting and gut-wrenching as you could want – much of the ensemble music is rescored with stunning African harmonies and choruses, with marimba and steel pan drums spanning the gamut from haunting to playful, gentle to stirring. These are the only instruments, unless you count the voices, which are integrated perfectly with the instruments to form a harmonious whole. Add in exhuberent dancing and fine acting from all members of the cast and this is the perfect introduction to opera for anyone… you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll probably give them a standing ovation. On the night we saw it, everyone did.

La Bohème is at the Hackney Empire until 3 June 2012.

Only his voice can blend Niger and Mississippi river alluvia with such moving authenticity. His unique, inimitable, self-taught guitar technique owes a great deal to his kora influences, but its shades and phrasing also suggest the great black bluesmen of the deep American South: Blind Willie McTell, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and others.

Back in the 60s when the euphoria of African independence reigned, the 20-year-old Boubacar Traoré was Mali’s Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley. He was the first to play Mandingo-based music on electric guitar, long before his junior, Ali Farka Touré. His hits including “Mali Twist” and “Kayeba” provided dance music for a generation who were enjoying freedom for the first time. But then on the 19th November 1968, Modibo Keita’s socialist government was overthrown by a military coup and Traore and his songs were exiled from the airwaves. He was rediscovered in 1987, but propelled by the death of his wife and muse, despairing and distraught, he gave up music and decided to look for work in Paris, where he joined the community of Malian migrant workers and shared their harsh life. In Paris, an English producer discovered him and took him to the studio to record his first album, “Mariama”, in 1990. Poignant, spare and melancholic, Traore’s music had changed since his youth in the 60s. Now it was more refined, the art of a mature man expressing his heartaches and joys in song, his unique vocal timbre shrouded in nostalgia and poetry.

His latest album Mali Denhou Is out now on Lusafrica and he is joined for these rare club dates by percussionist Losseni Kone and fabulous, harmonica player Vincent Bucher, whose playing is influenced by Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson.

Guitarist, harmonica player and singer Muntu Valdo opens the show. His music is rooted in the blues, mixing African traditions with striking modernity and technical mastery. Juxtaposing his raw, passionate voice and intensely emotive melodies with an ingenious use of loops, samples and effects.

Flat Earth Society. Photo: Raymond de Vries

On entering the intimacy of one of London’s premier jazz venues, Vortex, it was clear to me that this was going to be a cosy gig. The place was packed out and the 15 members of Belgium’s Flat Earth Society squeezed onto the stage, filling a quarter of the room.

Opening with their equivalent of a hit single ‘Psychoscout’, and its signature descending vamp which is almost impossible to get out of one’s head, FES immediately impressed with its quirky big band sound.

The ensemble diligently delivered pieces from their 8 albums released since banding in Bruges in 1999 including ‘Cheer me, Perverts!’ (2009) (the title being an anagram of the band’s leader, composer and clarinetist Peter Vermeersch), ‘Psychoscout’ (2006), Isms (2004) and ‘The Armstrong Mutations’ (2002).

Self described as ‘wonky screwball jazz that wears its trousers proudly around its ankles’ barely touches on the FES experience. Best conveyed as a broken down carnival ride vaguely hinting at gypsy debauchery, with ‘Caravan’-esque phrygian soundscapes and brief moments of heavy metal jazz FES is reminiscent of Can, early Moondog and more lately John Zorn. Then everything stops like something is stuck that can’t get out followed by a burst of audacious release. FES’s sound plays very much as a soundtrack, to what I don’t know. But really this is no surprise as the group has collaborated on film, theatre and opera projects and with the likes of American composer Uri Caine and impresario Mike Patton (Faith No More, Fantômas and co-founder of Ipecac Records).

One of the most refreshing elements of this jazz gig was the sense of play and humour throughout the evening whether is was Vermeersch’s links or balloon squeakings, which brought on a bad case of the giggles, FES don’t take themselves too seriously despite every member clearly demonstrating their individual virtuosity and flare only produced by the best jazz musicians.

I won’t say too much more because this show was recorded and with be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 18 June 23.00 – 00.30. If somehow you miss that, do catch them live if you can. You won’t regret it, though you may have strange dreams.

There’s the rather awesome prospect of Robert Plant’s new project, the Sensational Space Shifters – a heady brew of blues, gospel and psychedelia inspired by the roots music of Mississippi, Appalachia, Gambia, Bristol and the foothills of Wolverhampton. Longtime WOMAD face Justin Adams lines up on lead guitar.

Another Adams-associated act, the much-loved French collective Lo’Jo, will also joined the bill this July. As well as blowing out their own 30 candles this year, the collective return to treat all-comers with their hybrid of chanson, folk and Berber stylings.

Dizraeli and the Small Gods promise to be one of the weekend’s surprise discoveries, hitting the bullseye with their highly effective take on folk and hip-hop. The same sources are drawn upon by the USA-meets-Guinea collaboration between Joe Driscoll & Seckou Kouyate, a partnership aiming to reduce the spiritual distance between continents

Want Latin funk with a Texan postmark? Then give yourself over to Grupo Fantasma, the ‘funk orchestra’ who’ve often been the support band of choice for Prince. Fancy a singer-songwriter who blends ancient and modern, Indian traditions and Western rock and pop? Then lend your ears to Bangalore’s celebrated Raghu Dixit. And fancy ska from Tokyo City? Look no further than the does-what-it-says-on-the-tin Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra…

These Japanese ska fanatics have plenty of miles under their collective belts – as do several other seasoned performers taking to this year’s stage. The Buena Vista Social Club continue to cast sunshine on all those within earshot with their timeless melodies and unbreakable rhythms, while the sinewy blues of Malian songster Boubacar Traore never fail to enthrall and charm.

WOMAD welcomes back those perennial Russian favourites Terem Quartet whose balalaikas and accordions take us to St Petersburg and beyond. Further Eastern promise comes from the highly energetic Alaev Family. Although now resident in Israel, they unleash a torrent of Central Asian groove with songs from their native Tajikstan.

Closer to home, Bristol quartet Spiro return to Charlton Park with their mesmerising, almost mathematical tunes, proving to be the missing link between English folk and contemporary composer Steve Reich. More vocal-free sounds come courtesy of Celtic fusionists Peatbog Faeries who marry an electronic sensibility with the tried-and-tested instruments of their native Scotland – fiddles, whistles, pipes… And the pipes are also calling for Narasirato, the high-octane Solomon Islands troupe. We’ll wager that you’ve never seen panpipes played so energetically.

And finally, rounding off this opening artist announcement, is Norwegian singer-songwriter Ane Brun, most recently seen lending her striking vocal prowess to Peter Gabriel’s New Blood Orchestra and now stepping into her own limelight.

WOMAD Charlton Park – July 27-29 2012

In the hot glove of a sticky East African night, the last act of the annual Sauti za Busara festival takes place. ‘Local’ outfit FM Academia – with over twenty members in the band – are rocking the open-air venue (an old walled fort in the centre of Zanzibar Town) with their unique ‘muziki da dansa’ rumba style, when, suddenly, on stage come literally dozens of the festival’s crew. The now over-crowded hugely enthusiastic stage dances out the last number of the 2012 event. Mark Stewart reports…

Yes, the ninth festival so far has been the biggest ever, and is clearly losing none of its joy.

The moment sums up this friendly festival. The support workers see themselves as integral to the festival – this is not just about the music, it’s about the vibe, the commitment, almost the mission.

And that commitment is vital, for there are rumblings of, if not disquiet, then at least concern, about just what the future of their festival should be.

Billed as ‘African Music Under African Skies’, Busara reflects the feelings and ambitions of its founder and artistic director, Yusuf Mahmoud. The English-raised music enthusiast travels the world as a dee-jay and promoter of African music. Speaking to journalists as the festival began, his desire is clearly as strong as it was ever – which is to give the continent’s music its proper showcase.

There’s little doubt he’s succeeded. The festival now is one of very few that the world-music magazine, Songlines, organises reader-trips for. The organisational side is now as good as anything in Europe.

Nightime audience at Sauti za Busara

Yet, its very success has hemmed in some of the choices.
There’s a desire to bring in a local audience, so pricing structures are lop-sided, and security more lax than it might be. To please locals, half the bands (there were over thirty acts in all across the four nights) are Tanzanian.

The international visitors though want more familiar fare, so fusion music – that which incorporates European rhythms – is also featured, using African acts which are often from thousands of miles away. The international visitors make up the bulk of ticket revenue.

And what of the purists? They demand from this festival the obscure, virtually unheard sounds of deep Africa. Mahmoud spoke proudly in this context of securing the Camirata Group, a little-known but skilful Sudanese outfit, but their traditional sound bemused the local audience and puzzled the internationals. It says much for the open-mindedness of this audience that they decided to cheer Camirata on nevertheless.

In many ways, the biggest hit of the four days, Nneka, summed up the contradictions. This Nigerian-raised singer is clearly being groomed for global super-stardom. Now based in Germany, and singing and speaking in English, Nneka really does deserve stardom – she has the passion of a Sinead O’Connor, and the stadium sassiness of a Bono.  A capacity crowd of 5000 jammed into the old fort’s space, and went wild. But… her music is not ‘African’, laced as it is with the sound of American-rock and guitar solos, and while purporting to speak for her generation, one wondered how much her eyes were on America.

In other words, is she really part of the Busara’s mission?

It’s a tough one for Mahmoud. He is disturbed by the imbalance of numbers: the proportion of European & American visitors is clearly rising to unwanted levels – despite the pricing structure that favours locals.

He spoke with sadness of the fact that the major donors, who provide fifty per cent of the funding, feature not one African organisation. The major sponsors in fact are all based in Scandinavia. The main sponsor, the Norwegian government, signed a major agreement in Tanzania just months before Busara 2012.

Sauti za Busara, as it looks ahead to its tenth version in 2013, is clearly at a crossroads. Mahmoud talks vaguely but firmly of moving it out of Zanzibar Town, where he says the size of the venue is restricting expansion. Finance is a big issue too; already the festival is down to four days from last year’s five.
Certainly, if he moved the festival, that would bring in more sponsorship, as he could concentrate on attracting more internationals, whom sponsorship would follow. What’s more, he could lose some of the ‘local’ bands which, frankly, were of poor musicianship, albeit popular.

And he could more easily satisfy the purists (among whom he counts himself).

Of course, the downside is obvious. Mahmoud has stressed in the past how much it should be a marriage of festival and locality, but by moving out of Zanzibar Town – to, say, an out-of-town football stadium – the intimate side of the festival could be lost.

One of the most marvellous moments in the festival was one of the fringe events, when a small band of visitors (yes, purists!) were led though the dark and mysterious back-lanes of the town to witness a Sufi group in action in their own rehearsal rooms. That kind of intimate occasion only works, surely, when town and festival are one.

And to see a hip-hop act like the South African Tumi singing of Africa’s troubles surely only works properly in a ‘town’ atmosphere.

But to end with my best moment. It’s 4pm on the Friday, and the unremitting sun is blazing down on the stage; it’s probably around 35 degrees there. The small audience, for this is the first act of the day, is huddled into what shade there is.  A diminutive figure appears on the platform, with just a guitarist for support. Hanitra, from Madagascar, had said she would take any spot in the billing under any conditions, just so she can say she appeared at Busara.

With a soulfulness that belies the situation, she sings with emotional moodiness in an Afro-Latin style. She is a revelation: no bottom-of-the bill artist at all.

The fact that she simply wanted to be here, under these conditions, says much; and, as Mahmoud thinks about the festival’s future, it will hearten him to know that he carries that kind of huge good-will with him.

By Mark Stewart

Links

Sauti za Busara 2012 Festival

Vice blogger

Norway signs climate change agreement with Tanzania, Oct 2011 

Robert Glasper’s new jazz infused soul album, ‘Black Radio’, a slight detour from his jazz output (albeit with a strong hip hop influence), is mostly very good. Aside from some well-worn samples of his own work, this is a welcome return for the master musician.

Stand out tracks are a delectable cover of ‘Afro-Blue’, featuring Erykah Badu, and the title track featuring Mos Def (reminiscent of his classic ‘Universal Magnetic’ track). Listening to the album for the past three months, my initial impression was mixed. The bigger sounding aforementioned tracks balanced out some average (dare I say it radio friendly) material (e.g ‘Always Shine’ featuring Lupe Fiasco, ‘Letter to Hermione’ featuring Bilal etc). In actual fact, after many months of play, these tracks are well above average.

Radio friendly yes, but they have in common a laid-back vibe coupled with sensitive playing which gradually seeps into the consciousness. So the album demands time for the listener to be fully rewarded. This is most evident in ‘Consequence of Jealousy’ showcasing MeShell Ndegeocello’s whispered vocals, and Glasper’s floaty playing.

The quality of guests including Musiq Soulchild, Lalah Hathaway, Christie Michele and a remarkable guest spot from Stokley Williams, are first rate, adding to both the variety and depth of the album

If you’re new to Robert Glasper and with an ear for tougher, beat-led jazz, then you will probably love this. Seasoned Glasper fans will hear samples, interludes and snatches of classic tracks interwoven with new material. For example ‘Gonna Be Alright (FTB)’ is based upon ‘F.T.B’ from the ‘In My Element’ album, a great track no doubt to base a vocal version around (here featuring the excellent singing prowess of Ledisi) but a little well-worn for me. The hook from ‘Butterfly’ from the ‘Double Booked’ is also revisited on ‘Black Radio’ and there are other snatches of Glasper sounds heard before. These familiar refrains from previous tracks don’t quite work for me.

‘Why Do We Try’, featuring Stokely Williams, redresses this somewhat, with a melange of random hip hop, disordered jazz beats and a jazz/soul vocal. All new sounds to boot. The album ends with a cover of Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ a live favourite. The track features Casey Benjamin on vocoder, depending on my mood, Benjamin’s vocoder effects are either annoying or infectious. I have heard the Experiment (Robert Glasper’s funk band featuring Benjamin) many times now and his vocals grate. Maybe time will change my mind again.

All in all this is a very good – verging on excellent – album, which bravely sees Glasper move from the jazz terrain to new pastures which works very well.

Here’s some hot underground from London Town that’s been hiding in my bag and it’s just what you need to raise Latin spirits in the bleak mid-winter.

I must admit that this came out late last year so you’ll probably be aware that the usual FLY Global Music favourites like DJ Ritu (A World in London), Russ Jones (Hackney Globe Trotting), Rita Ray (BBC/SOAS Radio) and others in the know already love these lot.

The four track EP is the debut release on Cal Jader’s Movimientos Records that they say introduces us to “a new and highly original Latin-London sound” and it’s hard to disagree with them.

The opening track ‘Flesh and Bone’ proves the point (and was London’s Metro’s ‘Single of the Week’) as it features MC Murur rapping  on the immigration issues of the (every)day (“how can money travel but people can’t – you can pay pal” is delivered with feeling) and the vocals of Congolese-Argentinean Juanita Euka. With an urgent funk fusion Afro-Cuban backing this is world music; London or otherwise.

‘Pretty Cliché’ throws in some ska and you can imagine that this is what Fania All-stars would be up to in 2012 if they formed in Hackney. And then ‘Caprichoso’ gets more into their Latin roots with a shake of Kid Creole and The Coconuts paprika (how cool is that?)

‘Ojos Que No Ven’ shows they can do mellow and sensitive in an acoustic setting but as Lubi Jovanovic has said, “Wara are young musical revolutionaries who simply ignore convention and bring together Latin funk, Cuban timba, underground hip hop, leftfield jazz, rumba, reggae and dubstep…”

So if you enjoy the sounds of musicians with backgrounds from all over the world; Cuba, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Ghana, Congo, Spain and the UK, Wara are a band for you.  Expect lots more this year from the label and live gigs.

Reviewed: Wara – Wara EP (Movimientos Records) Cat. No. Mov001 Release date: September 2011
Tracklisting:
1 Flesh And Bone (4:53)

2 Pretty Cliché (5:12)
3 Caprichoso (4:59)
4 Ojos Que No Ven (3:35)

Links:
www.movimientos.org.uk
soundcloud.com/movimientos

Perhaps the surprise of the year this one as George Benson release an album that isn’t a ‘Best Of’ his own hits as he covers some pop and jazz classics and it’s worth more than a casual listen!

Not only that, but apart from slipping in ‘Tequila’ from the album into my Dingwalls tribute mix, George featured on today’s Johnnie Walker show on Radio 2 (see links below); did you know he did backing vocals on Stevie Wonder’s ‘Another Star’ off Songs in the Key of Life?

For those that know the work of George ‘Bad’ Benson, his early years on the CTI label were his obvious ‘boy’ period where he was the jazz guitarist.  By the 80′s, he was definitely a ‘ladies’ man with global success on the back of his monster Warner Brother album Give Me The Night.  It doesn’t seem that long ago I saw him on the sofa of a breakfast TV show talking about the 80s but this new album Guitar Man find him with a foot in both camps so to speak with new versions of pop standards ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ (as an aside, wasn’t that BBC4 film on George Harrison good?) and ‘My Cherie Amour’ together with John Coltrane‘s ‘Naima’!

This guy has been adding his distinctive style of axe playing to cover versions since the 60s (he was born in 1943) so he knows what he’s doing.  The 12 tracks start with a gentle solo of ‘Tenderly’ that’s very Sunday afternoon chill but not as cool as the gentle summers day of ‘My Cherie Amour’ with George on electric guitar, vocals and trademark scatting instantly making it my favourite version of this very popular tune.

‘Naima’ is such a classic Coltrane/sax song, the jazz trio plus guitar of this version is enjoyable and interesting but not sensational (unlike when Benson covered ‘White Rabbit’ for Creed Taylor in ’71)  but the hot spirit he does ’Tequila’ is the best (check it out on the Thinking about Another Afternoon at Dingwalls mixtape); think I’ll play that one again at Jazz Chronicles on Saturday as one of the ‘best of year’ tracks.  Or even ‘Fingerlero’ as it’s got a Benson “ba, ba, ba, la” bossa shuffle to it.

Then in contrast, ‘Don’t Know Why’ gets into the gentle solo style and there are a couple more in this laid back style; and ‘Danny Boy’?  It’s a shame as ‘Tequila’ is the way to go.

I saw George many years ago at the North Sea Jazz Festival and it was a little too much of a greatest hits so as Guitar Man is nothing like that, I feel that Mr. Benson is moving into a third age and there’s more to come for a man who is already a legend.

Reviewed: George Benson – Guitar Man (Concord Jazz) Cat. No. CJA-33296-01 Release date: 18th October 2011
Tracklisting:
1. Tenderly (2:02)
2. I Want To Hold Your Hand (5:10)
3. My Cherie Amour (4:08)
4. Naima (3:41)
5. Tequila (4:41)
6. Don’t Know Why  (2:45)
7. The Lady In My Life (4:30)
8. My One And Only Love (3:25)
9. Paper Moon (2:45)
10. Danny Boy (3:27)
11. Since I Fell For You (2:58)
12. Fingerlero (3:40)

Links:
georgebenson.com
BBC Radio 2 – Johnnie Walker’s Sounds Of The 70s Sunday 1500 – 1700 ”George Benson remembers the 1970s and Johnnie plays some classic Peel Sessions” Listen Again (for 7 days) at: www.bbc.co.uk
Jazz Chronicles with Simon S, Martin Gordon and Gerry Hectic every first Saturday of the month – next up: Saturday, 3rd December 2919 at 3:00pm @ Sixty Million Postcards, Bournemouth
www.myspace.com/60millionpostcards
Another Sunday Afternoon At Dingwalls with Zara McFarlane, Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge Sunday 20 November 2011 at 12:30pm www.dingwalls.com
Jazz Chronicles Hectic Hour 1111 – Thinking about Another Afternoon at Dingwalls
Here’s November’s Jazz Chronicles Session where I was thinking about the forthcoming ‘Another Afternoon at Dingwalls’ party/reunion (with Gilles Peterson, Patrick Forge, Janine and Zara McFarlane live) with a retro-current day jazzy theme – as things worked out, I couldn’t make it today as really gutted as the first one I’ve missed since it’s comeback and wanted to see all the new/old faces like Emanative (isn’t Lions of Judah incredible?) and Zeljko; hopefully I’ll make next year and perhaps Paul ‘The Triptet’ Murphy might make an appearance???

But there have been cracks in the force. The Ronnie Scott’s shows though very good, had the Experiment band over-using a vocoder; verging at times on the naff. The Trio band, who completed the Ronnie Scott’s residency, sometimes played the over-familiar or jammed rather than the unexpected or  full songs. Small criticisms in a sea of high praise for Glasper’s live shows, though the worries began with the Chris Dave solo show at Charlie Wright’s in 2009 (more jamming, less structure).

And so to the show. One word. Immense. The performance was a powerhouse of modern soul grooves, heavy hip hop rhythms all under a jazz umbrella.

Arriving at the venue – a two floor site with large exposed beams and air conditioning vents – we heard Eric Lau play a set for an hour and a half finishing just before 10pm. No easy task in front of a crowd eager to see the main act, but Lau, producer and – as his set testified – a very good DJ, was excellent.

Glasper and his Experiment band: Derrick Hodge, bass; Mark Colenburg , drums; and Casey Benjamin, keys/vocoder took to the stage at 10pm.

The band improvised through two hours of mainly new material (though tracks from the new album ‘Black Moon’ were barely touched upon), covers (Little Dragon’s ‘Twice’, an audience favourite) and some classic Glasper tunes (‘All Matter’).

Out went the familiar and in came the new. The cover of Nirvana’s  ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ was a full on rock version, mirroring Glasper’s wide taste in music. ‘ Dillalude’  was radically changed, with only the ‘Fall In Love’  homage remaining.

My over familiarity with the Glasper live experience, borne out of seeing Glasper seven times in four years (and I still curse myself for the three other shows I had to miss), should be put into context. I got the impression that the majority of the crowd, who were mainly in their late teens and early Twenties, would have been happy to hear the Dilla tribute knocked out a hundred times. But as a seasoned Glasper veteran it was pleasing to hear new material which grabbed you with such ferocity, hence my powerhouse comment earlier, that you were once again in awe of the master.

The signs from the first few seconds were good. The Experiment launched into a heavy funk version of ‘A Love Supreme’, cutting it in half and taking it into a celestial jazz space (akin to Gary Bartz’s early Seventies jazz albums).

The band were awesome. Derrick Hodge was impressive on bass, and Colenburg can lay to rest the Chris Dave comparisons, as he ably demonstrated he’s a brilliant drummer in his own right. Multi-instrumentalist Casey Benjamin handled keyboard and ‘effects’ duties well, although it was when he grabbed the saxophone that he really impressed. Again he was on vocoder duties; I would much prefer normal vocals, but I found the vocoder less intrusive than the Ronnie Scott shows.

Two things I would change. The venue’s exposed beams/vents led to some feedback and a tinny sound. It didn’t spoil the show but the sound could have been better. And I would love to hear ‘Black Moon’ (the Mos Def collaboration from the new album) and ‘Afro Blue’ (featuring Erykah Badu). That would have been the icing on the cake. Otherwise I’m still in awe….

If their was ever a time for a 17-member “disco orchestra”, the bleak winter of 2011 was it so the timing of Escort’s debut album couldn’t be better – old and new all mixed together to accompany you to the dancefloor – it’s time to party!

Escort (or should that be ESCORT?) is the disco love child of Dan Balis and Eugene Cho fronted by Adeline Michèle. They first made their mark back as Escort in 2006 with the 12” of a double a-sided ‘Starlight’ and ‘All Through The Night’.  Both tracks make the album and whilst the the album kicks off with a the disco edit/mash up influences of that plunders the musical heritage of Michael Jackson and then a re-work Dillinger’s 1976 classic ‘Cocaine In My Brain’ as a knife, a fork, a bottle and a cork get straight to disco floor (a track given the holy Greg Wilson treatment last year).

What made Escort stand out is the clear musicianship with real feel for the glory days of the likes of Chic (talking of coke and disco, also check out today’s Outlook programme for the low down on the original ‘Le Freak’, see links below).

‘A Sailboat In the Moonlight’ is getting my Coati Mundi all ready for a hot horns in the mix (this one being originally a tune from the 1930s) whilst ‘Makeover’ and ‘Love In Indigo’ have some strong old skool charm themselves. Much of the style can surely be put down to the real musicians (like a big version of Kelly Polar with the vibrancy of Kid Creole and his Coconuts) and it’s impossible not to get wrapped up in a feel good dancing vibe.

The album ends on a manic percussive Indo-disco monster of ‘Karawane’ which is a big favourite at the moment in the FLY offices but you could make a case for all the tracks here, no fillers at all.

This album is steeped in New York club culture whilst means its appeal is worldwide and as the production cost must have been quite a revelation compared to today’s ‘PC in a bedroom’ approach, all the more reason to support such retro-originality.

Note: Tirk’s sub-label Nang Records have released The Main Stem’s Electric Circus album so my dear friends at Phonica (missing you all) will have a very good week for sure this week.

Reviewed: Escort – Escort (Tirk Records) Cat. No. TIRK072 Release date: 14th November 2011
Tracklisting:
1. Caméleon Chameleon
2. Cocaine Blues
3. Makeover
4. A Sailboat In The Moonlight
5. Why Oh Why
6. Starlight
7. A Bright New Life
8. All Through The Night
9. Love In Indigo
10. All That She Is
11. Karawane

Links:
www.weareescort.com
www.tirk.co.uk
BBC Worldservice – Outlook 14.11.2011 – Nile Rodgers – Listen
Again at http://www.bbc.co.uk

With remixes of ‘She Fish’ and ‘Right On Up (For Love)’, the Main Stem are big at Lip Service so it’s no surprise that after the Contortion Danse 12″ of a couple of months ago we get an album that finds thier Electric Church is having a post disco nu-house soft rock revival!

The Main Stem (aka Benny Upsetter, Rob J and Tim Silver) have a list of influences that include Arthur Russell,  Sir Billy Wright, Can, The Isley Brothers, Brothers Johnson, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Francois K, Bob Moog, Bob Hoskins, Bob Carolgees, Cerrone, Steve Bull, Larry Levan, Danny Krivit,  Adidas, Nuphonic, Manchester, Monkey, Stevie Wonder, Hunter S.Thompson to name just a few and after a 10 year jestation period,  Electric Church is the distilled danceable 13-track form.

On first listen, there’s a two way split going on; the tracks that feature the voice of The Main Stem, Mr. James Flanagan vs. the instrumentals.

Flanagan’s contributions verge on the rock end like when DJ Shadow called up Stateless’ Chris James for The Outsider album.   Smatterings of chuggy Clash-esque guitars and disco snyths on ‘Contortion Danse’ could be stem cell experiments from the bizarre Rod Stewart/Rolling Stones disco-rock period (but done better than either of those monoliths’ efforts) whilst the best track for me lyrically is ‘Get Redeemed’.

The instrumentals can cover anything from K’d up dub version of ‘Yes, Sacrifice’ of ’Kountry Klubb’ with Afro-chant house or the synthed out horn boogie reggae of ‘Cafe Margarit’ (on this one, you can almost hear Arthur Russell nodding approval from up above).

For funky moves there’s some heavy bass bomb of ‘Missing Casket’ (that could have been mixed into the post-Prince-ish ‘Big Bullets’), the 70s inspired space synth’n'percussion heavy ’Pleasure Island’ (oh er, Barry) or for some rockabilly batucada try ‘Bomma Jack-it’ and another instrumental reggae hybrid oddity ’Blues Arp’.

Whilst the tracks are quite diverse, this is an album that would appeal to most open minds and it has already gained support of some of our favourite electric desciples of the DJ booth such as Todd Terje, Prins Thomas, Bill Brewster, Red Rack’Em, Gerd Jansen, Horse Meat Disco, Mudd and the Mungolian Jetset.

We’ve always had a soft spot for Chicken Lips and thier work on the dance floor so when the Credit Crunch was starting, I couln’t be the only one to be surprised at the news they were going to set up the Lip Service label a couple of years.  And as they were one of the labels hit by the recent riot warehouse fire (as in Save our favourite labels) there’s even more reason to get down to the Electric Church for a quick service and support this release and redeem yourself.

Hectic Mix nominations: Cafe Margarit, Kountry Klubb, Pleasure Island, Blues Arp (at least).

Reviewed: The Main Stem – Electric Church (Lip Service) Cat. No. LPS013 Release date: 14th November 2011
1 Electric Church (2:18)
2 Cafe Margarit (7:25)
3 Yes, Sacrifice! (5:50)
4 Kountry Klubb (5:06)
5 Contortion Danse (6:18)
6 Pleasure Island (6:17)
7 Bomma Jack-it  (4:12)
8 Electric Fan (2:33)
9 Blues Arp (4:31)
10 Get Redeemed (3:44)
11 Missing Casket (3:52)
12 Big Bullets (5:40)
13 Stone Cold Freak (3:48)

Links:
www.lipservicerecords.com
www.myspace.com/themainstem

For those of you in the Bay Area, you’ll know that the will know all about the Yerba Buena Discos team, if only from their huge 20th release by Homero Espinosa featuring Allegra Bandy – and now they are back with some equally fine soulful deep house to enjoy!

This is an impressive follow up to the summer groove of ‘In The Sunshine’ that saw the inspired pairing of the the label’s Homero Espinosa and vocalist Allegra Bandy back in the spring. To keep us going through the last stages of this Indian summer now the nights are closing in, here’s their latest good time deep house soul groover, ‘Then You Smiled’.

You don’t need me to tell you how good the original mix as we’ve got a soundcloud link below for your listening pleasure and you can hear that killer vocal and bassline for yourselves.

It’s hard to know what to do on the remix when the original track is so good but label co-star Allen Craig’s comes a close second with his up-tempo effort. The combination of San Francisco’s David Harness and Chris Lum as HarLum Muziq (did you see what they did there?) take the remix to an odd Fleetwood Mac-esque rumour period – perhaps it’s the Californian buttery vocals (which could be a good thing?) but be warned if you’re listening on the earphones whilst riding your bike as it sounds like a dog was barking which is a little disconcerting.

The next time I’m on Delectabeats, it’d be tough not to play the original but Chillin’ Music’s Rob Slac puts in a shift that would give Andy Garvey and his percussive sidekick Cass the proverbial vinyl hots – one for Nang Records to investigate this side of the pond?

Espinosa finishes off the set himself with his dub version but if I were him, I wouldn’t let Ms. Bandy too far out of my sight as she makes us smile alot!

Reviewed: Homero Espinosa ft. Allegra Bandy – Then You Smiled (Yerba Buena Discos) Cat. No. YBD024 Release date; 14th November 2011
Tracklisting: Then You Smiled (7:58)
http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/24743533
 2. Then You Smiled (HarLum Muziq Remix) (7:58)
3. Then You Smiled (Allen Craig Remix) (7:47)
4. Then You Smiled (Rob Slac Remix) (8:02)
5. Then You Smiled (Dub) (6:16)

Links:
www.homeroespinosa.com
www.ybdsf.com
davidharness.com
www.chillin-music.com
Delectabeats with Andy Garvey and guest Gerry Hectic ‘live’ on Afrodisiac 2nd October 2011 at http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17647979

Described by Miles Davis as “one of the most important musicians on the planet” and nicknamed the ‘Sorcerer’, he is as likely to produce a piece for kitchen utensils as improvised solos on keyboard or flute – or leading his long established, infectiously swinging Brazilian band in partnership with the all star British band formed back in the 90s to play his exhilarating big band music.

‘Hermeto Pascoal is one of the great originals of Brazilian music. The best way to appreciate him is as a complete individual, making music of breathtaking quality and quantity.’ The Guardian

Brazilian Band

• Hermeto Pascoal: keyboard, accordion, teapot, bass flute, his skeleton, cup of water…
• Aline Morena: voice, ten strings guitar and body percussion
• Itiberê Zwarg: electric bass and percussion
• André Marques: piano, flute and percussion
• Vinícius Dorin: saxes, flutes and percussion
• Fabio Pascoal: percussion and stage direction
• Marcio Bahia: drum kit and percussion

British Band

Trumpets

• Tom Rees Roberts
• Noel Langley
• Henry Lowther
• Kevin Robinson
• Chris Batchelor

Trombones

• Pete Beachill
• Fayyaz Virji
• Richard Henry
• Richard Wigley
• Sarah Williams

Saxophones

• Phil Todd
• Peter King
• Julian Siegel
• Chris Biscoe

Rhythm

• Mark Mondesir drums
• Mike Mondesir bass
• Stuart Hall guitar

Conductor

• Jovino Santos

Check it out live

• Artist: Hermeto Pascoal & Hamilton de Holanda
• Tour: London Jazz Festival
• Date: Sunday, November 20th 2011
• Time: 7:30pm
• City: Hermeto Pascoal & Hamilton de Holanda in London
• Venue: Barbican
• Address: Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
• Venue phone: 020 7638 4141
• Country: UK
• Admission: £15 – 30
• Age restrictions: All Ages
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The Specials and 2 Tone founder Jerry Dammers’ funk and dub influenced arrangements of his selections from cosmic jazz, reggae, exotica and library music, have formed backdrops for some of the country’s finest jazz improvisers, in his highly acclaimed orchestra.

Orchestra favourites, new selections paying homage to a variety of futurist musical dreamers, adaptations of Dammers’ own songs, and a small amount of original material, are now moving the orchestra beyond its “Sun Ra Tribute band” starting point. Alternative musical styles, not always associated with jazz (from rock to jungle or dubstep) are also somewhere in the mix.

Winners of Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards 2011, “John Peel” Award (For Musical Adventurousness)

‘Dammers’ arrangements brilliantly join the dots… making the inaccessible accessible… a genuinely joyful sound.’ The Guardian *****

Check it out live

• Artist: Jerry Dammers’ Spatial A.K.A Orchestra
• Tour: London Jazz Festival
• Date: Friday, November 18th 2011
• Time: 7:30pm
• City: Jerry Dammers’ Spatial A.K.A Orchestra in London
• Venue: Barbican
• Address: Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
• Venue phone: 020 7638 4141
• Country: UK
• Admission: £15 – 25
• Notes: Featuring: Jason Yarde, Denys Baptiste, Larry Stabbins, Nathaniel Facey, Shabaka Hutchings, Terry Edwards (saxes), Finn Peters (flute), Robin Hopcraft (trumpet), Harry Brown (trombone), Anthony Joseph (vocals), Francine Luce (vocals), Alcyona Mick (piano), Roger Beaujolais (vibes), Larry Bartley (double bass), Patrick Illingworth (drums), Crispin “Spry” Robinson (percussion), Steve Gibson (percussion), Ollie Bayley (electric bass), Patrick Hatchett, Guy Clarke (guitars), Jerry Dammers (keyboards).
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Ana Moura entranced a huge crowd in her debut performance at this summer’s Womad festival. Here is what The Guardian wrote: “… a memorable (Womad) festival debut for the young Portuguese fado star Ana Moura, whose cool, no-nonsense style lacked the theatricality of Mariza but showed an intensity and quiet emotion that should make her a major global star. While The Independent reported that: “… this year Ana Moura stopped the Saturday afternoon grazers and shoppers in their tracks. Sixtysomething regulars and teenage first-timers alike whooped her magical set.” The Independent

Ana Moura is a stunning, young fado singer whose fans include the Rolling Stones and Prince. Her latest studio album “Leva – Me Aos Fados” was TOP OF THE WORLD in Songlines Magazine as well as earning 4 star reviews in the Evening Standard, Jungle Drums, R2 (Rock ‘n’ Reel) and The Daily Telegraph, who added: “She’s a class act, with a voice of clarity which is to the fore on this excellent disc…”

Ana has also recently released “Coliseu”, which was recorded live at two of Portugal’s legendary venues: Coliseu do Porto and Lisbon’s Coliseu dos Recreios, to excellent reviews.

The Barbican will be Ana’s second London show after last year’s magical event at Union Chapel. Catch her at the Barbican for what promises to be the beginning of a new era for fado.

Support is from Brazil’s Lucas Santtana, equal parts Tom Zé and Thom Yorke, he is one of the most interesting songwriter-producers from the ‘new generation’ of South American musicians. His performance with his group celebrates the release of his album Sem Nostalgia by UK label Mais Um Disco

Live at the Barbican on 31st October + Belfast Festival at Queens on 29th October
31st October
Barbican Centre
Silk St
City of London,
EC2Y 8DS
Doors: 19.30
Tickets: £15 – 22
www.barbican.org.uk/ 020 7638 4141
+
29th October
Elmwood Hall
Belfast
Box Office: 028 90 97 11 97/www.belfastfestival.com

Check it out live

• Artist: Ana Moura + Lucas Santtana
• Date: Monday, October 31st 2011
• Time: 7:30pm
• City: Ana Moura + Lucas Santtana in London
• Venue: Barbican
• Address: Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
• Venue phone: 020 7638 4141
• Country: UK
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Raashan Ahmad is known for his intimate performance style where he bares all and let’s the audience in on a journey into hip hop, soul, and universal truths that transgress language, culture, and nationality.

International tastemaker Gilles Peterson proclaimed For What You’ve Lost’s “Pain on Black” as one of his top ten songs of the year in 2010 and invited Raashan to perform at his World Wide Awards 2011 in London. Add to that a performance on Live Radio Nova’s Nuit Zébrée and an interview and spotlight on France 24 that reached over 20 million viewers—it is clear that Raashan Ahmad has hit his stride.

Downstairs at Momo

25 Heddon Street

London W1B 4BH

On Friday 11th and 12th November, pianist Darius plus bothers Chris and Dan Brubeck pay homage to their father, Dave Brubeck and give his superlative body of iconic jazz classics a 21st century twist in Brubecks play Brubeck. American piano great Joey Calderazzo, best known as the lynchpin of the Branford Marsalis quartet, joins the dots between swing, bop and classical themes on Sunday 13th. The club is also delighted to welcome classical influenced piano star Billy Childs on Monday 14th with his six-piece chamber project featuring impressionistic drummer Brian Blade (a key member of Wayne Shorter’s quartet).

The epitome of cool, Italian soul-jazz singer Mario Biondi, marks his massively sold-out club debut with an irresistible slice of 60’s style rat-pack cool on Tuesday 15th, while the Yellowjackets, originators of cool acoustic – meets-blazing fusion, celebrate 30 years in the business with an all- star line up from Wednesday 16th to Friday 18th November.
On Saturday 19th, the Laurence Cottle Big Band pay tribute to the late great Weather Report bassist Jaco Pastorious, performing tunes from his big band repertoire on what would have been his 60th birthday. Finally on Sunday 20th, one of the most precociously talented vocalists of the new generation, Alexander Stewart brings a contemporary twist to swinging jazz standards at the Sunday Lunch session, while UK guitar hero Tony Remy leads the brilliant Ronnie Scott’s Blues explosion as the world famous jazz club sees out the festival with a bang.

The world’s greatest festivals are also known for their great after hours hang, and as usual, Ronnie Scott’s Late Late Show, will be the place to go once the musicians have taken their final bows. The charismatic compere, Michael Mwenso, hosts this fun late night session featuring the cream of London’s up and coming jazz talent, with guest turns from visiting festival stars.

Friday 11th November – Sunday 20th November
Ronnie Scott’s, 47 Frith St, London, W1D 4HT
Box office: 020 7439 0747

Full listings, prices and opening times:-

Monday 14th November – Thursday 17th November
11pm-3am / £10 or free to MU/Club members and ticket holders.

THE LATE LATE SHOW (in London Jazz Festival brochure as Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Jam)
Anchored by the charismatic compere, vocalist and occasional trombonist , Michael Mwenso, the Late Late Show recreates the glamour of the legendary jazz joints of 1950’s New York’s 52nd Street. Following the main act, the host introduces some of the capital’s finest young jazzers, plus regular guest turns from visiting stars.

Wednesday 9th November – Saturday 12h November
Doors 6.00pm & 10.30pm (two shows Saturday only): £25.00 – £48.50

BRUBECKS PLAY BRUBECK
Featuring Darius, Chris and Dan Brubeck with special guest Dave O’Higgins.
The Brubeck family is unique in the world of music. Seldom has an entire family been as prolific and talented. Four of Dave Brubeck’s five children are professional musicians, each with their own direction, coming together at special times. Darius, the eldest Brubeck son, is a jazz pianist, composer, educator and band-leader. Chris is a multi-instrumentalist and award-winning composer and superlative bassist, Dan, is a renowned, Grammy-nominated percussionist, acclaimed for his exciting drum solos who has been featured with musicians as diverse as Gerry Mulligan and The Band. For these very special shows they are joined by UK saxophonist Dave O’Higgins for a unique Brubecks play Brubeck show in which they’ll explore the repertoire of their father Dave Brubeck – one of jazz’s most iconic composers.

+ Support: The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars
Sunday 13th November
Doors 6.30pm: £15.00 – £28.50

JOEY CALDERAZZO TRIO
Muscular US pianist, best known for his work with Branford Marsalis, but a fine band leader in his own right. A powerful, resourceful soloist who can leap through any stylistic hoop from classical influenced ballads to powerful modal jazz. Calderazzo appears here with an ace rhythm section featuring ex-pat UK bass star (now based in NYC), Orlando Le Fleming and drummer Donald Edwards.

Sunday 136h November
12 noon – 4pm: £12.00 – £15.00

SUNDAY JAZZ LUNCH: The Sounds of New Orleans with TJ Johnson & His Band
Relaxed family friendly lunchtime session featuring top quality entertainment and Sunday lunch available to order. This week with New Orleans style singer/pianist who has absorbed the musical gumbo and mardi-gras of the Crescent City. Featuring tunes from his new album, Jazz ‘n’ Blues, a heady mix of Jazz, Blues and Swing. Expect material from Ray Charles to Dr John and beyond.
Monday 14th November
Doors 6.00pm / £20.00 – £40.00

BILLY CHILDS SEXTET FEATURING BRIAN BLADE
Superlative classical influenced pianist and composer who moves effortlessly between gentle neo-bop and fusion with a gentle majesty to his music. Here playing impressionistic chamber jazz and contemporary jazz with a top class band featuring UK saxophonist Tim Garland, harpist Carol Robbins, guitarist Larry Koonse, bassist Hamilton Price and acclaimed drummer Brian Blade – best known for his work with Wayne Shorter.

+ Support: The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars

Tuesday 15th November
Doors 6.00pm / £25.00 – £42.50

MARIO BIONDI
Classy Italian soul-jazz singer influenced by Lou Rawls, Isaac Hayes and Mark Murphy. Championed by legendary DJ Norman Jay he has a cult following here in the UK, and is a huge star in his Native Italy. He appears with his top class band featuring Claudio Filippini, piano, Lorenzo Tucci, drums, Tommaso Scannapieco, bass /double bass, Luca Florian, percussions, Daniele Scannapieco, saxophone, Giovanni Amato, trumpet and Beppe di Benedetto, trombone.

+ Support: The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars

Wednesday 16th November – Friday 18th November
Doors 6.00pm & 10.30pm (two shows Friday only) / £25.00 – £40.00

YELLOW JACKETS 30th ANNIVERSARY TOUR
Superb, classy jazz-fusion band, combining a sophisticated rhythmic approach with top notch arrangements and brilliant solos. Always hugely enjoyable, this tour finds them celebrating 30 years at the very top of their game. With Russell Ferante on piano and keys, bassist Jimmy Haslip, drummer William Kennedy and top-notch saxophonist Bob Mintzer.

+ Support: CAST: Coryell, Auger, Sample Trio
Featuring the offspring of some of jazz’s most famous names, all of whom are great players in their own right: American singer-songwriter and guitarist Julian Coryell (son of famous guitarist Larry), drummer Karma Auger (son of Brit-jazz organ hero Brian) and bassist Niklas Sample (son of key board legend Joe Sample).

Saturday 19th November
Doors 6.00pm & 10.30pm (two shows) / £20.00 – £42.50

THE LAURENCE COTTLE BIG BAND: A Portrait Of Jaco
Brilliant Welsh bassist Laurence Cottle leads his UK big band in a storming tribute to the great bass player Jaco Pastorius. Pastorius who would have celebrated his 60th birthday this year was one of the most innovative bass players of all time. A key member of Weather Report, Pastorius also led the acclaimed ‘Word Of Mouth’ big band and tonight’s concert will feature new arrangements of Pastorius tunes as well as recreating some of his own arrangements for the first time since his untimely death. Featuring the cream of UK jazz talent with Gareth Lockrane on flute, saxophonist Nigel Hitchcock, Alex Garnett, Sammy Mayne, Claire McInerney and Julian Siegel, trumpeters Noel Langley, Pat White, Sid Gauld and Martin Shaw, trombonists Barnaby Dickinson, Ade Halliwell, Alistair White and Neil Sidwell, percussionist Miles Bould, powerhouse drummer Gary Husband and Cottle on bass.

+ Support: The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars

Sunday 20th November
Doors 6.30pm / £15.00 – £28.50

THE RONNIE SCOTT’S BLUES EXPLOSION
Co-Led by Pianist/Vocalist Paddy Milner and explosive funk, blues and jazz guitarist Tony Remy (Incognito, Annie Lennox and Craig David), the electrifying Blues Explosion specialises in blues music from Chicago to the Delta, West Coast and British. Expect blues classics from Eric Clapton, BB King, Freddie King, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Peter Green, Howlin’ Wolf, Robert Cray amongst others.

Sunday 206h November
12 noon – 4pm / £12.00 – £15.00

SUNDAY JAZZ LUNCH: Alexander Stewart and the Alex Webb Trio
See Sunday 13th. This week with classy Mark Murphy influenced UK jazz singer Stewart,. Appearing here with
A fine band led by pianist, arranger, composer Webb and featuring bassist Gary Crosby, tenor saxophonist Frank Griffiths, trumpeter Dave Runkel, trombonist Winston Rollins and fiery altoist Nathaniel Facey.

With pop prince Jason Derulo and the nation’s sweetheart Alesha Dixon as the evening’s dynamic hosts, the 16th MOBO Awards in association with Lebara Mobile at the SECC in Glasgow, was televised live on BBC3 with highlights to follow this Friday on BBC1 at 11:45pm.

Jessie J had a markedly triumphant evening, firstly due to her daredevil stage performance (without a leg cast for one of her first performances since her accident back in June) followed by a sweep of winning 4 of her 5 nominated categories for Best UK Act, Best Album, Best Newcomer and Best Song. Tinie Tempah was the debonair man of the hour, fighting off fierce competition for the Best Hip Hop/Grime category, while Adele also came up trumps winning Best R&B/ Soul Act and Rihanna pipped the likes of Beyoncé and Bruno Mars to the post by grabbing the Best International Act Award. All winners were voted for by fans via mobo.com and media partners.

The Awards Show itself, the second time the MOBO Awards have come to the vibrant Scottish city of Glasgow, was met by fever-pitched excitement and once again raised the bar with stunning production effects and milestone performances. Power duets were the order of the evening with Professor Green and Emeli Sandé performing together as did Dubstep/Grime girls Katy B and Ms Dynamite. To cap it all, Dappy and Tinchy Stryder wowed the audience with their elaborate stage performance of hit single ‘Spaceship’, for which they picked up the Best Video award.

London rapper Wretch 32, gorgeous Glaswegian Yasmin, co-host Jason Derulo and US teen sensation Alexis Jordan also gave equally electrifying performances. Joining the top-level talent performing on the night was Dionne Bromfield, the Goddaughter of the late Amy Winehouse, who belted out a thoroughly moving rendition of Amy’s ‘Love Is A Losing Game’, in a fitting tribute including a video montage of the late MOBO Award winning singer.

Seminal R&B group Boyz II Men took to the stage to pick up the well-deserved Outstanding Contribution to Music Award and then went on to bring the house down with a medley of hits from their multi-platinum selling albums. The award was presented by JLS, who flew in to Glasgow by private jet especially to present to Boyz II Men, who they cite as musical inspirations. Making a strong comeback, Jessie J delivered a fierce performance, with the theme being shedding her former self.

Guest presenters on the night included Chipmunk, Olympic medallist Philipps Idowu, Fazer of N-Dubz and ex-Sugababe Keisha Buchanan.

The BeMOBO Award, is one that honours the hard work and special contribution made by an individual or organisation that orchestrates significant changes via grass roots, educational or community initiatives. This year saw Youth Music, a charity initiative encouraging development through music win the coveted award, with celebrity ambassador Myleene Klass on hand to present the award on the night, and was accepted by thrice MOBO Nominated duo Rizzle Kicks, who themselves went through the Youth Music programme.

Kanya King, CEO and Founder of MOBO: “The excitement and atmosphere of our second year here in Glasgow has shown the love that the whole country has for MOBO. We felt so welcome the first time we came here, we didn’t think it could be topped. This year has been a phenomenal success and we can’t wait to return in 2013. It’s been a great event that has welcomed some exciting new award winners to the MOBO roll of honour including the global superstar Adele, the UK’s hot talent Tinchy Stryder and of course the fantastic Jessie J walking away with four awards.”

Russell Atkinson, Managing Director Lebara Mobile: “Congratulations to all the winners and nominees this evening. It has been an exceptional evening showcasing outstanding talent and we are extremely proud to sponsor this exciting event. A special congratulations to Jessie J for winning an amazing four awards including the Best Newcomer Act in association with Lebara Mobile.”

• BEST NEWCOMER in association with Lebara Mobile – voted for by Facebook- JESSIE J
• BEST HIP HOP / GRIME ACT – TINIE TEMPAH
• BEST VIDEO- TINCHY STRYDER AND DAPPY – SPACESHIP
• BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT- RIHANNA
• BEST SONG in association with PRS for Music- JESSIE J – DO IT LIKE A DUDE
• BEST ALBUM- JESSIE J – WHO YOU ARE
• BEST REGGAE- ALBOROSIE
• BEST JAZZ ACT- KAIROS 4TET
• BEST AFRICAN ACT- WIZKID
• BEST GOSPEL ACT- TRIPLE O
• BEST R&B / SOUL ACT- ADELE
• OUTSANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC- BOYZ II MEN
• BEMOBO AWARD – YOUTH MUSIC

Chucho knocked out two sets of flawless, thrilling jazz drawing deep on contemporary Cuban music and its African roots. At times, you could have been at a Santeria religious occasion at other times it was more like the studied cool of a New York jazz club.

Chucho just seems to get better with age, a fact underscored by his recent Grammy for Latin Jazz. The fact that he has shit-hot percussionists around him doesn’t do any harm either though and a bit of vocal magic, ‘Besame Chucho’ touched the right nerve for the more romantically-inclined.

Look out for his other gigs and check out Floridita in Wardour Street for Latin vibes this autumn.

At five tracks ’5ive’, the second in a set of releases from the West London-based Jazz Re:freshed promoters/label, is woefully short but it is a timely reminder of the sheer talent of Mr Kaidi Tatham.

Born in Birmingham, but musically schooled – in part – in West London, Tatham or Kaidi Kat as he is also known, perfectly reflects the West London musical environment. The area, roughly its domain stretches from Hammersmith up to Wembley and further out to suburban Hounslow, has a melange of immigrants from the Caribbean and Indian sub-continent who, coupled with the indigenous population, all share a love of soul and jazz, giving West London a strong musical history.

Like a graffiti artist looking for the right wall to paint on, Tatham has often struggled to find the right musical canvas to exhibit his talent. His previous album, ‘In Search of Hope’ was only released in Japan and was gone within a month. It seems that the Jazz Re:freshed label is the right ‘gallery.’ I will use the word genius sparingly, but Kaidi’s inspired live performances (especially at his home from home at the Jazz Re:freshed night), are the stuff of legend, which send a crowd into raptures, with Kaidi delighting on the piano, keyboards, drums and flute, and it is live where he comes close to genius.

The Jazz Re:freshed label is run by Adam Rock and Top Rock (plain Adam and Justin to their parents) who run a jazz night of the same name, every Thursday at the intimate Mau Mau bar in London’s Portobello Road (the funkier end of the street rather than the posher end). The night is a veritable delight of unknown, emerging and, occasionally, big name artists performing (respectively Ruby and the Vines, United Vibration and Azymuth have all played here). The music is always good, the crowd relaxed, the sound spot on and the owners super friendly (however busy or fraught they are, they always, without fail, come over for a chat). This level of detail follows into the label’s recorded output – nicely designed sleeves, well engineered and produced tracks; a reasonable five pounds for each release though limited to five hundred copies, so be quick).

The Eighties ‘boogie’ sound and its late Nineties rework as ‘broken beat’ were respectively prevalent and born in West London. Kaidi is a master at both, the album’s opener ‘To My Surprise’ combines a hazy Eighties soul feel, with modern twisted beats. It’s the sort of song you could have easily heard on Radio London in 1985, as well as on a London pirate station in 2011. ‘Organic Juggernaut’ gives a better sense of Kaidi’s wide repertoire – he’s a trained jazz pianist – with its intro basking in Brazilian melodies. There are hints of Patrice Rushen, George Duke and Bugz in the Attic,  in the mix. ‘For All Love in Time’ on an initial listen is the weakest track on the album. Lite jazz funk melodies sound slightly odd after the funky beats of the previous two tracks but there is a little twist in the tail, as some sweet keyboard refrains kick in, which is the Kaidi trademark sound, with the ‘flicking’ beat also a stock mark of the West London sound. On subsequent listens the track’s lighter introduction makes sense.

‘Dyno’, which cruises along at two minutes twenty five seconds, is of Latin persuasion, while the final track ‘Don’t Hide Your Love’ is a skilful execution of the previously mentioned Eighties soul sound (complete with squelchy Scritti Politti-type synths), again with a funky modern twist.

How good is Kaidi Tatham? Good enough for me to come out of retirement to write this review. This EP goes someway to cement this reputation.