A catch-all thread for the current jazz scene in London, including Shabaka Hutchings, Yazz Ahmed, Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Camilla George, Theon Cross, Zara McFarlane, Daniel Casimir, SEED Ensemble,

The Comet Is Coming are touring the US in October. I saw them a couple of years ago — if they come to your town, GO.

Will do!

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two Shabaka threads, so let’s do an xpost:

a concert this coming Tuesday that might be of interest to Londoners, with sets from three Native Rebel artists, Shabaka Hutchings’ record label:

https://earthackney.co.uk/events/native-rebel-recordings-the-brother-moves-on-chelsea-carmichael-con-kwake-15-11-2022/

mentioning it because I saw The Brother Moves On from Johannesburg in Amsterdam last night and they were awesome. I only knew their “You Think You Know Me” from last year because it was nominated in Tom Ewing’s EOY Twitter poll. great track, but not very representative (and they didn’t play it).

they performed as a five-piece band (guitar, bass, drums and two saxophonists/flutists) plus wonderful frontman/vocalist Siyabonga Mthembu.
there’s a lot of jazz in what they do, but (to my ears at least) it’s local SA genres at the heart of it all. their Wikipedia entry mentions “maskandi rock” (and “ninja gospel” fwiw).

listening to their recent album right now, and I’m enjoying it, but it can’t hold a candle to the live performance. go see them live if you can.

I guess I might add that they somehow manage to be intense and fun at the same time

btw, I didn’t realize just how recent that album is, it came out two weeks ago. having listened to their previous one, Tolika Mtoliki from last year (not on Native Rebel), yesterday as well, I feel that one might actually be better.

winter jazzfest in nyc has a jamie branch memorial show in the works