“Electrifying, intense, thoughtful and ebullient” New York Times
“Formidable showmanship” Jazz Times
Hold tight ! Nothing can prepare you for this raucous New York 8 piece Soul-Jazz-Prog-Funk-Groove orchestra! We are beyond lucky that they have managed to squeeze in a show in between their Kings Place show in London! Thanks to Sam Beste aka The Vernon Spring who recommended them reaching out to us for a little Brighton visit in between bigger shows!
Their exceptional live show is brimming with the joy, beauty, power and grace of all the black greats that have come before them. Their sound flits deftly from hardcore funk to a cappella-jazz-skatting and harmonised anthems, tight soul horn lines to polyrhythmic long form wig-outs. PLUS two excellent DJ’s who will play a mix of delectable disco + funk and heavy bashment, dancehall and reggae until midnight!
Michael Mwenso is an epic force of nature and polymath. An Emmy Award-winning creator, curator, artist, musician and activist whose journey from Sierra Leone to New York via London has given him a completely fresh and unique perspective and sound. Mwenso was singing and dancing with James Brown on tour by the age of 22 and has played with all the greats through many twists of fate and conviction.
“it’s hard to think of another world-class improvising band with a hardcore jazz vocabulary that generates a more intensely visual spectacle” Jazz news
His story is incredible! This article has more details on how he got to meet James Brown, the now legendary “late shows” at The Jazz cafe which he started and how one of his Jazz heroes headhunted him to curate with him in New York…
Mwenso sums up the group’s mission statement.
“We’ve figured out how to play funk grooves and African music in a way that still holds up the deepest elements of jazz and swing… Joy is the human element of swing; jazz that isn’t joyful is just something else that’s happening. We’re trying to fulfill the spirit of Louis Armstrong and those people, we want to protect what they held up, and guard it and bow and give reverence to them—but also to be free within ourselves”
We don’t know how we are going to fit them on our tiny stage, but the lineup goes as follows:
Michael Mwenso – band leader / vocals
Vuyo Sotashe – vocals
Xander Naylor – guitar
Miles Wilkins – keys / piano
Nolan Nwachukwu – bass
Ahmad Johnson – drums
Ruben Fox – tenor saxophone
Rashaan Salaam – trombone
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